DO YOU KNOW HOW TO DO "NO”!?

It’s natural to automatically correct our dogs for unwanted behaviour by saying — “No,” “Stop it,” “Be quiet”, without giving it much thought.

It’s easy to tell dogs what not to do, but how can they possibly know what we want them to do instead, if we don’t show them and teach them how to succeed?

When we replace corrections with wanted alternatives, dogs begin to understand what works, feel less confused and frustrated, build trust and confidence in us, start to work it out for themselves and make better choices.

Sometimes the best option to prevent unwanted behaviour is by simply managing or making changes to the environment.

Baby gates or barriers to prevent access, visual barriers, clearing counter tops, not leaving food around, putting objects out of reach or providing more enrichment activities.

This isn’t about letting dogs do whatever they want, it’s about setting them up to get it right.

When we teach alternatives instead of just stopping behaviour, dogs begin to understand what works. When wanted behaviour is rewarded it’s far more likely to be repeated.

When we are about to say “No!” … stop and ask - what would I prefer my dog to do instead and focus on teaching that behaviour.

This is where real and lasting behaviour change begins.