Not a Protective Bubble

One of the most bizzarre objections that I have heard toward those who do not incorporate correction into training is that the dog will not be equipped to deal with the negatives in life if the handler never makes the dog deal with negative experiences through handler applied correction.

This objection incorporates two erroneous presumptions.

1.  +R based training somehow insulates a dog from everything difficult, negative, or bad in life.

2.  Handler imposed "correction" is the only way for a dog to learn that life is, at times, unpleasant.

Reinforcement based training does not, in fact, cannot, insulate a dog from the challenges of life. Certain vet visits are painful or, at least, uncomfortable. The dog still has to learn to put up with things like nail clippings and baths (for those who, by nature, do not like such things). Dogs who are trained through reinforcement do not get everything that they want all the time. In fact, when reinforcement based training is done properly, dogs learn that there are frequent times when they will not get what they want, and that they need to exercise self restraint.

Dogs who are trained through reinforcement still get accidentally bumped into, called off of things that they would rather chase or investigate, experience fear of something at some point if not many things, and deal with boredom, frustration, and loss.  They experience injury, illness, and every manner of life that is unpleasant that any living creature on this earth experiences.  The fact that the handler is not adding to that by incorporation of further discomfort into training has no bearing on the fact that every dog will experience, and hopefully learn to cope with, the difficulties and challenges of life.

+R based training is an approach to teaching concepts, behaviors, manners, skills, and whatever else the dog needs in order to successfully accomplish what his or her owner/handler desires. It's purpose is not to insulate the dog from the typical, and atypical, experiences that life throws their way.  There actually is no need to attempt to add to a dog's experience of "the negative in life" that by applying leash pops, electric shocks, prongs, verbal reprimands, expressions of dissatisfaction, etc. etc. etc. when one is teaching concepts, behaviors, manners, skills, etc. 

Life does that job quite thoroughly.  Primarily +R trained dogs do not exist in some kind of protective bubble that prevents them from experiencing anything negative, difficult, or challenging in life. That really isn't even possible.