Product and Behavioral Recommendations For Your New Puppy

Puppy Product Recommendations

FOOD:

Nutrisource Food –Made in MN. Most of our puppies are already eating this food, http://www.nutrisourcepetfoods.com/nutrisource/

“A trusted family-owned pet food manufacturer for over 50 years.”
We pride ourselves on being a family-owned-and-operated pet food manufacturer, bringing you high quality pet foods that you can trust feeding to your furry family members. We offer a wide range of Premium Pet Foods and formulas including Dry, Canned, Grain Free, Organic, all created with the finest ingredients. We also use the Good 4 Life formula in a large amount of our pet foods, which is formulated to bring your pet Super Premium Nutrition. We bring you Super Premium Pet Foods, consistent products, a manufacturing facility you can trust and unparalleled customer service.

Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul – go to their website to find out where you can buy, but this is really high quality (again, check it out on Dog Food Advisor’s website) and it’s fairly inexpensive.

Why buy high quality food? Less poop! Seriously, your puppy will poop less because high quality food doesn’t have filler ingredients—which also means they don’t need to eat as much, so a bag lasts longer. It also decreases the chances of health issues. Several of the brands of food you see commercials for do not have very high standards and sometimes leftover ingredients just get dumped into random batches.

Good feeding practices: Pay attention to the recommended serving sizes on the bags for your puppy’s weight. While they’re still young, it’s okay to keep them stocked with food, but as they get older you’ll want to switch to just feeding half the amount twice a day so they don’t put on extra pounds! It’s also a good idea to make them sit, and eventually sit and stay for their food, so they have to earn it and know you’re in charge.

TREATS:

Training treats: There are also sorts of brands and flavors, but we’d recommend training treats only because they’re small servings, which can also prevent extra poundage. Don’t worry about giving too many—one of our trainers gives her 65 pound Golden Retriever around 150 training treats during an hour long training session. You can always search a treat name before you buy to make sure it’s safe and good quality.

CRATES:

Walmart and Amazon have good prices. Crates are a great idea for training and potty training. Don’t use them as a punishment—they should be the puppy’s safe space. Train them to go in with the word “kennel.” Puppies should be fed in their crates and given treats in their crates.

PET INSURANCE:

VPI (www.petinsurance.com) – This pet insurance can help protect your bank account from unexpected vet visit costs. This one is recommended by several of our volunteers. You can find out more on their website. With your adoption you get a free 30 days of Shelter Care pet insurance if you accept it via their email, but after that time period it automatically cancels itself.

TRAINING:

Suggested Facilities:

Canine Craze , Urbandale

Happy Acres, Winterset

Barking Lot, Ankeny

Why use positive reinforcement only? Positive reinforcement not only trains your puppy quickly and effectively, but it helps build your bond! Unfortunately many people still believe in hitting, yelling, or rubbing a pup’s nose in an accident spot—all that type of “training” does is confuse and frighten the puppy. If they’re doing something wrong, it’s because they don’t understand NOT because they’re trying to make your life difficult.

Always consult a trainer if you find yourself at a loss and unsure what to do.

TOYS:

Nylabones are great for chewers and they’re safe and long-lasting. Take them away once they’ve become too frayed. Inexpensive at Walmart.

Squeaky toys seem to be favorites of a lot of dogs.

Antlers believe it or not, deer and elk antlers are LOVED by dogs. They love to chew on them. The pups have already been chewing on them at our house. They’re all natural bone and they last forever. They’re very safe for chewers, but we would recommend only to give them while supervised. They make a great reward at the end of a training session.

Problem with chewing? Make sure you have plenty of options of different types and textures of toys for your puppy. Every time you see them chewing on something inappropriate be sure to tell them “no,” and give them an appropriate toy. If they continue to go after something, Bitter Apple spray is excellent for stopping chewing on particular items. Puppies chew because they’re teeth are coming in and it feels good for dogs of all ages. Make sure your puppy gets plenty of physical and mental exercise so they don’t get bored and chew your belongings for fun!

Why not rawhides? They can be fine, we just choose not to give them to our dogs because they can get stuck in the digestive system, which is unsafe and expensive! There are other safer chewing options.

Puppy Behavior Basics (Courtesy of the US Humane Society)

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, especially for dogs. The fact is, well-socialized dogs are more likely to have well-socialized puppies. Pups often mirror their mothers’ calm or fearful attitude toward people; this is a normal part of their socialization. But you can play a vital role, too, by petting, talking, and playing with puppy to help him develop good “people skills.”

Puppies are usually weaned at six to seven weeks, but are still learning important skills as their mother gradually leaves them for longer periods of time. Ideally, puppies should stay with their littermates (or other “role-model” dogs) for at least 12 weeks.

Puppies separated from their littermates too early often fail to develop appropriate “social skills,” such as learning how to send and receive signals, what an “inhibited bite” (acceptable mouthing pressure) means, how far to go in play-wrestling, and so forth. Play is important for puppies because it increases their physical coordination, social skills, and learning limits. By interacting with their mother and littermates, puppies explore the ranking process (“who’s in charge”) and also learn “how to be a dog.”

Skills not acquired during the first eight weeks may be lost forever. While these stages are important and fairly consistent, a dog’s mind remains receptive to new experiences and lessons well beyond puppyhood. Most dogs are still puppies, in mind and body, through the first two years of life. Here are general guidelines for puppies’ stages of development:

Birth to Two Weeks: Neonatal Period

Puppy is most influenced by his mother.
Senses of touch and taste are present at birth.

Two to Four Weeks: Transitional Period

Puppy is most influenced by his mother and littermates.
Eyes open, teeth begin to come in, and senses of hearing and smell develop.
Puppy begins to stand, walk a little, wag tail and bark.
By the fourth or fifth week, eyesight is well-developed.

Three to Twelve Weeks: Socialization Period

During this period, puppy needs opportunities to meet other dogs and people.
By three to five weeks, puppy becomes aware of his surroundings, companions (both canine and human), and relationships, including play. By four to six weeks, puppy is most influenced by littermates and is learning about being a dog.
From four to twelve weeks, puppy remains influenced by littermates and is also influenced by people. Puppy learns to play, develops social skills, learns the inhibited bite, explores social structure/ranking, and improves physical coordination.
By five to seven weeks, puppy develops curiosity and explores new experiences. Puppy needs positive “people” experiences during this time. By seven to nine weeks, puppy is refining his physical skills and coordination, and can begin to be housetrained. Puppy has full use of senses.
By eight to ten weeks, puppy experiences real fear involving normal objects and experiences; puppy needs positive training during this time.
By nine to twelve weeks, puppy is refining reactions, developing social skills with littermates (appropriate interactions), and exploring the environment and objects. Puppy begins to focus on people; this is a good time to begin training.

Three to Six Months: Ranking Period

Puppy is most influenced by “playmates,” which may now include those of other species.
Puppy begins to see and use ranking (dominance and submission) within the household (the puppy’s “pack”), including humans.
Puppy begins teething (and associated chewing).
At four months of age, puppy experiences another fear stage.

Six to Eighteen Months: Adolescence

Puppy is most influenced by human and dog “pack” members.
At seven to nine months, puppy goes through a second chewing phase, part
of exploring territory.
Puppy increases exploration of dominance, including challenging humans.
If not spayed or neutered, puppy experiences beginnings of sexual behavior.

Puppy Nipping and Rough Play

It’s not always easy to convince a new puppy not to bite the hand that feeds him, pets him, or plays with him. When puppies play with each other, they use their mouths, so they might also be inclined to bite or “mouth” your hand during play or when being petted. This is rarely aggressive behavior meant to do harm, but it is a difficult habit to break unless you encourage your puppy to try an acceptable alternative behavior. The goal is to redirect your puppy’s energy onto acceptable chew toys, and to teach her to be gentle when a hand is in or near her mouth.

Encourage Acceptable Behavior

Redirect your puppy’s penchant for nipping and biting by offering her more acceptable objects (such as chew toys) whenever you pet her. This technique can be especially effective when children want to pet her. As you or the child reaches out to scratch her behind the ears with one hand, offer the chew toy with the other. This will not only help your puppy learn that people and petting are wonderful, but will also keep her mouth busy while she’s being petted. Alternate which hand does the petting and which one has the chew toy. You may need to start off by petting or scratching your puppy for short periods of time, since the longer she’s petted, the more likely she is to get excited and start to nip.

Discourage Unacceptable Behavior

You must also teach your puppy to be gentle with hands, and show her that nipping results in unpleasant consequences. Teach your puppy that nipping “turns off” any attention and social interaction with you. As soon as a nip occurs, look your puppy right in the eye and yell “OUCH” as though you’ve been mortally wounded. Then ignore her. Leave the room if you must, but ignore her until she’s calm, and then try the chew toy and petting method again.

Jumping Up

When your puppy jumps up on you, she wants attention. Even if you push her away, she is still getting attention (even if it is a response that you might consider negative).

When your puppy jumps up:

Fold your arms in front of you, turn away from her, and say “off.”

Continue to turn away from her until all four paws are on the ground, then quietly praise her and give her a treat. If she knows the “sit” command, give the command when all four paws are on the ground, then quietly praise her and give her a treat while she’s in the sitting position.

If she begins to jump while you’re praising her, simply turn away and repeat the second step, above. Remember to keep your praise low-key.

When your puppy realizes that she gets no attention from you while she’s jumping up, but does get attention when she sits, she’ll stop jumping up. Remember, once you’ve taught her to come and sit quietly for attention, you must reward her behavior. Be careful not to ignore her when she comes and sits politely, waiting for your attention.

What Not to Do

Attempts to tap, slap, or hit your puppy in the face for nipping or jumping up are almost guaranteed to backfire. Several things may happen, depending on your puppy’s temperament and the severity of the correction: She could become “hand-shy” and cringe or cower whenever a hand comes toward her face.

She could become afraid of you, and refuse to come to you or approach you at all.

She could respond in a defensive manner and attempt to bite you to defend herself.

She could interpret a mild slap as an invitation to play, causing her to become more excited and even more likely to nip.

Set boundaries when playing “tug-of-war” or wrestling games with your puppy. When trained properly, these types of games can teach your puppy bite restraint and the limitations of rough play.

Be Consistent

It’s important that all behaviors, acceptable and unacceptable, be managed consistently by all family members. And remember that any method you try will probably not be effective unless you work hard to teach your puppy an acceptable alternative behavior.

A Note About Children and Puppies

It’s very difficult for children under eight or nine years old to practice the kind of behavior modification outlined here. Children’s first reaction to being nipped or mouthed by a puppy is to push the puppy away with their hands and arms. This will be interpreted by the puppy as play and will probably cause the puppy to nip and mouth even more. Adults should closely monitor all interactions between their children and dogs.

Crate Training

If you like nothing better than coming home from a hard day’s work and finding that your dog decided to “go” on the couch or use your favorite slippers as a new chew toy, then crate training isn’t for you. But, if you’re like most people, then using a crate to properly train your dog will be time well spent. Crate training takes some time and effort, but it is a proven way to help train dogs who act inappropriately without knowing any better.

If you have a new dog or puppy, you can use the crate to limit his access to the house until he learns all the house rules—like what he can and can’t chew on and where he can and can’t eliminate. A crate is also a safe way of transporting your dog in the car or taking him places where he may not be welcome to run freely. If you properly train your dog to use the crate, he’ll think of it as his safe place and will be happy to spend time there when needed.

Selecting a Crate

Crates may be plastic (often called “flight kennels”) or collapsible, metal pens. They come in different sizes and can be purchased at most pet supply stores. Your dog’s crate should be just large enough for him to stand up and turn around in. If your dog is still growing, choose a crate size that will accommodate his adult size. Block off the excess crate space so your dog can’t eliminate at one end and retreat to the other.

The Crate Training Process

Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog’s age, temperament, and past experiences. It’s important to keep two things in mind while crate training: The crate should always be associated with something pleasant, and training should take place in a series of small steps. Don’t go too fast.

Step 1: Introducing Your Dog to the Crate

Place the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. Put a soft blanket or towel in the crate. Bring your dog over to the crate and talk to him in a happy tone of voice. Make sure the crate door is open and secured so that it won’t hit your dog and frighten him.

To encourage your dog to enter the crate, drop some small food treats nearby, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate. If he refuses to go all the way in at first, that’s okay; don’t force him to enter. Continue tossing treats into the crate until your dog will walk calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. If he isn’t interested in treats, try tossing a favorite toy in the crate. This step may take a few minutes or as long as several days.

Step 2: Feeding Your Dog His Meals in the Crate

After introducing your dog to the crate, begin feeding him his regular meals near the crate. This will create a pleasant association with the crate. If your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, place the food dish all the way at the back of the crate. If instead your dog remains reluctant to enter the crate, put the dish only as far inside as he will readily go without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed him, place the dish a little further back in the crate.

Once your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat his meal, you can close the door while he’s eating. The first time you do this, open the door as soon as he finishes his meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a few minutes longer, until he’s staying in the crate for ten minutes or so after eating. If he begins to whine to be let out, you may have increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving him in the crate for a shorter time period. If he does whine or cry in the crate, it’s imperative that you not let him out until he stops. Otherwise, he’ll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine, so he’ll keep doing it.

Step 3: Conditioning Your Dog to the Crate for Longer Time Periods

After your dog is eating his regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety, you can confine him there for short time periods while you’re home. Call him over to the crate and give him a treat. Give him a command to enter, such as “kennel.” Encourage him by pointing to the inside of the crate with a treat in your hand. After your dog enters the crate, praise him, give him the treat, and close the door. Sit quietly near the crate for five to ten minutes and then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time, then let him out of the crate.

Repeat this process several times a day. With each repetition, gradually increase the length of time you leave him in the crate and the length of time you’re out of his sight. Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes with you out of sight the majority of the time, you can begin leaving him crated when you’re gone for short time periods and/ or letting him sleep there at night. This may take several days or several weeks.

Step 4, Part A: Crating Your Dog When Left Alone

After your dog can spend about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving him crated for short periods when you leave the house. Put him in the crate using your regular command and a treat. You might also want to leave him with a few safe toys in the crate. You’ll want to vary at what point in your “getting ready to leave” routine you put your dog in the crate. Although he shouldn’t be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate him anywhere from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving.

Don’t make your departures emotional and prolonged, but matter-of-fact. Praise your dog briefly, give him a treat for entering the crate, and then leave quietly. When you return home, don’t reward your dog for excited behavior by responding to him in an excited, enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low key to avoid increasing his anxiety over when you will return. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you’re home so he doesn’t associate crating with being left alone.

Step 4, Part B: Crating Your Dog at Night

Put your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. Initially, it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or nearby in a hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside to eliminate during the night, and you’ll want to be able to hear your puppy when he whines to be let outside.

Older dogs, too, should initially be kept nearby so that they don’t associate the crate with social isolation. Once your dog is sleeping comfortably through the night with his crate near you, you can begin to gradually move it to the location you prefer, although time spent with your dog–even sleep time–is a chance to strengthen the bond between you and your pet.

Potential Problems

Too Much Time In The Crate.

A crate isn’t a magical solution. If not used correctly, a dog can feel trapped and frustrated. For example, if your dog is crated all day while you’re at work and then crated again all night, he’s spending too much time in too small a space. Other arrangements should be made to meet his physical and emotional needs. Also remember that puppies under six months of age shouldn’t stay in a crate for more than three or four hours at a time. They can’t control their bladders and bowels for longer periods.

Whining.

If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether he’s whining to be let out of the crate, or whether he needs to be let outside to eliminate. If you’ve followed the training procedures outlined above, then your dog hasn’t been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from his crate. If that is the case, try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, he’ll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at him or pounding on the crate will only make things worse.

If the whining continues after you’ve ignored him for several minutes, use the phrase he associates with going outside to eliminate. If he responds and becomes excited, take him outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. If you’re convinced that your dog doesn’t need to eliminate, the best response is to ignore him until he stops whining. Don’t give in; if you do, you’ll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what he wants. If you’ve progressed gradually through the training steps and haven’t done too much too fast, you’ll be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again.

Separation Anxiety.

Attempting to use the crate as a remedy for separation anxiety won’t solve the problem. A crate may prevent your dog from being destructive, but he may injure himself in an attempt to escape from the crate. Separation anxiety problems can only be resolved with counter-conditioning and desensitization procedures. You may want to consult a professional animal-behavior specialist for help.

Basic Training Techniques

Does your dog get on the furniture and refuse to get off? Nudge your hand and insist on being petted or played with? Refuse to come when called? Defend his food bowl or toys from you?

If so, a training technique called “Nothing In Life Is Free” may be just the solution you’re looking for. “Nothing In Life Is Free” is not a magic pill that will solve a specific behavior problem. Instead, it’s a way of living with your dog that will help him behave better because he trusts and accepts you as his leader and is confident knowing his place in the family.

How to Practice “Nothing In Life Is Free”

Use positive reinforcement methods to teach your dog a few commands and/or tricks. “Sit,” “Down,” and “Stay” are useful commands. “Shake,” “Speak,” and “Roll over” are fun tricks to teach your dog.

Once your dog has mastered a few commands, you can begin to practice “Nothing In Life Is Free.” Before you give your dog anything (food, a treat, a walk, a pat on the head) he must first perform one of the commands he has learned. For example:

YOU Put your dog’s leash on to go for a walk
YOUR DOG Must sit until you’ve put the leash on

YOU Feed your dog
YOUR DOG Must lie down and stay until you’ve put the bowl down

YOU Play a game of fetch after work
YOUR DOG Must sit and “shake hands” each time you throw the toy teach your dog to shake

YOU Rub your dog’s belly while watching TV
YOUR DOG Must lie down and roll over before being petted

Once you’ve given the command, don’t give your dog what he wants until he does what you want. If he refuses to perform the command, walk away, come back a few minutes later, and start again. If your dog refuses to obey the command, be patient and remember that eventually he will have to obey your command to get what he wants.

Make sure your dog knows the command well and understands what you want before you begin practicing “Nothing In Life Is Free.”

The Benefits of this Technique

Most dogs assume a neutral or submissive role toward people, but some dogs will challenge their owners for dominance. Requiring a dominant dog to work for everything he wants is a safe, non-confrontational way to establish control.

Dogs who may never display aggressive behavior such as growling, snarling, or snapping may still manage to manipulate you. These dogs may display affectionate behavior that borders on being “pushy,” such as nudging your hand to be petted or “worming” their way onto the furniture to be close to you. This technique gently reminds the dog that he must abide by your rules.

Fearful dogs may become more confident by obeying commands. Having a strong leader and knowing his place in the hierarchy helps to make the submissive dog feel more secure.

Why This Technique Works

Animals who live in groups, like dogs, establish a social structure within the group called a dominance hierarchy. This dominance hierarchy serves to maintain order, reduce conflict, and promote cooperation among pack members. To ensure that your home is a safe and happy place for pets and people, it’s best that the humans in the household assume the highest positions in the dominance hierarchy. Practicing “Nothing In Life Is Free” gently and effectively communicates to your dog that his position in the hierarchy is subordinate to yours.

From your dog’s point of view, children also have a place in this hierarchy. Because children are small and can get down on the dog’s level to play, dogs often consider them to be playmates rather than superiors. With the supervision of an adult, it’s a good idea to encourage children in the household who are eight years or older to also practice “Nothing In Life Is Free” with the family dog.

Positive Reinforcement

We all like to be praised rather than punished. The same is true for your dog, and that’s the theory behind positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement means giving your pet something pleasant or rewarding immediately after she does something you want her to do. Because your praise or reward makes her more likely to repeat that behavior in the future, it is one of your most powerful tools for shaping or changing your dog’s behavior. Correct timing is essential when using positive reinforcement. The reward must occur immediately–within seconds–or your pet may not associate it with the proper action. For example, if you have your dog “sit” but reward her after she’s already stood back up, she’ll think she’s being rewarded for standing up.

Consistency is also essential. Everyone in the family should use the same commands. It might help to post these where everyone can become familiar with them. The most commonly used commands for dogs are:

“sit”

“stay”

“down” (which means “lie down”)

“off” (which means “get off of me” or “get off the furniture”)

“stand”

“come”

“heel” (or “let’s go” or “with me”)

“leave it” – note from Kristin: I don’t recommend Leave It because they shouldn’t grab anything off the floor without your permission. Otherwise they might find medication or something that could harm them without you realizing it.

“settle”

Consistency means always rewarding the desired behavior and never rewarding undesired behavior.

Using Positive Reinforcement

For your pet, positive reinforcement may include food treats, praise, petting, or a favorite toy or game. Food treats work especially well for training your dog. A treat should be enticing and irresistible to your pet. It should be a very small, soft piece of food, so that she will immediately gulp it down and look to you for more. If you give her something she has to chew or that breaks into bits and falls on the floor, she’ll be looking around the floor, not at you. Small pieces of soft commercial treats, hot dogs, cheese, or cooked chicken or beef have all proven successful. Experiment a bit to see what works best for your pet. You can carry the treats in a pocket or fanny pack. Each time you use a food reward, you should couple it with a verbal reward (praise). Say something like, “Good dog,” in a positive, happy tone of voice. Some pets may not be interested in food treats. For those pets, the reward could be in the form of a toy or brief play.

When your pet is learning a new behavior, she should be rewarded every time she does the behavior, which means continuous reinforcement. It may be necessary to use a technique called “shaping” with your pet, which means reinforcing something close to the desired response and then gradually requiring more from your dog before she gets the treat. For example, if you’re teaching your dog to “shake hands,” you may initially reward her for lifting her paw off the ground, then for lifting it higher, then for touching your hand, then for letting you hold her paw, and finally, for actually “shaking hands” with you.

Intermittent reinforcement can be used once your pet has reliably learned the behavior. At first, reward her with the treat three out of every four times she does the behavior. Then, over time, reward her about half the time, then about a third of the time, and so on, until you’re only rewarding her occasionally with the treat. Continue to praise her every time—although once your dog has learned the behavior, your praise can be less effusive, such as a quiet, but positive, “Good dog.” Use a variable schedule of reinforcement so that she doesn’t catch on that she only has to respond every other time. Your pet will soon learn that if she keeps responding, eventually she’ll get what she wants–your praise and an occasional treat.

By understanding reinforcement, you’ll see that you’re not forever bound to carry a pocketful of goodies. Your dog will soon be working for your verbal praise, because she really does want to please you and knows that, occasionally, she’ll get a treat, too. There are many small opportunities to reinforce her behavior. You may have her “sit” before letting her out the door (which helps prevent door-darting), before petting her (which helps prevent jumping up on people), or before feeding her. Give her a pat or a “Good dog” for lying quietly by your feet, or slip a treat into a Kong^®-type toy when she’s chewing it instead of your shoe.

The Pros and Cons of Punishment

Punishment can be verbal, postural, or physical, and it means giving your pet something unpleasant immediately after she does something you don’t want her to do. The punishment makes it less likely that the behavior will occur again. To be effective, punishment must be delivered while your pet is engaged in the undesirable behavior – in other words, “caught in the act.” If the punishment is delivered too late, even seconds later, your pet will not associate the punishment with the undesired behavior.

Punishment delivered by you may erode your dog’s trust. That’s why punishment is most effective when it does not come directly from you. For example, after your dog acts in an undesirable way, use a shake can, an air horn, or keys–but don’t draw attention to the fact that the noise comes from you. If your dog perceives her “environment,” instead of you, to be delivering the punishment, she’ll be more likely to avoid the behavior even when you’re not around.

In addition, if you’re too late in administering it, punishment will seem totally unpredictable to your dog. She’s likely to become fearful, distrustful, and/or aggressive, which will only lead to more behavior problems. What we humans often interpret as “guilty” looks are actually submissive postures by our pets. Animals don’t have a moral sense of right and wrong, but they are adept at associating your presence, and the presence of a mess, with punishment.

If you’ve tried punishment and it hasn’t worked, you should definitely stop using punishment and use only positive reinforcement instead. And never use physical punishment that involves some level of discomfort or even pain, which may cause your pet to bite to defend herself. Holding the neck skin and shaking your dog, or performing “alpha rolls” (forcing your dog onto her back and pinning her on the floor), are both likely to result in bites. Also, punishment might be associated with other stimuli, including people, that are present at the time the punishment occurs. For example, a pet who is punished for getting too close to a small child may become fearful of, or aggressive to, that child–or to other children. That’s why physical punishment is not only bad for your pet, it’s also bad for you and others.

From the Human Society of the United States
http://www.hsus.org/pets/