A new study from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Edinburgh finds that whether dog owners reach for a treat or a leash correction reveals more than training preference — it reflects their core ethical views on animals and human responsibility toward them.
The next time you watch someone train their dog, you may be witnessing more than a lesson in obedience. According to a new study published in the journal Anthrozoös, the methods dog owners choose — whether they reward with treats or correct with a tug of the leash — are closely tied to their underlying ethical beliefs about animals.
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Edinburgh, surveyed 500 dog owners in the United States about their training habits and their views on how animals should be treated. The findings reveal a consistent pattern: owners who see animals primarily as existing for human use are more likely to rely on punishment-based methods, while owners who believe animals deserve rights or good welfare tend to favor positive, reward-based training.
“If you use punishment as part of dog training, you are more likely to view dogs as existing primarily for human purposes. If you use less punishment and rely more on positive training methods, you are more likely to orient yourself towards the idea that animals should have rights, or at least good welfare,” senior author Peter Sandøe, a professor at the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at the University of Copenhagen, said in a news release.
What the Study Found
Participants were asked how frequently they used a range of training techniques and were then grouped according to three broad ethical orientations: anthropocentric (animals exist for human use), animal welfare-oriented (humans may use animals but are obligated to ensure their well-being), and animal rights-oriented (animals have moral value comparable to humans and deserve similar protections).
Positive training methods were widespread across all groups. Ninety-seven percent of respondents reported using verbal praise, and 86% said they used treats or toys as rewards. Punishment-based methods were less common but still notable: nearly 46% of participants reported using some form of punishment, and 25% acknowledged using physically aversive techniques, such as pulling on the leash. Just under 18% said they relied exclusively on reward-based methods.
The study found that owners with an anthropocentric orientation were significantly more likely to use verbal reprimands or physical correction than those with welfare- or rights-oriented views. Meanwhile, welfare-oriented owners were more likely to use positive methods than their anthropocentric counterparts.
Training Is an Ethical Act, Not Just a Technical One
Sandøe and his colleagues argue that the dog training debate has too often been framed purely in terms of effectiveness — what works best to produce a well-behaved pet. The study challenges that framing.
“Training is not a neutral activity. It is an activity in which the owner’s view of the animal becomes apparent. The methods people choose also reflect their beliefs about what our moral obligations towards animals are,” Sandøe added.
That has implications for how animal trainers, veterinarians and animal welfare advocates communicate with dog owners. Simply presenting evidence about which techniques are most effective may not be enough to change behavior if the underlying ethical worldview remains unchanged.
“It is not only about learning theory – it is also an ethical discussion. You cannot isolate it as something purely technical or sciency, as some tend to do,” added Sandøe.
Why It Matters
For college students and young adults who own or are considering owning a dog — a demographic that has surged in pet ownership since the pandemic — the study offers a useful moment of self-reflection. Many people adopt pets without fully examining the assumptions behind the way they plan to care for and train them.
The research also connects to broader conversations happening on campuses about animal ethics, environmental philosophy, and the moral status of non-human animals — topics increasingly featured in philosophy, environmental studies, and veterinary science courses. Understanding that everyday choices like dog training are intertwined with ethical frameworks makes those classroom discussions feel immediately relevant.
The findings may also matter for the growing number of students pursuing careers in veterinary medicine, animal behavior, or animal welfare policy. If training choices are ethically driven rather than purely knowledge-driven, then effective advocacy or clinical counseling must engage with values, not just facts.
“The study creates room for reflection. Ethics appears to play an important role in why people do what they do when training their dogs,” Sandøe said.
A Conversation That Goes Beyond Borders
Although the data was collected in the United States, the researchers believe the underlying relationship between ethical orientation and training method choice is likely to hold in other countries as well. The specific distribution of ethical views may shift from nation to nation, but the link between belief systems and behavior is expected to be consistent.
The study used an animal ethical orientation measure developed by researchers at the University of Copenhagen — a tool that has previously been applied to studies examining how ethical views shape consumer decisions, such as whether people purchase pork products with animal welfare certifications.
The data were collected by Tracy Weber of the University of Edinburgh. Additional contributors included Kevin McPeake from the University of Edinburgh, Thomas Bøker Lund from the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Food and Resource Economics, and Björn Forkman and Iben Meyer from the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at the University of Copenhagen.
“People have very different views on animals, and dog training is an area that really divides opinions,” Sandøe concluded.
Source: University of Copenhagen