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There are no dumb or too analytical questions. In fact that is an excellent question. There is a place for a “no” marker. It’s used almost how you described above except we use the “no” as a chance for the dog to fix itself if confused or made an honest mistake. Your command structure is good, the only tweek would be not giving any correction on the “no”. It would look like “Kimba” – “place” – (he doesnt do it) – “no” (without any body language, or correction, you’re a statue so to speak) – then if he doesn’t done it – “command with correction”. The no is just a marker, to mark the wrong behavior. You have to teach the dog the “no”. Meaning the dog needs to learn that if he does the wrong thing you will mark it with the “no” and then 100 percent of the time you will follow up with “command and correction” if he does not “fix” himself. If the dog does correct himself on the “no” you just give lots of praise. You will know the dog has learned and understands the “no” when you use it and the dog “fixes” himself and you do not have to follow it up with help. The “no” is a conditioned punished. The dog will come to learn that when he hears “no” if he doesn’t fix himself you will follow up every time with “command and correction/help”. This way it’s predictable and the dog will start responding to the “no” without actually having to be corrected. In using the “no” this way, we are being fair to the dog. The dog won’t have to worry about walking around in eggshells if it makes an honest mistake. He will know you will give him a fair chance to fix himself without worrying about being corrected all the time. Having said that, once you teach the “no” by simply following through in the way above, you then use the “no” to your discretion. If the dog is blatantly just flipping you the bird so to speak because there’s something else it wants….you just skip the no and go straight to command and correction. If you see the dog is trying or just made an honest mistake or forgot and did the wrong thing you would use the “no”. So if a dog was lunging at another dog im going to skip the “no”. If doing some obedience around the home and I see tge dog is reallyvtrting i will use it. Also Its important not to ever poison the “name” or the “no” by correcting when you use them. You don’t want a jumpy dog. Also you only use the “no” one time. As well as the name one time before any new command. If the dog isn’t paying attention he will learn to because you will teach him you will be fair and consistent and will always follow through the same way. Remember the “no” just means “wrong, try again” so it should be spoken softly like anything else. It’s not to repremand.
I hope that helps. If you have any further questions let me know. Sorry for the long run on explanation…its hard when typing in my phone to go back and correct without loosing what I’ve written lol.
