Why the word ‘no’ doesn’t have any meaning for your dog
Comments (2)When people call my dog training company, CommuniCanine Inc., I often hear them say that their dogs are driving them loco. They complain about jumping, nipping, pulling on the leash, and a whole host of other problems. Their explanation of the behavior problem is often, “I tell him ‘no’ in a stern voice. Sometimes he will stop but he almost always goes back to doing something wrong.”
The reason being is that most dogs don’t understand the word ‘no’. Yes, they have heard the word a thousand times. You know what? The dog has heard lots of words a thousand times. He has heard the words ‘table’, ‘carpet’, ‘brother’ a thousand times also. Those don’t have meaning either.
There is a dog training technique called a ‘pattern interrupt’. What this technique calls for is interrupting your dog when he is in the act of doing something wrong. There are several ways to employ a pattern interrupt. There are shake cans, buzzers, horns, or in the case of what most people do, telling your dog ‘no’ in a stern voice. Pattern interrupts by themselves are rarely effective. Interrupting the dog in the act of doing something creates neither a positive nor a negative association. You might as well be saying ‘banana’ or ‘television’. If all you do is say ‘no’ in a stern voice it is unlikely that the dog will pick it up and have a lasting behavioral change. Many of my clients swear that their dogs understand the word ‘no’, but they also have to use it 20 times a day. If the dog really understood what ‘no’ means they wouldn’t have to use it so much. They use it constantly to interrupt a behavior. I could care less about interrupting bad behaviors just to see them return later so I can yell ‘no’ again. I want to get rid of bad behaviors entirely and not have to say ‘no’ anymore.
The reason that simply telling your dog ‘no’ in a stern voice doesn’t work well is that dogs are very physical in their learning. If you want your dog to know what ’sit’ means you need to say the word as you physically help your dog’s body go into a sit position. If you want your dog to understand what ‘good boy’ is then you say it as you pet him or give him a treat. In other words, you need to attach physical meaning to words in order for them to be understood.
In the case of the word ‘no’ it is also important to attach physical meaning. No, that doesn’t mean that you have to be harsh, mean, or cruel. Saying ‘no’ as you give a leash correction, a squirt of a spray bottle, or other such method attaches meaning to the word. When you do so you don’t even have to raise your voice. The action is compelling and the word itself takes on meaning.
If your dog is misbehaving stop shouting ‘no’ at him. Tell him ‘no’ and attach something physical to the word.
