I address each dog by name before scolding or commanding. But when I am telling my puppy NO for something, my older dog stops what he is doing and vice versa. Besides saying their name first, is there a better way for each dog to know if I am talking to them or to the other dog?
Just some advise, you shouldn't use your dogs name before scolding them in anyway. They will learn that their name can be bad and could not listen to you when you want them to, or need them to. Even if you use it before reinforcing a behavior, using it before punishing as well will confuse them and throw off their training.
My dog has a tendency to always follow commands, even when I'm giving them to someone else! If calling them by name isn't working, get closer to the puppy you're commanding and try to get their eye contact before the command, putting your back to the older dog. If they don't have a tendency to bite, you can also gently tap their nose when scolding. If the other dog still thinks he's getting scolded, make it a point to separate the dogs, give the behaving one some pats or a treat, and use soothing tones. Don't leave the behaving one alone because he might think he did something wrong, so after giving a treat, etc, let the dogs back in the same room together. Over time these tactics combined with using their names should eventually work - it may just take a while to sink in, especially for a young pup!
Great advice, i will try that!
For general training, you have to work with each dog individually until they understand the new concept before trying to work with them together. When I'm working with both of my dogs together, I use clear language, eye contact, and hand signals to indicate who I'm addressing. It's harder with corrections or interruptions of behavior because they do have to be more sudden and usually without setting up one dog to listen. You may have more luck training both dogs with a "leave it" cue that works as a general "stop that thing you're doing" command. If you frame your corrections as directions, telling the dogs what you want them to do, then you don't have to worry about the negative associations that come with scolding.
I've trained both dogs quite a bit individually for "leave it" and when they're together I'll work on focusing the cue at one dog. With a handful of treats I'll go through the following exercise:
"Carys, leave it."
hand treat to Aster
"Good girl, Carys! Yes!"
treat to Carys for following the cue
"Aster, leave it."
hand treat to Carys
"Good girl, Aster!"
treat to Aster for following the cue
Etc, etc, varying which dog leaves it and which gets treated, so both are practicing restraint and getting rewarded frequently. Then we'll do the same exercise but with dropping the treats on the ground and releasing one dog to get it while the other leaves it. I use my "wait" hand signal aimed at the dog who is leaving it to remind them they are following the cue. Once both dogs are clear on the concept, then you can start to expand "leave it" to mean a more generic set of things, like chewing on something inappropriate, or chasing the cat, or play biting. That way you can use your targeted "leave it" cue without interrupting the other dog or tainting their name, because following the command has resulted in a reward.
You could follow a similar exercise with a different cue, like "go to bed/go lay down" which could also be useful for interrupting bad behavior and replacing it with a good behavior. Even "no" doesn't have to be tainted, so long as it isn't used in anger and they've been rewarded in the past for listening when you use it.
Call them by name before saying your command and makensure you have their attention with eye contact. For examplr "Bella, stay with me" make sure when u say the dogs name (bella)..she looks.up at you. Also..some dogs will follow commands even if not directed towards them.