There's a popular opinion among dog trainers: "There's
no such thing as a bad dog." While that may be the case,
all trainers will agree that there are some dogs with bad habits.
To put it simply, behavior is means of acting and reacting.
When a dog acts or reacts to a situation in a negative manner,
we interpret this as bad behavior. Yet, in the mind of the dog,
it's just what he does. Eliminating a bad behavior will require
that you give the dog a new means of behavior, or habit. One
of the most prevalent bad behaviors in dogs is jumping up on
people. This behavior is established when the dog is a puppy.
Puppies
jump at their mothers to get attention so that she will feed
them. Dog owners think it is adorable that their puppy works
so hard to get their attention by jumping. The naive owners
give the dog the attention it demands, not understanding that
they have just rewarded the dog for barking and jumping. Unfortunately,
behavior that is cute in a puppy usually becomes troublesome
in an adult dog. Large dogs that jump up on people to get attention
can easily knock down and possibly injure children and older
people. Smaller dogs do not have much ability to injure someone,
but instead become a source of extreme irritation to those who
encounter the dog.
In either
case, although you might not mind your dog jumping on you, other
people most likely do not feel the same. Training your dog to
sit in order to get attention is the best way to break the jumping
habit. To help your dog learn the "sit for attention"
habit, you must ignore the dog when he/she jumps on you. You
may have to turn your back or simply walk away. If he follows
you, turn quickly and tell him to sit. If he does, pet and reward
him. You can reinforce this habit by having him sit before you
feed him. Every time the dog sits, he gets a reward of either
food or attention. Each time he jumps, there is to be no reward
at all.
Another
undesirable behavior is chewing. Destructive chewing is usually
an indication that your dog is bored. If your dog chews destructively
while you are away from the house, it is probably because the
dog had nothing better to do. Give your dog the opportunity
to exercise his body and brain. Lots of exercise will tire him
out so that he naps while you are not paying attention to him.
Pet stores sell a variety of toys that will give your dog mental
stimulation, such as doggie puzzles that will keep your dog
busy while you're away or busy. |
