I feel really ridiculous asking this, but I wanted a few more opinions...

When my two boys are out wrestling sometimes they get a bit overzealous and I have to tell them to stop; sometimes they're so into playing they don't listen (as in my previous posts we're working on obed., we're still relatively new to each other). My boyfriend suggested using a squirt bottle and giving them a shot of water (I'm talking plain room temp. water) on the hindquarters. Evidently he does this for his 3 dogs (2 GSD's and a mutt); granted I've never met his dogs... I found out while watering my plants that my boys hate being sprayed with water... so I gave it a try. Only took half a dozen times of telling them NO and when the didn't listen squirting them once each in the butt. When I have them on leash they wear prong collars and listen well when I give them a correction (so this squirting business was only when they were off leash).

I guess my question is, does it matter in what form the correction is applied no matter how unorthodox (and of course with the understanding that it is not cruel or doing any harm)? I felt pretty silly running around the yard with my squirt bottle, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't doing them any harm other than startling them... (I made sure not to aim for the face/eyes/ears)

I don't think it matters. As long as you get their attention and stop them from doing what you don't want them to do. Of course, when they are in a higher drive, you will have to use something stronger. Maybe squirting them in the face. If it's only water, I don't see how that can hurt (except ears of course).

If it works it can't hurt. I've used a squirt-bottle filled with room-temp water for the same reasons and it works great. My guys HATE the squirt bottle. It's kinda funny; it'll be raining hard outdoors so they won't want to go out and do their business; but let me show them that squirt bottle though, and they're out the door like a shot, even though the bottle won't soak them nearly as much as the rain. In their minds at least the rain isn't....THE SQUIRT BOTTLE (insert terrifying soundtrack here). I think as long as it's reasonable and fair, and the dog thinks of it as a correction then why not?

idont like to vary my corection tolls.
and idont like to use things my dog may meet on real life as such.
the reason is idont like my dog go to avoidnace from to many things.

actually iuse the same squirt bottle you guys use to the opieset target iuse it to spray my puppys with water while they are playing tug so they get use to it and wont let go, or while they searching they toy etc...

thats why my dogs go out to the rain - they dont give adamn about it.

iwant my dogs to go to avoidnace just to my voice, the corection collar that iuse with tham or aspecial marker ichose and as short as the list goes im much happyer.

there is a dog daycare i visisited when i was in a dog training school, they do have several spray bottles handy to correct those dogs on jumping ppl. they put a little vinegar in the bottle mixing with water. so i think only water doesnt hurt your dogs at all. i was taught that this kinda correction is called remote correction.

that is bad remote corection couse it teach your dog that spray of water is a corection if you have no problem with that its ok.
iguess it will fit for some other pet owners aswell.
there is all so some sweden school that use cloth balls they threw at the dog as corection it works to as remote corection but again it teaches the dog that items that threwn on him is acorection, again if you have no problem with that thats ok.

it just dont belong to working dog training and not even to good dog training as isee it.

good remote corection should come from markering your corections (collar /e-collar /removal of praise) with voice corection.
if you achive that goal you have based agreat relationships with your dog.

iwant my dog to know that corections come from me or from specefic behavior that the dog does (such as chasing animals or jumping on ppl) and not from any other thing.
iwant my dog to know that if someone spray him with firemans nozzle while his doing his job, or if he cought at aheavy rain thats not acorection and he can keep on doing what he was doing.

sefi,thanks for your advice on the remote correction. i never used that on my dogs, they dont need that at all. i just saw ppl using that at a dog daycare. and my instructor taught us this correction. but never told my clients to use it.

i am really interested in clicker training, any1 has good link for clicker training? thanks

Sorry, kinda random, but...

I was at the beach the other day, and this super cure little old lady was walking all alone. Now while it is not a sanctioned "off leash beach" just about all treat it this way. So little old lady was walking along when somebody's dog approached her. The poor thing (the lady) squeeled and starts spraying the dog with a squirt bottle. She just whipped it out of her jacket and starts spraying like a mad woman! Did I mention that said dog was the biggest wolfhound I have ever seen? The dog starts jumping with all four feet up off the ground trying to catch the flying water!!! What a correction! It was a vicious cycle, her squeeling and squirting, dog jumping and wagging his tail.

Anyway, that is the way my dog would react, it is, if anything, a prey type game for him.

 Quote: Angela Du

i am really interested in clicker training, any1 has good link for clicker training? thanks

http://www.leerburg.com/980.htm


http://www.clickertraining.com/dogtraining

I use the vinegar mixed with water the nice thing about the correction (for me - maybe not for all) is that they only need a direct squirt a couple of times and then just the smell of the spray will interrupt the behavior. But I also use dominant dog collar, footstomp, and e-collar with vibe for my dog who is deaf. I think it is important to to pair the correction immediately with the command for the behavior you want to see in that situation (sit, etc). I think I got that from Ed's articles on corrections they are VERY GOOD. Kelly