The fastest, easiest, most effective approach is to recreate the undesired situation in a controlled setting, and correctly use sound distractions with praise to erase the misbehavior. Dogs can learn or unlearn almost anything in four properly conducted repetitions.

The 4 steps we are going to describe should be carried out in different places. We are going to try to get inside our dog’s mind to understand him better in order to start our work.

A good dog owner, already knows that dogs think and communicate, but not at all like humans. So it is up to us to make the effort if we want good results.

By being consistent with your dog, and using reflex conditioning, it is possible to change any of his behaviour patterns. If you are not consistent your dog will get confused.

Using a set of cans, or any other source of sound, so long as it is brief, and so long as it can be presented from different directions on each consecutive instance, are all that you need to do to break any behavior. Simply create the sound, and follow through with praise! It’s that simple. Any behavior can be stopped or broken, simply by creating a sound, and praising immediately. The secret is, to allow the undesired behavior to begin again, and simply present the sound from another direction, and follow through with praise. Of course you have to understand how your dog thinks and learns in order to successfully achieve this.

Each time you create a sound to stop or break a behavior, you must praise him for as long as he refrains from continuing such behavior (at least until he no longer thinks about that instance, usually ten or fifteen seconds), and be prepared to create your sound distraction and praise as soon as the behavior begins again. This is the sticking point with so many trainers. “Why should I praise this critter if he’s not even doing what I want?” Remember, dogs do not think in human terms. Most behavior problems are simply a failure to clearly communicate.

The value of this training method is that you can use it now and forever, for anything that you want him to do. It is so effective, that should he not perform as you expect, then he is most likely rebelling against your authority.

Perhaps this is why so many trainers seemingly enjoy correcting their dogs forever. I guess the real reason it is so difficult for us to share the Wits’ End Dog Training Method with other pet professionals, is because we take all the satisfaction out of “dealing with” and obstreperous dog. The problem is, that corrections do not teach new behavior.