The Word NO: Misused, Overused, and Abused!

My family and I always had dogs when growing up. Things seemed a lot different then. There was not as much for dogs to do. There were not any dog parks, no socialization, and little if any training was done with our dogs.  They knew sit and the basics, but if they got out of that front door, it was at least an hour to get them back.  We also used the term NO a lot.  I mean for EVERYTHING!  “No get out of my room, No get out of the dishwasher, No don’t bite my feet, No don’t go potty in the house….NO, NO, NO!”  As I became older and began raising my own dogs I realized maybe this wasn’t the best way.

After graduating Animal Behavior College I began my own business.  I knew I was a good trainer with the dogs, but what about the people, the one’s that would actually be training their dogs on an everyday basis.  I would constantly hear clients yelling NO for every little thing.  I would spend more time explaining why not to use the word no, than actually teaching them what TO DO.  I came up with a simple phrase so that they would be able to remember it right before they were about to scream NO, “redirect instead of correct”.
As trainers, we all know and use this.  If a dog is chewing on something he is not supposed to, redirect him to something he is supposed to.  If a dog is going potty in the house, redirect him to where he should be going.  But for my clients, I found that they were stuck in the correct, correct, correct frame of mind.  I wanted to share with you some examples  
I use with my clients that can hopefully help you the next time you hear your client abusing the word NO.

Initially, I try to explain to my clients that the word “no”, begins to have literally NO meaning to a dog after it is used so many times.  I will ask “would you use the command SIT for every command?” “No”, they would answer “that is ridiculous”.  So is the amount of over usage of the word no! The word does not teach the dog anything. No, what?  No don’t jump, no don’t chase that squirrel, no stop pulling, it just doesn’t make sense.
How do we redirect?  One of the things I love to use to redirect is the “go find” game.  You simply toss a treat away from the dog for him to fetch.  He concentrates on the treat, and now I redirect him with another command so that he forgets what it was he was doing to misbehave in the first place.  Another command I like to teach clients to redirect their dog is “go to your place”.  This is an easy command to teach and when I have had clients dogs out of control, we give them a time out and they “go to their place,” have them do a couple of commands and reward them with a treat or game of fetch.  I try to get my clients to get in the mind frame of really teaching the dog the appropriate things to do instead of just yelling and correcting.  How is your dog going to know what to do if you don’t teach him the correct thing?

Some client’s dogs barely know the command “sit”, when I get there.  I start to enter their home and they have said “no” 10 times and I have not even gotten through the front door yet!  We, as trainers, understand how frustrating it can be to have an unruly  
dog, especially when the owner is unsure how to handle it.  I give clients this example, “what if I dropped you off in China and you only spoke and understood English.  Your tour guide for the whole trip only teaches you the word hello.  He constantly yells at you when you do not understand. This is how it is for our dogs.  When you “redirect instead of correct,” you are teaching your dog the appropriate way to behave.  The more commands and language your dog understands, the more at ease and willing to listen and connect with you they will be. 

It was really hard to break this habit, so I understand how frustrated clients can be when they have to try and refrain from using the word “NO”.  Always be positive with your clients and their dogs.  Just put yourself into a dog’s world and imagine your boss constantly telling you NO for everything!  No vacation, no lunch break, no paycheck!  Remember to reward your client’s dog by helping them do the right thing!  In the end it makes for a happier, well balanced dog and owner!

-Jamie Diaz, CPDT-KA
   

Jamie Diaz is a professional certified dog trainer and graduate of Animal Behavior College.  Jamie is the owner of Dynamite Dog Training in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Jamie is a licensed positive dog trainer with world renowned trainer Victoria Stilwell and her team. Diaz is a member of the IPDTA, (International Positive Dog Training Association) and the APDT, (Association of Pet Dog Trainers). She is a certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator for the AKC.  Jamie is also an evaluator and instructor for the great new program C.L.A.S.S. through the APDT.  For more information visit dynamitedogtraining.com