Saw something last night that I’ve never seen before.
I’ve seen a lot of dogs do a lot of different behaviors – stuff that would scare you, disgust you, make you laugh and impress you.
But last night was different. Last night I saw a yellow lab bite and chew on a metal folding chair. It was funny and scary at the same time. The only thing I could think of was the movie Jaws and quickly told the class that…..
…..”we are going to need a bigger boat!”
I then talked to the owner and realized that we had a problem that needed to be fixed fast. This problem was NOT going to be helped with more treats and prolonged “counter-conditioning” or “ignoring” the behavior.
You see, I gave this dog a treat and quickly found out that he had a very hard mouth. I also found out that the dog gave the owner eight stitches on her thumb. It was not done out of aggression, this dog has a hard mouth and when frustrated, he would jump and bite the owner.
The dog had already been through two classes with an “all positive” trainer and the owners needed help fast.
They had done everything they had been told. Ignored the behavior, redirected the behavior, more physical exercise, but they were still getting chewed on – bad!
Luckily they found me through their vet’s office and last night I showed them how to teach the word “NO!” I know that right now it is not in vogue to talk about or teach the word “NO,” but I can tell you straight up that a dog like the one I described today will end up in trouble if the behavior is not brought under control.
When it comes to training, I am a very positive guy. I don’t use choke, prong or e collars in my classes. I don’t teach the word “NO” doing anything that would ever harm the dog, but they get the point.
The dog STOPS doing the behavior so the correct behavior can be taught.
There are times when you will have to use a negative consequence in your training and done correctly, it can save a dog’s life in many situations.
Anyway, if your dog does behaviors that you don’t like and would like to stop them, I’ll show you how. Head on over The Dog Training Inner Circle and check out the video “How To Teach Your Dog No.” You won’t need any expensive collars or equipment.
Here’s where to go NEXT:
Peace,
Eric