No Means No(thing to Your Dog)

The word ‘No!’ is the most over-used term in dog training – and yet surprisingly it has the least meaning to a dog. -Danielle Shelbourne   

  One problem that I've seen with many dog owners is that they use voice commands with their dogs that they don't understand and then get upset with the dog when nothing happens. How many owners say "No!" at their dogs? Most, if not all of them. How many dogs actually understand what "no" means? Probably very few. If someone suddenly started giving you commands in Latin and then got mad at you when you didn't understand, you would feel pretty upset and confused. The same is true for our dogs. Just because we know what we are saying, it doesn't mean our dogs automatically speak our language. 

    Now, I am not a huge fan of using the word no because it's too abstract for dogs. It requires them to identify what they are doing that is incorrect and then find a way to correct it by themselves. Am I guilty of using it sometimes as a reflex? Absolutely. But then I immediately try to give my dog positive instructions to provide better information for them. Most cases where the word no is used can use a different word instead that provides more clarity. Is your dog jumping up on people? Swap no with the sit command. Barking? Teach the "quiet" command instead. Begging for food? Have them go to their bed while you eat. All of these substitutions provide very clear instructions for your dog that he can actively follow rather than try to guess what he should do next. Dogs aren't typically great at guessing, so it's up to you to make his job very clear. 

    Leave it or drop it are two other great examples of phrases commonly used with no training. A dog will put something in their mouth and the owner will immediately rush over, saying (or shouting) "Drop it!", and then start trying to pull the object out of their mouth. What does this look like from the dog's perspective? 

    Look at this thing I found! It smells nice, I bet it tastes even better. (Owner: "Drop it!") Oh no, now they're going to come grab me and take this great thing I found away from me! I don't want that to happen so I'm going to run away from them so they can't take it!

    When you see it through their eyes, you can see why this isn't a great approach to this situation. An alternative approach is to use a combination of management and substitution. Management in this scenario is simply preventing them from accessing things that they can't have. Dog-proof your house like you would for a toddler. Don't leave a bag of chips open on the coffee table. Pick up items you don't want chewed up. Create as little temptation as possible. If they do manage to find something they shouldn't have, then use substitution as a way to get it back. Also, avoid reprimanding as much as possible because it will lead to the dog running away from you which could then evolve into a game of chase, which they might find even more fun.

    Here is how to use substitution in a non-training situation. The phrase you can use is: "That's not for puppies, this is for puppies!" There's no correction or harsh tone which could lead to your dog avoiding you and making the situation worse and it's also not a command that they can ignore. Keep something available that the dog loves. The best thing would be a favorite toy, but food substitutions work well also. If your dog is chewing on something they shouldn't, grab your replacement toy and calmly walk toward the dog. Keep your body language friendly. When you get to them, try to discreetly reach for the item in their mouth while showing them the substitute item you brought. Use the new toy to encourage them to drop what they have and then give them the new toy or treat. As they drop it, you can say the phrase above or "drop it" or you can just make the swap without saying anything. 

    Be careful about using the command drop it though because if they were to ignore it, you are setting yourself up for a tough time later. Outside of a training session with a controlled environment, it might not be best to use commands that might be ignored. This sets you up for later success because your dog won't have rehearsed ignoring that command already. Training the drop it command is just adding a command to the substitution method but you would practice it in a controlled situation for many repetitions before trying to use it in the real world. 

    Old habits die hard. It's something I need to be more thoughtful about as well but I know my dogs will benefit from it and I'm sure yours will, too.