{"id":9879,"date":"2023-02-24T15:47:15","date_gmt":"2023-02-24T15:47:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/blog\/uncategorized\/how-do-i-teach-my-puppy-no\/"},"modified":"2024-09-12T10:47:46","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T10:47:46","slug":"how-do-i-teach-my-puppy-no","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/en-us\/blog\/puppy-training\/commands\/how-do-i-teach-my-puppy-no\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do I Teach My Puppy \u201cNo\u201d?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Teaching a puppy ‘no’ is an important part of their training for some people, but it can be challenging to do it in a way that is clear and productive. While ‘no’ is a simple word, it’s often considered to be a loaded phrase that people feel hesitant to use. This is because it’s a broad term that doesn’t provide much guidance to your dog on what to do instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, ‘no’ can be overused or delivered in a harsh tone, leading to confusion and frustration for both you and your puppy. So, it’s natural to question whether or not teaching your dog ‘no’ is the right choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s not worry. Here at Zigzag, we\u2019re going to help figure this one out. We\u2019ll tell you why we think your puppy should be taught the cue \u2018no\u2019, and what we think it means when we say it to puppies. We\u2019ll also teach you how to teach your puppy the equivalent of a cue like \u2018no\u2019, but in a much better, kinder way for everyday situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Say ‘no’ to bad training with our app! <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Once you\u2019re done with this article, you\u2019re going to want to get your puppy training journey off to the best start with the Zigzag puppy training app<\/a>. We have personalized lessons based on your puppy\u2019s age, breed and your lifestyle, so you\u2019re all ready and set for success. Oh, and our amazing team of professional dog trainers<\/a> are always ready to help you with any questions or hiccups you may have every day of the week. What\u2019s better than that? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are looking for basic training commands<\/a>, then check our article around this out here!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Chewy<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why does my puppy need to know \u201cno\u201d?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Teaching a puppy a cue to stop what they\u2019re doing and do something else is very <\/em>useful. Essentially, \u2018no\u2019 means you\u2019re able to direct and manage<\/a> them when you need to. Puppies are curious<\/a>, and your guidance can help prevent them from getting into trouble. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why it’s important to teach your dog the word \u2018no\u2019 or a similar cue. See? There\u2019s a good reason behind it. You won\u2019t be the fun police for nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defining what \u201cno\u201d means for puppies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For humans, \u2018No\u2019 means \u2018I don\u2019t want you to do that, stop it\u2019. Pretty straightforward. But for many puppies, the \u2018no\u2019 cue gets overused, and we\u2019re likely to use a gruff tone and get overly emotional. It\u2019s okay, we\u2019re only human, but still. We can do better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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No more mistakes – Download Zigzag! <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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We mention this very adamantly throughout our blogs and lessons, but dogs learn better without negative emotions in training, so our focus is to train in a \u2018redirecting cue\u2019 rather than a \u2018no cue\u2019. Therefore, here at Zigzag, we teach puppies to \u2018leave it\u2019 as it gives dogs more options and opportunities to do something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to teach your puppy \u201cno\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To teach your puppy or dog \u2018no\u2019, the key is to teach them to disengage from something, and reward<\/a> them for doing so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So here\u2019s how you do it. We\u2019ll show you how to teach your puppy \u2018no\u2019 in easy steps; don\u2019t worry about the \u2018no\u2019 cue yet, we\u2019ll get to ask them at the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set yourself up to start the teach a puppy no exercise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Grab a comfy chair and a handful of dry dog food<\/a> or low value treats<\/a>. We don\u2019t want to make it too tempting for our puppy. Have some high-value treats nearby, you\u2019ll need these for later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pop your hand on your knee with the food inside your closed fist<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your puppy\u2019s likely going to sniff, lick your hand<\/a>, or maybe even nibble it; which you should simply ignore for now. If your puppy is biting hard<\/a> or being too rough, lower the value of the food reward<\/a>, or take your hand away for a few seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be patient and wait <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As soon as your puppy leaves your hand alone, say a marker word like \u2018good’ and then pick up a treat<\/a> and give it to them with the opposite hand. This will help them to disengage from the thing they so desperately want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep repeating until they work it out<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your puppy will quickly learn that if they want the thing, they need to leave the thing alone! Yep, pretty contradictory for a young brain to process. Training takes time and practise, but they\u2019ll get there soon enough. Dogs learn through repetition, so give them time to solve the puzzle here. They\u2019ll work out what they need to do to get what they want\u2026eventually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start rewarding them when they’re not trying to get it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To stop this from becoming a \u2018sniff at your hand then pull away to get the treat game\u2019 you\u2019ll want to start rewarding your puppy for being relaxed, and not trying to sniff or lick<\/a> or paw at your hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did they succeed? Great, use your marker word, \u2018good\u2019 and feed a treat with the other hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start opening your hand <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Keep your hand facing upwards and held on your knee. Start opening your hand, but be ready to close it if your puppy tries to get the treat. No need to say anything, the closing of the hand is all the feedback they need. You know – actions speak louder than words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reward your puppy for leaving the open hand <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now, it\u2019s time to keep your hand open. This is quite tricky as it can look really tempting for a dog! But we\u2019re sure your puppy is doing amazing. Or they will\u2026eventually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Chris Andrawes<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gradually lower your hand <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You want to get your hand to the floor, but try not to rush this bit. Otherwise, it looks like you\u2019re offering the treat to your puppy. Each time you bring your hand out, just take it a bit further towards the floor. If your puppy finds it too tricky and tries to grab it, calmly close your hand and take it away. The next time you bring it out, don\u2019t take it slow so that your puppy gets lots of opportunities to get it right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember to reward with the opposite hand <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rewarding them with the other hand when teaching your puppy \u2018no\u2019 is great for spatial awareness, and teaching them to never take the treat out of the hand that\u2019s moving to the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use the \u2018leave it\u2019 cue before you bring your hand out<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now that your puppy isn\u2019t trying to furiously get the treat, we can introduce a little cue that means: \u2018leave that I\u2019ve got something better for you\u2019 – and not quite a \u2018no\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Say \u2018leave it\u2019 before you bring your hand out, if your puppy leaves it, say \u2018good\u2019 and give them the treat (with the other hand, remember?).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Place the food on the floor <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Take a piece of dry food or a low-value treat, place it on the floor and cover it with your hand. Say \u2018leave it\u2019 and lift your hand to one side – if your puppy leaves it, say \u2018good\u2019 and give them a high-value treat. See? You\u2019re pulling off the \u2018leave that I have something better for you\u2019 plan perfectly!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Practice this several times until you don’t need to cover the food <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can now say \u2018leave it\u2019, place the treat on the floor and your puppy won\u2019t try and grab it. Hurrah! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make it a tad more challenging for your puppy by dropping the treat before saying \u2018leave it\u2019. This will be hard for them, so be sure your puppy has many successful goes at leaving treats on the floor before dropping it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generalization time <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To fully teach your puppy \u2018no\u2019 or \u2018leave it\u2019, you\u2019ll need to practice in lots of different environments and with different objects or temptations. Let\u2019s be honest, you\u2019ll probably need to use this skill a lot more when you\u2019re out at the park. Lots of squirrels to chase there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re going through the training steps, you\u2019ll want to use rewards your dog really loves, so they learn that when you say no (or in our case \u2018leave it\u2019), they\u2019ll get something good instead. This might be high-value foods like hot dogs or cheese, but your dog might be more easily seduced by a toy<\/a>, or a game of tug or fetch<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later on, once they get older, you can switch to using treats and toys for verbal praise, ear scratches if they like them, or a game of chase. But it\u2019s still worth chucking a treat in every now and again to keep the cue strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Reed Shepherd<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How to incorporate the puppy command \u2018no\u2019 into daily life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To teach your puppy \u2018no\u2019 in everyday life, you\u2019ll need to practice the cue and reward them for responding appropriately. There will be lots of different situations in that we might want to teach a puppy no or be tempted to say it, we\u2019ll use the leave it cue instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few ideas to start you off:<\/p>\n\n\n\n