There are many different punishments and discouragements for getting your dog to learn the difference between right and wrong, and there are many dog trainers that will tell you that their method is the best way or that a different type of punishment, whether it be positive or negative punishment, is better than the method you're using now.

Dogs need punishment to keep them in order and to teach them what is acceptable and what is not, without some form of punishment there would be no way of showing your dog these things, no way of training them, and no way to control unacceptable behavior from your dog.

There are two types of punishment for your dogs; there are positive punishments and negative punishments. Positive punishments are punishments when you give you dog something, for example giving a tug on the leash or verbal correction. Negative punishments are when you take away something your dog needs or expects such as treats or toys or having the dog be taken away from you.

I am a strong believer that positive punishments should only be used in moderation or not at all, serious injuries to your dog's safety and health may occur by over using or incorrectly using positive punishment. There is no dog training exercise that cannot be accomplished by using the negative punishment.

For dog safety reasons I will only talk about negative punishments and dog punishments that I would use and are fully safe for your dogs. 9 times out of 10 positive punishments cause your dog to react in a similar way towards other people or the owner. If you are going to use positive punishment it is highly recommended that you consult a professional dog trainer before doing so.

The most popular and some of the best negative punishment are listed below and should be enforced within 10 seconds or so of the crime being committed to have any affect and to avoid your dog getting confused about the crime they committed.

Time out:

Take your dog to a room cut off from other family members and any attention for a short period of time.

Take away toys:

Stop your dog from having any toys for a short period of time.

Ignore your dog:

Totally ignore your dog for a period of time so they get no attention, fuss, or eye contact.

No treats:

Don't give your dog the treat he would have normally had for good behavior