3. Always praise (and treat) as soon as he does something good (or when he stops doing something naughty). How else will your puppy know he's a good dog?
4. Be consistent. You can't snuggle together on the couch to watch TV today, then scold him for climbing on the couch tomorrow.
5. Never tell your dog to come to you and then correct him for something he did wrong. He will think the correction is for coming to you. (Think like a dog, remember?) Always go to the dog to stop unwanted behavior, but be sure that you catch him in the act or your correction will not be understood.
6. Never hit or kick your dog or strike him with your hand, a newspaper or any object. Such physical measures will only create fear and confusion in your dog and could provoke aggressive behavior down the road.
7. When praising or correcting, use your best doggie voice. Use a light and happy voice for praise and a firm, sharp voice for warnings or corrections. A whiny "No, no" or "Drop that" will not sound too convincing, nor will a deep, gruff voice that says "Good boy" make your puppy feel like having fun. Your dog also will respond accordingly to family arguments. If there's a shouting match, he will think that he did something wrong and head for cover. So never argue in front of the kids or the dog!
Next step: Training Overview
Reprinted from Breeders Best: English Springer Spaniel © 2004. Permission granted by Kennel Club Books, an imprint of BowTie Press.
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