[nagdu] dog corrections

[Julie J]

Gary,

First I need to tell you that I do use clicker training with my dogs, but I 
am not exclusively using clicker methods. I will use a punitive correction 
if the behavior warrants it.  Clicker training in it's purest form does not 
use punitive "corrections".  Misbehavior is handled through various 
means...teaching an incompatible behavior, ignoring the incorrect behavior 
or reinforcing the correct behavior...there are probably others I am 
forgetting.  I am by no means an expert on clicker methods.

Also I owner train my dogs.  I do what I do because it works for me.  I make 
no assertions that my methods will work for anyone else.

I teach new behaviors using clicker training.  I work on those behaviors 
using positive reinforcement until the dog shows proficiency.  If the dog 
has been doing a behavior correctly for some time and then chooses to goof 
off I will use a collar correction.  Right now Monty is wearing a martingale 
collar.  Three quarters of the collar is nylon webbing, with the top portion 
being a loop of chain.  The leash attaches to this loop of chain and when 
you pull the leash it tightens the collar.  It is a pretty mild collar 
correction as things go.  I also use a Gentle Leader collar in some 
situations.

I try my very best to teach a new behavior with enough variations, in enough 
different settings, with enough different distractions that the dog is truly 
fluent in the behavior.  I don't correct for mistakes where I feel that the 
dog hasn't truly mastered the skill yet.  But once he has demonstrated that 
he can carry out a particular behavior in a variety of situations I follow 
the following checklist for "corrections".
*Has he truly mastered this skill? If no I practice teaching the behavior 
with the clicker.
*Verbal reminder of what I want example of giving a "forward" command.  I 
think most of the schools would use "hup up" or something similar.
*Verbal correction like no or leave it.
*Stop and refocus-sometimes he just needs to look at something for a bit so 
he can understand what it is other times we need to do some obedience 
exercises.
*Collar correction.
*Leave the situation.  Sometimes the best thing is to just plain not go 
there.  There is a particular dog  that is related to Cujo that lives about 
two blocks from my house.  This dog is absolutely insane, running back and 
forth at the fence, barking, growling, lunging...The fence borders the 
sidewalk.  I never walk on that side of the street. It's just asking for 
problems.

And of course I do not always use the above list in that particular order. 
It depends on what is going on, how  off track Monty is and how clearly I am 
thinking. I'd also like to add that Monty is an extremely confident and 
bold dog.  Many people refer to dog personalities as being soft or 
hard...Monty is a pretty hard dog.

HTH
Julie