Question
I don't use a spray bottle in training our pets. I did use it in the 80's when I had the 2nd cat of my own, but it did not really work out so well. With the first cat I did not know about spray bottles being used for this, and later I've not seen a need to use one.
Now I hear a spray bottle is useful whenever my dogs or cats (we have both) behave badly, and for example to teach them not to get on couches and chairs. Well, our dogs don't go on couches and chairs anyway. I heard that the dog/cat should not see me spray it, but I should do it covertly from behind a corner or something. Why is that?
Is a spray bottle useful in training? What is the correct way to use it as a training aid?
Answer
I'm just addressing cats here. I actually grew up with dogs (not cats), but as an adult who owns cats, I've done a lot more study/reading of cat behavior and don't feel qualified to speak on dog behavior.
Punishment rarely works because cats don't have a social structure that recognizes you as the dominant being in the home, they only understand that you're doing something to them that they don't want (squirting them with water, for example).
Therefore, it's much more effective to figure out why your cat is exhibiting the undesireable behavior and meet those needs in a way that is acceptable to both of you rather than punishing the cat for the undesireable behavior.
I don't think there's any useful way to use any sort of punishment as a cat training aid. Redirection (for bad behaviors) and reward (for good behaviors) work much better.
Answered By - Zaralynda