[Bitsy]

I don't really believe in "punishing" dogs. Their minds do not work like ours. I've always been taught and firmly believe that a dog will only associate a reprimand with the action at the time of the reprimand. For example, if the dog poos in the crate, and you find it in the morning, and say "bad dog", he will not associate the "bad dog" with the pooing in the crate....he will associate it with you.

If you catch your dog in the act of chewing on something they shouldn't, or pooing where they shouldn't, then a guttural "no" is a good reprimand. They will associate your displeasure with whatever they are doing.

I believe this is the same for praising a good action. When I catch Peyton using his piddle pad I say "good boy!"