My pup has been very naughty recently, and I am considering spraying water on him for training. But, should I spray my dog with water? Will it help to train him or make him aggressive? I will answer this question for you in the article below
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It’s not a good idea to spray water on your dog. This will instead do more harm than good to your dog and might make it more aggressive. Spraying water on the dog is an age-old training and punishing method to get rid of a dog’s bad habits.
But with more enlightened views on dog training and the use of punishment methods as compared to positive methods and treats is becoming more common these days.
Dog owners should beware of using spraying as a punishment technique, instead, it should only be a training mechanism intended for indicating right or wrong behavior. Let us look at why spraying with water can have many problems in dog training, and how effective this technique actually is.
How Effective Is Water Spraying Technique?
It will only be helpful if your dog understands it as a training technique, rather than taking it as a punishment.
Your dog’s personality and how he grasps things determines how effective or ineffective using water spray will be. The outcome of this training method varies from one dog to another one. Some of them are fine when water is sprayed on their face.
If you want to test your dog, you can spray water on their face when he does something that shouldn’t be done. Once you spray water on their face, you can note your dog’s reaction. This will help you understand whether training is practical or not. They might enjoy it or get frightened due to this.
Spraying With Water Shouldn’t Be Done As A Punishment
Your dog should see it as a kind of distraction, not a punishment for poor behavior. Otherwise, it may start to cause anxiety and phobias in your dog.
You should spray water on your dog only if not misbehaving. This should be done as a form of training only. You shouldn’t perform it as a punishment or when your dog misbehaves. It is not done to hurt them.
Many people consider it to be a form of punishment. Punishment always has a certain kind of pain. It can be either emotional or physical. However, spraying water on your dog is not a form of punishment.
It is done to interrupt them while performing an inappropriate or unwanted act. So, it is essentially a distraction to take them away from a bad habit. It is also used to make them believe that they are doing something wrong.
Behaviors You Can Correct With Water Spray
Using water spray is a method through which you can avoid inappropriate behavior of your pet dog and correct them. However, this technique should be used when they are performing bad habits. Don’t try to use it as a form of punishment if they have performed an inappropriate act.
If you try this once they have done the wrong thing, the dogs won’t understand it. It’s effective to get rid of bad behavior, so you can do this while doing something wrong. Here is a list of bad habits you can get rid of by spraying water on their face.
Train them to stop biting anyone
Do you have a pet dog that frequently bites everyone and other animals? Maybe his teeth are just popping out, and he is teething, or he is old and has adopted this behavior- whatever is the case, you can effortlessly correct it. Just try to ensure that you take all the correct steps and the right associations.
To stop his fight with other dogs
Dogs usually fight with each other. It is a common way in which they play with each other, but it can often turn out to be severe and result in many injuries and wounds—spraying water on both of them while fighting can divert their minds from each other.
To stop them from pouncing on furniture
Dogs love to sit peacefully and relax. They even try to imitate and act like human beings. They are always interested in bedding on the couch and sofas. Some pet owners might not be very comfortable with it. The primary reason is they shed a lot of hair, and it can cause potential respiratory ailments.
A better way through which you can teach your dog not to jump on the furniture is to spray water on them instead of scolding them in a harsh voice. He will adopt that it is wrong behavior and we should not follow it.
To train them to stop barking
Barking is normal; however, some dogs start barking badly when they are afraid of something. This is the well-known reason why small dogs bark often. If you have a dog who frequently barks when the doorbell rings or when someone new enters the house, then you need to stop them from doing this.
Teaching your dog that barking is not good behavior can be done only with frequent and consistent training. Each time he starts barking uselessly, you can spray water on their face. If you do this more often, they will understand that it isn’t appreciated. Spraying water on their face can be an excellent way to get rid of their bad behavior.
Can I Spray My Dog With White Vinegar And Water?
It is a good technique to remove bacterial infections.
Spraying formulas of vinegar and water might sound strange; however, it has multiple advantages for your pet dog. It can treat skin irritation and remove foul odors. Vinegar also helps to prevent ear problems that occur in dogs.
Spraying vinegar can help them keep skin problems like bacterial infection and rashes at bay. It not only stabilizes the blood pressure levels but also helps to boost the immune system. You just need to pay attention to the quantity of vinegar and water and mix it in the proper proportion.
Should I Spray My Dog With Water?
Yes, but only as a behavior modification technique and as a distraction, not to hurt them physically because they are doing something you don’t like.
Spraying water on the face of the dogs is usually done to interrupt lousy behavior if they are performing any. It should not be done frequently when they make any mistake.
Dogs copy the behavior of other dogs and are known to adopt it very quickly. Thus, make sure that you are doing this not to hurt them emotionally or physically and treat it just as a form of a bad habit.
Why Do Dogs Like Irish Spring?
They love its smell.
Irish Spring soap is rich in vitamin E. It not only smells good but also comforts your pet dog. The fantastic aroma of the Irish spring is the primary reason why dogs like Irish spring.
To mask their smell, they try to lick or be around any other scent with the sole purpose. The intense fragrance attracts them, and thus dogs like Irish spring.
Why Do Dogs Like Water Bottles?
Water bottles are great for chewing with their teeth.
Dogs like chewing, and this is the main reason why their teeth shine white and stay healthy. Plastic bottles can be handled adequately by the dogs, and they can rotate them conveniently.
The crackle of the plastic bottle is what dogs like to play with and sharpen their teeth. When they bite, it makes a crunching sound mesmerizing for them.
Final Words
We as dog owners always want our dogs to adopt good behaviors and stay happy and enthusiastic. The one thing that is always in our minds is keeping their destructive behaviors away from them.
You can spray water on their face if you want to interrupt them while performing a bad thing or making a mistake, but this is not advisable most of the time. Spraying vinegar water is also an option, and it has multiple benefits for dogs.
Irish Spring is a soap with a strong aroma, which is why they like it. You will also understand why dogs like chewing Water bottles. Thank you for reading, we hope we answered all your questions! You may also like to read about other training methods such as How To Keep Dogs Out Of Flower Pots? And How To Get My Dog To Leave My Rabbit Alone?