The “No” Command is Meaningless

Honestly, some dogs have learned “no” is their name. It’s true, as a dog trainer, I’ve watched pet owners say “no, No, NO” over and over again to their dogs. Sometimes, the “no” command makes up the entire interaction between pet owners and their dogs. Not only is this puzzling and depressing, but it also doesn’t work.

Dogs learn to tune out unimportant information and the “no” command soon becomes background noise. So, let’s look at this word differently and see if “no” even teaches your dog anything. The answer just might surprise you.

What Does the “No” Command Mean?

Seriously, what does “no” mean? It could mean:

• Stop that
• Don’t move
• Stay there
• Don’t look at me
• Don’t walk toward me
• Stop touching me
• Stop licking
• Stop jumping
• Don’t run away
• Don’t dig
• Stop barking
• Wrong
• Stop pulling

“No” has multiple meanings, so when telling your dog “no,” what are you asking your dog to do? It gets confusing, especially for the dog. Basically, telling a dog to stop doing something is the most common reason pet owners say “no.” Here’s the tricky part though: if your dog stops doing a behavior (i.e. barking, jumping, pulling, or growling), what do you want your dog to do instead? Before you answer, let’s visit this scenario from a human perspective.

Let’s say you and your husband go out to dinner. As you’re driving down the road, you notice that your husband is speeding. The moment you notice he’s speeding, you tell her “no.” In this situation, what are you asking her to do? “No” could mean take your hands off the wheel, close your eyes, turn around, look at you, stop the car or go faster. The word “no” provides little information. Instead, say “please slow down” and your husband will lift his foot off the accelerator.

Does “N0” Teach Your Dog Anything?

It really doesn’t. Instead of saying “no,” teach your dog an alternative behavior. When teaching your dog an alternative behavior, you’re rewarding a behavior that’s opposite of what you’re asking your dog to stop doing. This may sound complicated, but it’s actually quite easy and works quickly. Basically, you’re asking your dog to do this instead of that. Check out these examples:

• If your dog is jumping on guests, ask your dog to “sit” instead.
• When a dog barks, reward her for being quiet.
• If your dog potties inside your home, reward her when she potties outside.
• When your dog pulls on leash, reward a loose leash.
• If your dog moves around while brushing, reward your dog when she stands still.
• If your dog runs away from you, reward your dog for running toward you.
• If your dog tries to eat food on the ground, teach the “leave it” cue and reward when she “leaves it.”
• If your dog has something in her mouth, teach “trade game.”

Believe it or not, teaching and rewarding an alternative behavior works every time! Instead of focusing on what your dog did wrong, figure out what your dog should do instead. Here’s a huge hint: choose the opposite behavior. It’s really hard for a dog to jump and sit at the same time. 🙂

Should You Teach Your Dog the “No” Command?

No, you shouldn’t. Remember the word “no” is meaningless. Instead, teach your dog what to do instead. When I explain this “no” concept, most pet owners ask, “Well, what should I say when my dog is running toward a busy road?” My response to that is: “Teach your dog a rocket recall, and say “Rover, come here” when this happens. Then, reward your dog thoroughly with treats and tons of praise.” Screaming “no” won’t stop your dog from running away. I wish it were that simple.

Beware of dog trainers and websites claiming that dogs must learn the “no” command. Remember, “no” could mean anything. Plus, “no” means nothing during the learning process. If you were learning a foreign language, such as French, and I said “no” when you spoke French, what am I teaching you? Not to speak French, it would seem. But, if I asked you to pronounce a French word differently, that would help you learn quicker and faster. It’s the same with dogs, horses, snails, fish and even children. Teach an alternative behavior instead of saying “no.”

Teaching an alternative behavior may seem a bit different, but it’s the best way to stop unwanted dog behavior. Before saying “no,” figure out what your dog should do instead. Remember, teach your dog to do this instead of that!