How to punish a dog: when to do it and what to avoid in punishing dogs?
How to punish a dog?
Chewed shoes?
Broken table legs?
Or maybe running away from home or not coming on call?
You've probably been upset more than once because of your pet's behavior.
What then? How to behave? Whether to punish your dog for behaviors you don't accept?
Read the article below. You'll learn from it whether to punish the dog, what forms of punishment can be used in the upbringing and training of your pet, and what should be avoided in punishing a dog.
If you haven't had an opportunity yet, be sure to read the article "Dog training: why, how and when can you train a dog? "
- To punish or not to punish the dog?
- How to punish a dog?
- Verbal reprimand
- Isolation of the dog
- Loss
- What about physical punishment?
To punish or not to punish the dog?
Is punishing the dog necessary? You probably hear a lot about positive dog training, which is all about enhancing your pet's desired behavior.
In this type of work, you mainly focus on behaviors that are acceptable and desired by you and your household members.
If you expect your dog not to climb onto the couch, then you reward him for not climbing on it.
E.g. when the pet runs into the living room, instead of jumping on the sofa, he lies next to it - then you can strengthen such behavior with a reward.
What if your dog behaves inappropriately in your opinion?
Should he be punished then??
If your dog, wanting to steal the meat from the pan, jumps with his paws on the hot hob, the punishment for him will be to burn his paws.
In such a situation, you can be sure that the dog will remember the situation as unpleasant and will avoid contact with the object in the future.
Behavior such as jumping on a hot hob with their paws was punished (the dog burned its paws).
Thanks to the penalty - this behavior will probably be extinguished.
If the punishment occurs immediately after the behavior, then it reduces the likelihood of this behavior occurring in the future. The penalty affects the extinction of the given behavior.
How to punish a dog?
Ways to punish the dog If you associate punishment for a dog only with physical force or aggression, then you are wrong.
Familiarize yourself with the range of options you have in order to quench your dog's undesirable behavior.
You can apply:
- verbal reprimand,
- insulation,
- loss as a consequence of undesirable behavior.
Verbal reprimand
How to punish a dog: a verbal reprimand Verbal reprimand of the type:
- "Not! ",
- "Fee! ",
- "You can not! ",
- "Stop! "
are the phrases that are most often used to make attenuate unwanted behavior.
In addition to specific words that have a pejorative meaning for us, you can apply sounds, which must be previously associated with the dog as a correction to a given behavior.
They will be e.g.:
- "Mmmmm ",
- "Eeeeee! ",
- "Uuuu ".
However, remember that such phrases should make sense of the reprimand, you must dog them beforehand condition as a punitive stimulus.
Also remember that the verbal reprimands you use make sense, you must pronounce them in a timely manner and in an appropriate manner.
If you tell your dog "You can not! ", While laughing at the same time, the dog will not associate the spoken word as a punishment against a given behavior.
Isolation of the dog
Isolation of the dog If your dog greets your guests too effusively, he may be sanctioned accordingly.
If at such a time, e.g. you take the dog out and lock him in the other room, isolating him from guests and you, then you punish him.
It is a punishment in the form of isolation (exclusion).
Removing the dog from the rewarding environment (in the form of attention and caresses of guests) is a punishment.
However, remember to use this type of punishment, the isolation did not last long.
The pet must understand that it will return to the owner and guests when it calms down and behaves in the presence of people in a manner acceptable to you.
Apart from complete exclusion you can apply the so-called. partial exclusion.
Partial exclusion consists in ignoring the dog and its insistent behavior without sending him to another room.
However, when using this type of punishment, you must be aware that if you are sending the dog to your place as a punishment, or to another room or kennel, then the animal will start to associate this place negatively.
In such a situation, the pet will be reluctant to stay there on a daily basis.
That's why his lair cannot be his place of isolation, cottage if a different, comfortable place for a dog.
Loss
Loss as a way to punish the dog Another type of sensible punishment for a dog is taking something away from him valuable as a consequence of his reprehensible behavior.
An example of such a situation will be no reward is given for failure to carry out a command or a given command.
It can also be:
- depriving the dog of the opportunity to play with the guardian,
- taking the dog away from running freely without a leash in the park,
- taking away from playing with other dogs.
In positive dog training, trainers very often use this type of punishment.
When applying this type of punishment, remember that an important element of such action is reflex!
It is difficult for a dog to associate as a punishment to his behavior if it is delayed in time.
The penalty must be applied immediately after the undesirable behavior.What about physical punishment?
Are physical punishments effective? Know that this is the most extreme form of punishing an animal.
Abusing it can liberate the animal strong emotional reactions and aggression.
The use of physical punishment weakens the emotional bond between the dog and the owner.It negatively affects the dog's well-being, triggers fear and anxiety in the animal (it can even cause surrender behavior such as urinating at the sight of the owner), builds an aversion to what is new and a lack of a sense of security.
When applying a physical punishment, consider carefully whether the dog really deserved such a punishment?
Isn't the use of this type of punishment largely a way to discharge the accumulated negative emotions of a person??
Summary
When to punish a dog? When applying any penalty, remember:
the concept of punishment in relation to the animal it is not synonymous with the common understanding of this term, that is, with the application of physical strength or violence against him.
Before you start scolding your pet in this way, learn about the wide range of possibilities of using other types of punishments, which will definitely give better results.
When using verbal reprimands, isolation or depriving the dog of the opportunity to obtain a reward, it is important in every case reflex!
The dog will not associate the punishment with a specific behavior if you postpone its punishment.
Do not punish your dog after returning from work for a shoe that has been bitten in your absence - the dog will not understand this reaction. He will only understand from this punishment that the owner returning home means trouble for the dog.
The punishment shouldn't last long. Remember that the punishment should not turn into repressive behavior towards the dog.
Punishment is not dog abuse! It cannot be dictated by your emotions: anger, frustration or aversion towards the animal.The application of a given penalty must be commensurate with the offense.
Remember to start raising your dog by rewarding desired behavior.
When applying any punishment, start with the least aggressive one.
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