1: Reward, Reward, Reward
It may seem counter-intuitive, but the number one rule for using corrections in dog training is to remember to reward.
Clients often come to me to get a handle on unwanted behaviors, and that means I end up introducing the idea of corrections to a lot of dog owners. One thing that I’m always careful to emphasize as much as possible is that reward is still helpful and even necessary.
It’s easy for dog owners to apply a correction once or twice, see a huge change, get excited, and forget to reward what they do want, or follow through with the long-term reward-based work.
But dogs need reward-based training to help them learn new behaviors and skills, to reinforce the desired outcome of previously-unwanted behavior, and to counter-condition things that used to be scary.
It’s simple science: corrections (“punishers”) reduce behaviors, and rewards (“reinforcers”) increase behaviors.
While you might see a stark difference in your dog’s behavior from applying one or two corrections, that does not mean the work is over. Keep going and don’t’ neglect following through with rewards.
Corrections are often helpful and even necessary, but they shouldn’t be the bulk of your training.
2: Conditioning Before Correction
We want to set dogs up for success as much as possible, so whenever we introduce a new tool, we take time to condition it. I talk more about this in my article, How to Condition an E-collar or Remote Collar, but the idea is that a dog needs to understand a few core truths about the correction system before implementing it in full.
- Where the correction comes from
- How to turn it on and off
- How to avoid it completely
This is true of corrections and of rewards, but there’s some extra weight on these concepts when it comes to corrections because throwing a dog into corrections can create situations where the dog is confused and therefore is getting more correction than necessary.
I think of myself as both a balanced trainer and a minimally aversive trainer. So, I use tools that allow for a wide range of correction responses, but I also do what I can to make sure that dogs are set up for success as much as possible.
With any correction tool, make sure you take a few sessions to introduce the concepts and make sure your dog has an understanding of the above. This helps avoid confusion and significantly reduces the likelihood of over-correction.
3: Set up for Success/Scale Appropriately
A moment of real talk: I understand that there is a difference between training in a sterile environment and training in the real world. Sometimes life is messy and unpredictable. That is not the fault of the dog owner or trainer, that is just life.
However, I always encourage clients do set their dogs up for success whenever they can by scaling the training over time and pushing up in difficulty when it’s appropriate to do so.
This means giving your previously-reactive dog space between triggers on a walk when possible, rather than pushing them into a close-quarters passing too soon. Pushing them into these situations too fast creates training situations where you have to correct higher than you’d otherwise need to, and also creates a scenario where you may be in less control. Give your dog until they are consistent at their current level, then push on one step at a time.
Same with general obedience. Get a lot of repetitions of a known command. Practice it in different places, from different starting positions, and under different distractions before putting your dog in a situation where you might lose compliance and have to respond with a correction.
Again, I understand that real life is real life, and we as people don’t always have the means to control it. You may find yourself unexpectedly in a situation and have to follow through on an unwanted or unacceptable behavior.
But do what you can to anticipate unfavorable scenarios while doing real-world training, and practice spacial awareness when out with a dog in-training. And when it comes to dedicated training sessions, keep progress in mind rather than immediate perfection, and take the time you can afford.
4: Use Appropriate Tools
A good correction tool is one that gives you the most options.
This is why I prefer prong collars and remote collars, as they allow me to make very small corrections (a flick of the wrist for prong collars, or working level for remote collars) but they also enable me to use higher-level corrections when it is needed.
The tools you use are up to you as a dog owner or trainer. But consider a few things when using a correction or leash tool:
- Is the tool actually minimally aversive? Is the dog comfortable just wearing it, or is the baseline discomfort? Conditioning helps, but a lot of dogs absolutely hate head haltis despite conditioning, for example.
- Can you respond in multiple ways? Are you able to follow through on varying levels of behavior, or does the tool give you a one-size-fits-all type of correction that is going to be inappropriate in a lot of situations?
- Can the tool potentially cause actual harm to the dog? A good tool will not cause long-lasting discomfort or physical harm to a dog. This is one of the reasons I opt for prong collars and remote collars, which do not alter posture, create unnecessary friction, or result in actual injury (outside of allergies or severely inappropriate use such as leaving the tool on for days at a time.)
- Does it help you reach a neutral baseline? For the tools I use in dog training, the point is always to use them to bring the dog to a point where their using the tools is usually neutral in pressure. For example, this means that I use prong collars (and reward) to teach a heel, which results in no tension on the leash and a zero-pressure walk. Be mindful that your tool allows you to train for minimal aversion long-term, not just in the immediate future.
5: Corrections are Matter-of-Fact, Not Emotional
I think we can agree there is a difference between a parent calmly telling their child, “that thing you just did was inappropriate, and you need to go to your room for a while and put your phone in the drawer,” and a parent screaming the same punishment while verbally berating their child.
One is matter-of-fact discipline, a consequence applied to a behavior, while the other is abusive and emotionally unstable.
It is the same thing while applying corrections in dog training. It should always be calm and matter-of-fact. In fact, I always recommend that if you find yourself getting angry or frustrated with your dog, kennel them for a few minutes as soon as you can, and take some time to calm down before proceeding.
Just as you set your dog up for success, set yourself up for success by stepping away when necessary.
Some trainers might have you believe that all training that utilizes corrections is “fear-based,” but this is simply not the case. Surely there are dog trainers out there who seek to intimidate dogs into compliance, but that is not the overarching theme of balanced training.
Matter-of-fact corrections are simple action-and-consequence. Even intense behaviors like aggression, I only mark with a firm but calm “no,” and an appropriate-level correction. I don’t rely on yelling, hitting, rolling, or doing any other tactics that rely on intimidating dogs.
And go figure, not one dog has become fearful of me as a result of a correction in my entire career. In fact, many dogs arrive fearful and go home more confident, secure, and acting like I am their best friend in the world. Yes, even after being corrected for inappropriate or dangerous behaviors.
This is why it’s important to keep a level head when delivering a correction for an inappropriate behavior. We want to make sure the correction is proportionate to the severity of the behavior, be able to identify if there are ways to set our dog up for success better, and ensure that our dog continues to see us as a calm and stable figure.
Corrections are consequence, corrections are calm.
6: Correct Only What You Want to See Less Of
I often have to have this talk with my clients regarding the opposite truth, about timing and rewards.
Many of my clients inadvertently reward unwanted behaviors, like petting a dog while they are being reactive or allowing a dog out the door when it starts barking. Back when I was a dog walker, I even had a client who was instructed by their trainer to give their dog a treat when he growled at them for coming by his food bowl or snarled at a guest.
In embracing my philosophy of open-mindedness, I rarely say things are flat-out “wrong” in dog training. But that advice really is flat-out wrong!
The science of animal behavior holds true: punishers (corrections) reduce behaviors, and reinforcers (rewards) increase behaviors.
This means that, just like it’s important to only reward what you want to see more of, you also only correct what you want to see less of.
This makes timing important, as you want to make sure that you are only correcting choices you want to see less of. A dog that goes into a barking fit and then finally settles down into a quiet sit would not benefit if you correct too late, when they are quiet and sitting.
Similarly, you won’t increase any wanted behaviors by correcting behavior. In teaching new patterns and commands, that is typically a reward-only protocol until the dog has hundreds of successful repetitions under their belt in multiple environments.
It’s important to remember the purpose of corrections, and apply them only when appropriate to do so.
Correct only the behavior you want reduced, and reward the behaviors you want increased.
7: Do Not Correct a Confused Dog
Confusion kills progress.
The point of corrections is for the dog to understand them. If your dog does not understand what you are asking them to do, a correction is going to be pointless for training, and may even further the confusion.
That’s why it’s important to get tons of practice with reward-based training before applying corrections to obedience, and why it’s important to condition the meaning of a correction before jumping in to correcting unwanted behavior.
If a dog does not fully understand recall, for instance, using a correction during off-leash work is potentially going to be messy. The minimally-aversive and more controlled alternative would be to utilize a long line or retractable leash while practicing recall, get tons of repetitions in various environments and situations with rewards, and finally incorporate corrections for non-compliance as the dog understands fully what is expected.
This is also why it’s also crucial during behavior modification to ask if the dog is aware of what they are doing. Sometimes dogs will be oblivious that they are doing something, and in these situations corrections do more harm than good.
This is not the same as practiced natural behaviors that a dog performs without thinking, like jumping into reactivity or chewing shoes. These are behaviors that come naturally, but the dog is aware of doing them.
By contrast, we are specifically talking about behaviors or functions the dog is entirely unaware of doing.
For example, sometimes a dog will whine softly and not realize they are even doing it. If we correct whining the dog isn’t aware of, we are giving unnecessary aversives and we are not going to reduce the whining. In this scenario, a correction just contributes to further confusion, and everybody loses.
It’s the same with house training, specifically urination from excitement or submissiveness. If a dog pees when it gets a little over-stimulated, it may not be aware or even in control of the urinating. In this scenario, fixing the underlying problem by increasing bladder control and building confidence is going to do more for the dog and for the results than applying a correction. In this situation, in fact, applying a correction would actually harm the training rather than help.
When applying a correction, first ask if the dog is aware of what they are doing, and if a correction would give them helpful feedback or just cause confusion. Step into their paws first, and apply a correction when it’s appropriate to do so.
8: Corrections Scale with the Urgency Factor
When explaining the use of aversives to my clients, I make it clear that corrections “scale with the behavior.”
This means that, when I can, I’ll use the lowest level that works to reduce the behavior, while using reward to build up the opposite desired behavior. Whenever I can, I like to take my time and use reward as much as possible in my training, with corrections being on the lower side when possible.
However, there is something I call the “urgency factor,” which is a direct combination of the severity/danger of the behavior and the importance to the owner that a behavior stop as soon as possible.
Usually, this means that I’m willing to use higher levels for behaviors like aggression, that need to be stopped as soon as possible for obvious reasons. During aggression rehabilitation training, I will usually apply one or two higher-level corrections while capturing the behavior (or behavior intent) to make it stop quickly, and spend the rest of training using reward and lower levels to refine the new behavior. This is because aggression is incredibly dangerous to the dog as well as the humans and animals around the dog, and the urgency is obviously very high for that behavior to stop.
The same thing goes for counter-surfing or trash-diving. Some dog owners don’t realize how life-threatening these behaviors can be. Dogs die from eating trash or taking food off the counter, and if your dog is willing to try for a treat while your back is turned, that could spell disaster. For the reason of potentially saving a dog from death, I’m willing to use a higher level to stop this unwanted behavior faster.
The urgency factor, in addition to dangerous or life-threatening behaviors, also applies to the urgency for the owner. I take this case-by-case, but there are definitely situations where it is extremely important for the owner to get a behavior to stop fast or face disproportionate consequences.
One example is nuisance barking. While I’d usually want to take my time with this, if the dog’s owner is living in an apartment and facing eviction if the dog does not quiet down to a reasonable level fast, that is certainly urgent and I will be willing to use higher levels of correction to help that dog and human stay in their home.
Another example would be dog owners who cohabitate with other people. If their dog humps, jumps on, or mouths people, these can all be behaviors that could unfortunately turn into rehoming the dog.
In contrast, you wouldn’t want to use unnecessarily high levels for behaviors you can afford to take your time on, like furniture boundaries or occasional barking in a house or large property. These behaviors can be reduced over a slightly longer period with lower correction levels and lots of reward, because the stakes are much lower.
In all these examples, it’s the big-picture consequence that raises the stakes and influences the urgency of getting a behavior under control. The goal is to keep dogs safe, happy, and out of shelters as a result of training.
9: Advocate for Your Dog
This is a discussion I have with every client who hires me for reactivity, fear, or aggression rehabilitation. You need to advocate for your dog.
Often, when I first meet a dog who displays aggression, this behavior comes from fear or insecurity. The reason this fear or insecurity manifests as reactivity or aggressive behavior is because the dog is taking it upon themselves to manage their environment and make themselves more comfortable. They bark, lunge, and thrash because they are uncomfortable about their trigger, and they are trying to make it go away or create space.
I should note before going on that this is not always the case with aggression, and it’s a bit of a skillset to identify where a behavior is coming from. But I will say that in my experience, about nine aggression cases out of ten have been fear or insecurity-related. It’s typically the more common reason for reactive and aggressive behavior.
When you do have a fearful or insecure dog, my methodology does still correct the inappropriate behavior. This is firstly to establish that the behavior is not acceptable regardless of how the dog feels. It is also to create a window to regain the dog’s attention and start working with food or other reward. Once that window has been created (the reactive or aggressive behavior decreasing or stopping) we are able to counter-condition and refine by rewarding what we want to see.
This two-fold method is the one I typically use because it covers all bases. Counter-conditioning, building up confidence, and rewarding for good behavior around triggers helps the dog feel less fearful and more secure, which creates a happier dog and reduces their likelihood to behave inappropriately. Correcting the unacceptable behavior makes it clear that aggression is never okay, even when they are scared, which covers all the “what-ifs” of the inevitable uncomfortable situation like vet visits, off-leash dogs, and the rest of the real-world.
But specifically when dealing with behaviors that stem from fear, there’s a critical ingredient to the formula to always remember: to advocate for your dog.
When you correct and counter-condition fear reactions, you are asking your dog to no longer take it upon themselves to make space and manage their environment, like mentioned earlier.
When you tell a dog that their responses are no longer appropriate, we must also build trust in you, their handler, that you will manage their environment for them. This means giving space to triggers on a walk, or telling people to not touch your dog while out at the pet store.
More about this concept in my article, Reasons to Not Allow Strangers to Pet Your Dog.
It’s the same with managing your household with a dog. It’s important to recognize what makes your dog uncomfortable and manage those things on their behalf.
Are you checking your children to make sure play is appropriate and the dog’s space is respected?
Are you making sure that rude puppy behavior is being managed so your older dog doesn’t get overwhelmed?
Are you introducing new stimuli appropriately, like the vacuum cleaner or other loud appliances?
When your dog surrenders their big, inappropriate reactions, it’s now on you to be mindful of what makes them scared or uncomfortable, and to be their advocate in the home and in the world.
10: The Level You Need is the Level that Works
I’ve spent a lot of time going over using appropriate levels and my philosophy of trying to lean to less-aversive whenever possible. This is out of an over-abundance of caution, as the last thing I want is for my clients or readers to correct their dogs too hard out of not knowing.
But this last rule is to caution the opposite of under-correcting.
There is a nuance to finding the right level to stop an unwanted behavior. It’s important to remember to reward what you want, consider confusion, and scale with urgency.
But at the end of the day, the level you need is the level that works.
Sometimes my clients will hesitate to use higher levels when necessary, which results in a “nagging” of the dog at levels they couldn’t care less about. This doesn’t stop behaviors, and in its own way is more aversive because you are doing a lot more of a lower-level correction.
Annoying the dog with the low-level stim is just that: annoying.
Sometimes, I’ll have clients that learn remote collar training, but don’t want to ever go higher than the working level. But the working level is just the first level that your dog even notices the stim! And what’s more, the working level changes based on the situation. Being willing to adjust the levels up and down is crucial to utilizing the practicality of the tool.
If you correct a dog with good timing and the behavior does not stop or your dog completely ignores it, you are either progressing too fast or your correction is too low. And like we spoke about, controlled training is wonderful, but the real world will continue to exist.
Adjust the correction level (on any tool, not just remote collars) as needed for the situation.
Keep the other rules in mind, but at the end of the day, use the level that works.
