Since Waynesboro put the changes in the animal code to the light, pet owners have discussed their dismay and concern over the proposed limits. However, even though no final decision has been made on the ordinance, it’s still best to keep your pets in line to avoid unnecessary behavior.
By doing so, pet owners lessen their chances of drawing attention, which ultimately – according to Waynesboro City Manager, Mike Hamp, reduces their encounter with regulatory action made by the local government.
With this in mind, it’s best to correct any bad doggie behavior to ensure that they don’t develop any unwanted behaviors. Additionally, you can’t keep saying “no” or intimidation all the time – as it could rupture your relationship with your dog. So, to keep your relationship healthy while erasing any unwanted behavior, continue reading below:
Know your dog and keep them healthy
Before going into the proper training routine, one way to ensure your dog behaves accordingly is to know your dog and keep them healthy. Here, it would help to keep tabs on their drinking, eating, and playing habits – to determine any variations to indicate unwanted behavior. Being able to recognize your dog’s patterns can help you realize what it needs as well.
Likewise, keeping your dog healthy doesn’t only entail a healthy diet or grooming but also hygiene. Since these insects can cause psychological problems for your pets, it would aid you in the long run if you always watched out for fleas or pests on your dog. If neglected, your pet could viciously chew, bite and lick themselves – behaviors that you’re looking to avoid.
For this, you’ll want to look into treatments for your pet’s parasite. To make your search easier, you could even go to aristopet.com.au! Here, the well-being and happiness of your pet are always the priority.
Exercise is a must
Your dog’s unwanted behavior could also be because of pent-up energy – which could be in the form of chewing shoes or dragging you when you go for walks. With this, it’s best to get your dog more exercise or playtime to burn that extra energy off. Additionally, you should take the breed of your dog, fitness, and age as well. By doing so, you also determine how vigorous your exercise would be.
Keep commands short
Dogs can’t understand complete sentences. Due to this, you should train and control your dog’s behavior through body language or even voice commands. You could encourage your dog to sit down by motioning “down” with your hand, teach a “quiet” order by pursing your lips, and you could even extend your hand if you want them to offer their paw.
By doing so, they learn from your body language and copy you. Although training your dog may take time and effort, consistent training using short verbal commands and body language will indeed be worth it in the long run.
Reward acceptable behavior
When your dog is lying quietly instead of barking, it’s ideal for rewarding them with a treat or even to pet them. When your dog displays acceptable behavior, you should always praise your furry friend, so they’re able to learn different tasks and distinguish what’s good and unacceptable. Likewise, it would help if you also varied your rewards, so your dog doesn’t only respond to you every time you call them.
Disrupt unwanted actions
When controlling your dog, acceptable behavior is rewarded, and unwanted behavior is disrupted. Here, when your dog is chewing your shoes, making a mess, or barking, it can be helpful to interrupt their undesirable actions. You could use a loud tone of voice when doing so – this is to reinforce your command and teach your dog to behave. Ultimately, you catch your dog’s attention which then lets them know that their behavior is unacceptable.
Redirecting unwanted behavior
Some dog behaviors are instinctive to dogs – some of these could be chewing, digging, or even barking, which are completely hard to stop. If you can’t completely control your dog during these instances, it’s best to redirect their actions to more appropriate and acceptable acts. When they’re about to dig, allow them to explore in one specific spot in the yard, and when they’re chewing, you could provide them with a chew toy.
Get help from a trainer
When you’re having a difficult time controlling your dog, getting help from a trainer isn’t a bad idea. Dog trainers provide excellent support for dogs regardless of age, issues, and breed. Likewise, they’re professionals that can offer you great options for lessening unwanted behavior.
Trainers could even help your dog cope with certain situations, such as greeting without jumping or not barking when the doorbell rings. Additionally, you could even keep your dog emotionally stable since a trainer will help them manage and learn from the changes in their environment.
Takeaway
Controlling your dog’s behavior doesn’t necessarily entail punishing them, but it involves building a bridge between both of you – all the while promoting safety and comfort. Here, you come to understand each other by establishing a common language to avoid any problems in the future. Ultimately, you will no longer worry about having to draw unnecessary attention – as you’ve got a well-trained and well-behaved dog by your side.
Story by Lauren Cordell
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