Most owners use the word "no" dozens of times a day. The dog jumps. "No." The dog grabs a sock. "No." The dog barks at the window. "No." Here's what most owners miss. "No" isn't a command. It's a negative marker that pins the exact moment your dog made a poor choice, the same way "yes" pins the moment they made a good one. But a marker only works if you can immediately redirect the dog to something they've already been taught to do.

Most owners think they are being kind when they lift their dog into the car, walk around the metal grate, or rush over to untangle them from a tree. I get it. But when we always solve the problem for our dogs, we teach them they cannot solve it themselves. That is learned helplessness in dogs, and I see it almost every week in private lessons here in Temecula. The good news is, once you know what to look for, it is one of the easiest things to turn around.

One day your dog happily greets strangers and explores new places, and the next they seem nervous around noises, people, dogs, or unfamiliar environments.