No No Bad Dog

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No No Bad Dog Challenge

Prerequisites:  Clicker Basics; Name Game; Sit; Recall

Description:  Learn to ask your dog for an alternate behavior to that behavior which you are ready to say “No No” because of.  Example: Your dog is sniffing the trash, you “Recall” the dog to you so that he is no longer near the trash.  Learn to tell the dog what TO do rather than correcting mistakes.  Teach the dog what TO do and bring focus to those nice behaviors.  Behaviors that are reinforced are behaviors that will be repeated.


The Directions are:

  1. First, understand that this may be a very challenging task.  Humans are not hardwired by Mother Nature to be proactive, or to solve problems; rather humans are hardwired to get frustrated or even angry.  Be patient with yourself so that you can develop new habits that will help build a beautiful relationship with your dog and train him to be very well behaved.
  2. Second, get through the first week, and the rest will be easier.
  3. For 7 Days, mark it on the calendar, go without saying NO, or Bad Dog, or squeezing the dog’s muzzle for barking, or yanking on his leash for pulling toward something that interests him or any other behavior that normally you might be frustrated by and ask for a skill he knows such as “Sit” or “Name Game”.
  4. What to do?  Call his name.  If your dog is looking at you, he isn’t looking at something else.  If your dog answers to his name, you can give him instructions and give him something else to do such as “find your ball”.
  5. What to do?  Ask for a “Sit”.  If your dog is sitting, he’s not pulling, jumping, counter surfing, etc.
  6. What to do?  Call your dog to you.  If your dog has a reliable recall, call him to you.  If he’s at your side getting cookies and attention, he’s not in the trash!
  7. What to do? Your dog is alert barking at the window at a passer by. If your dog has a reliable recall, call him to you.  If he’s at your side getting cookies and attention, he’s not barking at the window any more, but did do his job!

Remember, by asking the dog for one of her skills, instead of merely saying “No No Bad Dog”, you are effectively teaching the dog what to do the next time she is in the same situation.  And you are capitalizing on a training moment naturally presented to you!

Also Read What does Your Dog Know

And print the accompanying Check List

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