Removing something unpleasant the moment a dog performs a behaviour, which makes that behaviour more likely to happen again.
Negative reinforcement means removing something unpleasant the moment a dog performs a behaviour, which makes that behaviour more likely to happen again. The word "negative" refers to something being taken away, not to the method being harsh.
It's often confused with punishment, but the two work in opposite directions. Punishment reduces a behaviour. Negative reinforcement increases one, by ending an unpleasant experience as a result of it.
A common example is pressure on a lead. If pressure is applied and released the instant the dog moves towards the handler, the release of pressure reinforces the movement. The dog learns that moving in that direction ends the pressure.
This method depends on there being something unpleasant present in the first place, which is why many modern trainers, including those trained through IMDT, prefer to build behaviour using positive reinforcement wherever possible and use negative reinforcement sparingly, if at all.
Poor timing is the main risk. If the unpleasant sensation isn't released at the exact right moment, the dog can end up confused about what actually caused the relief, or can associate the relief with the wrong behaviour entirely.
No. Punishment reduces a behaviour by adding or removing something the dog dislikes. Negative reinforcement increases a behaviour by removing something unpleasant right after it happens.
It's used far less than positive reinforcement in current training approaches, partly because of the risk of poor timing and partly because it relies on the dog experiencing something unpleasant in the first place.
It can, particularly if the unpleasant stimulus isn't removed quickly and consistently. This is one reason many trainers favour positive reinforcement based methods instead.
