Punishment Works! But Not the Way We Want it To…

Content warning: mention of police (no one is injured) 
 
I drive a lot. Generally, I don’t speed. I usually stick pretty close to the speed limit. There is is almost never a reason for me to be worried about being pulled over. But I do get worried, every time I see a police car. A car I owned in my younger years had a fog light that would constantly burn out. There was something wrong with it. I would replace the bulb, and three weeks later it would burn out again. I got pulled over quite a few times because of that stupid light. They never even gave me a ticket, and I am still worried about getting pulled over. I never even got the firm punishment of a fine, but getting pulled over is an aversive experience to everyone.   

These days, I drive a car with working lights, I don't speed, I wear my seat belt, and I generally don’t do anything illegal (no one’s perfect), but whenever I see a police car, a part of me still panics. When I see a police car, my heart rate speeds up I grip the wheel tight, I can feel myself holding my breath and I get worried and sometimes all I can focus on is the police car until it passes me.  
 
This is an example of the fallout of punishment. Our goal is supposed to be to help people drive more safely, but –for me - a new fear was created. In that time between when I see a police car and by the time it passes and I feel a sense of relief. What if a deer jumps in front of me? Would I see it, or would I be too worried about watching that cop car?  
 
Furthermore, do we really want people to have this reaction to the police? The police are supposed to be helpful. We are supposed to be able to trust the police. Even a punishment that isn’t painful – like a ticket and a fine - it can make us focus on the wrong things. We can often focus on avoiding detection instead of doing the right thing in the right way. I think that is counterproductive. 

I don’t want my dogs me. I don’t want my clients’s dogs to avoid their owners. I want our dogs to enjoy being around us as much as we enjoy being around them. And that is why we choose the handling and training techniques that we do.