Dog Training For Dogs With Behavior Problems
Dogs with behavior problems can be a challenge for any dog owner, and some of these owners might believe that there aren't any dog training techniques you can use to train a difficult dog. This simply isn't true, as virtually any dog can be trained to behave the way you want. You might be surprised to learn why many of these dogs have behavior problems in the first place...
The simple fact is, many times the cause of dog behavior problems rests with the owner, not the dog itself.
The two most important things you need to remember are:
1. A dog has to be taught it is not the alpha dog,and understand it's place in the household. Remember that dogs in the wild live in packs, and that pack social order has not been bred out of them. If your dog understands that it is lower in the pecking order than all the human members of the pack, then you shouldn't have a problem. If she believes she is the Alpha Dog, or top member of the pack, then you will have to teach her that she is not.
2. Nothing pleases a dog more, other than eating,than to see you happy. This is one of the great things that most people forget when trying to train a dog, and you can use this fact to your advantage. Instead of getting upset with your dog when it doesn't perform like you want, remember that, for the most part, your dog will do anything to please you. The only thing you have to do is make your dog understand what makes you happy.
Unfortunately, many people make a few common mistakes when they are trying to train their dog that can lead to training behavior problems. Here are a few of those:
1. Screaming at your dog when he is "bad", or isn't picking up on what you are trying to teach him- You are wasting your time by doing this, and will probably end up with a canine that does the opposite of what you ask, when she can get away with it. Yelling and screaming at your dog when it exhibits bad behavior will not teach her who the Alpha is. In some cases, you could elicit an aggressive response from man's best friend.
2. Spanking your dog- Spanking your dog is ridiculous. Regardless of how smart your dog is, they don't understand it, and you have no way of explaining it to them. Spanking your dog will, in most cases, get you the same responses as number one. Pain and pain avoidance are not always the best motivators for canines.
So, what can you do to cure your dog behavior problems? There are really three things you need:
1. Patience- You must remember that your dog does not have the mental capacity of a grown human being. Sometimes it will take numerous attempts to teach a dog a behavior, or for them to unlearn a bad behavior. Keep at it and don't give up. Also, try to remember that her number one goal is to please you.
2. Consistency- This is extremely important. All the human family members need to react to your dog's bad behavior in the same manner, and the person who is doing most of the training needs to be consistent as the days and weeks go by. Don't change up in midstream, or you will end up with a confused canine who will just revert back to old behaviors.
3. Exercise- Many owners do not realize the importance of this step. It is vital that, if possible, your dog gets exercise every single day. It is also important that you understand that taking your canine to the dog park is not exercise. She is off leash and does what she wants. Exercising your dog consists of a long walk, with you in complete control of her and the situations she gets in to.
If you follow the three steps above, and do your research on specific training techniques for specific training, you will end up with a happy and well adjusted dog. And you will be happy too!
For further information on typical dog behavior, including resources for training how-to's and loads of detailed information on preventing and dealing with problem behaviors,visit Kingdom of Pets
***************
If You Have A Disobedient Dog-How To Train Your Dog
