Clubs Offering:
1. You’re not giving him enough exercise:
If you’re gone 12 hours a day, and your dog’s walk consists of a quick dash into the backyard, you’re not providing your pet with adequate opportunities to use up all his energy. Instead, the excess will go into chewing your shoes, stealing your food, or scratching your walls. As the old saying goes, “A tired dog is a good dog.”
2. You haven’t trained him enough:
It sounds like a no-brainer, but if your dog’s training stopped after he learned to sit, lie down, and go to the bathroom outside, you need to up your game. And don’t believe what they say: You can teach an old dog new tricks. Try to introduce a new command a week, and practice old ones with him. Besides being able to understand what you want him to do, the mental work involved in him learning commands will tire him out as well.
3. You’re reinforcing his bad behavior:
If your dog is barking for attention, how do you respond? Do you yell at him to stop? Guess what? You just gave him what he wanted. Or if he steals a hot dog roll off the counter, do you yell at him then watch, defeated, as he eats it? Again, you’re letting him know his bad behavior paid off. Think about what your dog is trying to accomplish when he’s misbehaving and don’t allow him to be rewarded for it. Instead, give him an opportunity to succeed (for example, tell the begging dog to go to his place and lie down, and give him a treat when he does).
4. You don’t know your dog’s breed:
This goes hand-in-hand with #1. If you have a Border Collie who is terrorizing your home, but you give him a walk each morning and night, you might think you’ve fulfilled the exercise requirement, right? Wrong. While a twice-daily walk might suffice for a breed like a Greyhound or a Labrador Retriever, Border Collies were bred to work and need opportunities to run and “do a job.” A fast-paced game of fetch should do the trick, but sports like agility offer the kind of structure and exercise this breed needs (and you can earn titles and ribbons in the process!).
5. You’re dealing with an adolescent:
OK—this one isn’t necessarily your fault, but the way you respond to it can make a difference in your dog’s behavior. Like humans, dogs go through a rebellious “teenager” phase (around 5 months to 18 months). During this time, they’ll often test their owners, seeing what they can get away with. Being firm and consistent with your training will help establish boundaries. And be patient! They’ll grow out of it.
One great way to introduce your dog to better behavior is getting him involved in Canine Good Citizen, which will make him a more well-mannered dog and you a more responsible dog owner! https://www.akc.org/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php Get Your Free AKC eBook
Increase your dogs cardiovascular activity and play time. Most of the time, a dog who is acting out simply isnt getting enough exercise, and all that pent-up energy has to go somewhere. A bored dog is a destructive dog, so if your pooch cant keep his impulses under control, he probably just needs a positive outlet for his energy.
Withhold positive reinforcement rather than using negative reinforcement. Yelling at and scolding your dog for bad behavior is far less affective than rewarding him for good behavior. If he begs and barks for your attention, dont give it to him — acquiescing only teaches him that acting out gets him attention. Conversely, when he behaves — like if he doesnt bother you while you eat dinner — reward him after the fact with praise and attention. Dogs behave in a way that gets them attention.
Maintain a routine. Dogs thrive on consistency, particularly when it comes to their training. If your dog doesnt have any consistency in his routine, hell simply demand things when he wants them. For example, he may carry his food bowl around when hes hungry, scratch the door when he wants to go for a walk or jump in your lap when he wants attention. By establishing a sense of order in his life, he can rely on you to meet his needs without him asking.
Take careful note of what triggers your dogs misbehavior. For example, he may act out when guests come over, when you leave him home alone or when he hasnt gotten his daily exercise. Most of the time, dogs have triggers — even long-term triggers — that bring about bad behavior.
Address the specific issue at hand if simple routine-establishing is ineffective. Once youve identified the cause of your dogs misbehavior, you can address the issue instead of attempting to simply correct the behavior. For example, if your dog acts out because youve been paying more attention to a new pet, make sure your dog receives enough individual attention. If he acts out when the doorbell rings, take the time to teach him that the doorbell isnt a threat rather than simply scolding him every time he barks at it.
Five Behaviors to Stop Right Now
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