Which term describes the major type of dog training based on consequences?

• A. Operant conditioning
• B. Habituation
• C. CER
• D. Adaptation

Answer: (A)

Training that relies on what happens after a behavior is operant conditioning. In this approach, behaviors followed by rewards tend to be repeated, while behaviors followed by aversive outcomes or the removal of something desirable tend to decrease. This is the foundation of most modern dog training, including methods like clicker training where a signal is paired with reinforcement to strengthen desired actions. Positive reinforcement adds a reward to increase a behavior, while other contingencies (like removing something desirable or adding an aversive) are also part of operant conditioning, though their use is more selective in contemporary practice.

Habituation is about becoming less responsive to a repeated, non-harmful stimulus, not about consequences shaping voluntary behavior. CER, or conditioned emotional response, is tied to classical conditioning, where a neutral stimulus elicits an emotional response after being paired with something significant. Adaptation refers to adjusting to new conditions more generally, not a specific training framework based on consequences.