In the last simPAWtico post, I shared the first Master Key about how to replace “No” with something else more effective.
In conjunction with that, the second Master Key is one that’s truly a challenge for us HUMANS to make a habit of (or rather, describes a hard habit to break).
Master Key #2: Don’t use your dog's name as part of a correction.
You always want your dog to have a positive association with his or her name. Every time you say it, it should be accompanied by good feelings in the dog’s mind. Hissing it or shouting it with exasperation and frustration all the time will only pair those feelings with it.
This is also an important consideration when training a reliable come. If you call your dog and there is some hesitation inside, like “Am I going to get in trouble when I get over there?” then you will get distraction and ultimately unreliability.
As I said, this is a difficult thing to master because humans are very name oriented and we don’t (generally) carry bad feelings if someone says our name in frustration or anger. I’ve been training a long time, but when I come downstairs and find that my bulldog has plowed through the trash can, I STILL pull out my hair and shout, “DEXXXXXTTTTTEEEERRRRR!!!!!” And I know better!
The flip side of this is that whenever you say your dog’s name, say it with an upbeat lilt in conjunction with praise and fun activities. This goes for cues and markers too. Get used to making every cue upbeat, peppy and cheerful along with his or her name. Make corrections indifferent, robotic and almost businesslike.
Dogs respond to classical conditioning extremely well, whether you mean them to or not, so be careful and watch yourself. If you mess up once in a while, don’t sweat it. Take a deep breath and move on. Being cognizant of how the little things make a big difference is a tremendous tool in training your dog to be happy, healthy and well-behaved.
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