Everyone wants a well-behaved dog. Not only does it make you look good, but it also makes your life so much easier. In this guide, you will learn some of the most important ways to get your dog to behave better.
Prepare yourself
Before you do anything, prepare yourself. Behavior problems are often the result of neglect or ignorance. You can’t help your dog if you don’t understand their behavior, so take the time to make sure that you know what is wrong before you fix it.
Read books and talk to trainers about how to handle common issues like chewing, barking, aggression, fear, and anxiety. Once you have a clear understanding of why your dog behaves the way they do, you will be better equipped to help them overcome that behavior.
Be consistent
One of the most important factors to having a well-behaved dog is to be consistent and set clear rules and boundaries. It’s not good enough that you think your dog should behave a certain way, they need to know what you want them to do without any doubt. If you sometimes let them on the couch and other times don’t, they won’t know if they’re allowed up there. They’ll always be on their best behavior when you allow it and worst when you don’t.
Positive reinforcement
No one likes to be yelled at – dogs aren’t any different. Negative reinforcement might make some short-term changes in behavior, but over the long term, it will actually cause your dog to act out more. It can lead to aggression or fear and even encourage the bad behavior that you’re trying to fix.
Always try to use positive reinforcement when training your dog. You can still correct them if they don’t do what you want, but make sure that the corrections are done calmly and without anger.
Integrate with other dogs
Dogs are social creatures, so it’s important to take advantage of this when training them. Interacting with other dogs in a positive environment is very good for them and makes them feel more comfortable when meeting new pets or people. Take your dog to the dog park occasionally, enroll them in a dog day camp in Phoenix, or ask your friends if they can stop by for a short play date.
Exercise
This might seem like an obvious one, but it’s worth mentioning all the same. If your dog is properly stimulated, they are less likely to act out when they get bored or restless. They will be tired and more than happy to just relax on the couch while you read a book.
Keep it simple
Take it easy when training your dog. No matter how clever you think they are, keep the lessons as simple as possible. You don’t want to overwhelm them with so much new information that they just give up on trying to learn anything at all. If you start off simple and gradually increase the difficulty of what you’re asking them to do, they will pick up on things a lot faster.
Good scheduling
This is a tip that many people forget about. If you want your dog to be calm and well-behaved, they need plenty of sleep. Dogs are just like us in this way – they can’t function properly when tired. It’s important for their mind and body to get the rest that it needs so that they have enough energy for when they’re awake.
