--- description: These methods are effective whether the subject is a dog, a dolphin or your neighbor title: 8 Techniques Ready to Stop Bad Behaviors image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3becae359d4329ac/69876fec55a8590a50a84e35/puppy-head-in-cookie-jar.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Ideas](/section/ideas/) ## Ideas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Psychology](/tag/psychology/) ## Psychology Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 8 Techniques Ready to Stop Bad Behaviors by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 20, 2014 5:01 AM CUT  Puppy with head in cookie jar Puppy with head in cookie jarGetty Images by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 20, 2014 5:01 AM CUT Karen Pryor’s book [Don’t Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553380397/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0553380397&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined") explains the fundamentals of behavior change. And these methods are effective whether the subject is a dog, a dolphin or your neighbor, Larry. The main lesson for getting people to do what you want is that _positive reinforcement_ — rewarding behavior you like — is king. **Whether it’s with a smile, a cookie or a bribe, rewards work.** But **what about getting rid of behaviors you don’t like?** This can be far trickier. Pryor lays out the 8 methods that you can use to stop bad behavior. Method 1: “Shoot the animal.” In our case, we don’t mean that _literally_. It means firing an employee or dumping a partner. It works, but it’s extreme. Via [Don’t Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553380397/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0553380397&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Method 2: Punishment. (Everybody’s favorite, in spite of the fact that it almost never really works.) Via [Don’t Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553380397/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0553380397&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Method 3: Negative reinforcement. (Removing something unpleasant when a desired behavior occurs.) Via [Don’t Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553380397/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0553380397&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Method 4: Extinction, letting the behavior go away by itself. Via [Don’t Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553380397/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0553380397&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Method 5: Train an incompatible behavior. (This method is especially useful for athletes and pet owners.) Via [Don’t Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553380397/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0553380397&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Method 6: Put the behavior on cue. (Then you never give the cue. This is the dolphin trainer’s most elegant method of getting rid of unwanted behavior.) Via [Don’t Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553380397/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0553380397&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Method 7: “Shape the absence”; reinforce anything and everything that is not the undesired behavior. (A kindly way to turn disagreeable relatives into agreeable relatives.) Via [Don’t Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553380397/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0553380397&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Method 8: Change the motivation. (This is the fundamental and most kindly method of all.) Via [Don’t Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553380397/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0553380397&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/11/8-ways-dog-training-techniques-influence-improve-yourself/ "undefined")**_. Join over 145,000 readers and get a free weekly email update_** [**_here_**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined")**_._** Related posts: * [How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done – 5 Expert Tips](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/08/how-to-stop-being-lazy/ "undefined") * [What 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/what-10-things-should-you-do-every-day-to-imp/ "undefined") * [How To Make Your Life Better By Sending Five Simple Emails](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/07/make-your-life-better/ "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3640636/8-influence-techniques/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3640636/8-influence-techniques/"},"headline":"8 Techniques Ready to Stop Bad Behaviors","datePublished":"2014-12-20T05:01:37.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T08:05:47.384Z","description":"These methods are effective whether the subject is a dog, a dolphin or your neighbor","url":"https://time.com/3640636/8-influence-techniques/","keywords":["Psychology","behavior"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3becae359d4329ac/69876fec55a8590a50a84e35/puppy-head-in-cookie-jar.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eric Barker","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eric-barker/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3becae359d4329ac/69876fec55a8590a50a84e35/puppy-head-in-cookie-jar.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"puppy-head-in-cookie-jar","caption":"puppy-head-in-cookie-jar","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/psychology/","name":"Psychology"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3640636/8-influence-techniques/","name":"8 Techniques Ready to Stop Bad Behaviors"}}]}] ```