Time Out - does it work with dogs?

I am increasingly seeing people say they give their dog `time out` when they do something undesirable.
Now I`ve never done this and am interested to know if it works - and if so, how?
I can see it is useful for the owner - to give them time to recover their cool and plan what to do but I can`t see what it does to teach the dog anything.
My gut feeling is that it`s a spillover from Supernanny and she always explains to the child why it`s happening first, which you obviously can`t do with a dog.
So - is it useful? or pointless?

I personally thinks it works, i used it with my deaf bullie when she was a pup, and still do if shes naughty

If Betty was ever doing anything she wasn't meant to be doing, the more you waved your arms and hands around, the more she thought it was a game and loved the attention.
So we found having her on a house line, and just picking it up and walking her out of the room. There was no contacted and she got no reaction from us. We would leave her out of the room for 5 or 10 mins, then would let her back into the room.
It would take about 10 or 15 times to start with, but she soon got the message.

This method only works though, if you do it every single time they do something undesireable, if you go in half hearted it will not work.

Phew, big question. Depends what you mean by time out.

Time outs can be anything from half a second to enforced calm down time for an over-tired/over stimulated pup.

Used properly (as with everything else) they work.

When I see it mentioned it is putting the dog in a crate or a closed room for 15 minutes or so.
As I say - I`m just curious as to why?

I have seen 'time out' suggested for a number of behavioural problems sometimes what I would consider to be inappropriately.

I think it may have a place in certain circumstances but not for what I would really consider to be 'undesirable' behaviour, just normal behaviour for instance when you have a puppy and an older dog and the play is becoming too boisterous I would give both dogs a break from each other.

I have seen it suggested for teaching BI but to my mind by the time you have removed the puppy to another place seconds have elapsed and it will not connect being removed with the unwanted behaviour. Far better to remove yourself, an instantaneous act which can be connected by the puppy to the behaviour.

I would says sometimes by instigating 'time out' you are actually missing the opportunity to train the puppy not to perform a behaviour.

yes, I have seen it most when puppies are involved and like you, Mini, I tend to think the instant response works better.

I suppose it only works when the dog wants to be in your vicinity---I remember doing it with an autistic girl who fought and screamed when she was at a table with a group or in any other group situation----of course it didn't work because she wanted to be away from the group! I did eventually have the lightbulb moment!

I used it with a springer who eventually put himself away after jumping up me in my chair and biting me for attention. It did work though as he stopped eventually and found different ways to annoy me (in the way of all springers )

I sometimes do it to relieve my feelings---like when Benj and Champa had a handbags and Champas nose got bitten. Apart from anything else my feet were in the way and that makes me VERY cross!

I only do about 5 mins though.

rune

i do it and it works. its just to calm asbo down more though than anything, but he soon learnt to stop pulling on daphnis ears and neck when we were out on walks.

the minute he started to bite and tug at her, he would get clipped back on the lead, while the other two were running about which he didnt like. he would be on the lead for 1 minute or 2, then be let off again.

we have now started doing it for when he humps dogs. the second he starts her gets put on his lead, pulled away and ignored for 2 minutes. he soon learns that doing it makes him get taken away from playing.

I'll remove myself for between 10 and 30 seconds if Rupe gets out of control. It isn't a time out like you'd give a child because you CAN'T explain to a dog why you're doing it or what you're doing. It's simply a "you do this, I leave" response to behaviour that's unacceptable. 10-30 seconds is long enough that it gets that message across without being long enough for a dog to get up to much mischief.

I used it a lot for Rupe's jumping up and biting. If he wouldn't redirect onto a toy I left the room, counted to 10 and went back in. Repeated if necessary. Same with jumping up, he jumped up, I left. Catching the dog and putting it into a time out in the crate or another room can easily turn it into an even more fun game so far better imo to simply remove yourself.

I've only used it for attention seeking type behaviours and when the dog is too out of control to redirect to something appropriate. I can't remember the last time I used it with Rupert, it's been a long time.

So I`m wondering if it`s more for the benefit of the handler? Time to regroup?