What principle applies when a handler abandons a dog that looks away during exercise, prompting the dog to pay closer attention?

The principle at play when a handler abandons a dog that looks away during exercise, prompting the dog to pay closer attention, is rooted in negative punishment. This concept involves the removal of a stimulus that is perceived as rewarding when the undesirable behavior occurs—in this case, looking away. By abandoning the dog, the handler is effectively removing their presence, which may serve as a motivating or reinforcing factor for the dog.

As a result, the dog learns that looking away leads to a loss of attention or interaction, encouraging it to engage more actively with the handler to avoid that outcome in the future. This adjustment in behavior demonstrates how the dog connects its actions with the consequences of those actions, solidifying the understanding that focused attention is more rewarding than distraction.

In contrast, positive reinforcement would involve adding a pleasant stimulus to increase a behavior, while negative reinforcement removes an unpleasant stimulus to encourage a behavior. Positive punishment entails adding an unpleasant stimulus to decrease a behavior, which is not applicable in this scenario as it focuses on the removal of interaction rather than adding something aversive.