Mornement suggests always using positive reinforcement when working with problematic pet behavior. "The key is to first understand what's motivating the animal to perform the undesired behaviour. Are they scared? Are they lonely? Are they bored? Do they get something positive as a consequence of performing the bad behavior? For example, many dogs learn to jump up on people because the behavior results in something they like such as pats and attention," she says.
"When pet owners focus on consistently rewarding desired behavior with things their pet values, their pet will offer these behaviors more frequently in favour of undesired behavior—it's called the Matching Law in psychology."
While trying to modify furry friend's manners, both experts stress that it's important not to utilize punishment. "Oftentimes pet owners may try to punish bad behavior and assume that a pet is performing the behavior out of spite. Punishing the behavior can get it to stop, however it does not help with the underlying causes of the behavior, and oftentimes results in further poor behavior," Cutler says.
"Although effective in the moment, punishment does not teach the animal what the owner wants them to do," adds Mornement. "We also know that punishment can make some problem behavior worse and can negatively impact the bond between pet and owner. Instead pet parents should focus on using positive reinforcement to reward an incompatible behaviour and ensure they are meeting their pets physical and emotional needs," she suggested.
