The debate between positive reinforcement training and balanced training has been going on for years. Positive reinforcement focuses on rewarding good behavior while avoiding corrections, while balanced training combines rewards with appropriate discipline to teach both what’s right and what’s wrong.
There’s no doubt that positive reinforcement is useful for teaching new behaviors, building confidence, and strengthening the bond between dog and owner. But the idea that you can fix all behavioral problems using only positive reinforcement? That’s just not realistic. Some behaviors—especially those driven by instinct or excitement—can’t simply be distracted away.
The Flaws of Positive-Only Training
Think about raising a child who has a habit of running into the street. If you followed a purely positive reinforcement approach, you wouldn’t physically stop them or tell them “no”—you’d just try to distract them with candy or a toy and hope they lose interest in the road. But that doesn’t actually teach the child why running into the street is dangerous.
The same applies to dogs. If your dog is about to bolt after a squirrel and run into traffic, waving a treat around or calling their name in a happy voice probably isn’t going to stop them. At that moment, their instincts are stronger than their desire for food. A leash correction, a firm “no,” or some other form of clear consequence is often the only thing that will break their focus and keep them safe.
Why Balanced Training Works Better
Balanced training isn’t about being harsh—it’s about being clear. It means using positive reinforcement to encourage good behaviors while also using fair corrections to stop dangerous or unwanted behaviors.
Here’s why it works:
Dogs learn both what to do and what not to do. Positive-only training teaches what’s rewarded, but it doesn’t always communicate what’s unacceptable.
It creates clear, reliable communication. A balanced approach gives dogs clear feedback, just like they would get from their own kind.
It prevents dangerous behaviors. Some actions—like chasing a squirrel toward the road or jumping on strangers—need an immediate consequence to stop them in their tracks.
Dogs Naturally Correct Each Other—Why Shouldn’t We?
Dogs don’t train each other using only treats. A mother dog doesn’t ignore bad behavior or try to redirect her puppies with food—she nips them, growls, or physically intervenes when necessary. Dogs in a social setting also correct each other when one is being rude or pushy.
If dogs naturally use corrections in their own language, why should humans be expected to train them without any?
Final Thoughts
Positive reinforcement is an amazing tool and should be a huge part of training, but it’s not a complete system on its own. Balanced training—where we reward good behavior and correct bad behavior—leads to clearer communication, faster learning, and ultimately, a safer, more well-behaved dog.
At the end of the day, dog training should be about results, not ideology. What matters most is that your dog understands what’s expected, feels secure in that knowledge, and can live a happy, well-adjusted life.