The punishment must suppress behavior. If something is being used for punishment, but it does not suppress behavior, it’s ineffective and often just plain abuse. Yes, even if it is “only” a spray of water, if you have to use it a more than twice to try and suppress the same behaviour, clearly something is off.
Yes, for many dogs, a spray bottle is a great way to train a dog to stop unwanted behavior. However, this training tool doesn’t work well with dogs that enjoy being sprayed or have a traumatic fearful reaction to water.
Does Spraying a Dog or Cat With Water Work? Nope, training your dog by spraying it with water does not work. When working with dog training clients, trainers have witnessed some who spray their puppies for mouthing, yet their arms are covered in scratches. Spraying the dog with water was not helping.
Instead of giving your puppy time-outs for hard biting, start to give him time-outs every time you feel his teeth touch your skin. The instant you feel your puppy’s teeth touch you, give a high-pitched yelp. Then immediately walk away from him. Ignore him for 30 to 60 seconds.
Never, ever hit or otherwise physically punish your dog. If your pet seems to be biting out of aggression, speak to a veterinarian or dog trainer about ways to manage that behavior.
You can effectively stop barking by using a food or toy lure or a head halter and then reinforcing quiet behavior. A quiet command should be paired with each session where the dog can be successfully taught to quiet.
Citrus. Mix a few drops of lemon, grapefruit or orange juice with water in a spray bottle. When Sunny barks, spray a puff of the mixture into her mouth. Many dogs are repelled by citrus, so she’ll soon associate barking with an unpleasant taste and odor.
Vinegar will treat minor skin irritations, help to prevent ear infections and even make your dog smell better. Both apple cider vinegar and white vinegar are helpful but typically are used in different ways.
Keeping Fleas and Ticks Away
To make your own flea and tick repellent, mix one part vinegar with one part water and spray it on your pet’s fur. You can also add a few drops of vinegar to your pet’s drinking water to help repel fleas and ticks from the inside out. Morgan recommends one teaspoon per quart of water.
Prepare a mixture of 50 percent white vinegar and 50 percent water. Stir the ingredients to mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture in a spray bottle. Keep the bottle on hand during training.
We recommend waiting until your dog is at least over 6 months and likely even older for larger dogs. The benefits are much more pronounced in larger dogs, but there is not a lot of difference for lap dogs.
Your pet may be urine-marking if:
The amount of urine is small and is found primarily on vertical surfaces. Dogs and cats do sometimes mark on horizontal surfaces. Leg-lifting and spraying are common versions of urine-marking, but even if your pet doesn’t assume these postures, he may still be urine-marking.
Will my dog live longer? On average dogs who are spayed or neutered live one and a half years longer than those who are not. Typically, dogs who are not fixed live to be about 8 years of age, where fixed dogs average about nine and a half years.
Call your dog over and let him see the treat in your hand. As you close your hand, say “No!”. Let him lick and sniff, but do not give him the treat. When he finally gives up and backs away, praise him and give him the treat.
Separation anxiety is one of the most commonly discussed dog behavior problems. Manifestations include vocalization, chewing, inappropriate urination and defecation, and other forms of destruction that occur when a dog is separated from his owner.
The most common aggressive puppy behaviour warning signs include snarling, growling, mounting, snapping, nipping, lip curling, lunging, dominant body language/play, challenging stance, dead-eye stare, aggressive barking, possessiveness, and persistent biting/mouthing.
Wash the wound.
Use mild soap, and run warm tap water over it for five to 10 minutes. Slow the bleeding with a clean cloth. Apply over-the counter antibiotic cream if you have it. Wrap the wound in a sterile bandage.
Contemporary experts urge against all uses of physical discipline. Tapping or bopping a dog on the nose can be misconstrued as playful behavior, and being too rough with your dog can actually trigger biting, reactive, or defensive behavior.
Yelling also can make your dog less likely to respond to your commands, which makes you more frustrated and likely to yell. New research and most dog-training experts recommend you stop yelling at your dog and instead use a soft, quiet voice when you talk to your dog.
Yelling at your dog does not work because it will just get him more stressed or it will only increase his energy level and how excited he is about the situation. Instead, your Bark Busters dog trainer can teach you how to use a calm yet firm voice to refocus your dog and to teach the desired behavior.
The instant your dog pauses, place a tasty treat (cheese, hotdogs, liver snacks) directly in front of his nose and say “quiet.” You are encouraging your dog to be quiet by coupling two incompatible behaviors—it’s difficult for a dog to bark while sniffing and eating! Give a few more treats while he is quiet.
You can use an ordinary water gun or spray bottle for this method; just fill it with water and do the following: Each time your dog barks, use the spray. Squirt a quick spray into his mouth or onto your dog’s muzzle and say ‘Be Quiet’ in a firm but controlled voice.
To teach “Quiet” you will need either a squirt bottle with water and a little lemon juice or a shake can. When your dog barks when he isn’t supposed to, squirt him in the mouth with the water and lemon juice. The taste will be a negative response to his barking and he will learn to cease barking to avoid it.
Why Do Dogs Bark? Dogs rarely bark without a reason. Behaviorists categorize barking into the following categories: attention barking, separation anxiety, fear/territorial/protection, and excitement.