Yes I am a positive trainer and yes, I know, punishment does suppress behavior. However, that behavior may come back quickly or it may come back as something different.

Because life mirrors dog training...here is my favorite example of suppression.

A while back, Shadow fell off of the bed late at night and scared the beejeesus out of himself (and me, although once I realized what the THUNK! was, I had a very hard time not laughing). He instantly jumped back on the bed - not on the foot where he sleeps but on top of me and hung on for dear life. For a week or so after that, he insisted on lying on top of me to sleep because the bad thing happened at the foot of the bed.

So, the punishment of falling off the bed suppressed his sleeping at the foot of the bed - however, like I said, after a week or so, he resumed his sleeping at the foot of the bed.

The moral - punishment does suppress behavior, however, it doesn't get rid of it.

My not so favorite second example:

I took a creative fiction writing course at a local college, thinking that I'd like to start writing fiction (with dogs in it of course). I was having a very hard time with the course and really needed help and more guidance. One thing led to another and the professor, NOT being a positive trainer in any way shape or form, misunderstood my frustration and need as a criticism of his teaching, ended up hating me, was very nasty to me and has sufficiently suppressed my "creative fiction writing behavior." It has been about 6 months now and I still get bad feelings whenever I think about picking up pen and paper (or in my case, computer) and my heart races in anger when I think about it.

I don't know how long this behavior will be completely suppressed, but when I ever get up enough guts to try again, if it is a murder mystery, you can be assured that you-know-who will be the victim.

The moral of this story - yes punishment suppresses behavior, however, it may not be the one you want to suppress. I wanted to take another writing course, but the professor's behavior has completely squelched my desire. And beware writing teachers who have never been published - those who can, do, those who can't, teach. No, I am not bitter....<snort> (I do think he was jealous of me - I have 5 books, 30+ articles and 2 DVDs published)