Glossary

Aversive

Anything a dog wants to avoid, from a leash pop or shock to a loud noise, when used to change behavior.

Also called: aversives, aversive training, aversive methods, aversive stimulus

An aversive is anything that a dog finds unpleasant enough to work to avoid. Training aversives include shock, prong or choke collars, leash corrections, spray bottles, shouting, startling noises and physical force. A dog decides what is aversive; a mild tone for one dog may be frightening for another.

Reward-based trainers avoid them because research and veterinary behavior groups link aversive methods with higher stress, fear and sometimes aggression. Supporters of some tools argue that they work quickly in skilled hands.

Aversives can also be accidental, such as a hug the dog dislikes, a crowded place or a harsh voice. Watching a dog's body language shows when something has become aversive. They differ from rewards in that they suppress behavior without teaching what to do instead, and the dog may link the unpleasantness with whatever it was looking at.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

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Related terms

Positive punishment Adding something unpleasant right after a behavior to make that behavior less likely, such as a leash jerk or a startling noise. Negative reinforcement Removing something unpleasant when a dog performs a behavior so that the behavior becomes more likely. Force-free A training approach that avoids pain, fear and intimidation and teaches dogs with rewards, patience and good management. Prong collar A collar of metal links with blunt prongs that pinch the neck when pulled, used for leash corrections and widely debated.