11/23/2025
Want your dog to repeat good behavior? Reward it consistently.
Here’s some examples on how to do that right, plus how to handle “no” the smart way. 🐶✨
Reward immediately: give the treat or praise within 1–2 seconds so they link the reward to the behavior.
Be specific: mark the exact moment (“Yes!”) then reward.
Vary rewards: tasty treats for new/hard skills, toys or play for high drive dogs, and enthusiastic praise or petting for everyday wins.
Start continuous: reward every correct response until it’s reliable.
Fade to intermittent: switch to random rewards (every 2–5 responses, then less) so the behavior persists without constant treats.
Use life rewards: make things they want (walks, toys, attention) contingent on calm, good behavior.
Keep rewards high value when proofing around distractions or triggers.
Short sessions, lots of reps: multiple 3–5 minute sessions a day > one long session.
Stay predictable but flexible: be consistent with rules and cues, but vary timing and reward type so it stays exciting.
Saying “no” and how to do it better:
Don’t shout or punish: yelling, hitting, or harsh corrections confuse and damage trust.
Don’t just say “no” and walk away, that’s unclear. “No” alone has no meaning unless you teach it.
Use “no” sparingly and calmly as a brief interrupt, then immediately redirect to a taught alternative (e.g., “off” or “drop it” + reward the correct response).
Withhold the reward: if they beg at the table, don’t give food, ignore or remove attention, then reward calm behavior.
Teach an alternative behavior: train them to “place,” “sit,” or “leave it” and reward that instead of repeating “no.”
Timing matters: if the unwanted behavior is happening now, interrupt and redirect right away; if it already happened minutes ago, don’t scold, it won’t register.
Be consistent: everyone in the house must use the same cues and follow the same plan.
Quick example: dog jumps for attention → calmly step back (remove attention), say a short “no” if you use it, cue “sit,” mark and reward the sit. Result: sitting gets attention, jumping doesn’t.
Consistency + timing + clear alternatives = better behavior. You got this. 🐾
