[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

If it works and hasn't intimidated Callie or broken her trust in you for spraying her out of the blue, it's your choice to use it and, besides, it's not like you're spritzing her right in the eyes and nose. Callie's a bigger-sized dog and she likely takes it in stride, as can even toy dogs with no small amount of self-confidence and trusting nature. I just wanted JennaPenny and any other readers that might be interested to know that spraying a dog right in the face for training them not to do something isn't always that helpful if it scares or intimidates them. Tibbe was almost feral when I brought him home, trusted no human, shrieked/screamed, bit at me and ran, hid at the drop of a hat and had to be handled with nothing but positive reinforcement. Everything in the house intimidated him. He was even scared to come to me!

I taught Tibbe to "Leave it" by simply putting a treat on the floor before him, saying "Leave it" when he went for it and putting a flat palm up between him and the treat. It stopped him in his tracks, he looked up at me, I gave him an expectant expression, kept my palm up between him & treat, waited a few seconds and said "GOOOOD leave it!!!!" in the merriest voice possible, instantly sticking a treat in his mouth and scratching the base of his tail, smiling as big as possible!

He thought he'd just won the lottery! After he'd scarf his treat and look up at me so happy with himself, I'd then say "Take it!" and point toward the treat he'd left on the floor and when he took it, I'd say "GOOOOD take it!!!" and treat him for that, with more smiles, scratches and happy times, often lightly happy-clapping my hands for emphasis! He quickly learned that doing each trick was super fun, he got treats(which were just his kibble due to his sensitive tummy back then) and made mommie insanely happy and proud of him so he learned both tricks at once and nothing I did during the teaching of either trick shocked, upset him or made him worry about what I might do next, which was the best way to handle my nervous little guy.

Yeah I don't think one method works for all dogs some learn one way and some learn the other way. I haven't used it on Callie since she was a pup but I use it on the younger two when their wrestling gets out of hand. I go for like the hip/back end area when I spray. It's funny they all learn differently. Joey likes training but you have to make it fun or he gets bored. He wants lots of verbal praise and rubs sometimes more then a treat. My trainer also suggested when working on something hard or not completely gotten yet always end with something they know of do well to end it off positive. This was Joey doing a big leave it at his training place. Sorry I had to share.