[MarkFromSea]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

I don't usually agree with using training aversizes such as squirting water or loud pennies in a can in training as those tactics can cause trouble for a fearful/nervous/anxious dog but I often just use physical touch or standing down the dog as the mother or alpha dog uses on a misbehaving pack member, which will usually stop a dog from whatever misbehavior they are engaged in.

How? By getting their focus off the thing they are barking at or alerting on and back onto you and recognizing that you are the one dispensing firm but gentle, natural discipline. I want my dog to know I'm the one disciplining him - not some spray bottle or electronic burst of zapping coming from some unknown source. That can crate a sense of anxiety in a dog - thinking he could get that squirt or zap anytime.

And a dog doesn't necessarily always associate the sensation with the misbehavior that preceded it - maybe he associates the squirt or zap with something else - such as being outside or seeing other dogs coming near him and begin to fear those things. He needs to know that while mommie loves him more than anything, she also stops any behavior she disagrees with herself. And you know what? Dogs loves someone else to be in charge of them!

Touch the dog suddenly on its side/flank with your extended three fingers to distract it. Or you can place your hand in claw-like fashion over the back of the neck and hold, all the while putting one foot in front of the dog and holding him there as you say "Quiet", "Stop", "No", or "Enough", "Uh oh"(I usually reserve the "uh oh' phrase for training situations and the "No" for a dog that's been trained to know the meaning of the word) and staying there until the dog stops the wild barking or improper behavior and the very instant he does, hands off and back away - all the while keeping direct eye contact on the dog and stand there until the dog turns away, sits/lies down and gives up on its behavior.

The moment the dog gives it up, you look away but bear in mind and be prepared, the dog may just resume the previous bad behavior and if so, you can instantly use this as another teachable moment - repeat one of the two above actions right then and each time the dog re-offends for a few sessions and then remove the dog from the area of offense as dogs' attention spans for training are short.

Short, frequent sessions of this training will soon tell the dog that any behavior it engages in that you disagree with, such as wild barking or getting wildly excited over anything that's going on in the area or room that causes him to go ballistic will ALWAYS bring your instant, personal, firm but gentle discipline and you will stand there over him until he gives it up. He'll come to know that you are far more determined than he is and get the message.

You must not ever frighten, scare or hurt him during discipline or you will lose him to wanting and trusting you as his leader. All you need to do is merely just firmly stop his bad behavior with your physical presence, physical touch, no-nonsense manner and he will in time learn that you always step in and stop him and he will eventually begin to police himself and not start the behavior or catch himself before he escalates. In time, whatever word you use as you distract him, he will begin to associate that word alone with stopping the behavior and you won't need to physically stop him anymore - just make stern eye contact and get his attention using your word.

I really like this one!