"NO" The little big word

“NO “ The little big word

One of the first and most used words we teach yet unfortunately it’s the least properly taught command. Most people know but  won’t remember that dogs don’t naturally understand English (or Russian, Chinese, Spanish for that matter).

Picture our young dog who has just found his pack leader’s slipper under the bed and because it has his pack leader’s smell and it is perfectly chewable he is having a grand time with his new found prize. Enter the master and begins his tirade including, “ don’t chew that slipper, get out of here, and I’m going to tan you backside .” Exit dog. He’s learned he’s in deep “doo doo” and he slinks away thinking “I don’t what that thing is that got him so upset but it doesn’t matter I know where there’s another one just under the bed.”

Another episode and the pup is booted outside and his language class hasn’t been any more helpful than the first experience. Now more confused than before our student encounters a newly planted flower in the bed beside the patio and the past is forgotten because we have pretty blooms,  fresh  soil, and our dog is off on a new adventure which attracts Pack Leader Person with a new string of expletives.

By now the dog is completely confused because he has heard “no” attached to lots of other words in various pitches and tones and he can’t decide whether “no” means, slipper, rose, or dirt. “What’s a guy to do?” “I really am trying to understand you and about the only word I’m pretty sure about is those little bone shaped cookies are called “biscuits”; I remember this because they are food related and have some kind of an image to which I can attach a word.”

If someone gave you the task of teaching English to a visitor from a foreign country you would adopt some semblance of a lesson plan and proceed with a schedule in small portions only progressing as you are satisfied your student is understanding things.  But what about poor puppy?  We just start throwing out sentences with eight or ten words and get all frustrated when he doesn’t completely catch on to this new language.

Okay let’s back up a little. Remember when Mother held up that round thing and carefully said “apple.” She didn’t add a bunch of additional words . Only “apple” and if we said the word we were lavished with praise.  Hey, sounds like a winner so why not adopt that system with the puppy. Item, word, repeat, association, patience, praise.

So let’s set out teach our dog that “No” means

         A certain behavior is not acceptable

         The dog must stop the behavior

        The behavior must not be repeated

Your job now is to show him what “No” means.

The process goes like this. When the dog is doing something you don’t want him to do you DO NOT start to yell NO. You get up off the couch, go to the dog, get his attention, redirect his attention, and reward him for obeying the command and redirecting his attention. It’s not nearly as confusing as it sounds. The important thing is to always follow the same process. We’re making it easier for the student to learn.

Remember, at this stage “No” is just a meaningless sound so our job is to attach it to something tangible so gradually the sound “No” takes on meaning and becomes a word.

Getting his attention takes on many forms and can start with a simple no with a touch on the neck. It that turns his attention toward you, that’s all this case needs. Now redirect and reward for performing the task. Okay, so maybe it’s not that simple. Go to plan B.

What other methods are standard for getting your dog’s attention?  A loud noise, maybe like clap your hands, a rolled up sock thrown at his butt, a soda can filled with several pebbles and taped shut and thrown on the floor near him as you say no. A few years back it was popular to toss your choke chain collar on the floor near the dog as you said no. Some people keep a squirt bottle handy and squirt the dog as they say no. The problem here is it is not uncommon to find dogs that quite enjoy being sprayed with the squirt bottle. If you are lucky enough to catch the dog unaware and to toss the rolled up socks, for example, just as he misbehaving, he might figure out for himself that he is performing an unwanted task.

Okay, what about the repeat performer that flatly ignores the previous ideas. Let’s be completely honest. There are times when the headstrong fifty pound adolescent might need for you to get in his face a little so he understands that you are the boss of the shop and his behavior is unacceptable. I’m not a great fan of thumping on your dog but if you feel you absolutely have to, the choices vary from the fly swatter, to a rolled up newspaper, to that slipper that he was chewing on. Obviously his body design has provided a place for such application and remember, if you must strike your dog, never hit him ahead of the shoulder. A word of warning. Dogs don’t have hands and fists to hit or slap back so don’t be too surprised if you find a dog that will use his mouth to object to your treatment. If your dog growls or offers to bite you it’s time you put down the paper and called a trainer before the situation goes from bad to worse.

This is why I advocate the “get attention”, “redirect attention”, “reward for performing the task  and obeying the command”, process.

Sure it’s slower, it’s not so immediate, and it does require that you put in more effort, but I promise you it will foster a much better relationship between you and your student. Besides which, what’s so great about saying you can beat up on a dog?

The question often comes up as to how much correction is enough?

If the dog continues the unwanted action your correction obviously is ineffective. If the dog lays on his/her back and urinates on himself, you’ve overdone the correction. If the dog stops doing what you didn’t want and looks back and says “hey, the old boy really meant it that time, I better get my act together.” And he comes over another and apologizes, then your correction was about right.

The simple fact is that if you set the rules, regulations, and limitations and you ALWAYS make sure everybody lives by them, the application of No is usually no more than a little “sssst, hey, don’t do that” and a “thank you “ when he stops doing the unwanted. Most people forget that No is a command just like Sit, Stay, Down, etc. and must be acknowledged with a reward like “Thank You” or a pat and in some cases a small treat. Remember you’re not rewarding him for barking, digging, chewing, etc. You’re rewarding him for stopping when you gave a “No don’t do that”, command.

There are a few rules that aren’t options.

If you give the No command and the dog persists in disobeying  YOU MUST GO TO THE DOG AND CORRECT HIM. We practice discipline and correction, not punishment.

Don’t try to convince yourself that the dog knows what is morally or ethically wrong. This is right up there with the mother of the three year old in the grocery store who has just wiped out six feet of display cases and mother utters one of those, “Oh Bobby, you know how that upsets Mommy when you do that.”

Dogs don’t relate to what is right or wrong or rude or mean so DON’T EXPLAIN TO YOUR DOG WHY SOMETHINGS ARE SIMPLY A NO, NO, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER. Case closed.

Oh yeah, none of this “come on be a  good boy, do Mommy a favor…yadayadayada”. You don’t ASK your dog to stop what he’s doing.

Make sure your body language and facial expression also mean No. Don’t be laughing and smiling when you correct him because you thought  his misbehaving was cute.

Lastly, NEVER CALL YOUR DOG TO YOU TO DISCIPLINE HIM.  That’s just plain dumb and isn’t worthy of an explanation.