A way to tell if we have accidentally used punishment instead of correction is check out your dog - they will tell you we just have to read it! Courtesy of a fellow Cesar follower from Canada, I wanted to share this with all of you - all credit to Lori for this brilliant description.
Wrong energy - When you use anger, physical domination with frustration you will see:
The dog will become confused and start to give you fearful or confused body signals. (pawing at the air, tail between the legs, melting body position, going low to the ground with head, ears pinned back, eyes wide and fixed)
The dog will run away from you, be wary of you, tip toe around you and stand a few feet away watching you for more signs of unpredictable violent behaviour.
Right energy - When you use calm assertive corrections
Your dog will understand the correction and change his energy and actions immediately. He will stop doing the "bad" behaviour and his body language will change to show a calmer and submissive mindset. (ears slightly held back, licking, soft eyes, body low, head up, tail wagging, body up, head lowered). After the display of submission the dog will return to a normal body posture and show NO negative effects from the correction.
Your dog will WANT to be near you afterwards. The dog will give you its full attention and eye contact (waiting for more instructions) and willingly follow you around.
The truth about how your dog is receiving your corrections is completely obvious in the dogs REACTION to your correction. I don't have to be close enough to see or hear a human correct their dog. I only need to look at the dogs reaction to the human and I know right away if that correction enhanced or did damage to their relationship with their dog.
Me again - How we react to the dog afterwards in important too. If we inadvertently punish do not go for the “human making up” - lots of attention (sweet talking) and petting, which actually reinforces the dog’s unbalanced mindset and rewards the wrong response! They just don't understand us this way. So accept you’ve made a mistake and move on …after all we’re only human! Your dog will soon move on too as the event becomes past and dogs don‘t bear grudges. Of course if one was to continue to punish, there’ll be no respect only fear as dogs do have good memories too. There’s no need to make-up with discipline, just reward correct responses as in positive reinforcement training!
What have our dogs taught us? Mistakes made through ignorance are part of life as we learn and grow, but once we have the knowledge there’s no justification!
The motto at Crystal Dogs is correct never punish! So that's all on the subject of discipline for now!
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