Breaking Bad, in your dog!

This week’s blog question was a simple one that can have a variety of answers…what is causing that bad/unwanted behavior in your dog? 

Why is your dog jumping? Why is your dog destroying your house? Why is your dog pulling you down the street on the walk?

Let’s discuss the most common causes of unwanted behavior.

1.      Excess energy in your dog.  This is always the starting point for ANY dog.  Are you getting your dog enough exercise every day?

2.      Unstable/incompatible energy from the human to the dog.  Dogs want a calm, assertive pack leader and will find it somewhere else OR become the pack leader if the human isn’t providing it. 

3.      Lack of mental stimulation.  Is your dog in the house 23 hours a day?  Do you ever go explore the local forest preserve with your dog?  Mental stimulation combined with exercise is a great combination for any dog. 

4.      Lack of rules and lack of enforcement of the rules.  Pack leaders set rules, boundaries and limits.  As the pack leader you must make sure these things are clear to the dog and you are consistently enforcing them. 

5.      Too much affection.  Do you pet and praise your dog all day long for no apparent reason?  Affection and praise are tools used to teach the dog they have done something the pack leader approves of or wanted done.  Giving praise for no reason teaches the dog that praise doesn’t mean anything in the first place.  Using praise sparingly and at the right time adds massive value to it in the dog’s world.

Looking to break that bad behavior in your dog? Contact your local Always Faithful Dog Trainer today.