Derek is frustrated that his 1½-year-old dog does not let him know when he needs to go outside to urinate.Sometimes he comes home to find a mess near the door.Which training method is most likely to be successful?
A)Derek takes his dog outside on a fixed schedule and gives him a treat when they return to the house,whether he urinated or not.
B)Derek takes his dog over to the mess,puts the dog's nose near it so he smells it,and tells him "bad dog,don't do this again!"
C)If Derek comes home and finds a mess by the door,he ignores his dog for an hour.
D)Derek takes his dog outside on a fixed schedule and promptly gives him a treat for urinating outside.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most successful training method for this situation would involve positive reinforcement for the desired behavior, which in this case is urinating outside. Therefore, taking the dog outside on a fixed schedule and promptly giving him a treat for urinating outside would be the most effective method. Option A also involves positive reinforcement, but the treat should only be given when the desired behavior (urinating outside) is performed. Option B is not an effective training method as punishment after the fact is not helpful for behavior modification. Option C is also not an effective training method as dogs do not understand the concept of punishment after the fact and it can damage the relationship between the dog and the owner.

Derek Is Frustrated That His 1½-Year-Old Dog Does Not Let