BEHAVIOUR
How to Effectively Say No to Dogs: A Step-by-step Guide by Canine Experts
Is your dog jumping excessively? Or are you struggling with puppy biting? An effective solution is to teach your dog a “no” command. Here’s how you can do it in five, simple steps!
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The “No” command is as widely used by dog parents as it is ignored by most of our dogs. No matter what language you use this in, it intends to tell the dog to stop what she is doing for her safety or the safety of others.
Whether our dog is excessively jumping or barking or destroying furniture, our go-to response is to scold them or tell them a no. But how often do we use this dog training command, without actually taking the time to teach our dogs what our “no” even means? It should come as no surprise that they regularly refuse to respond to it.
To ensure that our dogs understand and respond to training commands, it is important to first teach them the desirable behaviour and then to reward them positively for carrying out the behaviour. To teach a “no” command, you will require a small piece of human food like a piece of bread or a biscuit and doggy treat that your dog likes.
Whether our dog is excessively jumping or barking or destroying furniture, our go-to response is to scold them or tell them a no. But how often do we use this dog training command, without actually taking the time to teach our dogs what our “no” even means? It should come as no surprise that they regularly refuse to respond to it.
To ensure that our dogs understand and respond to training commands, it is important to first teach them the desirable behaviour and then to reward them positively for carrying out the behaviour. To teach a “no” command, you will require a small piece of human food like a piece of bread or a biscuit and doggy treat that your dog likes.
Step 01 of No Command for Dogs
Sit on the floor next to your dog and hold the piece of low-value food in the palm of your hand. The best time to practise this is after a walk or a play session when your dog is already tired.
Step 02 of No Command for Dogs
Your dog may take a second to sniff and make a go for it. Once they try it, shut your hand tightly while using a stern voice to tell them No. Ensure that you are not yelling nor are you using your usual happy voice. If your dog is used to hearing you say No, you can even switch your cue word to any other short word.
Step 03 of No Command for Dogs
Your dog may try to sniff, lick or paw at your hand, but do not open your fist or move or pull your hand back till they settle down. Once they stop trying, offer her plenty of praise and bring out the other high-value treat. You may need to practise this a few more times before your dog learns to stop doing the behaviour.
Pro-tip: If your dog refuses to settle down, you can either switch to a lower value, even non-edible item to practise with or have your dog tethered to a stationary surface with a leash and sit at a distance, so they cannot reach it.
Pro-tip: If your dog refuses to settle down, you can either switch to a lower value, even non-edible item to practise with or have your dog tethered to a stationary surface with a leash and sit at a distance, so they cannot reach it.
Step 04 of No Command for Dogs
Once your dog begins to respond to your no command, and you are able to open your palm fully, you can now practise by placing the treat on the floor closer to you and guarding it with your hand. Practise this step till you are able to leave the item on the floor without your dog making a run for it.
Step 05 of No Command for Dogs
Practise your “No” command in multiple environments while using multiple other food and non-food based items. But always ensure that the reward for ignoring the object is higher than the object you are asking them to ignore.
Application of the “No” Command for Dogs
If you are able to carry out these exercises successfully, you can slowly start using the command in real life situations- whether your dog is jumping up on guests or chewing on furniture at home or chasing squirrels or pulling on the leash outdoors.
Teaching the no command can not only make our lives easier, it also helps keep our dogs safe and communicate and set boundaries more effectively, both inside and outside your home. The benefits of teaching our dogs basic obedience commands such as Leave it, Stay or Recall are numerous. Most of all, it helps build a stronger bond with our dogs while granting them access to many more experiences in life, without risking their safety.
So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and try out this dog training command with your puppy and share videos with us @thepack.in on Instagram!
Happy Pet Parenting!
Teaching the no command can not only make our lives easier, it also helps keep our dogs safe and communicate and set boundaries more effectively, both inside and outside your home. The benefits of teaching our dogs basic obedience commands such as Leave it, Stay or Recall are numerous. Most of all, it helps build a stronger bond with our dogs while granting them access to many more experiences in life, without risking their safety.
So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and try out this dog training command with your puppy and share videos with us @thepack.in on Instagram!
Happy Pet Parenting!
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