Do you say NO to your dogs?

[hopingtobehappiness]

My parents have a new puppy and the last time they had a young dog was 25 years ago, back then I remember going with my Dad to dog training classes. They used the shake the tin of coins to stop unwanted behaviour, although mostly it was praise for good behaviour, treats, pats and talking it that high pitched voices only used for babies/ puppies. I remember doing to awards with their two labs.

They have told me they can't tell the new puppy No or use a sound to prevent unwanted behaviour. I personally use ahaha noise that I say with my dog occasionally and I will also say NO or STOP firmly also to the kids too. They say this is aversion training and I disagree. To me the aversion training is spraying water, air horn zapping / citrus collars ( also very popular back in the day.) What do you think and do?

DDog knows exactly what NO means. It's more the tone of how it's said than the word.

“I agree, there is no issue with using 'no' if everyone is happy.”

Yep

If your dog does what you want it to when you say no, no huge deal.

The original question was is it aversive and how most people use it, relying on tone of voice, yes it is... is that a big deal? Probably not for most people and most dogs.

And then discussion over why it’s not always the best word to use gets weird because people get caught up on whether dogs understand it...

I wouldn’t use no because I don’t want the same response when I tell him not to eat something outside as I do when I tell him the cat doesn’t appreciate his attention or when he’s just presented me with a slobbery toy as I’ve just put on my clean work clothes.

That doesn’t mean I don’t use the word because he’s a delicate flower who will forever be damaged by it, just that it’s not as useful and clear cut as commands.... and I say it in too many situations.

@PoshMe training a dog to go to their bed (if that is what you want to do) when they hear the doorbell is straightforward classical conditiong. It will take the average dog a few minutes to get the idea but may need proofing over the next few days.

Have a mat by the door
Get someone to press the doorbell
Put treat on bed - say nothing
Dog eats treat
Ring bell again
Put treat on bed
Dog goes to bed
In about 5 or 6 rings of the doorbell the dog will be going to the bed for the treat.

Over time you can move the mat/bed further away from the door to a location that works for you if you want to.

If the dog is used to reacting to the door bell sound by barking get a new doorbell ring and work with that instead.

But the example was used by another poster if you dont mind the dog barking at the doorbell then dont train it . Or if you dont mind you can say NO everytime the doorbell if rung your choice

Yeah they also try to tell people not to use the word no or similar with children. It's bullshit.

@PollyRoulson must be very nice to have a dog that is so easily trainable with treats. HPR breeds are a little more complex.

NO is a perfectly reasonable command, unless it is over used.

My dog does not speak fluent English, we need a short sharp command for emergency situations.

@Postdatdpandemic in the example I gave I suggested treats as many dogs find them a great reinforcement. I have 6 dogs not all of them find treats the most reinforcing so I will use whatever they prefer treats, toys, games etc.

I am sorry I did not go into that level of detail and discuss all reinforcement methods. I felt that owners would know their own dogs motivators better than me

HPR are fab to train you are a lucky owner

I use "no" with my dog. It means stop what you are doing. I have other commands for drop, give, etc. As long as the owner has one action and one alone for that word, it doesn't make any difference if the word is "no", "ahah", or whatever.

I have a Vizsla, yesterday we were in a field and there was an injured crow, he bounced up to it but left it alone when I said No.
I was quite happy with that and he got a biscuit and a cuddle.

I've heard that it doesnt work as a command and you shouldn't do it, but I tell my spaniel 'no' firmly and 9 times out of 10 he will stop whatever it is hes doing. Might not be ideal but it works for us!

I understand the theory, but I do use a short sharp UH sound with DDog. I find it interrupts his behaviour and allows me to call him away and suggest he does something less feral more desirable.

He's quite an intelligent dog though and wants to please, and I think he's picked up along the way that UH means he's up to something undesirable (just like he's learned the word "garden" without explicit teaching). We muddle along alright.

Mine knows no; it’s the sharp command which means stop what you’re doing immediately. ‘Leave it’ then covers everything from something dead he’s found and is thinking about eating, a deer that’s run out in front of him and he’s thinking about chasing, to the piece of onion I’ve dropped from the chopping board and he’s thinking about eating. ‘OK’ means go ahead, as in you may eat that, you’ve asked nicely and so can get on the sofa, you may jump out the car etc etc. Alongside sit, stay and down that covers everything. He’s not very bright but almost impeccably behaved!

Like with the kids, it's difficult not to use no, but my one seem to respond to my slightly angry Ahh ahhhh get out of there

It's only a command. Mine stop what they are doing (or planning on doing in the immediate future) as soon as I say it. I also use aaargh! but more as a warning. No may follow!