The Puppy Training Podcast

Episode #120 Effective Discipline

October 07, 2022 Baxter & Bella Puppy Training Season 5 Episode 120
The Puppy Training Podcast
Episode #120 Effective Discipline
Show Notes Transcript

When it comes to discipline, people often think, " What can I do so my dog learns they shouldn’t do that again?" We get asked every so often how we use punishment to teach a dog not to do something. That question and more is discussed in this episode. Check it out!

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Effective Discipline


Webster defines discipline as 1 : to punish or penalize for the sake of enforcing obedience and perfecting moral character. 2 : to train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control.


When it comes to discipline, the first definition often comes to mind. What can I do so my dog learns they shouldn’t do that again? Here at Baxter and Bella, we prefer the second definition, to train or teach and develop our dogs by instruction on how to have self-control.


We suggest rewarding your dog for what you want them to do rather than punish them for doing things you don’t want them to do. It takes practice to think this way. Be patient with yourself and be patient with your dog. They are not always going to choose what you want them to, but the more you put into practice what we are talking about today the more you’ll see they do start choosing the good.


It is important to teach your dog what to do and that they get payment for it. What gets rewarded gets repeated. 


Why do I train this way? In short, I want to be a joy to my dog.  I want my dog to want to be around me. I want them to be excited to train and work with me. That’s hard to do if they are fearful of me or afraid of what I might do to them. To foster a good relationship with my dog, I teach them what I want them to do and make it worth it to them.


Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying be a pushover. I do set rules and boundaries. Sometimes we take a time out meaning we take a break from the session. Maybe I need to cool down. Maybe my dog needs to cool down. This may mean alone time for me in my room or my dog can take a break in their crate or pen with a chew. Then when we are feeling better we can continue. Taking a break is a better way to handle frustration than inflicting pain or fear on my animal. 


Some examples I’ve been asked about are spraying a dog in the face when they bark, pinching their lip when they bite, shaking a penny can to scare your dog when they approach the counter, shocking my dog when they leave the yard, etc. The list is long. I ask myself, will this keep my relationship with my dog strong or will this break it down? If the answer is along the lines of tearing us apart, or causing additional behavior problems, it is NOT worth it. 


There are plenty of creative approaches to getting the same results but doing so in a positive way. Management and training go hand in hand. I can prevent my dog from doing many unwanted behaviors and can then teach them what to do in specific situations. The more my dog is rewarded for their good choices, the more they choose the good choices. It is a beautiful thing. 


Thinking this way takes practice. It takes time to anticipate what my dog might do. For example, I know when Baxter stares out the patio window, he may find something to bark at. How do I know this? He barked out the patio window! Now, knowing he might do this, instead of letting him stand there and stare, I simply ask him to come near me and offer him a chew toy instead. He then goes and chews the item and the window is forgotten. Now he is onto a good activity and the barking did NOT occur which means it is not part of the behavior pattern. I create a new pattern. Look out the window, walk away and have chew time. 


Dogs love patterns. Think about it. Often I hear this, “My dog jumped on the counter and I said, OFF. He got off so I rewarded him. Now I think he is jumping on the counter so I will say OFF and he will get a reward for it.” This dog has created a pattern. The unfortunate event is that counter surfing is part of the pattern. Instead, take the jump out of the pattern. The dog is learning what to do around counters at this point. It is my job to teach them to walk away from a counter. Notice I put that in terms of what I want my dog to do, instead of saying and focusing on what I don’t want them to do. 


To teach my dog to walk away from the counter, I must be aware my dog is headed toward the counter. Yep! That is where supervision and management come into the picture with my puppy. I notice he is interested in the counter, giving no attention to the actual counter, I redirect my puppy by asking him for a behavior I like. This can be a lot of things! Maybe come, sit, down, go to bed, do tricks, play games, etc. I had a client who coined this as changing the brain channel of the dog. I love that! Yes, get your dog thinking about something else, realizing if it is one second and you go back to what you were doing, your dog will most likely go back to what they were doing - heading toward the counter! Be sure to really get their mind on a new activity - or manage! Tether them to you for a bit and they can be your sidekick! Maybe it’s time to go in their crate or pen with a favorite chew! It can be something simple - it does not mean you now have to entertain your dog for hours to keep them away from the counter. Simply show them it is worth it to walk away, reward them for doing so and get them on a new activity whether that is structured time with you or alone time for them with their favorite toys or chews. 


By being proactive and using management to set boundaries for your puppy, we eliminate the need for pain or fear on our part. If my dog does happen to put their paws on the counter before I could prevent it, okay then yes, say OFF and reward them for getting off. Definitely move them onto a more appropriate activity, but 9 times out of 10 they are not practicing that behavior because I am showing them what I want them to do instead FIRST. 


Don’t want my puppy to jump on me while I sit on the sofa? Think, “What do I want them to do instead? Ask them to go to their playpen and reward them for it by giving them their favorite chew while I relax BEFORE I sit down. The key? Be prepared and have a plan in mind BEFORE I sit down.


Don’t want my puppy begging at the dinner table? Think, “What do I want them to do instead? Teach them how to do that and how to get paid for it! Ask them to go to bed and pay them for laying on their mat while I eat. The key? Be prepared and have a plan in mind BEFORE I sit down to eat. 


Are guests coming over? Think, “What do I want my dog to do when they arrive?” 


Be mindful of what your puppy can handle and always set them up for success. Just like I wouldn’t ask a kindergartener to do calculus, I’m not going to ask my puppy to sit stay in the presence of a very exciting person when they don’t even know what a sit stay is - OR - maybe they know what a sit stay is but they have a hard time performing one at that level of distraction. We work up to harder behaviors over time. Try to keep realistic expectations when it comes to your puppy and training.


With that note, try keeping your puppy in a pen when the guests first arrive. Give a bit of distance to help your puppy calm down more quickly. Instruct the guest to toss a treat away from your puppy for your puppy to go chase. When the puppy turns back to the guest, repeat the toss. Repeat several times until your puppy can focus enough to sit to say please and then the treat gets tossed away. Now the new rule is sitting gets the treat to be tossed. The puppy is now sitting to be greeted in a very basic way with rules and boundaries in place, no punishment needed. 


I think you see where I'm going with this. I hope the phrase, “What do I want my dog to do?” is starting to pop up on its own in your mind. That’s what we want! Show your dog what you want them to do, pay them well for making that choice and watch as they choose it more often. Your relationship will grow in a positive way - your dog will enjoy being around you and want to train and work with you. It is a beautiful thing and an effective way to discipline meaning to train or develop by instruction.


You guys are amazing. Give yourself grace as we are all doing the best we know. At a recent conference I attended the quote of the day was, “Do what you know until you grow.” A beautiful thought. Happy training - I’ll talk to you soon.