# Best correction methods?



## lexiz (Apr 4, 2015)

I hear all the time that whenever my dog does an unwanted behavior, that I should "correct" her. Well, what types of correction methods are most effective? What can I do to stop her from exhibiting an unwanted behavior?


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

I am not a trainer but I do have 3 dogs and each dog has a different correction method. 
There are lots of methods out there that can all be 100% effective depending on the dog. Some dogs are more sensitive then others, some are a little tougher to get to. You will find though that there are alot of people that don't follow one strict method of correction, they mix it up and use a tailored plan for individual dogs.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I don't think you can get a general answer on that. It depends on the dog, the transgression, the foundation you've put on the dog, the proofing that has been done.

It could be a correction collar, it could be withholding the reward, it could be voice. TO many variables.


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## wick (Mar 7, 2015)

Time outs work like a charm for us! Totally peaceful but very affective on a velcro dog


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## lexiz (Apr 4, 2015)

Wick, how do you recommend doing a time out?


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## wick (Mar 7, 2015)

lexiz said:


> Wick, how do you recommend doing a time out?


We got a Exercise pen for our dining room and any time he bit on us I would say no bite and put him in there. He learned within a day that he was put in isolation if he did that and stopped biting almost completely (every now and then he will get too excited but it is very rare)! It was a miracle. We didn't even have to leave the room or anything because honestly if they can't be on you or playing with you they are devastated lol. 

When it was clear that just saying no was not working to stop him from other things (such as his love for carpet eating and chewing table legs) and he got more upset when we used force (just pulling him off gently) I used the trick again...I would say no, if he did it again I would say no again and put him in the pen. Again it worked like a charm, we haven't had anything ruined since and double positive...he now knows "no" and anything he does that we don't like ( that we don't have a command for) he will stop immediately! It was so cool how quick it worked. He actually now loves the ex-pen and we only use it for outside since we dont have a fenced yard and he likes to just watch the birds. This is really good also because you can put him in there and leave the room and know he is safe and it's big enough that he can play comfortably by himself. 

Some people use a spare room or the bathroom for this trick (ex-pens can be around 60$) This obviously didn't work for us because he would eat the carpet/anything wood which is dangerous... but if it works for you thats good...the only thing I can think of with that is that we (and you) leave the room at times when they arent in trouble too...so I thought it was good that he could tell that he was in there and couldn't play for a reason...because he was in trouble. It also helps keep him from thinking that you leaving the room means he is in troube (hello huge problems down the road with separation anxiety). 

I obviously don't know if that stuff is true lol but it made sense to me 

My name is Rose by the way and I hope you end up enjoying this forum as much as I do, I felt weird at first when I joined too, but you will quickly make GSD friends  I have made two wonderful friends already.. and the forum is now a serious addiction! Good luck with your baby girl when does she come home?? I wish that I had asked all these Qs before I got a puppy lol because he was such a shock the first few weeks!!! I had read blogs and researched...but somehow they did not portray exactly how crazy puppies are!! (maybe because they were talking about puppies in general and not GSDs in particular lol) If you ever want to chat feel free to message me !

EDIT: If only the rest of his training was this simple... yikes!!


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## lexiz (Apr 4, 2015)

wick said:


> We got a Exercise pen for our dining room and any time he bit on us I would say no bite and put him in there. He learned within a day that he was put in isolation if he did that and stopped biting almost completely (every now and then he will get too excited but it is very rare)! It was a miracle. We didn't even have to leave the room or anything because honestly if they can't be on you or playing with you they are devastated lol.
> 
> When it was clear that just saying no was not working to stop him from other things (such as his love for carpet eating and chewing table legs) and he got more upset when we used force (just pulling him off gently) I used the trick again...I would say no, if he did it again I would say no again and put him in the pen. Again it worked like a charm, we haven't had anything ruined since and double positive...he now knows "no" and anything he does that we don't like ( that we don't have a command for) he will stop immediately! It was so cool how quick it worked. He actually now loves the ex-pen and we only use it for outside since we dont have a fenced yard and he likes to just watch the birds. This is really good also because you can put him in there and leave the room and know he is safe and it's big enough that he can play comfortably by himself.
> 
> ...



Thank you so much for your advice. All advice from puppy owners is so appreciated! I might try the bathroom thing if I get it puppy-proofed. My name is Lexi, it's very nice to meet you (in the online sense), Rose!  I once had a lab-weimaraner puppy, and I don't think anything could have prepared me for that. He was worse that Marley on "Marley and Me," but he was just as loved. He passed away a year and a half ago after being involved in an accident with a semi-truck. It was extremely traumatizing and I haven't felt ready to take on another puppy of my own since then. I've felt so many emotions through this experience (guilt/fear/insecurity/happiness/excitement/etc.), and I think that's why I have been really looking to connect with people on the forum. Thank you for your kindness. Your little boy is such a sweetheart.


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## jackiej (Apr 1, 2015)

Honestly,s till trying to find a good correction method lol Atlas has a bad habit of biting and counter surfing so we are going to try timeouts like Rose said! Hopefully that works! 

Also, he does tend to jump on people and thats not cute, especially when he gets to be 80+ lbs! so ive heard if you turn your back on them when they jump and completely ignore them and once their feet hit the ground you can pet /talk to them. Repeat if they do it again, this is good to practice cause you dont want him to jump on the guests.


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## GypsyGhost (Dec 29, 2014)

jackiej said:


> Honestly,s till trying to find a good correction method lol Atlas has a bad habit of biting and counter surfing so we are going to try timeouts like Rose said! Hopefully that works!
> 
> Also, he does tend to jump on people and thats not cute, especially when he gets to be 80+ lbs! so ive heard if you turn your back on them when they jump and completely ignore them and once their feet hit the ground you can pet /talk to them. Repeat if they do it again, this is good to practice cause you dont want him to jump on the guests.


If Atlas is jumping up on you, you can try stepping into him while he's doing it. It usually works pretty quickly to stop unwanted jumping. If he's on leash, step on his leash so he can't physically jump up. This also works quickly. Good luck!

Edited to add: If counter surfing is a huge issue, try keeping him on a drag line while indoors for a bit, then step on the drag line when you see him looking like he is going to jump on the counter. That way, when he does try to jump up, he won't be able to. Get out ahead of these behaviors... it's easier to prevent them from doing it than to correct them once they start.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Yeah not really a fan of the "turn" your back thing myself. I prefer the "knee thing" works for me but it requires a lot of skill...aparently! 

The hand in the face as it were is a lot easier for most, both techniques can be found here:
Stop Your Dog from Jumping Up


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## jackiej (Apr 1, 2015)

i am willing to try new things


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## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

jackiej said:


> Honestly,s till trying to find a good correction method lol Atlas has a bad habit of biting and counter surfing so we are going to try timeouts like Rose said! Hopefully that works!
> 
> Also, he does tend to jump on people and thats not cute, especially when he gets to be 80+ lbs! so ive heard if you turn your back on them when they jump and completely ignore them and once their feet hit the ground you can pet /talk to them. Repeat if they do it again, this is good to practice cause you dont want him to jump on the guests.


I turn and do a slight hip check and simultaneously say, "FOUR PAWS" (deadly calm but firm, I'm not shouting at her). Turn back toward her and offer petting and, "GOOD four paws!" for a solid four paws on the ground.

It's taken some time, but she's gotten pretty good about controlling her impulse to jump on me. The irony is that my husband who hates jumping dogs couldn't resist making it a party when he came home so she jumps on him - but she pretty much doesn't do it to me anymore unless she is extremely excited already, and then a reminder helps.

Edit: "Four paws" works for table/counter surfing, too. She knows it means she is supposed to have all four feet on the ground. The best prevention in my experience is to keep her busy; she won't bother with the counters if she's engaged in something else.


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