Honest evaluation

First do no harm.  I like that as a mantra.
 
Honestly, most of the time I am quite calm with the dogs.  I might increase my volume depending on the situation, but for the most part and eh eh or that'll do is all it takes.  Off lead in the woods and fields, now and then I do speak someones name (like when someone looks they they are ready to chase the deer or turkeys) and I'll increase the volume to a) be heard and b) convey my displeasure.
 
The one and only time I ever lost it was with then Sadie when we were moving.   She was about 8 months old at the time.  I had her on a tie out and she kept leaping on me and actually laid my forearm wide open with her nails.  And I snapped and slapped her.  Hard.  And immediately felt like a total butt.  Luckily, her new mom has a more stable temper with Trinity.

I will admit that by the time a REAL correction is needed, I'm pretty pissed off, but that doesn't stop me from keeping my corrections fair.
 
When it's little things, like Strauss lagging or forging, I'm relaxed, and my posture is confident and sure.  When it gets to the point where Strauss is being a real jerk and I get bit (agility), at that point, I've absolutely had it, and my correction, as I view it, is completely fair considering what he does (bites).

My corrections tend to fall into the category of "absence of a reward".  So, I think the "First, do no harm" is excellent as a mantra, too.  And, I have not noticed that approach leading to a mutiny by my dogs LOL.  They are pretty darn well behaved considering how little time I actually have to spend on training (the "shoemaker's kid has no shoes"). 
I am stunned by the harshness I have seen students display even in class when they are embarrassed by something that a dog has done or failed to do, and I often wonder how they act when they are home alone with that poor pup and no one is watching.  I "correct" the humans in my classes, and try to give them good alternatives, but I fear the "quick fix" mentality is here to stay. 
It is good hearted people like we have here that actually care, and try to insure that they are fair to their dogs, after having made a concerted effort to "explain" to the dog what is required in a way that the dog can understand.
We are on our way to a more humane world when we keep such a mantra at the forefront.  Kudos to you, mrv, for bringing it up.

I'll be completely frank. One of the (many) reasons I "crossed over" to more positive methods is exactly becuase I was beginning to scare myself.  When you have a really big dog, you can begin to justify using a terrifying amount of force with them. And if you let it get personal between you and your dogs (which is a human psychological problem I see with dominance theories in general), it can really go to some bad places.
 
In theory are the more physical and punivitive methods encouraging of this behavior on the part of the humans involved? Mostly no, I don't think so. But we are human. We have egos and we take things pretty personally just as it is. Someone coming along and then telling you that every disobedient thing your dog does is because they don't respect you enough just adds fuel to a fire that is already burning pretty steadily in the vast majority of us. All of the stuff after that first nugget of information is likely to just become, "Blah blah blah show the dog who's boss." That's the take-away message, intended or not.
 
There's a pro-spanking book out there (no, really, there is) that advises the parents to not spank in anger, to only spank when they are calm and collected. Uh, yeah. Okay. How often do you really think that happens? Once you get the go-ahead to spank your kids from a professional, the rest just becomes, "Blah blah blah teach the kid a lesson."  Incidentally, the maniac who wrote that particular book has a nice long passage about throwing down with his (small breed if I remember correctly) dog over some really minor infraction, because the dog, "had to be shown who's boss."

Hmmm...an honest evaluation....I would say that when I am teaching a new behavior I remain calm and under control even if things aren't going as planned. If my dog isn't "getting" it I know its something that I am doing so change what I am doing. For me, it helps to stay calm otherwise it becomes hard to "think outside the box". I think when I am more likely to not stay calm is when the dogs "misbehave" around the house, for example Dasher loves to jump on our sliding glass door. Sometimes I lose my cool and raise my voice. I certainly hate it when I lose it as I know its completely counter productive, but I am guilty.

MRV - I like your mantra as well []

only spank when they are calm and collected. Uh, yeah. Okay. How often do you really think that happens?

 
I think I have only ever delivered punishments when I was frustrated and irritated and fed up. If I'm calm and feel in control, I can always think of another way to handle the situation. So maybe that would be the "right" time to issue a correction but funny how that's when I never seem to need to.

If I do have to correct and use the word "No!", its because they are doing something dangerous, yes my voice is raised, and they definitely listen up and stop what they are doing on the spot.  It is so rare that I actually say "no", I think it kind of shocks them into stillness.  I don't use the word "no", or any other correction for that matter, while we are working, whether it be in agility or obedience. 

I am very quick tempered, so I am fully aware that I have to stay calm, even though I am fuming.  I have to keep repeating "stay calm" to myself during a problem.  I do raise my voice to regain control of a situation or to get the dogs attention when they are running through the trails in the pasture.  Short of that their punishment is simply to ignore the behavior that I do not want.

I would suggest that alone supports a positive training approach

 
I agree completely. The moments that a correction/aversive could be called into play are generally the moments when I'm upset and frustrated - not  good combo in terms of administering the correction properly. Our relationship is much better off if I deal with those moments by walking away and trying again later when our heads are cleared (depending on the situation of course).

First do no harm......how I wish everyone would read that! Such a great, truthful expression.

Honestly, the extent of ANY correction I do is negative punishment - withholding an opportunity for reward. So it's not hard for me to really not get too into the moment, as I just don't ever apply physical corrections to my dogs.

In saying that, like anyone else, I'm human. Yes, if I'm cranky in the morning the dog's normally adorable excited dances might annoy me (although more times than not they get me out of my bad mood, to see the happiness they have no matter what happens, or how much sleep they seem to have gotten!). Yes, the dogs howling in joyful unison outside might make me want to throw a frying pan through the window. Yes, I do get irritated at times.

But I do not take it out on my dogs (I might yell out the door to the backyard to Quiet down...but it's more for my own release than for an effective response....they don't care if I yell...lol....). Ever. If I notice that, for any reason, I'm getting to a point where my own emotions/frustrations/anger are interfering with my general relationship with my dog, I quit. I leave the situation and calm down, and go back to it later, ensuring the dog is safe of course. Of course this doesn't happen in training, so I have no worries of getting out of hand. This only applies in the real world when I happen to have a bad day like the next person.

Kim MacMillan

when I'm actually training, I'm always very calm and matter-of-fact. I've found the more training I do, the calmer I have gotten, even with irritating co-workers. I haven't been tempted to deliver a harsh correction for years.
 
If something really unpleasant is going on, like a dog darting out into the road or a horse bolting off,  that's a "management situation", not a training situation.  I react, and am certainly NOT calm. Often screaming happens.

I come from a long line of yellers. Yelling just comes naturally to me. Our family never yells at friends, coworkers, anyone else. Just other family members. So naturally, I yelled at the dog. It didn't work, but that didn't stop me from doing it.

Then, I learned more about dogs. How they tune out the yelling. How they read our body language. Now, I can get 10X better results with a quiet "no." Works for the kids, too!

I learned that by watching CM (gasp!) and reading McConnell (really!) oh no - she mentioned them both in the same sentence! The world is coming to and end!) [] (Just havin' a little fun with ya!) But really. I learned from both. They both really got me to connect back with how I used to work with horses. It's all in the attitude.

oh no - she mentioned them both in the same sentence! The world is coming to and end!)

No, but I'm waiting for that hole to appear in the time/space continuum any second now . . .[sm=rotfl.gif]