Are you a new dog owner? Congratulations! Your new furry-friend will sure bring lots of happiness to your life. But if you don’t play your cards right, your new friend could also be the root of many headaches. Whether you adopt a puppy or an older dog from a shelter, you can be proactive and work towards avoiding the development of bad behavior. So before your dog’s bad behavior develops and you have to start looking for dog training classes in the Fredericksburg area, learn some of the things that you should be doing to avoid the bad behavior!
The Chewing Problem
All puppies chew, this is true. Puppies chew when they start teething, so you should be providing your puppy with plenty of toys to chew. With plenty of toys to chew, your dog should not be moving towards objects or furniture. But if they do, this is when you set the boundary.
As soon as you see this behavior, you have to tell them to stop. Establishing what is acceptable and not acceptable to chew will help your dog in recognizing what is right and wrong. You are the trainer, and you are providing your dog with your own dog training classes!
The Nipping Problem
Nipping or biting is another behavior that many dog owners qualify as “puppy behavior.” A way to show your dog that this is wrong is to let him/her know when he/she hurts you. As soon as you feel discomfort, say Ouch! or No! and remove your hand. Do not yell it. Let it know calmly that this is not okay.
The Barking Problem
No, you can’t stop your dog from completely barking. All dogs bark because it’s natural. But what you can do is that when they start, you can command them to stop, so the barking doesn’t become excessive. This is when a little bit of dog training classes come in handy! One way you can prevent excessive barking is by voice commands and positive reinforcement.
Teach them that when you say “stop” they stop and reward them when they do. This will probably take a few practices until your dog understands what to do. You should also keep mind that a reward is not necessary at all times. Reward them ever so often, so they don’t get accustomed to a reward for listening.
The Jumping Problem
Jumping is bad behavior! Many dog owners don’t really consider this a problem, except if you have a big dog. If you see that your dog is beginning to do this, don’t pet him or talk to him. Simply remove its paws from you and set him/her down.
The jumping behavior is developed when your dog gets accustomed to the petting whenever he or she jumps. When you put him/her down, he/she will learn that this is not what you want. This will also take a few times to learn, and dog training classes can help your dog avoid or break this habit!
Remember: If your dog begins doing any of these things, don’t punish it by hitting it. You have to teach good behavior with positive reinforcement not by hitting your dog. This is not only mean, but it doesn’t work.
If you believe that some of this bad behavior is developing or if it’s full-blown, you can call Wag Ur Tail Dog Training at 540-834-8353 for dog training classes in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Stafford and its surrounding areas! Our services include private lessons and two-week board and train.
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