RIGHT N WRONG

                              One dog training tip I pass along all the time is, always let your dog know clearly if he has done right or wrong. By that I don't mean a washy "Oh, you're a good boy," or a feeble attempt at correction with: "Oh, you're a bad boy."

                              To the dog, both phrases come across as being virtually identical. They are said with absolutely no contrast in the owner's voice, no difference in tone. The poor dog simply does not understand whether he is being praised or chastised.

                               When praising a dog, do so whole-heartedly. "What a good dog!" Place heavy emphasis on the "what," and really sound the "t." Spoken that way, with much enthusiasm and in a pitch slightly higher than normal really puts the message across. He has no problem understanding that he performed the right action and you are happy with him.

                              On the other hand, when you want to convey displeasure or indicate that you are not impressed by his behavior, you should shift to a short, sharp, reprimand that will give you leeway to raise or lower the amount of your displeasure to match his actions. Just one word: "No!!!" always seems to work best.

                              The theory is simple: provide the dog with unmistakable contrast between your two responses to his activities, making it especially easy for him to understand right from wrong; your praise from your displeasure. Your voice is your primary communication from you to your dog and if he's unable to clearly understand what you are telling him, learning will much more difficult for him.

                              It's not necessary to go too far with either the praise or the rebuke, just be sufficiently happy, or firm enough, to convey the right message and leave no doubt whatsoever in his mind how you rank his actions.

                              Too many dogs that are abused in the name of training by ill advised owners and trainers end up psychologically damaged. All dogs love to please their owners so it's only natural for them to figure out how to receive your praise. Consequently, "No!!" spoken sharply is always sufficient; never resort to physical punishment. It confuses and frightens the dog and is very counterproductive. All training should be as pleasant as possible.

                              So, my vital dog training tip is this: a dog or puppy trained with dog friendly, positive methods will become your confident, well behaved companion for many years.

Training a dog or puppy effectively requires patience and kindness.