The answer is: Yes.

Which begs the question of how firmly you should correct your dog—which is something that differs from dog to dog.

Here’s a hint: You’ll figure it out by practicing with your dog. (If you haven’t already, please review the: Three Keys To Successful Behavior Modification chapter in my book). However, the issue is not “Should I correct a dog that has been abused in the past” but rather “When I’m communicating to my dog when he’s done something incorrectly—how firmly should I correct him?”

And the answer to this question is: Only firmly enough to extinguish the unwanted behavior and communicate to the dog that he shouldn’t do it again. Like I mentioned: You’ll learn this by practicing with your dog. If you employ the concepts of timing, consistency and motivation—you’ll have nothing to worry about and your dog will gain confidence and self-assuredness from your efforts.

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