If you’ve ever tried to ignore your dog’s barking, jumping, or whining—only to find it suddenly gets worse—you’re not alone. Many dog owners feel like they’re doing everything right, yet their dog seems to double down on the unwanted behaviour.
This can be incredibly frustrating and disheartening, but what you're likely seeing is something completely normal (and expected!) in the learning process. It’s called an extinction burst—and although it feels like a setback, it’s actually a sign that your dog is learning that their old behaviour just isn’t working anymore.
What Is an Extinction Burst?
An extinction burst happens when a behaviour that used to get your dog something they wanted (like attention, food, or access) suddenly stops working—and your dog responds by trying harder.
It’s a bit like pressing an elevator button. If the doors don’t open right away, what do we usually do?
Press it again... and again. Maybe harder this time. Your dog is doing the same thing.
Let’s say your dog has always jumped up to get your attention. If you start turning away or ignoring them, they might not stop straight away. In fact, they might jump higher, bark, paw at you, or even mouth your arm to try to get the result they used to get.
This intensification of behaviour is completely normal—and temporary—as long as you stay consistent. It’s your dog’s way of saying, “Hey, this always worked before! Maybe I just need to try harder?”
Why Do Extinction Bursts Happen?
Dogs learn through reinforcement—that is, if something works for them, they’ll do it again. If jumping up, barking, or whining has ever earned your dog a cuddle, a treat, or even a “No!”, then it’s been reinforced. Even negative attention can still count as a reward in your dog’s eyes.
When you stop responding the way they expect, your dog becomes confused. So, they intensify the behaviour in hopes it will work again. This is the extinction burst.
It’s uncomfortable to experience, but it’s actually a good sign—it means your dog is noticing the change, and the behaviour is on its way out. If you stay consistent.
What Happens If You Accidentally Reinforce an Extinction Burst?
Extinction—ignoring a behaviour to make it stop—can be slow, frustrating, and hard to do consistently. When a behaviour that used to get a reward suddenly doesn’t, dogs often escalate their efforts (known as an extinction burst), trying harder with whining, barking, pawing, or even biting.
This is a really important point: if your dog’s behaviour escalates and you give in—even once—you can accidentally teach them that the more intense version of the behaviour is what works.
For example, let’s say your dog used to jump up for attention, and you’ve been turning away to ignore it. But one day, they jump up and then start mouthing your arm—and in frustration, you say “No!” or push them away. In that moment, they’ve just learned that mouthing gets your attention. Just like that, a new, more intense behaviour is reinforced and can quickly become a habit.
Extinction also runs the risk of your dog getting reinforcement elsewhere—like catching dropped food. That makes the behaviour even harder to stop.
To work, extinction requires that every instance of the behaviour goes unrewarded—no slips. Otherwise, you’re reinforcing it intermittently, which can actually make it stronger (like a gambling addiction). Even if the behaviour fades, it may suddenly return (spontaneous recovery), and if you respond then, the cycle starts all over again.
What Does an Extinction Burst Look Like?
Extinction bursts can show up in all kinds of behaviours, including:
Barking for attention or treats becoming louder or more persistent
Jumping turning into mouthing or pawing
Whining in the crate escalating into barking or scratching
It’s completely normal for your dog to test boundaries when they realise something has changed. They’re simply checking: “Are you sure this won’t work anymore?”
How Long Does It Last?
This varies depending on your dog’s history, temperament, and how consistent you are. In many cases, the burst only lasts a few days. But for behaviours that have been going on for months or even years, it may take longer to fully fade.
You may also see aftershocks—short bursts of the behaviour again after a period of calm. This is also normal. It’s like your dog checking in: “Still not going to work?”
Don’t Just Ignore—Reinforce the Good
While ignoring unwanted behaviours is part of the extinction process, it's just as important—if not more so—to reward the behaviours you want to see.
Dogs aren’t mind readers. If we only ignore what we don’t like, but don’t tell them what we do like, they’ll often try harder, get frustrated, or give up altogether. That’s why we want to catch them doing the right thing.
💡 Here’s a tip: If your dog usually jumps up to greet you, reinforce an alternative behaviour before the jumping even starts. For example, ask them to go to their mat, or ask for an incompatible behaviour such as a Sit, Down or Middle and reward it. This gives your dog a clearer path to success and prevents the escalation in the first place.
It’s much easier to prevent an unwanted behaviour than to undo one that’s already been rewarded.
Set Your Dog Up to Succeed
To reduce frustration (and the likelihood of extinction bursts), try to set the stage for the behaviours you want. That means managing the environment, making good behaviours easy, and rehearsing them regularly.
For example:
If your dog jumps when guests enter, pop them behind a baby gate or on a lead, and reward calm behaviour before the jumping starts.
If your dog barks during mealtimes, have a chew or puzzle toy ready before you sit down.
If your dog barks when they hear you getting their meal ready, teach an alternative behaviour such as sending them to their mat to wait. You can also work on their understanding of impulse control separately from the excitement of mealtimes.
If your dog starts barking as soon as you get out of the car to go for a walk, start your walks with some scatter feeding or scentwork to lower their arousal levels
If your dog starts attention seeking behaviours anytime you're in the middle of a task, pop your dog in their crate/pen while cooking, cleaning, gardening etc and set them up with an enrichment activity or chew
Success builds confidence, and confident dogs are far less likely to escalate when things don’t go their way.
How to Handle an Extinction Burst
1. Stay Calm and Consistent
This is the golden rule. Stick with your plan, even when your dog is trying really hard to get a reaction. If you stay calm and don’t give in, the behaviour will begin to fade.
2. Reinforce the Behaviours You DO Want
Don’t just ignore the unwanted behaviour—make sure you’re clearly teaching your dog what you’d like them to do instead. If they sit calmly, lie on a mat, or bring you a toy—reward that!
3. Use Management
If certain behaviours happen at predictable times (like jumping up when guests arrive), use tools like baby gates, leads, or crates to prevent your dog from rehearsing the unwanted behaviour while you're training.
4. Redirect with Structure
If your dog starts to escalate, redirect them to a known behaviour—like asking for a sit, a nose touch, or sending them to a mat. Redirecting is different from ignoring; it gives them something clear and achievable to do instead.
5. Use Enrichment to Reduce Frustration
Mental stimulation like food puzzles, scent work, long-lasting chews, and calm training games can help take the edge off your dog’s frustration and reduce the emotional load during this time.
It’s important to make sure your dog’s daily needs are consistently met to help reduce frustration and improve behaviour. This includes providing regular physical exercise through quality walks, incorporating daily training sessions, introducing mentally stimulating activities like scentwork and trick training, and also ensuring they have structured downtime to relax and reset.
When to Ask for Help
If you’re seeing extreme escalation, or if the behaviour is becoming unsafe or unmanageable, it’s okay to ask for support. A qualified, force-free trainer can help you create a personalised plan and troubleshoot any setbacks.
Final Thoughts: You're Not Doing It Wrong
If you’re going through an extinction burst, don’t panic—it means your dog is learning that the old behaviour no longer gets results. This is a tough but crucial part of behaviour change. With patience, consistency, and the right guidance, you’ll come out the other side with a more thoughtful, well-behaved dog.
So next time things seem to get worse before they get better, take a breath—you’re probably closer to a breakthrough than you think.
Need help working through an extinction burst or a behaviour that just won’t shift?
Our team of experienced, force-free trainers is here to help. Whether through one-to-one sessions, residential training, or our Online Academy, we’ll support you every step of the way.
Коментарі