Anyone who has ever owned a pet is familiar with the phrases “bad dog” and “no!” Dogs are a lot like children. They often make impulsive decisions that fall under the category of bad behaviors. This can impact your whole household, especially if your dog barks, bites and chews. Thankfully, correcting and preventing bad behavior is easy to do if you have patience and the right advice.
One common problem is an over-zealous dog jumping and kissing you when you walk in the door. You might like her excited greeting, but it is not good to have your dog jump your guests. The last thing you want is for someone to get hurt or feel intimidated. Train your dog not to jump on others. Do not reward him for jumping when someone comes through the door. You can help prevent this by not giving him positive feedback when he jumps, yelps and licks you in greeting. You can also restrain your dog when visitors arrive at your home, or teach the dog to learn the command “sit” when someone comes to the door.
Dogs bark because they want to communicate. And just like humans, they tend to talk a lot! Barking can be useful to pet owners, since they may alert your to an intruder or inform you when something is wrong. Barking crosses the line, however, when the dog is just barking to hear his own voice! If your dog barks at strangers or other dogs, thats totally appropriate. But when shes barking to get your attention or because shes bored, youll want to curb that behavior. Yelling at the dog wont work, shell bark right back at you. Instead, try to understand what seems to be the problem. If he has excess energy, go for a walk or take him out to play.
Theres nothing like coming home from a long day of work and finding your shoes, clothes and furniture torn to shreds. Dogs can be very destructive on your house. They need to learn early that this is not acceptable behavior. Spend time with your dog each day to prevent him from being neglected or feeling lonely, since these are feelings that cause your dog to chew. There are also products that have a bitter taste that you can put on your furniture to repel your dog. Always make sure you have durable chews on hand to keep your anxious dog busy. When the dog engages in bad chewing, always give the “no” command. If the problem persists, you may need to consider a fenced area or crate when you are gone for long periods of time.
With patience, love and understanding, even the most stubborn dogs can be trained. The go might need to be reminded, but consistency is a key hallmark of training. Spending extra time with your dog and keeping the dog stimulated is also a helpful way to curb his excess energy. Reward your dog with treats and praise when he does something good. That is still the best way to demonstrate appropriate conduct. If you keep training your dog with consistency and love, your pooch will be well behaved in no time.
