Hi Robert,
I believe this article will explain this for you.

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

I think it depends on what you are correcting ... and better than that not letting them LEARN a behaviour in the 1st place.

It would seem that EVERYONE I know didn't mind my 7 week old pup jumping up on them and/or letting them chew their fingers, even when I asked them not too, so I would let them know that he is going to get BIGGER and that I'm sure that they wouldn't want a big puppy at almost 40 lbs ... and almost all adult teeth, jumping or chewing on you. That would get their attention most of the time.

If you can keep your pup from learning BAD things now, you won't have to correct for them later!

I know in Ed's Video, it says that the only thing you should worry about training is the COME. And that one is a biggie. And you cannot really CORRECT for NOT Coming, unless you want to make the situation worse. Catch-22!

But I personally feel that SIT, DOWN, <NO> BITE, <NO> JUMP are big ones too and have been working on them since the beginning.

In fact, last night when playing FETCH, we did a little "semester" review with the pup. I can say he KNOWS his SIT and DOWN and COME with the only Distraction being waiting for me to throw the toy. I do an occassional Jump instead of Fetch, so that I can use that to work on the NO JUMP.

When it finally STOPS SNOWING here, I want to take him to the waterfront park to start training him with OUTSIDE DISTRACTIONS. I know that will be a challenge, as he wants to MEET EVERYONE he sees.

Anyway ... I probably haven't helped answer your question, either. Do you have a specific issue that you want to correct for?

For me personally as a working dog person, I don't correct for ANYTHING until after 10 months, unless there were some special circumstance where the dogs temprement dictates otherwise. Control and respect comes from correct handling rather than corrections, and using the crate often. I like jumping dogs, I like biting dogs, I couldn't touch Lÿka without her biting me till she was 10 months old n she still chews on my hand, but I put control on that at around 8 or 9 months, "I don't mind if you do that as long as you knock it off when I say stop it". You can "nip it in the bud" without correcting your pup. I wouldn't use a prong till after 6 or 7 months at the earliest and you shouldn't use a prong until the dog understands the command perfectly.

Mike,
At least I'm not the only one who has a pup that still bites (Nickie is 7 1/2 months old). Whenever we approach him to put on his leash or try to pet him around his head, he wants to bite. He is not being raised to be a working dog, just a family pet. Is this something he will outgrow? At 55 pounds and with his big dog teeth in, it is very annoying to say the least! Also his habit of ambushing you outside when your back is turned and "slamming" into you is definitely not fun! I keep his prong collar and drag line on at all times when he is outside in the back yard so I can tell him "no". Is this something else he will outgrow? I think he is just "being a puppy" and wants to play. Any opinions?

My buddy is a pretty good ameture trainer and has done some formal training in animal behavior. He has this thing that he calls "the Crazy Voice" Makes puppies go nuts and get all excited. We all here have that same type of "CRAZY VOICE" that we use on puppies to get them to come, play, get excited and just have a CRAZY fun time with us??

Works like a charm. Feel stupid as hell in public doing it, but who cares what other people think as long as your pup/dog and you have a blast???

Oh the corection thing, I'm no pro actually a newbie (so I think that you can relate to my point of view), but ever see a person with their dog, and you can just tell that all they do is yell, snap that prong collar, and are just generally super dominant to their puppy?? (Seems like some people get dogs just to be domineering over some being becasue they have zero self worth or are too controlling, but I digress.) The Puppy doesn't even look like they are having fun??? No fun, and no respect, just fear??