Why Not Punishing Dogs Is Controversial
Why refusing to use punishment, prong collars, choke chains, and e-collars still causes backlash in modern dog training.
I am genuinely stunned that not wanting to punish dogs is considered controversial.
Yet say out loud that you don’t use prong collars, choke chains, or e-collars, and the response can be immediate and aggressive. Comments flood in. People laugh. Some dismiss welfare-led training as soft, naïve, or unrealistic — even when the dog in question is struggling with serious behaviour challenges.
What’s striking isn’t just the disagreement. It’s how normalised punishment has become in dog training, and how uncomfortable some people become when that norm is questioned.
Why refusing to punish dogs triggers backlash
A large proportion of negative reactions don’t come from cruelty-minded owners. They come from people who were told — confidently — that punishment is normal, necessary, and humane when used “properly”.
Many owners have been sold the idea that:
- dogs need firm corrections to learn
- tools like prong collars or e-collars are “just communication”
- punishment is the only option for “serious” behaviour
Those messages often come from trainers who justify aversive methods with convincing language, selective science, and dramatic success stories. When that belief system is challenged, it can feel personal — like an attack on the owner’s intentions rather than the method itself.
Punishment doesn’t address why a dog behaves the way they do
Aversive tools don’t explain behaviour. They suppress it.
Whether a dog is pulling, reacting, chasing, barking, or shutting down, punishment targets the outward behaviour without addressing the underlying cause.
It doesn’t ask why the behaviour is happening.
And it certainly doesn’t resolve it.
Instead, punishment offers a shortcut: the behaviour stops in the moment, and the appearance of success is taken as proof that the method works.
If you want a deeper breakdown of what punishment actually is (and why it creates fallout), start here: Punishment in Dog Training.
Punishment is the easiest option — not the most effective
Punishment doesn’t require much skill from the trainer or the handler. It doesn’t require an understanding of learning theory, emotional states, or environmental influences.
What it requires is compliance.
The problem is that behaviour and emotion are inseparable.
It doesn’t address how a dog feels.
Scared. Frustrated. Overwhelmed.
Those emotional states don’t disappear just because behaviour is suppressed. They go underground — often resurfacing later as anxiety, reactivity, aggression, or shutdown.
If you want lasting change, improving how a dog feels is essential.
Prong collars, choke chains, and e-collars: why they’re a shortcut
These tools are marketed as “humane” and “necessary” for difficult dogs.
But a prong collar doesn’t teach loose lead walking. It teaches avoidance.
A choke chain doesn’t teach calm behaviour. It teaches that the world gets uncomfortable when the dog does the “wrong” thing.
An e-collar doesn’t teach reliable recall. It teaches that coming back prevents something unpleasant.
That’s why these tools can look like they “work”. The behaviour changes fast. But fast isn’t the same as safe.
If you want the most common arguments picked apart clearly, these two will help:
And if you want the specific welfare issues with slip leads and choke-style pressure laid out plainly, read: Choke Chains Explained.
My own journey away from punishment-based training
I didn’t always train this way.
Like many people, I started out with traditional training methods. On paper, they were presented as normal and effective. But something never quite sat right.
The more I worked with dogs, the more I noticed the emotional fallout. Dogs that technically complied, but didn’t look comfortable. Dogs that learned to avoid rather than understand. Dogs that stopped offering behaviour altogether.
I spent years investing time, money, and energy into research and self-education. Learning about behaviour, welfare science, emotional processing, and how dogs actually experience the world.
Walking away from punishment wasn’t a loss of control. It was a shift towards responsibility.
Dogs cannot advocate for themselves
Dogs don’t get to choose their trainer.
They can’t explain that they’re uncomfortable, in pain, or overwhelmed. They can’t tell us their needs aren’t being met, or that a method is causing distress rather than learning.
That responsibility sits with us.
If speaking up for dogs makes people uncomfortable, that’s a discomfort worth sitting with.
Because quick fixes that cause harm aren’t training.
Kindness should never be the controversial option.
If you’re in the UK and you want something practical you can do in 30 seconds, the RSPCA campaign to ban shock collars in the UK is quick to read and easy to support.
FAQ
Is punishment ever necessary in dog training?
Punishment suppresses behaviour rather than teaching understanding. Long-term change comes from addressing emotion, environment, and learning history — not fear or pain.
Do prong collars and e-collars work?
They can stop behaviour in the moment, but stopping behaviour isn’t the same as resolving it. Suppression can lead to fallout such as anxiety, shutdown, or redirected behaviour.
What’s wrong with punishment if it stops dangerous behaviour?
Stopping behaviour without addressing the cause increases risk. A frightened or stressed dog may appear compliant while remaining emotionally unsafe, making future incidents more likely.
Is welfare-led training the same as being permissive?
No. Welfare-led training still has boundaries, structure, and clear guidance. The difference is that it prioritises emotional safety alongside learning.
Why is punishment still so common in dog training?
Because it appears fast, requires less skill, and is heavily marketed. Normalisation doesn’t equal effectiveness or ethics.
What should I do instead if my dog is pulling, reacting, or chasing?
Start by identifying what’s driving the behaviour: fear, frustration, overstimulation, unmet needs, pain, or reinforcement history. Then work through a welfare-led plan that teaches skills and improves emotional safety. This checklist is a solid starting point: 6 Essentials Before Dog Training Works.
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