Should You Correct Your Dog?

A correction is given with a leash and training collar. Hitting, kicking, scruff shakes, alpha rolls and several other techniques along those lines are abusive and dangerous. Yelling, pointing, banishing are ineffective ways to communicate with the dog.

Corrections need to be given at the time of the behavior. They need to be quick and effective. The level of correction necessary varies from one dog to the next as well as from one moment to the next with the same dog. The minimum needed to extinguish a behavior should be used.

Before you get our the training collar and start correcting for misbehavior, it is important that you evaluate the training you have already done and accurately determine what is in the best interest for the needs of both you and your dog.

Inconsistencies in training are a cause for confusion in the dog. The commands given need to be simple and clear. Calling your dog with "Come here", "Get over here!", "Come now!" and my personal favorite, "Don't make me come and get you!" is impossible for a dog to learn. One clear command, "Come", is all you should use for a recall.

Another inconsistency is to enforce a behavior in some circumstances but not in all. A dog should sit every single time the command is given. A dog should never be allowed to chew on the furniture. To allow him to not sit once or to chew on the leg of the table this time and then to disallow it the next time will only leave the dog wondering what is really expected of him.

The dog must perform on the first command. All too often people will tell their dog "Down", and when he doesn't they will repeat the command, and then possibly repeat it again before succeeding in getting the dog to lie down. The next time it might be five commands. Or it might be one. The dog has no way of knowing which command he should ignore and how many repetitions of the command he must hear before he needs to perform the behavior. With each repetition the dog is learning that ignoring the command is OK.

If your dog is not showing enthusiasm for your rewards, continue to experiment with different treats and toys. As with people, dogs have likes and dislikes and while one dog might find liver treats to be the yummiest thing there is, another will spit them out. Make sure you are praising him in a way that will be viewed as praise. If you feel a bit silly while praising your dog, he is probably enjoying it.

Correcting a shy or fearful dog can cause them to retreat further into shyness. These dogs need confidence building as well as a lot of encouragement and positive experiences.

Being a leader is built on a foundation of trust. It is not a momentary role that is utilized only during a training session. In order for your dog to respect you as a leader, you must develop the position throughout all aspects of your relationship with the dog. This is done by being confident, by setting and maintaining limits, not adapting yourself to the dog. If you are leading, the dog is following. One example is walking the dog. He should go in the direction you choose to go in. If you stop and wait for him or allow him to go where he wants to go, you are allowing him to take the position of being the leader.

Corrections should only be given when the dog has demonstrated that he has learned the desired behaviors and only for those behaviors. The dog can understand what is expected of him when he is commanded to "sit" but not yet know that he must sit when you halt while he is heeling. The static "sit" exercise by itself can be corrected for if the dog chooses not to perform the behavior when told to, but it would be unfair to correct him for not sitting when you halt as he is still learning that.

Correcting a dog is something that should never be emotional. It should be quick and clear as part of training. Dogs don't understand anger. If you find yourself getting angry with the dog, it is best to stop the training session and either take a break entirely or do some playing with him.

Not all dogs require corrections. If you are striving to win at the highest levels of competition then your dog most likely will need corrections as part of his training in order to build sufficient reliability. Only the most proficient of trainers might be able to achieve that without corrections, and even among them it is rare. For the average dog owner, corrections can be useful as well. It isn't always practical to carry a pocketful of treats. To build the exercises without using corrections can sometimes require excessive amount of time, which we don't have in our hectic lives. Corrections can assist us to achieve the desired results in a shorter time frame, as well as making it clear to the dog not only what is expected of him but also what is unacceptable.

Some dogs are simply stubborn. For them, a stronger motivator is necessary. That might mean a tastier treat or a toy that is more fun. For some that means a correction. Dogs are quite opportunistic, some being more selfish than others. There are dogs that decide to only work if the trainer has treats with him. We simply cannot meet this need. The moment the dog is taken for a walk without treats in the pocket, all the work that has been done goes out the window. The dog doesn't pay any attention to us, he pulls, he refuses to sit. For these dogs, a well timed correction can be beneficial.