How To Manage Your Dog's Behavior

Managing your dog's temper is an essential part of dog care. In simplified terms, behavior problems can be seen as communication problems. When dogs lived in the wild, actions that we deem unruly such as chewing, scent-marking, and barking were instinctive, natural and necessary to their way of life.  However, now that dogs have been domesticated and members of civilized human families, their instinctive behaviors can become problematic. Learning how to manage your dog's behavior can seem complicated at first, but, you have to shape your dog's natural behavior into a mold that fits perfectly into society.

 

  • Understanding Your Dog's Breed

 

Most breeds of dogs have evolved to serve a specific purpose for humans such as herding, retrieving, and guarding. Understanding the meaning for which your dogs were initially bred are helpful in knowing what influences their physical and behavioral characteristics. Although most dogs don't perform the tasks for which their breed was originally meant to do, they still mirror similar traits.

 

  • Don't Punish Your Dog For Bad Behavior

 

Punishing your dog for bad behavior is not always effective. Yelling at your dog will not teach how to stop doing things that you find unacceptable. Methods of punishment can damage the trust and bond that you have with your dog. Pain and fear stimulate lashing out, and punishing your dog will only make more bad behavior occur.

 

  • Give Timeouts

 

When your dog is acting out of hand giving them timeouts will help them calm down. Sometimes dogs lash out when they are seeking attention. If you have company and your dog is acting hyper, putting them up in another room for a timeout will teach them to work accordingly in the future.

 

  • Reward Good Behavior With Attention

Rewarding your dog with attention will help them learn how to behave appropriately. You can teach them to notice quiet and polite behavior by choosing times to show them affection. Giving your dog occasional treats, taking them on walks, and playing fun games are rewards that can help them learn proper behavior techniques. If you've tried these technique's and you are still having problems with your pup, you may consider seeking professional help, such as  Atlanta Dog Spa's obedience training classes.

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