Most of the time, when dogs do something we don’t want them to do (such as stealing our socks or jumping on our elderly aunt), the first thing out of our mouths is “NO!” We’ve all done it. But you may have had a dog trainer or two tell you not to use the word “no.” Why not? Shouldn’t you correct your dog if he makes a mistake?
First off, in most cases, simply saying “no” (even if you say it loudly) doesn’t work. (If saying “no” did work, I’m quite sure my phone would stop ringing and I’d be out of a job.) In addition, when we use intimidation to stop our dogs from doing a behavior we don’t like, we may damage our relationship with our dog. Lastly, saying no provides no direction to your dog; it does nothing to tell your dog what she should do instead.
So if saying “no” isn’t the answer, how do we stop unwanted behavior? Here is a formula that you can apply to almost any unwanted behavior for great results:
Have you ever come home to find your favorite shoes chewed to bits? Or maybe your pup just won’t stop jumping on every guest who walks through the door? I feel your pain! As a dog parent myself, I’ve dealt with my fair share of “bad dog” moments
The good news? You don’t have to live with these frustrating behaviors forever. And contrary to what many people think, shouting “NO!” at the top of your lungs isn’t the solution (trust me, I’ve tried!).
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share effective strategies to help you and your furry friend live more harmoniously together. These techniques are backed by professional trainers and have been proven to work with dogs of all ages and breeds.
Why Dogs Develop Unwanted Behaviors
Before diving into correction techniques, it’s important to understand why your dog misbehaves in the first place. Dogs don’t act out to spite you or because they’re “bad” – they’re simply responding to their environment based on what’s worked for them in the past.
Common reasons for unwanted behaviors include
- Lack of exercise: A tired dog is a good dog! Many behavior problems stem from excess energy.
- Boredom: Dogs need mental stimulation just as much as physical exercise.
- Reinforcement: If jumping gets attention (even negative attention), your dog will keep jumping.
- Natural instincts: Behaviors like chewing are completely normal for dogs – they just need appropriate outlets.
- Anxiety or fear: Some behaviors are stress responses that require a different approach.
Now that we understand the “why,” let’s get into the “how” of correcting these behaviors.
The 5-Step System for Correcting Unwanted Dog Behaviors
Step 1: Implement Management Strategies
The first step isn’t actually about training – it’s about preventing your dog from practicing the unwanted behavior while you work on a solution This is what dog trainers call “management”
For example:
- If your dog chews shoes, keep all footwear in a closed closet
- If your dog jumps on visitors, use a baby gate or keep them on leash when guests arrive
- If your dog counter-surfs, clear food from counters or block kitchen access
- If your dog barks at things outside, block window access with curtains or visual barriers
Management isn’t the permanent solution, but it stops the behavior cycle and prevents your dog from “practicing” the unwanted behavior while you teach alternatives.
One client of mine had a puppy who kept digging in houseplants. Rather than constantly correcting the puppy, we simply moved all plants to inaccessible locations for a few months while working on training. Problem solved!
Step 2: Identify and Remove Reinforcement
Dogs repeat behaviors that work for them. Your next step is to figure out what’s reinforcing the unwanted behavior and remove that reward.
Ask yourself:
- Does jumping get my attention?
- Does barking make me open the door?
- Does pulling on the leash get my dog where they want to go faster?
Examples of how to remove reinforcement:
- For jumping: Turn away, cross arms, and completely ignore until all four paws are on the floor
- For begging: Never feed from the table (and ensure everyone follows this rule!)
- For leash pulling: Stop walking the moment tension happens on the leash
I remember working with my own dog who would bark incessantly when I was on phone calls. The reinforcement? I’d shush him or pet him to quiet him down – giving him exactly what he wanted: attention! Once I completely ignored the barking (which got worse before it got better), the behavior eventually stopped.
Step 3: Teach an Alternative Behavior
This is where the real training happens! Instead of focusing on what you DON’T want your dog to do, decide what you DO want them to do instead.
| Unwanted Behavior | Alternative Behavior to Teach |
|---|---|
| Jumping on people | Sit for greetings |
| Pulling on leash | Walk beside you |
| Barking at doorbell | Go to a designated spot |
| Counter-surfing | Go to a dog bed or mat |
| Mouthing/biting | Chew on appropriate toys |
To teach the alternative:
- Choose a behavior that’s incompatible with the unwanted one
- Reward it generously with treats, praise, or play
- Practice in easy environments before challenging ones
- Be consistent with your expectations
For example, if your dog jumps on guests, teach them that sitting gets attention instead:
- Practice having them sit when you come home
- Then practice with family members
- Then with friends who understand the training
- Eventually with all visitors
My neighbor’s dog used to bark continuously at the window. We taught him to instead come find a human when something interesting was happening outside – replacing an annoying behavior with a helpful one!
Step 4: Use a Positive Interrupter
Sometimes you’ll need to interrupt an unwanted behavior in the moment. Rather than yelling “NO!” (which provides little information), develop a positive interrupter – a sound or word that means “stop what you’re doing and look at me.”
How to create a positive interrupter:
- Choose a distinct sound (like a kissy noise or tongue click) or word
- When your dog is calm, make the sound and immediately give a high-value treat
- Repeat until your dog instantly looks at you when they hear the sound
- Start using it to interrupt mild unwanted behaviors
- Always follow with direction to an alternative behavior
I use a simple “boop!” sound with my dog. When I see him eyeing the garbage can or about to jump on a visitor, I say “boop!” and he immediately looks to me for guidance. Then I can redirect him to an appropriate behavior.
Step 5: Use Force-Free Corrections (Sparingly)
Contrary to popular belief, effective corrections don’t involve punishment. Instead, they simply remove the opportunity for reinforcement. Use these sparingly and only for behaviors that are reinforced by your attention.
Examples of force-free corrections:
- Brief timeouts (5-10 seconds of no attention)
- Walking away when play becomes too rough
- Temporarily removing a toy if it causes resource guarding
For instance, if your puppy nips during play, you can say “ouch” and stop playing for 10 seconds. This teaches them that biting makes the fun stop.
Remember, these should be calm and consistent – not angry or punitive.
Common Unwanted Behaviors and Specific Solutions
Now let’s apply our 5-step system to some of the most common behavior problems:
Jumping on People
Management: Keep dog on leash or behind a gate when visitors arrive.
Remove reinforcement: Turn away, cross arms, avoid eye contact when dog jumps.
Alternative behavior: Teach “sit” for greetings. Only give attention when all four paws are on floor.
Positive interrupter: Use your chosen sound if you see your dog about to jump.
Sample training plan: “When someone comes to the door, go to your mat and sit. This gets you attention and treats.”
Leash Pulling
Management: Use a front-clip harness or head halter for better control.
Remove reinforcement: Stop walking when leash gets tight – only move forward with a loose leash.
Alternative behavior: Reward walking beside you. Treat frequently at first, then randomly.
Positive interrupter: Use your sound if dog starts to lunge toward something.
Sample training plan: “Walking beside me = treats and forward progress. Pulling = we stop.”
Excessive Barking
Management: Block visual triggers, use white noise to muffle sounds.
Remove reinforcement: Don’t respond to demand barking with attention.
Alternative behavior: Teach “quiet” command and reward silence.
Positive interrupter: Interrupt barking with your sound, then redirect.
Sample training plan: “When you hear a noise, come tell me instead of barking continuously.”
Counter-Surfing and Food Stealing
Management: Keep counters clear, use baby gates to block kitchen access.
Remove reinforcement: Never allow successful food theft (prevention is key).
Alternative behavior: Teach “place” command on a nearby mat during food prep.
Positive interrupter: Interrupt approaching counters, redirect to mat.
Sample training plan: “Staying on your mat during cooking = occasional treats delivered to you there.”
When to Seek Professional Help
While many behavior issues can be resolved with consistent home training, some situations call for professional guidance:
- Aggression toward people or other animals
- Severe anxiety or fear-based behaviors
- Obsessive-compulsive behaviors
- Any behavior that puts your dog or others at risk
- Issues that don’t improve with consistent training
Don’t hesitate to consult a positive-reinforcement-based trainer or a veterinary behaviorist if you’re struggling. Sometimes there are underlying issues (like pain or anxiety) that need addressing.
The Importance of Consistency and Patience
One of the biggest mistakes I see dog owners make is giving up too soon. Dogs learn through repetition and consistency – expect to practice these techniques for weeks or even months before seeing permanent results.
Some behaviors might actually get worse before they get better (known as an “extinction burst”). This is your dog trying harder with a behavior that previously worked. Stay consistent through this phase!
Remember that everyone in the household needs to follow the same rules. If one person allows jumping while another doesn’t, your dog will stay confused.
Final Thoughts
Correcting unwanted behaviors isn’t about punishing your dog – it’s about clear communication, consistency, and teaching them what TO do instead of what NOT to do.
The most successful training approaches focus on:
- Preventing practice of unwanted behaviors
- Removing rewards for those behaviors
- Teaching and rewarding alternatives
- Being patient and consistent
With these principles, most common behavior problems can be resolved. Your relationship with your dog will grow stronger, and both of you will be happier!
Have you tried any of these techniques? What unwanted behaviors are you currently working on with your dog? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments below!
Remember – even the best-trained dogs have their moments. The occasional slip-up doesn’t mean you’ve failed as a dog parent. It just means you’re living with a dog, not a robot! Keep at it, stay positive, and enjoy the journey together.
Teach the dog what you want her to do instead.
Remember, saying no fails to tell your dog what to do instead. Teaching your dog what to do instead of (fill in your behavior issue here) is a major factor in successfully solving that problem behavior. For most of us, this is a huge change in our thought process.
- Instead of jumping up, I would like my dog to greet people calmly with all four paws on the ground.
- Instead of begging for food when we sit down to eat, I would like my dog to go settle on her bed.
- Instead of barking out the window, I would like my dog to come and tell me if there is something to worry about outside.
- Instead of lunging toward dog friends, I would like my dog to sit while I snap off the leash before play.
- Instead of pulling on the leash when we walk down the street, I would like my dog to walk next to me.
- Instead of running off into the woods, I would like my dog to stay within 30 feet of me on off-leash jaunts.
When we come up with something our dog can do instead of the undesirable behavior, we have identified an achievable goal. And from there we can lay out a training plan to meet that goal!
Start with liberal doses of management.
“Management” is dog trainer lingo for prevention. It means making sure your dog doesn’t have the opportunity to “practice” the behavior you’d like to stop. Whether that behavior is chewing your shoes, jumping on your kids, or barking as your neighbor’s dog walks by your house, the goal is to figure out a way to stop your dog from doing it until you can teach her what she should do instead.
This may entail getting creative – or at least putting your shoes in the closet. Use baby gates, crates, window blocks, and leashes. If you have a puppy, you may need to keep a toy in your hand when you pet your pup to keep her from mouthing. If your dog habitually barks at things she sees out the window, you may need to apply a visual block so she can’t see outside. If your dog jumps on visitors to your house, you may need to put up a baby gate so your pup can’t charge up to people when they come in the door. You get the idea. Once management is in place, you can move on to step two.
There is always a reason a dog does something that we don’t want her to do. It may be an expression of normal dog behavior and we need to provide other outlets for that behavior. The dog may be anxious and exhibits the behavior to alleviate anxiety. Dogs practice some behaviors we don’t like because they are fun (such as jumping on us), but sometimes these behaviors are an expression of frustration or fear (such as barking or tearing up the carpet).
Try to figure out why your dog does the behavior. Does jumping on you get your attention? Does getting into the garbage alleviate boredom? Will racing around the house with a sponge entice you to play the keep-away game? Does pulling on the leash mean the dog gets to drag you to and make you wait at the source of an interesting odor? Before you can effectively stop an unwanted behavior, you have to be able identify what is reinforcing the behavior and either remove that reinforcement or meet the dog’s need in another way.
Puppy Training – How to Correct Unwanted Behaviors
FAQ
How do you correct unwanted dog behavior?
To correct unwanted dog behaviors, do not reward your dog for bad behavior. Instead, utilize positive reinforcement like treats, verbal praise, and physical affection when your dog engages in desirable behavior. Ask yourself what you like in a dog.
How do you discipline a dog?
Animals have natural behaviors they use to communicate and fulfill their needs. The correct way to discipline unwanted behaviors in dogs is to teach them alternative choices or ignore them so they are not rewarded for the behavior problems. How long it takes to rebuild clear communication with your dog depends on several factors.
How do you stop a dog from being anxious?
Remove reinforcement. There is always a reason a dog does something that we don’t want her to do. It may be an expression of normal dog behavior and we need to provide other outlets for that behavior. The dog may be anxious and exhibits the behavior to alleviate anxiety.
How do you stop a dog from being scared?
Use time outs when appropriate. Avoid instiling pain, fear, or anxiety in your dog. Be clear and consistent in what you want and don’t want. Do not allow behaviors one day and then ignore them the next. Dogs do not define behaviors as bad or good.
How do you stop a dog from learning bad behavior?
Supervise the puppy, even in your fenced-in yard, so they don’t even start to engage in bad dog behavior. It’s easier to prevent them from learning bad habits than it is to correct bad dog behavior. If your dog is lying quietly instead of jumping or barking, praise and pet them.
How do you stop a dog from Barking at the door?
To correct the behavior, you should ignore the dog when it barks and only let it out when it sits at the door quietly, even if it can only maintain this good behavior for a moment at first. Train your dog to engage in a wanted behavior.
How to properly correct bad dog behavior?
To correct bad dog behavior, use a consistent method of positive reinforcement, rewarding good behaviors with treats and praise while redirecting or managing unwanted actions. Understand the reason for the behavior, provide sufficient physical and mental exercise, and remain calm and consistent in your training approach to establish a clear communication system with your dog. Avoid punishment, which can cause fear, anxiety, and a damaged bond, and instead focus on teaching the dog what you want them to do.
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