Is your dog exhibiting unwanted behaviors? From play-biting to incessant barking, there’s no shortage of bad habits that can frustrate pet parents. If you’re looking to improve your pet’s behavior, a Pet Corrector can help. Let’s take a closer look and learn how to use a pet corrector.
What Is a Pet Corrector?
A Pet Corrector is a can of compressed air. When activated, it releases a hissing noise that grabs your dog’s attention. Its purpose is to distract your pet and guide it away from bad behavior.
When and How to Use a Pet Corrector?
Pet Correctors should be used whenever your pet is engaging in bad habits, such as:
- Stealing food
- Scratching furniture
- Chasing and jumping
- Incessant barking
- Dog aggression with other dogs
- Dog fights/dog attacks
While your dog is exhibiting the unwanted behavior, give it a verbal command (such as “no” or “stop”). Then, take the Pet Corrector and spray it near — but not too close to — your pet’s face. Just the sound of this training tool should compel your pet to stop what it’s doing and look around.
Once your dog has calmed down, reward it with a treat. Over time, this will teach your dog to associate calmness with rewards. Eventually, your dog should start listening to your verbal commands and you won’t need to use the Pet Corrector. This method, known as positive reinforcement, is one of the most effective ways to discourage undesirable habits.
Pet Correctors: Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few commonly asked questions about Pet Correctors.
Does a Pet Corrector Work for Every Dog?
In general, Pet Correctors are helpful tools for almost all dog owners. However, if your pet has a nervous disposition or fears loud or unknown noises, a Pet Corrector could become stressful for your pet. A stressed dog may experience both physical and mental symptoms, including lethargy, increased heart rate and higher anxiety levels. Thus, you should avoid using a Pet Corrector on very anxious or fearful dogs.
Are Pet Correctors Safe?
A Pet Corrector is a completely safe way to adjust most pets’ behaviors. However, there are devices that claim to correct poor habits but actually harm your pet, such as shock collars. A shock collar, which is a training collar that uses electric shocks to discourage a specific behavior, should never be used on your dog. In general, you should always research training tools and ensure they’re safe before purchasing or using them.
What Are Some Alternatives to Pet Correctors?
As the dog owner, you know what your furry friend can — and can’t — handle. If you think it’ll respond negatively to a hissing sound, you may prefer one of the following alternatives:
- Rattle bottle
- Water spray bottle
- Training disc
Like Pet Correctors, rattle bottles use noise to stop barking, jumping and other bad behaviors. However, instead of a hissing sound, they emit a rattling sound. You can make one yourself by filling an empty water bottle with coins.
If you’d rather avoid noise-based solutions altogether, you can use a spray bottle filled with water or a training disc. The former uses water to capture your dog’s attention, while the latter distracts them through play.
No matter which tool you use, it’s important to pair it with obedience training. Regular training is the best way to improve your pet’s temperament and eliminate negative behaviors for good. Of course, training a dog is easier said than done, especially if it’s not responsive to obedience commands. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone — the experienced trainers at The Dog Wizard are here to help.
The Dog Wizard: Contact a Trainer Today!
Are you looking for professional training to supplement your at-home methods? At The Dog Wizard, we offer a team of passionate, dedicated dog trainers who have experience resolving several of the most common canine behavioral problems. Whether your pet is play biting and jumping or displaying more serious issues (like aggression), you can trust us to modify its bad habits. Here are a few core tenets that make us stand out:
- Teamwork: We work with both the dog and the dog owner to get to know your pet’s unique traits.
- Integrity: We pride ourselves on providing balanced training programs that achieve results.
- Acceptance: We accept your dog’s special learning style and never push a pet past its boundaries.
Interested in learning more about our dog training services and programs? Call us at (877) 585-9727 or find a trainer online today!
