Same here. All of my training is done with play and reward.

I have never met a dog yet that couldn't be taught to sit or lie down instead of jumping up. 

I recently watched a "well known" trainer use sound aversion at a public display with several dogs in the immediate vicinity..it not only had a profound affect on the dog concerned...so much so that the dog was hiding behind her owner while this person was still trying to push chicken down it's throat insisting the dog wasn't stressed because it was taking the food.

What this "expert" failed to spot was the little staffiex thingy who had pee'd herself when the rattle bottle went off........NICE ONE!!!!!

That's a good point...there are many dogs who do not respond to sound aversives...so then what do you do? Problem with aversives is that if they don't work people "up the anti" and the aversives get stronger and stronger and then what? How far do you go?

If you shout NO! to stop your dog from doing something does it work longterm? does your dog never do that thing again? Chances are the next available opportunity he will be back there doing it again.

Managing the environment and offereing more appealing alternatives is surely the best way to go?

You're right (of course : P ), he did go back to the cans for a while, especially when I left or something.  But one day I waited on the other side of the door and heard the rustling of him picking out paper and I ran in there and said NO.  Never did it again.  I guess what I did was scare my dog right? I wish it didn't work, then I'd have gone the other, praise/treat/toy way. And I do agree that NO doesn't always work.  My mom saw Soro take a plastic bag out of her pocket book and she said NO and put it back.  Of course he took it out again when mom wasn't looking  .  But I say it does work if you catch the dog doing it enough and soon he'll quit.  Or maybe that's just my dog
I really respect the way you train your dogs sarabe, but I just don't understand sometimes.  Say if I caught my dog chewing on a shoe.  I've heard that you should replace the shoe with a toy and praise the dog, but wouldn't that teach the dog to go for the shoe even more?
I need to get better at this dog training stuff... : )

"Just now I told him he was a very naughty boy whilst he was showering me with kisses because he has emptied the water bowl all over the conservatory floor again."

HAHAHHAA! Nice. But wouldn't your dog learn to keep doing that b/c your acting happy?

ARg sarabe, you're such a dog whisperer XD

"Sorry, but there is only one person to blame for not putting the shoes away and it isn't the dog."

HAHA! Right you are again!
Luckily, my dog never went for shoes, twas only an example.



 

I don't know that I would rely on that method to always work. If you are not watching then Henry may consider it safe to follow Keira as the mad hand waving banshee type person appearing is dependent on you being there. I would recommend making the pond completely inaccessible to both of them.

Even if you never, ever let them out there unattended, one day somebody will.

question.
 Sarabe could I ask your advice on somthing.
I have a 5 yr old X border Collie and I train with him, he is good but somtimes he just loses it and starts Barking, heel work I cant talk to him
or give encouragement he will Bark the place down while doing good heel work, the same goes for most other tasks.
 He is very good with his training including scent cloth work, I reward good work and blank what I dont want.
I cant turn my back on him when he starts barking as he just gets in front and contiues barking, this is not at every training session, if I can keep him calm he does really well.
 I put it down to over excitment but dont know how to stop it.
could you advise.
 Thanks  Gary.