P ETS
FIVE THINGS
DOG TRAINERS WISH YOU KNEW
BY LAURIE LUCK
Most of the families love their dogs like
crazy, but wish they could fix an annoying
habit or two. Training problems are
usually simple and need just a few tweaks
to solve. Here are a few tips and tricks to
help you fine-tune your dog's behavior.
Pay attention to your dog when he’s
doing something right. (Or when he’s
NOT doing anything wrong!)
Often, people take notice of their dog
only when something is wrong. Dogs are
quick learners and they turn this into a
game. They learn that they can get your
attention by picking up a sock, a child’s
toy or a pen from the counter, so they keep
doing it. Here's the quick fix for this pesky
problem: when your dog is playing with
his own toy, pay attention to him and tell
him what a good dog he is. Chase him (if
your dog likes a game of chase) or tug on
the toy (if your dog likes a good game of
tug). Find a way to show your dog how
much you love him when he carries his
own stuff around.
Ignore him when he's doing
stuff just to get your attention.
If your dog barks at you to get your
attention, turn your back to him. When he's
quiet, turn back around and praise him.
Ignoring your dog won’t work if the
dog isn’t barking at you. For instance,
if he's barking at people on the street, he
won't bark less if you ignore him. This
strategy works only when you're the
object of his bark.
Be generous!
There are lots of ways to show your dog
that you love what he's doing. You can
use praise, play, food, and even access
to fun stuff (walks, car rides, etc.). The
point is to be generous, not stingy. If
your dog came away from the window
in which he was barking, get that dog a
cookie! That's a big deal. A measly little
pat on the head isn't going to cut it. You
need to really show your dog how much
you value that behavior.
Quit it with the ‘No’ already.
Focus on what you want your dog to do.
“No” doesn’t tell your dog what he should
be