There is nothing wrong with using the word “no” properly when training your dog. “No” should be said calmly and should mean, “That is not a behavior that I want.” “No” can also be a “no reward marker.” It can just mean that the dog will not get a reward for that behavior.
Start by making sure your dog can follow a command with no distractions. Then, work on the command with people in the environment talking, eating, engaging with each other. Then, work on the command out in the yard and start with minimal distractions and work up to more significant distractions.
The Problems With “No”
The two big problems with the word “no”: It doesn't teach your dog what he should do. For example, if your dog jumps on people when they walk through the door, it's much more effective to instruct your dog to sit. By constantly redirecting your dog's behavior—vs.
From there, McMillan explains his playful, careful, and kind approach to training the 7 Common Commands he teaches every dog: SIT, STAY, DOWN, COME, OFF, HEEL, and NO.
- To teach “No” or “Leave”, first get some treats. You may need to use your dog's tastiest treats to ensure you have your dog's full attention. - Have your dog respond to you, by doing a “Sit” or a “Walk” beside you, so that their focus is on you. Keep your dog on a lead, so you have full control of their behaviour.
If you catch your puppy misbehaving, try a loud noise such as clapping your hands or a loud "uh-uh" or a sharp “off”. Remember, reprimands need to occur while the behavior is happening, preferably just as it begins, and never after.
First, stop your dog in the act of whatever he's doing, then give him a different, pet parent-approved option. For example, if you walk into a room and notice him chewing your shoes or hairbrush, swiftly tell him "No!" and take the item out of his mouth. Once your dog is calm, present him with an actual chew toy.
Your pooch needs to be trained with love and compassion. New research suggests that adversely training, e.g. yelling at, your dog could cause long-term psychological harm. Dogs that had undergone adverse training methods were found to have higher cortisol levels in their saliva and displayed more stress behaviors.
Playing “Silly Buggers” or “Keep Away”
Playing Silly Buggers or Keep Away is a sign of disrespect and is potentially dangerous for you and your dog. In the event of an emergency, you need to be able to catch your dog as quickly as possible.
Research suggests that dogs with a guilty look do not show evidence that they are aware of having engaged in misbehavior. One would not experience guilt if one were unaware that a crime had been committed.
This is well-intended but incomplete advice – if you only ignore the behavior, your dog will probably never learn to stop barking, jumping, or pulling. Just ignoring unwanted dog behaviors misses an important piece of teaching your dog what TO do instead. Dogs learn by association.
Scolding is Not the Answer
It's easy to lose your temper with your dog when he performs a bad behavior. At first, it seems as though that's the best way to deal with the situation. However, shouting at your dog when he does something bad is not an effective way to correct him.
Yelling at your dog does not work because it will just get him more stressed or it will only increase his energy level and how excited he is about the situation. Instead, your Bark Busters dog trainer can teach you how to use a calm yet firm voice to refocus your dog and to teach the desired behavior.
Give them affection and attention on your terms – Call them to you when you have the time and desire to interact with them. Teaching your dog that you 'own your space' is essential to training your dog to respect you. Give them as much love and affection as you like, just on your terms, not theirs.
Dogs simply don't think in terms of respect. They think of “this works/this doesn't work” and “that's safe/that's unsafe.” Dogs behave to create a consequence they want (works and safe) or to avoid one they don't (a waste of effort or unsafe). In the end it really comes down to these motivations.
Contemporary experts urge against all uses of physical discipline. Tapping or bopping a dog on the nose can be misconstrued as playful behavior, and being too rough with your dog can actually trigger biting, reactive, or defensive behavior.
Now, a novel study suggests programs that use even relatively mild punishments like yelling and leash-jerking can stress dogs out, making them more "pessimistic" than dogs that experience reward-based training.