A good correction is the one that is performed almost before it is needed. A good correction is the one that is performed almost before the dog has started what it intends to do. A good correction requires that you know your dog very well, and can read its body language quickly and efficiently and thus see the signs of unwanted behavior before something actually happens.
Now I'm thinking actually (now that I think about it) mainly on things that can happen on a walk; the dog sees a cat, a bird or a hare and imagines that a hunt right now would be the very best thing that could happen. It can cause a strong jerk in the leash when the dog suddenly rushes away, and if you are unlucky, maybe you fly after a little nice.
Other stuff what can happen outside is that your own dog reacts to another dog and all of a sudden has to make an outcome, or that you meet someone you know and your dog becomes hysterically happy and struggles to rush forward and greet (an absolutely excellent example of Ella).
Indoors it can is about a dog chasing the cat (She, and now also Boyo, but not as intense as Ella), playing too hard with the kids, chewing on table legs, shoes, folk, jumps to examine kitchen counters, list, sink and so on. The list can be made endless.
Every action preceded by changes in the body language of the dog. I have not met all the dogs in the world so I can only answer for those I have met – but these dogs have the same recurring body language when they start focusing on something special. Each dog raises its body slightly, puts more weight on the front, the ears rise and point forward, the tail becomes a little stiffer and has a tendency to point straight back, possibly the dog travels rag.
All this is a sign of a focus that is starting to become unhealthy, and should be broken as soon as possible – preferably before the upper lip goes up and shows one or more teeth, and before the eyes begin to tense and the body solidifies even more.
Each stage of Changes and preparations the dog goes through require its measure of corrections. The further into his bubble the dog goes, the more forceful correction is required to break the focus and make the dog relax and direct his focus towards his human again. For that reason, it is better to cancel as early as possible, because then it does not require as much of either dog or human.
As I see it there are three types of corrections; voice correction, leash correction and physical correction (touch). A voice correction consists of using a word or sound to stop the dog from escalating in its behavior. Examples of words / sounds are no, fy, Yuk, nuh-huh, don't steel, and more.
Torque correction; there, what can i say other than that it is about controlling and informing the dog about what applies through the leash. It can be a jerk, but it can just as easily be about laying the leash along the side of the dog and thus guiding it to the side.
A physical correction can be to poke the dog with his hand, but also to physically move the dog from one place to another. I think it's this kind of correction that people in general have a hard time with, regardless of the form or strength used.
A correction that may not be mentioned that often, is the one about clean energy. All dogs read our energy and our mood without problems. Are you dissatisfied with your dog's behavior – let it feel it through what you project onto the dog. Do the same when you are happy; Do not say anything, but let the dog feel that you are happy by radiating it as much as you can.
That which is most interesting in all this is the question of when to correct your dog. The more powerful correction you need to give, the harder it is to break the dog's attention and focus – and acting, the more late you are out. Then it is up to you to learn to read your dog better to understand when you need to go in and break an unwanted behavior.
Then you should Remember that there are dogs that for various reasons are extremely difficult to break. Dogs with high energy and strong will can require both time, stubbornness, willingness and raw strength to convince that your alternative is better than their spontaneous solution to a situation. Ella was such a dog; she always reacted very quickly and strongly to things she thought were fun or disturbing, so it was important to be out on time – or to become physical to bring down her energy level and help her think clearly again.
Another thing What can be good to remember is that when the correction is made, the whole thing is played out. There are very few points, if any at all, in getting angry at his dog for behaving in a certain way. When the behavior is interrupted, the dog does not care about what just happened. We humans have a tendency to do that, but we make no profit from it. It does not benefit us, and it really does not benefit our dogs.
Then we are people, and I am the first to admit that I sometimes take my dog's behavior personally and feel insulted, hurt and a lot of other less flattering feelings. But I try to stay objective, straight and clear, and just at the moment with a three month old puppy I am also trying to think that – he has not had time to learn better. Yet.
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Corrections have to do with requirements. In the same way, I expect you not to start beating me recklessly, or start pawing without asking, I expect my dog to respect my boundaries and the rules I set for our togetherness to work. When the dog violates these limits and rules, I correct briefly and concisely. When the violation ends, the whole event is ended and forgotten.
Or; at least that's the idea.
I do not think that you should be afraid to correct your dog. We can of course teach them in rows with words and commands, but as I have said so many times before – I will always be responsible for the fact that close communication with nature beats learned and unnatural behaviors with horse lengths.