Have A “Good Day” With Your Dog!

It is common to hear dog trainers using the word of a command in the praise that follows the desired response.  For example, when a dog first learns to sit, the command is reinforced with “good sit.”  The same applies to all of the basics – down, stay, leave-it, etc.  It gets a little cumbersome to continue this when they do something like “get out of the kitchen.”  Saying good “get out of the kitchen” just doesn’t work the same!

Some days with kids, it is good to get away from constant correction and try to see what they are doing right (or what is pleasing to the ever-knowing adult).  I used to try this when my nieces and nephew were small.  It takes some practice.

I decided that dog parents should try this too.  Create a day or half day or if you have a puppy, maybe just a few hours where you don’t constantly say things like stop, no, or don’t.  I am doing it this morning and it brings an ease to living with dogs.  I have said things like “good tissue eating,” “good nervous barking,” “thank you for finding the paper in the recycle basket,” and “good finding that a dog bed is nothing but a huge, overstuffed chew toy.”

See how easy it is.  Take a moment and think of ways to use “good” and see if your dog smiles as they realize it’s going to be a GREAT day!