If you have a new puppy in the house yelling at your dog does nothing to fix a problem, stop what it’s doing and induce any type of positive reinforcement. Your puppy may stop doing a certain activity temporarily after yelling at it, but it will only return to whatever behavior it was displaying which made you angry in the first place. Why? Because when you shout at your dog it does nothing to fix the issue, yelling only works as a temporary solution.
Most puppies think of their owners as other dogs and when you start yelling at your pet, it only increases its excitement. You also cause your dog to create a negative association between yelling and how it feels around you. It will soon start to connect yelling with the idea that it is disliked or unwanted and will not have the ability to know that it is actually breaking a rule that you are trying to establish.
Not All Loud Voice Commands Are Bad
Even though yelling at your dog is considered to be a poor communication skill, there are definitely times when you need to firm up the tone of your voice and change the way you come across to your dog. There are three general forms of communication in terms of the way you speak to your dog that you can apply:
1. The soothing tone of voice.
A soothing and delightful tone of voice should be used whenever you want to give praise to your dog. When you communicate this way, you should be able to relax and soothe it as opposed to creating excitability. Speaking to your puppy in a soothing tone of voice makes it feel secure and proud knowing that you are happy with it.
2. The more direct tone.
The second tone of voice used when communicating with your dog is more of a direct tone. A direct tone would be the same way you give commands to your puppy when you want to get its attention. It should be short, firm and authoritative.
3. The disciplinary tone.
The third general tone of voice you can use with your dog is more of a disciplinary tone. However, you must learn to draw a fine line between a disciplinary tone and a yelling tone. Remember, you do not want to yell at your dog, but there are certainly times when you need to get across to it quickly, or to stop it doing something immediately, all without actually scaring it off with shouting. For example a stern ‘NO’ will do just fine.
If you would like help with puppy training basics online and right now, you can watch Dove Cresswells Free Lesson. She has an excellent way of explaining her techniques in a viewable format.
Dog Care and Training for Beginners
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