Positive Reinforcement vs. Punishment

Dog Training Elite Shreveport

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Positive Dog Training Techniques

Positive Reinforcement Dog Training in Shreveport / Bossier City, LA

Research shows that focusing on positive reinforcement when a desired behavior occurs and not worrying about correcting bad behavior in dogs is more effective and has longer-lasting results than training that incorporates punishment for bad behavior.

Positive reinforcement dog training in Shreveport / Bossier City, LA works because dogs are inherently eager to please. Rewarding your dog for good behavior helps create a deep, loving relationship with your dog built on trust, as opposed to one built on fear of punishment. The difference between a dog who has been trained to obey out of fear of being punished vs. a dog who learns to obey through a positive, loving bond with their owner is huge.

Dog Training Elite Shreveport trainers use treats as an initial reward for puppies and dogs learning commands. When the trainer is absent, or you’re in between obedience classes, you can continue to use treats as a reward for your dog when they exhibit a desired behavior. Dogs tend to be highly food-motivated, so this is an extremely useful tool. You can also reward your dog with a play session, take them to the dog park or anything else you know your dog enjoys. After all, you know your dog best!

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Your Questions Answered

Positive reinforcement training is a widely used and highly effective method for teaching dogs new behaviors while strengthening the bond between you and your pet. Below, we've answered some common questions about how this training approach works and why it's beneficial for all dog breeds.

Positive reinforcement training rewards dogs for good behavior with treats, praise, or play, encouraging them to repeat those behaviors. It focuses on creating a positive association with desired actions, making training enjoyable and effective for your dog.
Positive reinforcement builds trust and strengthens the bond between you and your dog. By rewarding desired behavior, your dog is more motivated to learn and respond willingly, whereas punishment can create fear and anxiety, hindering learning and damaging the relationship.
Yes, positive reinforcement training is effective for all dog breeds. Since it relies on rewarding good behavior, dogs of all breeds, sizes, and temperaments can respond well, making it a flexible and universally beneficial training method.
A white poodle smiling at one of our Shreveport / Bossier City positive reinforcement dog trainers.

Shreveport / Bossier City Positive Reinforcement Dog Trainers

Dog Training Elite Shreveport

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As for not worrying about bad behavior – it may feel strange to act like everything is fine when your dog chews on your shoes, or goes to the bathroom inside your home. But focusing on rewarding good behavior and forgoing punishment for bad behavior is more successful in the long run.

Relying on punishment for errors and “low value” rewards, such as praise or petting are long held “traditional” methods for dog training. Punishments like flicking a dog’s nose, shocking them with a shock collar, or anything else that may cause a dog pain are unfortunately still in use today by many dog trainers.

Not only is it inhumane, but using punishment as a tool can actually backfire. For example: punishing a dog for going to the bathroom inside a house won’t teach them to go outside instead. Often, the dog only understands that the mess makes their owner mad. Instead of going outside, the dog is likely to continue to make messes indoors — where the owner can’t find them.

Punishment training also damages the relationship between dog and owner. Dogs do not understand right and wrong. Instead of associating punishment with a specific behavior they learn to avoid, as with the bathroom example, they instead learn to live in constant fear of punishment. This prevents owners from bonding with their dogs in a meaningful way.

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One of our trainers will visit your home to meet you and your dog and discuss any issues you're facing. We will then demonstrate one of our model dogs so you can see what you can expect after hiring our trainers. From there, we will discuss the various packages we offer and which we feel best suit your (and your dog's) needs.
We provide full obedience training that covers all basic commands, both on and off-leash. Our in-home visits target specific issues like counter-surfing, digging, and more. Unlike some trainers, we work with all breeds, including those often considered challenging.
Yes. You (and anyone in your family who wants to be involved) are integral to your dog getting trained. We need you to practice 5-6 days a week, about 15-20 minutes a day for optimal results.
Once a week. We come to you (with the silver, gold and platinum packages) once a week to start your dog off, then you come to park sessions which are held once a week in Shreveport / Bossier City.
We train dogs of all breeds, sizes, and temperaments. Whether your dog is a tiny Chihuahua or a large Mastiff, we have the experience and expertise to work with them.
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The Dog Training Elite Shreveport Difference


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Dog Training Elite Shreveport uses modern training methods focused on positive dog training using reinforcement and bonding you and your dog. Our trainers in Shreveport / Bossier City, LA never resort to punishment to help dogs unlearn behaviors. Through a combination of commands and an electronic collar, dogs learn to follow commands at once. The electronic collar is not a shock collar and never used to punish bad behavior. Instead, it produces a sensation like the gentle tug of a leash, and is used to help recapture the attention of a dog who gets distracted.

Dog Training Elite Shreveport’s method of focusing on positive behavior reinforcement nurtures a dog's loving and naturally obedient nature. The method is the same regardless of the situation, whether training a puppy, an older dog or a service dog. The positive reinforcement dog training in Shreveport / Bossier City, LA ensures training is a success no matter what your dog’s behavior. If you have a brand new puppy who is stubborn and smart, or an older dog who has slipped into bad habits – or perhaps never learned – after proper conditioning and working with Dog Training Elite Shreveport, when you say “sit,” your dog will automatically sit without thinking about it.

Dog Training Elite Shreveport offers specialized in-home training services so your dog gets the attention and training he or she needs, and you learn alongside them so training continues when the trainer leaves. Dog Training Elite in Shreveport / Bossier City, LA also offers group classes for dogs who are ready to take obedience training to the next level, and service training programs for a variety of needs.

If you’re looking to train a service dog, or just looking for a loyal four-legged companion, Dog Training Elite in Shreveport / Bossier City, LA will help you get there with our positive dog training. You can get started today. Find a trainer near you and schedule a free in-home consultation!

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Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Marian Benton
    Feb. 23, 2024
    Jennifer is an amazing trainer! My dog, Max and I looked forward to the time we spent with her every week. I couldn’t believe what she was able to teach my dog to do. She truly is the best in every way!
  • Brooke Ainsworth
    Feb. 1, 2024
    Jennifer has been amazing with my dog! She is knowledgeable and kind with my pet. She has been able to move around appointments to accommodate my travel schedule as well. Thankful I found her!!!!
  • Suzan Azlin
    Jan. 7, 2024
    Buddy loves them and is doing really good learning to behave.. very nice people who love animals
  • Samantha Legg
    Dec. 7, 2023
    Jen has been fantastic! She has been patient with me and all my questions. She is gentle with my puppy and really seems to enjoy him!
  • Laura Kelly
    Dec. 5, 2023
    In just a couple months, Jen had my 8mo old retriever mix behaving beautifully. And as she continues to work on service dog training, I'm amazed at the new things Sadie is learning weekly.
  • Jaya McSharma
    Nov. 29, 2023
    We love love Jennifer! She’s so good with Zadi and gives us easy instructions to follow every week to help train her! She makes the whole process stress free and really takes your goals into account for her training. And Zadi loves her!!!!!!! Highly recommend!!!!!!!
  • Linnie Emmons
    Nov. 27, 2023
    Jennifer is a great trainer! My dog Lucy used to bark ALL THE TIME. Jennifer worked with us to teach Lucy “quiet”. We are so happy with our newly quiet dog. 5 stars!
  • Emily Price
    Apr. 20, 2023
    I’m so grateful to Jen and Mattie for their help training our dog Suki. She’s come SO far in just a matter of weeks, which is impressive for an 10-year-old dog, and I’m excited to see how she’ll continue to improve. I highly recommend Dog Training Elite to anyone in need of training services!
  • JoLynn Kari
    Mar. 30, 2023
    Dog Training Elite has worked wonders with us and our adopted pound puppy. We were a bit overwhelmed with getting her to listen to us and our daughter. The training was tailored to what we needed, started at a base level and built up on the lessons from the prior session. The one-on-one lessons were very helpful and we are looking forward to the group sessions to continue building upon the baseline. Our pup is definitely a part of the family.
  • Lilyana R.
    Mar. 27, 2023
    With the help of Jen and Matti, Carlton has turned into an incredible service dog. They are extremely good at what they do. I can now leave my house without having to worry about passing out, because I know I can rely on my dog. They care for every single pup they meet and treat them with care, no matter the issues. It's hard not to love them immediately. Being a part of their team has been an amazing experience. They aren't just friends, they're family! There are no other dog trainers I would recommend more than them!
  • Pamela Haydel
    Mar. 7, 2023
    Jennifer at the Bossier City location is the best! She worked with our 1 year old female Shiba Inu on her resource guarding (along with many other issues) and it has literally changed our lives. I highly recommend DTE to anyone who has a fur baby! Thank you Jennifer for being the awesome trainer that you are!
  • Erica Hussey
    Feb. 22, 2023
    Jen and Mattie have literally changed the life of my family. Jen helped pick Kira from the pound and through Jen's patient training, she is becoming an amazing service dog! They are not just trainers, they are a part of our family.
  • Laura
    Sep. 8, 2022
    I reached out to Jen and Matti when my Doberman puppy was 6 months old, and they were amazing from the get-go. The first time I talked with them on the phone they asked great questions about my puppy and made me feel like they were on my team already. I felt immediately at ease and confident that these ladies would help me learn how to train my puppy and create a better relationship with her. At first I was mainly seeking help with my puppy’s intense and incessant biting problem. I was feeling overwhelmed and hopeless about the situation. After visiting my home to assess the situation, Jen told me that the biting problem would be the first issue to go! I’ll admit I didn’t think that was possible at the time. But she was right!! Within the first training session, Jen addressed the biting problem and my puppy has stopped nipping and biting entirely. It was a huge relief to see such quick progress and it has only gotten better from that point on! My now 9 month puppy has accomplished commands (off-leash and on-leash heel, running in heel position, 100% recall, speak, load-up, quiet, place, & even property boundaries) that I thought would take YEARS to teach her. I could not be happier with the training I have received and if you’re considering someone else in town, don’t even bother. Matti and Jen truly love and understand animals, plus they are so respectful and empathetic when it comes to people! I NEVER felt like I was being bossed around or shamed for not understanding something. They are patient with both pets and people, and I have no doubt they will get you and your pet where you want to be!!
  • Vince Conrad
    Jul. 28, 2022
    I have seen the effectiveness of DTE Shreveport's training methods and the positive transformation in the behavior of the dogs they train. Jenn and Matti are driven to develop the best possible relationship between each owner and their dog so that they can experience all the fun activities and joy that dogs bring to our lives. If you would like to make your dog a bigger part of your lifestyle, I encourage you to contact the dynamic duo at DTE Shreveport.
  • John Clark
    Jul. 7, 2022
    Great place!
  • craig fizer
    Jun. 14, 2022
    Jen and Matti are fantastic trainers. They are dedicated and truly passionate about improving the bond between dogs and their owners. I highly recommend using them for all training needs!
  • George Rehbein
    Jun. 1, 2022
    Jen and Matti are driven women who have hearts of gold. Their dogs Tink and Mabel have progressed tremendously going through the Dog Training Elite training program and I have no doubt these ladies will be helping many dogs in the Shreveport area.
  • Valerie de Armas
    May. 24, 2022
    Matti and Jen are such amazing women and they love their dogs so much. Mabel and Tink are such awesome dogs. These ladies work so hard and their animals are all the better for it!
  • Kelley Rosequist
    May. 24, 2022
    Jen and Matti are amazing dogs trainers and their love of dogs is so obvious in all that they do!