RESPONDING TO BAD BEHAVIOUR
1.
Correct your dog’s behaviour
If your
dog misbehaves , give them a cue or sign that they’ve made the wrong decision .
you might say , “think again ,” or a similar phrase in a cheery , but
corrective tone of voice . the tone should suggest ,” are you sure you want to
do that ?” your dog will recognize your tone as much as the words .
Remember that your dog is not maliciously
trying to disobey you . when your dog does something you don’t want them to do
, you need to let them know not to repeat this behaviour in the future .
React quickly to bad behaviours you want to
stop . associations between a behaviour and a consequence must be very close
together in time for your dog easily understand the relationship between the
two .
2.
Remove your attention :
If the dog continues to do the wrong thing ,
turn your back or leave the room so that your withdraw attention . dogs are
sociable animals and want to be at the center of things . being left out or
ignored makes them reconsider their actions .
if you catch bad behaviour early , you can stop it before it’s ingrained .
For example
, if you’re teaching your dog a command and they refuse , say, “think again ,
and turn your back . your dog should realize that they’ve done the wrong thing
. turn back around and repeat the intial command . if they still don’t
co-operate , say , “think again”, and turn your back . repeat this until they
understand the correct behaviour .
3. Avoid giving attention to bad behaviour :
once you know how you should react to a disobedient dog , understand
what reactions reinforce bad behaviour . sometimes , your dog might be acting
badly just to get your attention . by acknowledging your dog or shouting your
dog or shouting at them , you’re accidentally rewarding the behaviour with attention
. this will make them more likely to repeat the behaviour in the future .
remember that even scolding and shouting are rewards to dog .
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For example
, if the doorbell rings , it may catch your dog off guard making them bark with
surprise . If you ignore the bark , they get no reward and won’t bark the next
time they hear the bell . but , if they bark and you shout at them to be quiet , you have
accidentally rewarded the barking with attention . now , they’ll be more likely
to bark the next time they hear the bell .
4
. Do not raise your voice or hit the dog :
Verbal or physical discipline is not an effective way to prevent bad behaviour .
For example
, hitting your dog after they urinate in the house might just cause them to
hide where they urinate . they may because secretive and disappear to urinate .
this won’t help you , since you’ll spend more time looking for soiled areas in
order to clean them up . Your dog
doesn’t understand physical or verbal punishment . they’ll just be confused and
hurt , which will damage your relationship . The most
important of disciplining a dog is to be clear and to use time and repetition
instead of force .
5 . Teach bite inhibition :
Biting is
a bad behaviour that must be controlled . teach your dog that biting can hurt
people . do this by giving a high-pitched yelp and removing your hand when your
dog nips at you . take your hand away and stop playing for a few minutes or
leave the room . withdrawing the fun and attention is punishment in terms that
your dog will understand . they’ll soon associate rough playing with an end to
the game and will avoid the behaviour . Full-grown
dogs that bite might be doing so because they are aggressive , and it will be
more difficult to train them to stop without professional help. Consider calling
your vet or an obedience trainer for insight .
PREVENTING BAD BEHAVIOUR
1.
Figure out what’s
causing your dog’s bad behaviour :
Remember that dogs do not misbehave out of malice . if your dog appears
to misbehave , such as chewing your shoes , destroying furniture while you’re
out , or growling at strangers , then the dog has a reason to do so but you
haven’t figured out what it is yet . spend some time figuring out why your dog
is acting out . For example
, if your dog chews the furniture when you are out , they may be doing so
because they’re bored or anxious at being seprated
2.
Remove triggers for
bad behaviour :
You can also
make arrangements so your dog is less likely to get caught by surprise , which
can trigger a lot of bad behaviour . for example , if your dog is easily started
by a certain trigger , like the mail carrier , make sure your dog is in the
backyard before the mail carrier comes each day .
3.
Reward good
behaviour :
while discipline your dog for bad behaviour
is fine , rewarding it for good behaviour is the best way to help the dog learn
good habits . use positive reinforcement if your dog plays nicely , responds to
command , or successfully eliminates in the right spot . offer them treats , give
the dog praise by saying “ good dog !” in a cheerful voice , or offer a few
head scratches or belly rubs .
Reward the behaviour immediately after the action ,
so your dog creates a positive association . if you reward them too soon or too
late , your dog won’t understand why they’re getting the reward .
4. Keep your dog active :
Dogs that are bored or inactive lend to bark more than well-exercised dogs . if your dog spends most of his day , inside , they may just jump up , bark , or act when they finally does get outside or when get home . try to let your dog get a walk or run outside for at least an hour every day . staying active might keep your dog from behaving badly .
Make sure the dog has plenty of chew toys . this can keep them active and occupied when they have to remain inside . it can also prevent bad behaviours , like gnawing or chewing things the shouldn’t .
5. Establish routines :
Your dog may engage in bad behaviours if they’re feeling stressed or unsure of his surroundings . you can make them feel more secure and relaxed by established simple routines . for example , if your dog is inappropriately urinating , star by crate training them and regularly taking them outside to the same spot to urinate . if you do this at set times , they’ll learn to associate urinating with the correct spot .
You should also feed and play with your dog at regular times . this way , your dog will learn to expect attention and care . they’ll be less likely to act out or try to get your attention if they know that playtime is coming .
6. Know when to get :
If you can’t figure out what’s causing your dog’s bad behaviour or if your dog’s behaviour doesn’t improve , get the advice of a professional animal behaviourist or pet psychologist . you can ask your veterinarian to recommend someone who’s trained , registered and approved . you may also ask your vet to check the dog over for a medical condition that may be causing the bad behaviour . Getting a physical is especially important for older dogs . for example , your dog might have an incontinence issue due to a medical problem . your vet will be able to diagnose and recommend further medical or behavioural treatment .