In Operant conditioning the focus is on using either reinforcement or punishment to influence a dog’s behavior. The aim of the process is for the dog to have an association between certain behaviors and the consequences for that behavior. The timing is very important; the most significant influence on the dog’s behavior is what happens immediately after he makes a particular choice of behavior. A dog makes all of its choices based upon the value of the reward it anticipates as a result of that choice. If the behavior is rewarding, the likelihood of choosing that behavior is increased. If the behavior is "not" rewarding, the likelihood of a dog choosing that behavior is significantly
