If you've got a new dog or a brand new puppy, don't wait for bad habits to begin. Start your dog (or pup) from Day 1 with a clear set of rules and teach him what those rules are. To do this, you might want to start by making a list with two columns: MUST NOT DO and WOULD LIKE TO DO. Fill those columns up and then take a look at what you've got.
For example, in the MUST NOT DO column, maybe you've written:
- get on furniture
- bark at other dogs
- pull on the leash
And in the WOULD LIKE TO DO column, you've got these:
- come when called
- sit politely for petting
- sit before going outside
It's a good idea to get input from everyone in the family and then finalize the list together. You want everyone on the same page when it comes to the rules for the dog.
Next, figure out how you can prevent the dog from doing the things in the first column, and how you can help the dogs do the things in the second column. And by "preventing", I don't mean "yelling at." If you don't want the dog on the furniture, for instance, don't allow him access to that room if you're not in the room to supervise. If you want your dog to come when called, use a pleasant voice (no demanding your dog come to you), and always have a really tasty goodie when he does show up (not a crunchy, hard dog treat, either – something worth coming for!).
Avoid the word "No," when teaching your dog what to do. "No" doesn't give your dog any information to help him figure out what you want. And "no" only happens when you're around. So instead of learning what to do and what not to do, the dog is really learning when he can do something (when you're gone!!).
It's much easier to teach your dog good habits than it is to break habits. A little planning, consistency, and training can make the difference between a dog that drives you crazy and a dog you love to have around.
(The picture above was taken at Bark in the Park at the Frederick Keys stadium in Frederick, MD. Both Nemo and Talos are being well-behaved companions, despite the distractions of a baseball game, curious children, and noisy dogs.)
I’ve found it helpful for every time Sadie does a behavior I don’t want to ask myself, “Well, if you don’t want her to, say,”jump on the people she loves” then what do you want her to do instead? “Sit” for pets and loves would work.
It’s become sorta a mantra with me now. “If not that behavior, then what behavior do I want instead?”
Of course, preventing unwanted behavior from every occurring in the first place by establishing good habits is best. But, real life does intervene.
I am SUCH a fan of default behaviors. I love watching Lilly figure out that something isn’t “working” for her … in other words, perhaps a behavior I ignore. So, she replaces whatever that is with something she knows will work.
It’s fun to watch her ratchet it up. First a sit, then a down, then a down with hip tipped, then a down with head down too.