Cascadian Nomads
  • Pet Adventure Blog
  • Cascadia- About Our Area
  • Nomads- About Us
    • Cascadian Nomads Advertising Opportunities
  • Humans
  • Canines
  • Psittacines
  • Felines
  • Contact

"No" Means "Yes" | Positive Pet Training Blog Hop

2/3/2014

22 Comments

 
Picture
After a neighbor greeted the dogs yesterday, she asked if they got a food reward for a job well done. I told her they would get a treat upon returning home but our bond is such that my praise is enough until then.
Typist: Bethany
In a positive dog training technique workshop I recently attended, the instructor asked participants if we ever told our dogs "no." The class got very quiet and uncomfortable before the students began to mumble their answers. Everyone had to answer an honest, "yes." Even the most positive dog trainers say "no" to their dogs in multiple real life situations- "no" nose on the counter, "no" rushing the door when the bell rings, "no" tearing the stuffing out of that toy, etc. Even if you haven't really taught your dog what "no" means because you don't use it regularly as a command, you
have likely blurted it out at least once or twice. But our workshop instructor was not trying to shame or embarrass us, she was trying to remind us of the importance of following up a "no" with a "yes."
Remembering to always praise your pets for a job well done, even if that "job" was to not stick their tongue in your cup on the coffee table, is one of the most important things you can do to build a bond of trust with your pet. Basically, if your pet listens to you at all, however briefly, you must remember to reward that attention. Sadly, each time you forget, your pet is less likely to listen to you. Praising your pet for doing what you want is as simple as giving a treat or a chin scratch to your dog for a loose leash or saying "good kitty" when you hear your cat using the litter box. However, the timing of congratulating and rewarding your pet can be difficult. You want to be sure you are rewarding the correct behavior and not the wrong one. With something as simple as telling your dog "no," even if they just turn their head to glance at you and away from what you would like them not to do, they have listened to you and deserve to be praised. Be careful though to mark* your dog giving you their attention before they turn back towards whatever it is that made you exclaim "no" in the first place.
Picture
Good dogs posing for the puparazzi.
For me, the hardest part of positive training with my pets is remembering to praise them for a job well done, even for the littlest of things, each and every time. The workshop instructor knew it too. When I told her that I do tell my dogs "no" but I always follow up with praise for listening to me, she pried "always?" I am, in fact, only human. All of my pets deserve to be commended very regularly. I know it. They know it. All I need to do is train myself to say "yes" after every "no."
*You can mark a wanted behavior with a click or a short marker word. If I am not using the clicker, I use a high pitched "yes" when I am going to be giving a food reward. If I am not giving a food reward, which is often the case in real life situations, I mark a correct behavior and praise with words like "good" or yay."
Picture
A stay when I am behind the dogs is difficult since they are often very focused on watching me. Such good dogs!
Picture
Thank you for joining Cascadian Nomads, Dachshund Nola & Tenacious Little Terrier for the first Monday Positive Pet Training Blog Hop. Each month, bloggers and readers share and learn about positive pet training techniques, tools, frustrations and triumphs. Please join us next month, Monday, March 3rd, for a special training challenge: target training. We encourage posts about using positive training techniques to teach your pet a basic target command or a trick that uses target training as a foundation like closing a drawer or flipping a light switch (as demonstrated by Petal of Loved By A Collie.) However, any posts about positive based training with any pets are welcome in our blog hop this and every month.
22 Comments
Molly The Wally link
2/2/2014 09:10:31 pm

That is a very good reminder to be positive and follow a no with praise if the command has been obeyed. It is all to easy to forget. Have a marvellous Monday.
Best wishes Molly

Reply
Bethany
2/11/2014 10:04:03 am

Thanks, Molly. I wish I always remembered but I'm only human!

Reply
Reilly & Denny link
2/2/2014 09:20:17 pm

terrific training trips and look at them all in their coats - no wonder their puparazzi follow them around :)

Reply
Roxy the traveling dog
2/2/2014 10:57:56 pm

That's good stuff to remember. I need to be better at that for sure.

Reply
Bethany
2/11/2014 10:06:14 am

It's just the kind of positive reinforcement we all want in our lives, yet it is hard to remember!

Reply
Rebecca link
2/2/2014 11:52:27 pm

Great tips! Saying yes after no is something I have to remind myself of daily, especially right now while we are on "rest". Teach is allowed on the furniture, has been since day one. Well since his leg is hurt he can't get on his furniture so he is hearing "no" often when he attempts. Normally I say no which bring him to me (he feels guilty, I guess) so I praise for listening with a good ear scratch and sound very positive. This is something I know we all need reminded of!

Reply
Bethany
2/11/2014 10:05:22 am

Sweet, sensitive collies are VERY good at making sure we don't forget the "yes" after the "no!"

Reply
Gabi link
2/3/2014 07:23:46 am

This is great advice! I know someone who taught her dogs that "no" meant "sit quietly," which if you think about it, is a pretty good way for them to respond! I find myself using "no" just to interrupt sometimes and it's always a good reminder to make sure I'm giving them something to do after they stop doing what I didn't want them to do!

Reply
Bethany
2/11/2014 10:09:10 am

It would be easier to remember to praise a dog that listens to "no" if it was sitting quietly. My problem is that when I say "no" the dogs turn and walk away so I forget they just did something good! When I follow up with a "yes" they re-engage with me, become better listeners and our bond improves. I love it!

Reply
Sage link
2/3/2014 08:20:00 am

I try, try, try to do that and manage part of the time. Something that should be printed on our foreheads!!

Reply
KB link
2/3/2014 10:42:55 am

Great point! We all say "no" sometimes, even if it's not part of the "positive training program". But you are so right that rewarding the correct behavior that follows is key!!!!

Reply
Bethany
2/11/2014 10:10:56 am

When I forget to praise a job well done, it is printed on my dogs faces! I wish I never forgot and never had to see that disappointed look... but TRY, yes!

Reply
Tenacious Little Terrier link
2/3/2014 08:32:12 am

Good advice. I guess I should tell Onyxx "yes" for coming out of the kitchen after he sneaks in there. I was thinking the other day about the ratio of when I tell the boys they're being "good" vs "bad."

Reply
Bethany
2/11/2014 10:12:30 am

It is so hard to balance that ratio! I want to praise my dogs 100% of the time but what I want and what comes out of my mouth don't always match.

Reply
Dachshund Nola link
2/3/2014 11:31:57 am

Great post! I taught Nola the word "no" the same way other people would teach a "leave it". "No" rolls off the tongue much quicker when your dog goes to grab something nasty off the sidewalk. ;)

DM

Reply
Bethany
2/11/2014 10:15:42 am

You're right! The only difference between our "no" and "leave it" is that a "leave it" is more formal and means they must turn their attention back to me by getting closer and looking at my face. This is essential when I have over 120lbs of dogs attached to me that want to chase a squirrel!

Reply
Clowie link
2/4/2014 03:56:04 pm

They do praise me quite a lot. I'm not particularly motivated by treats, praise is more important to me. I give them a very sad look if they forget to tell me how good I am!

Reply
Bethany
2/11/2014 10:17:19 am

Good for you, Clowie. Don't let those bipeds forget the praise and the treats! Wilhelm, Brychwyn and Huxley are very good at making me remember to reward them too.

Reply
Ruckus the Eskie link
2/6/2014 09:01:52 am

hahah I like how NO means Yes! Good training tips

Reply
Marquie link
2/7/2014 05:50:35 am

Great great advice! Thanks for sharing! I need the reminder every now and then to follow up with the praise. :)

Reply
weliveinaflat link
2/7/2014 07:30:39 pm

I guess most people would have used "no" at one or more points when interacting with their pet. No pet can exist in an environment without "no", since the pet will be exposed to more than one human and you can't exactly bar all humans from saying "no". And so I do blurt out the word especially when I am panicking (haha) but the concept of positive training has trained me to say "yes" and "good" ... like a hundredfold ... and I;m kind of glad it has made it more natural for me to be kindlier to fellow humans as well... haha!!

I'm gonna try to learn targeting with Donna so we can join in the next one. I'm wondering if you have any good resources that you can suggest we refer to as a starting point?

Thanks :)

Reply
Bethany
2/9/2014 01:07:54 pm

In the seminar I mention in the post, some of the participants as well as the instructor discussed that it is possible to never say "no" to your dog but, like you said, those would be dogs in a very controlled environment like they don't live in the house or spend time in the real world!

I am so glad you are going to join the hop in March. I just posted Tips For Target Training! http://www.cascadiannomads.com/1/post/2014/02/tips-for-target-training-positive-pet-training-blog-hop-challenge.html

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Cascadian Nomads
    Pet Adventurers

    Cascadian Nomads adventurous dogs and parrot with pet and travel blogger, Bethany Clochard.
    Cascadian Nomads canines and psittacine on a road trip with blogger Bethany Clochard.
    Pet travel blogger Bethany Clochard shares a lifetime of budget travel experience, camping, and enjoying outdoors & Pacific NW adventures with pets. She currently hits the road with three dogs, a cockatoo & a cat.
    Related
    Instagram Follow on Instagram
    Picture


    Follow on Bloglovin
    follow us in feedly
    Picture

    Never miss a post! Have Cascadian Nomads Pet Adventure Blog delivered to your inbox:

    Delivered by FeedBurner


      Get our e-mail newsletter:

    Sign-Up

    Find anything on our site by searching here:
    Click any sidebar image to learn more!

    Cascadian Nomads only places ads for products we use, made by businesses we like. We highly recommend a click to
    visit our sponsors:
    (not affiliate links)
    WrapSit Quad Folding Chair Slipcover
    WrapSit is the ONLY slipcover crate for your folding quad chair. It makes taking pets and personal items outside or on a trip exponentially easier!


    Join us on the First Monday of Every Month!
    Positive Pet Training Week

    Positive Reinforcement Pet Training Week
    Hosted by Cascadian Nomads, Tenacious Little Terrier,
    Travels with Barley, and
    Wag n' Woof Pets.

    Picture
    Celebrate #MultiPetDay June 30th

    Categories

    All
    Adventures
    Amelia
    A To Z Challenge
    Awards
    Birds
    Black & White Photography
    Blog The Change For Animals
    Brychwyn
    Budget Travel
    Camping
    Cascadia
    Cats
    Celebrations
    Cockatoo
    Collie
    Corgi
    Cross Country Drive 2013
    Dachshund
    Dogs
    England & Wales 2014
    Fit Dog Friday
    Giveaway
    Holidays
    Humans Who Love Pets
    Huxley
    Leash-law
    Leo
    Multi Pet Life
    Peeks At The Past
    Pet Fitness
    Pet Health
    Pet Training
    Pet Travel
    Photography
    Planning Pet Adventures
    Positive Pet Training Week
    Product Review
    Road Trip
    Scoop That Poop
    Seattle
    Silliness
    Southwest-drive-2014
    Sponsored Post
    Urban Hikes
    Walk Your Dog Week
    What To Pack
    Wilhelm
    Woof-support
    Wordless Wednesday


    The Cascadian Nomads are:
    Cascadian Nomads Bethany with the dogs and Leo at Wilson's Arch, Moab, Utah
    Cascadian Nomads triton cockatoo Leo enjoys the sunshine in West Seattle, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads adventurous cat Amelia enjoying the view in West Seattle, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads black and tan dapple miniature dachshund
    Cascadian Nomads cardigan welsh corgi Brychwyn, Alpental, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads rough collie Huxley enjoying the green at Lopez Hill Park, Lopes Island, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads Jason with miniature dachshund Wilhelm snowshoeing Silver Fir Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, Cascadia
    Cascadian Nomads founding pets:
    Cascadian Nomads Founding Pets: Cockatiel Bobbie Birdie, cats Emily and Gryphon and dog Tynan.

    Features & Awards

    See products on this blog you like? Find all of our favorites on our Amazon Influencer page!
    Picture

    Bethany Clochard (@cascadiannomads) - influencer profile on Dealspotr
    dealspotr.com

    © Copyrighted Content
    Posts, words, photos or images from or featured on this blog may not be copied, reused or reproduced in any form without the prior express permission from the blog owner.

    The Doug

    The Fine Print
    For more on Cascadian Nomads privacy policy, advertising disclosure and responsibilities to our readers and visitors, click here.

Disclaimer
Cascadian Nomads are not veterinarians, behaviorists or animal trainers. Always consult with a veterinarian before starting or changing your pets exercise routine, before traveling with your pet, before changing your pets diet or before using any new pet products. Since all pets are unique individuals, consulting with a veterinarian, behaviorist or animal trainer about your pets specific needs is always recommended.
Disclosure
Every post  Cascadian Nomads publishes that is sponsored by a company or brand or obtained through an affiliation with a media network will contain a disclosure paragraph.  We do not use any affiliate links,  just regular links to a product or company website.  Cascadian Nomads only shares honest information that we feel is relevant to our readers whether a post is sponsored or not.
Privacy Policy
Cascadian Nomads does not share personal information with third-parties nor do we store information we collect about your visit to this blog for use other than to analyze content performance for marketing purposes. We do use cookies and add-ons, which you can turn off at anytime by modifying your Internet browser's settings or opt out of  add-ons. We are not responsible for the republishing of the content found on this blog on other Web sites or media without our permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice.
Copyrighted Content
Posts, words, photos or images from or featured on this blog may not be copied, reused or reproduced in any form without the prior express permission from the blog owner.

©2013-18
BethanyGO Designs


Cascadian Nomads Pet Adventure Blog: Budget pet adventure inspiration through stunning photography and amusing dog, cat, cockatoo and human stories.
✕