Quote (Hecht55 @ May 16 2018 07:30pm)
Dogs are very very simple. Usually.
Praise all good behaviour with food and/or affection, whatever motivates the dog more.
You can't discipline them unless you catch them in the act. People who come home to a mess and scold/hit the dog are doing nothing but traumatizing the dog. They don't know why you're doing this they just know you're mad but not why.
If you catch them in the act a quick little poke or pinch at the neck to break their focus is all you need. If they persist or talk back you need to separate and ignore for a while.
Dogs follow calm confident leaders. If the dog believes you are the decision maker and respects you as a leader they will always behave. Dogs who obey via fear will act out when alone.
Great post and I agree with 99% of it. I wouldn't really say "always behave" though. Dogs can still act through instinct and bypass any training/teaching you have given them.
This post was edited by JohnMiller92 on May 16 2018 09:39pm