Puppy priority – 4 Benefits of training your puppy
As parents of dogs, it’s important to remember that it’s our job to teach them what behaviour is acceptable, and what isn’t.
Has your dog already picked up some bad habits? Don’t worry, these can still be blasted with the right methods and training.
We’ve identified the most common bad dog habits and some tips on how to blast them, for good.
Jumping
Dogs jump to get attention and it’s often when they’re most excited. This can become very irritating, particularly at meal times or when someone comes to visit.
How do you stop it? When your dog jumps, immediately say “No! Off!”, then turn your body away from your dog without touching them. Have children and regular visitors? Ask them to do the same.
Dogs will often jump more when they haven’t had enough movement or exercise throughout the day, so be sure to take them for a walk daily.
Chewing objects they shouldn’t
Chewing is a natural behaviour for dogs, it helps keep their mouths clean and relieves stress and boredom, so shouldn’t be stopped. What can and should be stopped however, is what they are chewing.
When you catch your dog chewing objects they shouldn’t, such as shoes, a cardboard box, or pillows, redirect them to an object they can chew, such as a chew toy. Then, ensure you praise your dog for doing so.
Barking excessively
Expecting your dog to never bark is unreasonable. It’s like expecting your child to never talk!
Some dogs however, bark excessively and can be a problem. The first step is to figure out why your dog is barking in the first place.
Here are some of the main reasons:
Protective – When someone comes near your home, your dog may simply bark as they’re feeling protective.
Scared – Some dogs bark when they sense danger or feel scared, which is usually a good thing as it alerts the owner to any potential threat too, and often scares it away.
Lonely – Dogs are pack animals, which is why if they’re left alone for long periods, they become sad and unhappy, thus begin barking.
Playful– Some barks are simply playful barks and is often accompanied with a tail wag.
Once you have an idea of why your dog might be barking, you can address the problem with the appropriate solution. Depending on what the reason is, the solution may be as simple as training your dog to respond to the word “quiet”, when spoken calming to the dog.
Think the reason might be a little more complex? Training from a professional dog trainer will help.
There are many more bad dog habits where those came from… but with the right training, they can be blasted in no time!
At West Coast Pet Care in Perth, we have multiple Dog Training options available in the form of 3-week courses for Puppy Training and Adult Dog Training. And all our training comes with a Lifetime guarantee.
Take a look to find out more today.
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