Enhance Your Dog’s Obedience with Proper Corrections: E-Collar Video by Dog Training Expert Nate Schoemer

Nate Schoemer is a professional dog training expert based out of Eugene, Oregon. The content below is provided thanks to Nate and his team.

This lesson’s goal is to help you become proficient in providing fair correction during your dog’s training using the e-collar. The common scenarios requiring correction include:

1. Your dog chooses not to respond to a command.
2. Your dog breaking a “stay”.
3. Your dog violates an established rule, such as a boundary.
4. Your dog is practicing an unwanted behavior, such as digging.

Remember: positive punishment isn’t the solution for stopping unwanted behaviors driven by fear or aggression. For these, a combination of counterconditioning and desensitization is the best course of action.

Once you’re comfortable with the act of correction itself, the next step is to master the correction sequence for non-compliance with commands. This sequence involves your marker for positive punishment, such as “no”, then a physical correction (leash pop), then re-command, and assist. The same sequence should be used when your dog breaks a ‘stay’ command or a boundary.

E-Collar Technologies: ET-300 Mini Educator E-Collar used in video

Introducing the correction event:

Much like reward and reinforcement events, a correction event has a start and end point. After you’ve said your marker word that signifies positive punishment, such as ‘no’, pause for half a second to avoid overshadowing. You’re now in the correction event. Regardless of your dog’s reaction to the marker word, calmly approach your dog to deliver the correction. Once the dog has received the correction, the event concludes. You then need to provide the dog with the expected course of action – this is when you issue a command and commence a reinforcement event. Once the dog executes the desired behavior, offer verbal praise, but withhold rewards. The goal is not to let the dog associate performing an undesired behavior with receiving correction followed by a reward. In this situation, verbal praise suffices.

In addition, avoid shouting the word ‘no’ at your dog. Say it the same way you would any other marker. Consistency is key, and yelling can induce fear and distrust, which can negatively affect your dog’s behavior around you. Instead, consider it as cause and effect. When your dog fails to comply with or violates an established rule, they are triggering a correction event. This approach teaches the dog that they control the start of these events, enabling them to learn how to prevent them from occurring. Moreover, previous training gives the dog ample opportunity to understand the rules before being corrected, promoting rapid development of reliability.

One common mistake is to abandon the correction event if the dog quickly complies after hearing ‘no’. This teaches the dog that they can behave however they want, as long as they comply when you say ‘no’, rather than learning to avoid behaviors that trigger the correction event entirely. Always follow through with the correction when you enter a correction event to avoid this issue.

Common ways a dog may respond to the correction event:

1. Immediate Compliance: If you give a command and your dog does not comply but lays down as soon as you say ‘no’, you should still follow through with the correction. After the correction, if your dog maintains the position, you can either repeat the command and then praise and pet your dog, or simply praise and pet them since they are already in the desired position. Both approaches work well and reinforce the correct behavior.
2. Evasion: If your dog attempts to run from you to avoid the correction after you say ‘no’, calmly and consistently follow them until you can apply the correction. After implementing the correction, instruct your dog in the behavior you want them to perform. If necessary, assist them into the position using a preestablished physical cue. Give verbal praise and a pet but refrain from giving a treat at this point.
3. Run to human: If your dog runs to you or another person upon hearing the conditioned punisher (‘no’), calmly apply the correction once they reach you. After the correction, guide your dog into the desired position, provide verbal praise, and pet them to reinforce the correct behavior, but avoid giving a treat.
4. Freeze in Place: Sometimes, your dog might stop in place when you say ‘no’, and on some occasions, even after the correction. If this occurs, re-command your dog and assist them into the position if needed. Once they are in the correct position, you can praise them and pet them, but avoid giving a treat.

The common scenarios requiring correction:

1. Your dog chooses not to respond to a command.
2. Your dog breaking a “stay”.
3. Your dog violates an established rule, such as a boundary.
4. Your dog is practicing an unwanted behavior, such as digging.

Watch Nate Schoemer’s complete 30-minute Tutorial on YouTube.