We’ve seen a lot of discussion lately in which the word, “aversive,” has been used to describe a variety of tools, actions, or experiences. As they say, “language matters,” and it becomes especially important when discussing animal welfare and training. Different definitions can skew a conversation, depending on the person’s understanding of the terminology.
Defining "Aversive"
“Aversive” is a common term in dog training, psychology, neuroscience, medical fields, and even the study of consumer behavior.
With regard to animal training, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) defines aversive as:
“Anything unpleasant (emotionally or physically) that is used to decrease an unwanted behavior. Examples of an aversive may include verbal reprimands, pushing an animal into a position (alpha rolls, dominance downs), threatening body language, shaker cans, spray bottles, citronella collars, leash corrections, choke chains, prong collars, or shock collars.”
*NOTE – This includes verbal reprimands and threatening body language, and does not require physical contact to be aversive.
Summarizing definitions from the most commonly cited dictionaries, an aversive is:
“An adjective describing something that causes avoidance or discomfort, often referring to stimuli or actions intended to discourage unwanted behaviors through unpleasant or punitive means, commonly used in psychology, animal training, and behavioral science contexts.”
You might notice “aversive” has been used as a verb, noun, and adjective in these conversations.
The Dog Decides What’s Aversive
Some additional considerations:
The ANIMAL DECIDES what is aversive. We cannot “downplay” any action, such as spatial pressure as “not really aversive” because it is not up to us to decide. For some dogs, it can be a fun invitation to play, for others, it can be one of their worst nightmares because of their learning history.
Similarly, a “verbal reprimand” can be aversive. While of course, in general, verbal reprimands shouldn’t be in the same “class” as something like a shock collar on the highest setting, but it is disingenuous to dogs to always make that assumption. Ex: a trainer says, “no,” to a dog without recognizing that the word “no” has been perfectly paired with an e-collar on the highest setting. We cannot decide beforehand for the dog what a “minor” or “major” aversive is, regardless of our biases.
Trainers can assess if a stimulus or environmental condition is aversive (adj.) to an animal by observing body language, behavior, and physiological signs. Ex: A dog pulling their ears back (body language), moving away (escape/avoidance behavior), and flicking their tongue (physiological response) when a trainer moves towards a dog while looming over with outstretched arms and finger wagging.
A Clinical Break Down of Aversives
Not all aversives (n.) = physical pain.
Nociception: The detection of painful stimuli.
Pain Perception: Individual differences based on things like biological factors, past experiences, psychological factors.
More Additional Considerations and Definitions
Intentional: done on purpose; deliberate.
Unintentional: not done on purpose.
Force: Force = mass x acceleration (F=MA) (from a physics standpoint) or energy as an attribute of physical action (from a general definition standpoint).
There is force involved when we pet a dog under their chin or when a leash is yanked backwards.
So we may say, if a trainer wants to pull their dog away from a stimulus, they are intentionally using force. Also, when a trainer pets a dog under their chin, they are also intentionally using force. Either can be aversive to the dog. We have to ask the dog.
Now obviously, this is not to take away from using words in identity and branding, in which “force” is defined as “any intentional physical act against a pet that causes psychological or physical pain, harm or damage to the pet.”
Minimizing Potential Aversives
Management: Environmental arrangement to prevent unwanted behaviors from happening.
*NOTE – Management can be aversive.
For me, especially in aggression cases, my goal is always to set the environment for success which includes the removal of intentional or unintentional exposure to aversives.
Intentional aversives can be (but not always) things like yanking on the dog’s leash.
Unintentional aversives can be (but not always) things like getting up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and startling the dog because you didn’t see them. In aggression cases, this may be the catalyst for a bite.
Experienced behavior consultants and trainers will assess the environment, understand potential conditions for both intentional AND unintentional aversives to happen, modify and manage that environment for safety (both physical AND the emotional feeling of), and most importantly reduce the likelihood of an aversive experience for our learners. There is no “start and stop” to “training.” The dog isn’t likely thinking “aversives are OK if you deem them ‘management’ but not OK if you deem them ‘training.'”
We manage the environment ahead of time to prevent the need for premeditated OR unplanned “aversive control.”
Now it is important to recognize that things can happen! Dogs get loose, fights can break out, and equipment can break. But that doesn’t change the definition of “aversive.”
It is crucial in these conversations to use words with fellow trainers and with our clients in a manner that would not misinform the general public and training community.
Michael Shikashio, CDBC
Mike is the founder of AggressiveDog.com and focuses on teaching other professionals from around the world on how to successfully work aggression cases. He is a five-term president of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and was the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) Member of the Year in 2020.
Michael is sought after for his expert opinion by numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, New York Post, Fox News, USA Today, The List TV, Baltimore Sun, WebMD, Women’s Health Magazine, Real Simple Magazine, SiriusXM Radio, The Chronicle of the Dog, and Steve Dale’s Pet World. He also hosts the popular podcast show “The Bitey End of the Dog” where he chats with the foremost experts on dog aggression.
He has been a featured keynote speaker at conferences, universities, and seminars in more than 200 cities and 20 different countries around the world, and offers a variety of educational opportunities on the topic of canine aggression, including the Aggression in Dogs Master Course and the annual Aggression in Dogs Conference.
