How to teach your dog NOT to come when it's called

Recently, I overheard someone call their dog over to them, and then heard them proceed to punish the dog for something it had done a few seconds beforehand.

What do you think the dog actually learned?

Did it learn not to do that thing it was being punished for?

NO!

It learned NOT to come when it's called!

Think about the steps that went into training this dog NOT to come when it's called:
  1. The dog did a bad thing.
  2. It's master says "come Fido"
  3. Fido dutifully obeys, coming over to it's owner.
  4. Fido gets smacked (this is how this particular dog was punished, more on this later).
Fido learns that when he hears "come Fido", if he goes to his owner, he'll get punished.

Oy.

When disciplining (verbally, PLEASE!) bad behavior, you must think like a dog.
  • Dogs are very linear.
  • If they do some thing, and something good happens, they'll do that thing again.
  • If they do some thing, and something bad happens, they will NOT do that thing again.
  • You cannot discipline bad behavior after the fact.
  • You can only discipline bad behavior if you catch them in the act.
  • You MUST go to the dog to discipline.
  • Do NOT call the dog to you to discipline.

Now, about hitting dogs. Here's my philosophy:
A rolled up newspaper can be an effective training tool when used properly.

For instance, use the rolled-up newspaper if your dog chews up something inappropriate or has a housebreaking accident.

Bring the dog over to the destroyed object (or mess), then take the rolled-up newspaper...

and hit yourself over the head as you repeat the phrase,

"I FORGOT TO WATCH MY DOG, I FORGOT TO WATCH MY DOG!"

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