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Doggie Corrections

Written by dogtraining  |  14. August 2000

Shock collars, Ultrasonic collars, Citronella collars, Potato's, Hit, Don't dare hit, Buckets of water, Shoes, Rolled up papers, Spray bottle, Water hose, Cattle prod's, Clickers, Shake cans, Canned goods, Rocks, Sticks, Whips, Chains, Air horns, and Yelling are all methods people ask about using when correcting their dogs.. Ok, maybe not whips and chains. All the rest, either are used, were used (before trainers came to their senses), or can be used. Lets talk about it. The idea behind a correction is to make a fun activity like jumping, chasing cars, cats, and bolting out doors, less fun. Accomplish this by applying a correction when the dog is in the middle of doing the undesired activity One of the most important parts of the correction is it cannot be a traumatic event for the dog. Creating too much fear will cause more long term problems then the correction will solve. The flip side is the correction must be strong enough for the dog to want to respond. Banging a pot and dumping water over a ****zu may keep her from running out the door, but what if you happen to have Americas favorite dog... the Labrador? They are both water dogs and gun dogs, therefore may consider a water fight and banging pots as an invitation to a jovial romp on the front lawn. There must be a better way. Personally, I'm in favor of doing most training with leashes and remote collars. I'll have my clients teach the dog with the leash, and once fully understood, enforce it with a remote collar. If the collars are not for a particular dog, then I'll try another method. The remote collar of choice is the "shock" collar. This collar has been the most consistent for me and my clients for producing results without breaking the dogs spirit. Clients often ask if the citronella would be better. I answer them by offering to try both ..ON THEMSELVES. They can feel the pulse of the shock collar or I can spray citronella up their nose. Its funny, I've never had anyone let me spray them yet!! Citronella stays in the dogs nose long after the correction is given. This contradicts all basic training rules. Ultrasonic has inconsistent results. Many dogs are not the least bit bothered by loud or high pitched noises. Before the wizardry of radio waves and shock collars, off leash training was accomplished by using potatoes, small rocks, tennis balls, and canned goods (ouch!!). When the dog wandered away from the handler, he got hit in the hindquarters with one of the above. Those methods still work today... if your aim is good. The idea is to remind the dog he's out of place, not hurt him. No matter what you use, praise MUST be lavishly given upon his return. (Remember the safe zone, article #1). Please keep an open mind when training your dog. There are several different methods to teach the same lesson. Some will work for you, some wont. That's why there are several methods. Good luck this week and remember to have fun while training your pet to be a well behaved best friend.

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