That's my name - don't add "No"!

To correct my dogs the first most important issue is his name - do not use this with a correction! Ok but this is easier said than done! Us humans are hard-wried to use a name to get attention even if we’re about to dis-agree with what someone is doing! So it becomes second nature to use name first, but this is not how it is with dogs!

As Cesar says, dogs are Animal then Breed then Name- last for the very reason that this is a human adage - dogs do not use names to address each other!

So we need to reserve using their names to get attention to follow a command, such as come to us, to distinguish one dog from another. Not to add a correction e.g.Max No! This is a sure way to confuse a dog, make them fearful of responding to their name as they begin to make the association between name and correction, so it follows that recall becomes a nightmare!

To correct my dogs for carrying out unwanted behaviour is to add something they don’t like, with all crucial timing. The timing must be within seconds of the action, otherwise the association will not be made and worse still be made to something else. Ever had a human have a go at you after an event , when something has happened in-between - been confused as to what they are talking about?!

The key is to interrupt and stop my dog, I add a vocal correction “pssshhht”. If not respected try something else, don’t keep on with the same thing else you’ll be teaching your dog to ignore you!

If the vocal interruption doesn’t work, attach a short lead and leave it on when you are around to supervise. When say the dog goes to jump up, pop the lead, move away using the lead to guide the dog. Then add in a command say “sit” and reward. This distracts the dog from the unwanted behaviour, stopping the acting out, then teaches something new to do instead, thereby releasing any pent up energy! Repeat this process each time, when the dog happily goes away with you, next time add the vocal sound, soon you will be able to use the sound alone as your dog knows you will follow-through!

How to know if you’ve used the right energy to correct and not punish …coming up!

So what have my dogs taught me? Always remember to connect the problem with the correction, even when disagreeing with people, focus in on the problem clearly to avoid mis-understandings!