A training approach that has been used for decades is spraying a dog with a water bottle to correct unwanted behavior.
Some of them become so frightened of being sprayed between the eyes that they develop a terror of the spray bottle. When that spray bottle comes out, they will storm into the other room before even getting a squirt.
Although some people think this technique is ineffective, there are instances when a spray bottle or water cannon can be a successful training tool.
Spraying With Water As a Punishment
Spraying with water in the act of misbehaving should only be done for training purposes. It should not be used as a form of punishment. It’s not meant to hurt them.
Punishment is frequently associated with some form of pain (emotional or physical). Spraying a dog with a squirt gun or a water bottle isn’t supposed to do that. It’s meant to stop them from doing something unwanted.
Its purpose is to teach them that what they’re doing is wrong and will result in negative repercussions.
Adding Vinegar into the Water
Many wonder if adding vinegar or lemon juice to the water is okay. The answer is no. This is ineffective at teaching and will cause discomfort to them. While experiencing the effects of vinegar in the eye, they will not grasp or remember your message. You should not do this in any circumstances.
However, it actually has a lot of advantages for your pet. It’s a safe and effective technique to deal with a range of issues that your pet can encounter. Vinegar can be used to cure minor skin irritations and prevent ear infections. White vinegar and apple cider vinegar are both beneficial. However, they are commonly utilized in distinct ways.
Before and after a walk to the park or woods, a brief spritz of apple cider vinegar will help keep fleas and ticks from accompanying your pet home. Spray the vinegar mixture on your pet’s bed and any other areas of the house where dog odors have accumulated.
Vinegar can also be used to clean your pet’s food and water bowls.
But suppose vinegar comes into touch with their eyes or mouth. In that case, it might damage the cornea of the eye, resulting in temporary blindness. So spraying it on your pet’s face is definitely not a good idea.
It May Not Work For Every Dog
The personality of the dog will determine the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of utilizing water spray as a training approach. Some of them don’t mind getting sprayed with water on their faces. Others will be terrified or sufficiently disturbed for the method to work.
It’s a good idea to put this to the test on your dog first. When they are doing something they shouldn’t be doing, sprinkle them a couple of times with water and see how they react.
How This Technique Works
Associate the Water with the Unpleasant Behavior
The dog must associate getting sprayed with bad behavior to grasp the activity you want him to quit.
This is why it’s critical to maintain consistency in training and to limit the use of water to instances of bad behavior and not before or after.
Associate a Word or Noise with the Water Spray
It’s helpful to correlate the usage of the water spray with the word “NO” or another word/noise. The water itself is intended to surprise the dog and attract their attention to get them to quit the negative behavior. It will irritate the majority of them.
You should have a command to use every time you spray your pet with water to let them know they are doing something wrong.
The goal is to get them to the point where they won’t require a bottle of water. The water spray will eventually be replaced with your command. You’ll be able to use your voice to order the dog and grab their attention without having to use the spray.
Some Behaviors You Can Correct with Water Spray
1- To Stop the Them From Barking
Dogs are wonderful pets that may help you unwind after a long day. If you’re continuously annoyed by his bark, though, this can soon backfire.
It’s common for dogs to bark, although certain breeds bark more than others. Smaller dogs are more likely to bark frequently, while larger dogs do so occasionally.
It can be aggravating to have a dog that barks at the doorbell sound, people walking outside, automobiles passing by, and other unexpected sounds.
Consistent training might help your pet understand that barking is not something you want him to do. A smart technique to get the word through is to use water spray.
Spraying a dog with a water bottle to stop them from barking is a good short-term solution. It causes no pain or trauma to the dogs.
Say “calm” and shower them with water during a barking rant. Your pet’s concentration is broken by the unexpected mist of water, which causes him to cease barking. Reward him lavishly when he’s calm.
You may not be able to stop him from barking, but if you are consistent, you should be able to reduce his barking by at least half.
You must be present for this to work and sprinkle him with water every time he barks. So that he understands, use your command.
2- To Stop Them Dog From Biting
Whether he is young and teething or older and simply doesn’t know any better, you can use water spray to correct this behavior. Just make sure you’re making the right associations.
3- To Stop Them From Fighting
Dogs get into fights from time to time. It’s usually just how they play, but it may also be dangerous and result in many injuries. Spraying two fighting dogs with water may be an effective way to divert their focus from one another.
But, on the other hand, you’re taking a significant risk. According to most behaviorists, fear is the most common cause of dog-to-dog or dog-to-human aggression. So the dogs might attack you if you frighten them by spraying water.
4- To Stop Them From Chewing
If your pet is chewing on your belongings, try spraying them with water when you notice them doing so.
They frequently chew when we are not around. If this is the case, consider leaving chewable objects in the house for your pet to find. Do this at times when you know you’ll be able to catch him in the act.
5- To Stop Them From Jumping On Furniture
Dogs enjoy lounging. Many dogs act as if they are humans. It’s no surprise that they enjoy sitting in our chairs, sofas, and even beds.
This is not something that every dog owner is comfortable with, especially if the dog sheds a lot of hair.
Spraying a dog with water and shouting “NO” in a firm voice is a good approach to educate him not to jump on your furniture.
After being sprayed for a few days/weeks, he’ll understand and probably won’t jump on furniture.
6- To Stop Them From Jumping on People
Other training approaches can help most dogs learn to quit jumping on people. This can be difficult for certain dogs.
When your pet leaps on people, you can spray them with water, which may cause your guests to become wet. It’s probably not the finest behavior to fix with a water gun, but it’s doable!
When to Not To Use Water Spray Technique
1- If They Like Getting Sprayed
Some dogs who have a lot of energy can like being splashed with water in the face. It will provide them with enjoyable stimulation and feel like a game.
Water spray as an obedience training approach isn’t a smart idea if your dog is like this. It’s not going to work.
2- If They Are Too Fearful
Water spray won’t work on certain dogs since they are too afraid of it. These are those who have been traumatized or suffer from psychological problems. Trauma can result from a traumatic experience as a puppy, being taken to an animal shelter, being jumped by other dogs, and a variety of other events.
If it does not stop the behavior, it risks turning into abuse. Even a squirt of water has the potential to be abusive. If you spray a sensitive dog, he may develop a fear of water or bottles in general. Bath time and other medical procedures requiring a bottle use will become battlegrounds.
When some fearful dogs are doused with water, they experience a fear-based, shocked-like reaction. Some of them shake noticeably, which can cause them to be bothered for hours. This is a rare occurrence, but don’t use this method if they have a violent reaction to being sprayed with water.
3- If Another Training Method is Being Used
Water spraying isn’t the only way to teach them to obey. However, it should be used on its own.
If you use this technique, be sure it’s the only one you’re using.
4- If You Can’t Be Consistent
The water-spray approach is only successful if it is applied regularly. This strategy may generate effects if used only a few times or for a few days. Still, they may return to the unpleasant behavior sooner or later.
And if you are living with other people, ensure everyone understands the training. The more people there are, the more likely unpleasant behavior will be caught in the act and corrected.
Spend time educating them using this method and the other person in your house fails to correct them. The dog will receive confusing messages.
Conclusion
To summarize, when it comes to obedience training, using only water to spray your dog is a safe and effective method. It is only when chemicals are introduced to the water that it becomes dangerous (like vinegar).
However, keep in mind that this water spray method does not work for all of them. It depends on the dog’s attitude and how he reacts to water spraying. Some of them might even enjoy or have a traumatic fearful reaction. If it works, you should test this method and use it as often as necessary.
Everyone in your house should know the aims and training approach if you are training your pet. They will be confused about the expectations if everyone takes a different approach. Make a behavior strategy for your animal friend and ensure everyone knows how to carry it out.
Also, be careful not to overdo it. If this method fails, punishing them in this way rather than using it to train them could be deemed abuse.
