Behavior Extinction in Dog Training

When trainers talk about extinction, they’re not talking about dinosaurs. 😊 When we say “we’ll put that behavior on extinction,” it can sound scary or harsh. In reality, extinction just means:

No yelling, no pain, no scare tactics. We simply stop giving a payoff for a specific behavior, while actively rewarding better choices instead (that second part is crucial).

Below is a dog‑owner–friendly guide to what extinction is, when it helps, when it doesn’t, and how to use it in a Fear Free, positive way.

What is behavior extinction?

Think of a vending machine.

• You put in money → candy pops out → you’ll try again next time.

• One day you put money in…nothing. You press the button harder, maybe smack the side (bigger, louder version of the same behavior).

• If the machine never works again, you eventually stop using it.

That’s extinction:

• The button‑pressing stops being reinforced,

• So over time, you stop pressing the button.

In dog training terms, extinction is when we stop “feeding” a behavior with attention, food, access, or any other payoff. When the behavior no longer works for the dog, it slowly drops off (Lindsay, 2000).

Everyday Examples

Here’s what extinction looks like in normal life:

1. Barking at you for attention

Your dog stands in front of you and “woof-woof-woofs” until you look up from your phone and talk to them, toss a toy, or even scold them.

• From your dog’s view, barking = gets you to react.

• If you consistently stop reacting to that barking (no eye contact, no words, no touching), the barking is no longer paying off.

• Over time, the barking for attention fades, especially if you do give attention for quieter, more polite behaviors like lying on a mat or bringing a toy (Landsberg, Radosta, & Ackerman, 2024).

  
  

2. Crate screaming at night

Puppy screams, cries, paws at the crate. You feel awful, so you let them out “just this once.”

• Puppy learns: “If I cry long enough, the door opens.”

• That crying is now strongly reinforced.

• If the family switches to calmly ignoring the noise (and puppy’s been set up with toileting, comfy bed, enrichment, etc.), the outburst will initially get louder/longer, then gradually drop off as it stops opening the door (Lindsay, 2000).

3. Begging at the table

Those big eyes + little chin on your knee + one tiny piece of chicken = begging forever.

• If no one at the table ever feeds the dog again, begging no longer pays.

• If at the same time you always give a stuffed Kong on their bed during meals, the “beg at table” behavior can fade while “chill on bed with Kong” grows.

These are all attention- or access‑seeking behaviors. Extinction can work very well for these when it’s done thoughtfully and safely (Landsberg et al., 2024).

The “extinction burst”: it gets worse before it gets better

This is the part that trips most families up.

When you stop rewarding a behavior, your dog often tries it harder for a bit:

• The barking gets louder or more frequent.

• The pawing turns into jumping.

• The whining adds in a little shriek for good measure.

This is called an extinction burst—basically a big, frustrated “HELLO?! This always works!” from your dog (Lindsay, 2000; Landsberg et al., 2024).

If you give in right at the peak (“okay FINE, here’s your ball”), your dog learns:

That makes the unwanted behavior stronger and more resistant to fading in the future (Lindsay, 2000).

Big takeaway:

• Extinction can be kind and effective, but only if you can ride out that burst safely and consistently.

When extinction is a good choice

Extinction (ignoring the behavior so it no longer pays off) is best used when:

• The behavior is attention‑seeking:

  • Barking at you

  • Pawing your leg

  • Poking your arm with a nose

• No one is at risk if you ignore it (dog, people, other animals).

• You can be rock‑solid consistent (everyone in the family, guests, kids).

• You’re also teaching your dog a better way to get the same need met (see next section).

Veterinary behavior texts specifically recommend extinction for this kind of low‑risk attention‑seeking behavior—paired with reinforcing other, better behaviors (Landsberg et al., 2024).

When extinction is not enough (or not safe)

Please do not rely on “just ignore it” for behaviors rooted in fear, anxiety, or aggression, such as:

• Growling or snapping at people or dogs

• Barking and lunging at visitors

• Guarding food or toys

• Panic behaviors (thunderstorm phobia, separation distress)

In these situations, simply ignoring the dog can be unsafe and can leave the dog feeling even more scared or trapped. Professional guidelines warn that extinction is not appropriate where there’s risk of injury or high emotional distress; these cases need a full behavior plan, usually including desensitization, counterconditioning, and sometimes medication (Landsberg et al., 2024; Lindsay, 2000).

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Why “just ignoring” often doesn’t work on its own

Ever tried to ignore jumping and felt like it never improves? There are a few reasons:

1. Other behaviors in the same “family” still pay off.For example, even if you ignore jumping, you may still respond to pawing, barking, or nudging, so the dog keeps trying something in that attention‑seeking family of behaviors (Lindsay, 2000).

2. Someone sometimes gives in.An occasional “fine, I’ll throw the ball” makes the behavior more persistent than if it were rewarded every time—this is why gambling is so addictive (Lindsay, 2000).

3. The dog is stressed, bored, or under‑exercised.A stressed dog will push harder and may develop other problem behaviors if their needs aren’t being met (Scholz & von Reinhardt, 2007).

4. The barking means something important.Barking is part of normal dog communication; dogs bark to express needs, emotions, or discomfort (Rugaas, 2008). If your dog is barking because they’re scared or need a potty break, we don’t want to ignore that—we want to listen and help.

   
   

So extinction almost always needs to be combined with management, enrichment, and teaching better skills, not used as a standalone “ignore it and hope” strategy.

Making extinction kind and effective: the MEET approach

To keep things humane and practical, we can wrap extinction inside the MEET framework:

M — Management

Prevent the behavior or make it less likely while you train.

• Use baby gates, leashes, crates, and closed doors so your dog can’t rehearse the behavior over and over.

• Example: If your dog barks at you during Zoom calls, set them up in another room with a stuffed Kong before you start, so they don’t practice “bark for attention.”

E — Environment

Meet your dog’s needs so they’re less frustrated and shouty.

Modern dogs deal with noise, confinement, and social pressures that can easily push them into chronic stress (Scholz & von Reinhardt, 2007).

• Make sure your dog has:

  • Enough sleep

  • Age‑appropriate exercise

  • Daily enrichment (sniffing, foraging, chew items, problem‑solving) (Bender & Strong, 2019).

A fulfilled dog has a much easier time letting unhelpful behaviors fade.

E — Education (for humans)

Learn what your dog is saying and when they’re reaching their limit.

• Watch for stress signals: lip‑licking, yawning out of context, turning away, pacing, shaking off, etc. (Rugaas, 2008; Scholz & von Reinhardt, 2007).

• If extinction is clearly causing big stress (panting, frantic pacing, big spikes in barking that don’t settle), it’s time to adjust the plan.

T — Teaching & Training

Give your dog a better way to get what they want.

This is where extinction becomes truly kind: we don’t just remove the old payoff; we actively pay for a new, better behavior (Landsberg et al., 2024).

Examples:

• Teach “sit to say hi” so jumping loses its power while sitting gets all the love.

• Teach “go to mat” so barking at you turns into trotting to a bed for a chew.

• Teach a “Find It” sniffing game so whining for play turns into calmly watching you toss treats on the floor.

Step‑by‑step example: Jumping on people

Let’s walk through a full plan that uses extinction plus positive training.

Goal

Dog keeps four paws on the floor—or sits—to greet people.

Step 1: Management

• Clip the leash on before guests enter so your dog can’t launch from across the room.

• Ask guests to turn away and go “statue” if your dog jumps.

Step 2: Teach the “nice greeting” first

• Practice when it’s not exciting:

  • Ask for a sit, then step toward your dog.

  • If they stay seated, mark (“Yes!”) and give a treat and quiet praise.

  • If they pop up, you quietly step back (removing the attention) and try again.

• You’re building the pattern: “Butt on floor makes people come closer.”

Step 3: Add extinction for jumping

When your dog jumps:

• You and guests become boring statues. No eyes, no talk, no touching.

• The moment paws hit the floor or they offer a sit, boom—party: calm praise, treats, and attention.

Here, jumping is on extinction (it doesn’t pay), while sitting is heavily rewarded (differential reinforcement of a better behavior; Landsberg et al., 2024).

Expect an extinction burst:

• The jumping might get more intense for a few days.

• Stay consistent, and that “last big push” will fade.

Step‑by‑step example: Barking at you for attention

Goal

Dog settles calmly or brings a toy to start play, instead of barking in your face.

Step 1: Decide what you do want

Maybe:

• Lying on a mat

• Bringing you a toy

• Sitting quietly next to you

Step 2: Pre‑train the “good” behavior

Example: “Go to mat.”

• Lure or capture your dog walking onto the mat, then treat generously.

• Gradually add a cue (“Bed”) and build duration with calm praise and snacks.

Step 3: Put the barking on extinction

When your dog barks at you for attention:

• Look away; don’t speak or touch.

• If needed, calmly stand up and move away for a moment—no drama.

• The instant they:

  • Pause barking

  • Walk toward their mat

  • Pick up a toy, you mark and reward (treat, toss toy, start a game).

Now:

• Barking no longer works.

• Quiet or mat/bring‑toy starts to work beautifully.

Again, if the barking escalates into a short burst, that’s normal; as long as everyone stays consistent and your dog’s needs are met, the behavior should fade (Lindsay, 2000; Landsberg et al., 2024).

Quick troubleshooting checklist

If extinction doesn’t seem to be “working,” ask:

1. Is anyone still paying the behavior sometimes?Kids, visitors, the neighbor, even yelling can be rewarding in a social species.

2. Is there another behavior in the same “family” still working?You might be ignoring barking but still responding to pawing or nudging (Lindsay, 2000).

3. Is my dog’s life a bit too stressful right now?High stress makes behaviors stickier and can create new problems; reducing stress often improves training results (Scholz & von Reinhardt, 2007).

4. Am I using extinction on something scary or dangerous?If growling, biting, or panic are involved, stop the extinction plan and get professional help.

The big picture

Extinction isn’t about “crushing” a behavior. It’s about quietly removing the payoff for behaviors we don’t like, while generously paying for the ones we do.

When you:

• Manage smartly,

• Support your dog’s physical and emotional needs,

• Listen to their body language, and

• Teach them better ways to get what they want,

…unwanted behaviors tend to fade in a way that feels safe and fair for your dog—and a lot less frustrating for you.

References (for further reading)

• Bender, A., & Strong, E. (2019). Canine enrichment for the real world. Dogwise.

• Landsberg, G., Radosta, L., & Ackerman, L. (2024). Behavior problems of the dog and cat (4th ed.). Elsevier.

• Lindsay, S. R. (2000). Handbook of applied dog behavior and training: Vol. 1. Adaptation and learning. Iowa State University Press.

• Rugaas, T. (2008). Barking: The sound of a language. Dogwise.

• Scholz, M., & von Reinhardt, C. (2007). Stress in dogs: Learn how dogs show stress and what you can do to help. Dogwise.