Training a Puppy or Kitten: The Importance of Classical Conditioning

Many American households include family pets as key members of the family unit. As a young family, considering the addition of pets, it is important to assess the type of pet you would like to have by encompassing not only your family needs but also the needs of the domestic animals you are considering. One key area of concern, for many parents, is the best method in which to train the new puppy or kitten. Understanding the importance of positive reinforcement, versus negative reinforcement, will aide parents and children in training the new family pet more effectively

For many families, the decision to add a cat versus a dog, to the family unit, is often met with mixed debate. Each as a unique domestic animal, both are very intelligent and can be trained with the proper love and attention required of a new pet. Using classical conditioning, each type of domestic animal will respond well and become a great addition to the family.

As part of the pet training, either a cat or dog, the key may lie more in the hand gestures and body language than in the verbal connection with the animal. When using verbal language with the family pet, however, your emotions and tone may impact the outcome, again, more readily than the verbal words spoken. In other words, speaking directly and clearly, with intent of tone, using hand signals and eye contact, will make the greatest impact in training your new family pet, whether cat or dog.

Classical conditioning is the term most often used to teach cats and dogs to live in the home with the family members. It is during classical conditioning that we learn to equate a specific event with a specific consequence. People are no different. The key to training your new cat or dog lies in the ability to control timing. Because most domestic animals have no sense of timing, the impact of classical conditioning lies in the ability to make the event and consequence meet with very little time lag in between.

For some families, with newly adopted cats or dogs, the tendency, when frustrated, is to use negative reinforcement in training. Because negative reinforcement can, in some cases, lead to abuse of your new family pet, it is recommended to steer clear of the negative reinforcement so as to not confuse the family pet also to avoid any potential abuse that may proliferate in the long term. This is especially the case of cats who, as a general rule, when feel they are scolded quite often, or given negative reinforcement, may attempt to run away and look for a new home. Dogs, on the other hand, will become regressed and not provide any added benefit to the family.

As with any new pet addition, taking the time to choose the animal best suited for your family will go along way in guaranteeing a happy and healthy transition. Remembering to focus on positive reinforcement and classical conditioning, with hand signals equally as important as tone of voice, when training your new family pet; both cat and dogs.