RetrieverTraining.Net - the RTF banner

The MOST overused word in dog training... NO

19K views 147 replies 41 participants last post by  Gauge123 
#1 ·
I rarely use it. How bout you why or why not?
 
#2 ·
Not trying to be the authority but here's a viewpoint to start a discussion

You can use many sounds for a single behavior - sit, whistle blast, seetz etc. you can literally train it in 6 languages (I have)

You can't use one sound for many behaviors - stop jumping, don't pick that up, you went the wrong way, get out of the trash, stop peeing on Stella!

The commonality to the word NO is that it's often delivered in a startling manner and in many cases followed by pressure so...

You get a stoppage of action because you startled and scared the dog (to some degree) - not because she knew what you meant.

I try to only use language the dog understands clearly.

Jumping = sit
Trash can = here or leave it (or leave it- here)
Peeing on Stella = ARCHIE YOU LITTLE BASTAGE GET OVER HERE!

This is how I prefer to interact because I think it is most clear and least stressful to the dog.
 
#3 ·
I use it in just about every day. Why? Because my dog is doing something I don't want him to do.

Example 1:
Today in training, lined dog up for a blind. Dog took very poor initial line. I said no-no, let's try that again.

Example 2:
Today in training, different dog comes back with long go bird and I'm trying to get the look in there for the short retired. Dog keeps looking back to the stand out gunner on the go bird. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to get dog to look at SRG, I put my hand down and said no, then reheeled dog.

Example 3:
After training today I'm in the recliner having a snack. Still a different dog tries to sneak a chip. I said no, go lay on the couch.

Probably used it a couple more times including a couple times when the pup tried to steel a bird off the bird rack as we were leaving the line.

Don't really understand the fixation on saying or not saying the word no. It's just another word.
 
#11 ·
Probably used it a couple more times including a couple times when the pup tried to steel a bird off the bird rack as we were leaving the line.

Don't really understand the fixation on saying or not saying the word no. It's just another word.
In my case it's because pet dog people say NO NO NO with nothing else for the dog to do next...

In all of your examples you gave the dog another command immediately following so... NO to your dog means - listen up!

One could argue whether that's good or bad, but I don't think it would have any value to do so. It works for you and your dogs, obviously.
 
#5 ·
Please excuse my "ignorance" as I am new to this. When I say no he stops doing whatever he is doing, and I believe he understands it's wrong, he is then given the command that I wanted, sit, here, heel, etc. Wouldn't just repeating sit sit sit be like nagging?
 
#6 ·
I use no alot just like about everyone else. Wrong line to the blind, no get off the couch etc. Seems to me they understand the meaning of NO!!! or am I reading into my dog knowing more than I think he is able to? or is it b/c NO is repeated so often by me.:) An easy word to use! Keep it simple I say!
 
#7 ·
I use no a lot. Example: When Rowdy starts humping on Shadow I yell "NO".
 
#8 ·
As I said I rarely use it. I will use it occasionally on the line and I use it for a poor initial line, and a no no drill. That is about it. Everything else is telling them what I want, not what I don't want . "Off "the couch, "off" of me, " sit" your as down, "down" , Get your butt over "here" and stop chasing the bunny. To me telling them "no" is wasting time that you could be telling them what to do
 
#10 ·
When I tell one of my dogs no for trying to hump another dog, they don't hump the other dog. When I tell them no for trying to steel a chip off my plate, they don't steel the chip. I don't care what else they do in these situations, as long as it's not what they are trying to do at the moment. I don't care if they sit, don't care if they come here or go somewhere else. If I wanted them to sit or here, I'd use that instead of no. Certainly not a waste of time at my house. We have far bigger fish to fry than worrying about using or not using no.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Seems to me I recall Mike Lardy being an advocate of not overusing using No . Something along the lines of telling a dog what TO do, keeping as positive forward flow of learning.

Myself, I'm not a fan of adding extra steps. No reason to stop when one can move forward.

It's like Sit, followed by Stay. Stay is redundant, and is mostly us telling ourselves we don't think sit will stick past a few seconds which speaks to inconsistency on our part. ;) Sit means plant your butt and don't move until you hear another command.

Dog is jumping up: I don't say No, off, down, no jump, etc. I say Sit.
Dog isn't looking out where I want, I move, re-heel the dog and line up again.
Dog gets into garbage, I say Sit.
Dog veers off toward bird drying rack...I say heel! which is the infraction that occurred.

No says I'm upset/angry and startles the dog....Sit is a command to do something and also distracts the dog from whatever misbehavior is happening.

But that's just me. ;)
 
#16 ·
Seems to me I recall Mike Lardy being an advocate of not using No. Something along the lines of telling a dog what TO do, keeping as positive forward flow of learning.

Myself, I'm not a fan of adding extra steps. No reason to stop when one can move forward.

It's like Sit, followed by Stay. Stay is redundant, and is mostly us telling ourselves we don't think sit will stick past a few seconds which speaks to inconsistency on our part. ;) Sit means plant your butt and don't move until you hear another command.

Dog is jumping up: I don't say No, off, down, no jump, etc. I say Sit.
Dog isn't looking out where I want, I move, re-heel the dog and line up again.
Dog gets into garbage, I say Sit.
Dog veers off toward bird drying rack...I say heel! which is the infraction that occurred.

No says I'm upset/angry and startles the dog....Sit is a command to do something and also distracts the dog from whatever misbehavior is happening.

But that's just me. ;)
Lardy will use "no" when a dog has made a mistake.
 
#19 · (Edited)
On the one hand, folks will say you can use whatever words you want for anything you communicate to the dog, as long as you're consistent... I guess that's as long as the word isn't no.

Ever watched someone trying to line a dog up for a mark or blind and heard...

Sit, sit, sit, hereheelhere, sit, yes, right there, heelhereheelheresit. Right there, back.

Good thing they told the dog what to do rather than what not to do. ;)

Way more important things to master than avoiding a word that only has meaning to dogs in the context in which the owner uses it.

Some would even say it's perfectly fine to use the word no to get the dog to go on a blind or mark and ok to use the word back to get the dog to sit--- as long as you're consistent (no, I'm not one of those folks).
 
#23 ·
On the one hand, folks will say you can use whatever words you want for anything you communicate to the dog, as long as you're consistent... I guess that's as long as the word isn't no.
If your dog (or your son/daughter) was taught to communicate in a foreign language - NO might not mean a thing to them or it could mean something completely different.

You have created clear meaning to the word in your program Glen, and it works really well because of that.

Many many people aren't as consistent nor as skilled as you and assume the dog understands English which, of course, we know they don't.

That's when the word gets "over used".

Otherwise it's a simple matter of preference.

I teach pet dog folks to use the dogs name to get their attention. You use NO in certain situations and their name as a release command (I imagine).

It's all OK. No one said you were wrong (although the thread title implies it).
 
#22 ·
I only use "NO" online with "No bird". Otherwise I don't use it, but at home, yes I want NO to mean something, and it does. I want them to know that it means stop what you are doing. I don't want to give a SIT. I want it to have impact and they get the message so don't use it all the time. Reserve it for the times you really mean it. Humping and general rowdiness is "knock it off". Unseen infractions is "Who did this?" and look for the guilty perp face. When all fails I have wiffle bats which if you wave them madly like a samurai warrior with a sword gets quick action and you don't have to use no and it serves as crowd control. They generally take cover in their crates and then you give them a cooky. :)
 
#27 ·
NO is a word that has been instilled into my brain for a LONG LONG time..

Sister Marcella used it so much with me ,, I thought it had become my new name.

My Mom used it in conjunction with a wooden spoon!

Diane has continued the practice! I can just look at her and she says "No" ,,,, (WTF)

So,,with Flinch,, I try not to fall into the same circle... I am trying to break it,,, BUT,, If I say it,, She Understands that what ever action she is involved with, better stop!!... She's MUCH smarter than Me.. :)

Gooser
 
#29 ·
Think I have a bad dog. I use no and NO a lot. Couldn't imagine life without it :)
 
#30 ·
Now,,, My DAD on the other hand, was a man of little words. But, there was very subtle signals to influence you.

LIKE,

If he stopped what ever he was doing, sniffed,,then turned and looked you! Hells doors were about to be placed in front of you!!!
 
#31 ·
Now,,, dont get me wrong,, there were good times in my upbringing too.

Sometimes I just got locked in a closet! Kinda like the dog being put back in his crate! :)
 
#36 ·
Some of you must have dogs with limited imaginations. There are not enough commands in the English language to stop my youngest from doing all the bad or dangerous things he thinks up! If it weren't for "NO" and it's clariflier "damnit", Chief would not have made it to age 4!
 
#37 ·
I trained obedience with Connie Cleveland for several years. She taught a very clear use of "No." She was clear that you cannot just say no then leave the dog wallowing in it's mistake. Saying no means the dog is wrong and should stop what its doing, but must immediately be followed by a command that will tell the dog how to be correct.

I used it for years in obedience training and now in the field. It works well and is extremely clear to the dog.
 
#49 ·
That's right...nooooo and NO!!! have two completely different connotations , and likley NO!! is the only one with real meaning.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top