Training 101: Stay Calm And Consistent By Kathie Savitski

Dogs need and want boundaries. From the time puppies are born, their mothers begin teaching them the essentials of good behavior, and it is our job to continue the work into the dog’s adolescence and adulthood!

 Some people are afraid to discipline their dogs because they are afraid of "breaking their spirit".  Or maybe their dog is smaller than the average dog, or maybe their canine companion was a rescue with a sad and tragic past. Nevertheless, regardless of reason, discipline is essential for many reasons, one of them being able to control our dogs’ reaction in a variety of situations, both good and bad.

There is a distinction between discipline, a healthy and required part of your dog’s life, and punishment. Discipline teaches both dog and pet parent to make the right choices. Punishment is usually issued when the owner includes an emotional reaction, such as anger or frustration, to their training of their dog. However, effective discipline only comes to a person when they are calm and patient, and both our body language and energy need to communicate these feelings. Anger and frustration, along with feeling sorry for our dogs, conveys negative energy that dogs will sense. In response, our dogs will lack respect for us and may, in some cases, let a dog continue his or her bad behavior without effective consequences.

Part of discipline is knowing that when a behavior you disagree with comes up, you need to correct it with calm firmness. A good “nuh-uh” or “hey” or even a sharp noise such as “pssh” can snap a dog brain out of some negative behavior loops. It is, always and foremost, much more effective than yelling at or smacking a canine companion. Repetition is key, and this is where your patience will pay off.

Remaining calm and being consistent will be more beneficial to a positive and rewarding relationship with your dog, and will help you strengthen your bond and connect with your life-long friend. Remember that discipline will help you enjoy your pets, and they are much happier when we are happy with them!

I will be talking more about how to discipline your dogs and if you have any questions send them to outreach@icaredogrescue.org. I will answer some weekly so keep watching!