What is the focus of Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behaviors (DRI) in dog training?

The focus of Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behaviors (DRI) is to reinforce behaviors that cannot occur at the same time as unwanted behaviors. By encouraging behaviors that are incompatible with the undesired ones, trainers can effectively redirect the dog's actions. For instance, if a dog is jumping up on guests, you might teach them to sit. Because a dog cannot both sit and jump at the same time, reinforcing the sitting behavior helps eliminate the jumping.

This approach emphasizes positive reinforcement by rewarding the dog when it engages in the desired behavior, thus decreasing the likelihood of the unwanted behavior occurring. In contrast to other methods, which may focus broadly on rewarding any behavior or employing specific sequences, DRI is explicitly about generating a direct relationship between incompatible actions, leading to more effective training outcomes.