Search 120,491 Tips
Dog Obedience Training
Catch the Dog in the Act
Read this tip to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Dog Obedience Training and other Dog topics.
Catch the Dog in the Act
To be effective, correction or praise should occur when the dog is in the act of the behavior you are trying to eliminate or reinforce. That way, the dog can connect his behavior to your reaction.
For instance, when a dog tears up your favorite flowerbed, you should tell him, "No! Bad Dog!" at precisely the time of the incident - not two seconds after the fact and certainly not two hours later. A reprimand after an incident has occurred will only confuse a dog. He won't know why he's being scolded.
