Training Tip: Word of the Day is REDIRECT.
Moonshadow Wally Neil
“No” or “Don’t do that” creates a focus on the undesired behavior and also opens up a void — what is the puppy or human supposed to do instead?
When you see or experience an undesired behavior, shift immediately to “Do this instead.”
Maple Moonshadow hard at work as a Therapy Puppy.
Capella likes to chew my desk chair. If I give her an error message like “NO!” how is she to understand what I am telling her? Am I saying NO! for her desire to be close to me? For quietly hanging out and chewing?
Capella and Karma
And seriously — how fair is it to tell a teething baby not to chew?!
My strategy — reach down and give her an alternative to my chair, and push her a few inches away with the new chew thing so the chair is not so easily in reach.
If she goes back to the chair, clearly my alternative was not a good one so I try something more chew-worthy.
No error message. No drama. Just redirection. Easy peasy.
Capella having some Mom Time.
“No” should be banned from our puppy vocabulary. Instead, get to “YES” by using smart redirection.
Bright Stars Atlas Sun and Dallas Nova Jr.
Have a positive day!