How To Discipline A Dog
Dogs are very intelligent creatures but we owners should not assume that they have humans ability to comprehend and to separate what is right from what is wrong. A dog that is allowed to jump on a master wearing old shirt and jeans will not understand why its usual way of greeting is not be appreciated by the female master wearing stockings and a deceptively simple but very expensive designer dress.
What disciplinary methods can you use to manage a dog’s undesirable destructive chewing and excessive barking behaviors and control its tendency to chase and torment other pets and to eat spoiled food from the trash cans? Dogs are highly attuned to what humans feel thus these animals can easily interpret and understand the facial expression and body movement of human. A dog that had destroyed your favorite $500 bag will slink under the table when it sees the anger in your face. But this does not mean that your designer shoes will be safe from the dog’s sharp teeth. To modify an unwanted and destructive behavior it is necessary for the dog to be disciplined. Screaming at the dog or inflicting physical punishment would never be a good idea more so if the punishment was given after the destructive deed was done. The dog would not learn anything and would never associate the smacking to the bag-chewing incident.
In a dog/human relationship, the human should always be viewed as the leader of the pack. The dog has to learn that it is lower in rank and therefore must follow the rules set by the leader. Training would do a lot in preventing development of inappropriate behavior. Training would be more successful if conducted while the dog is still a puppy. Dogs have the tendency to obey commands given in an authoritative voice.
Diversionary techniques that will result to the dog’s aversion to the destructive behavior are effective methods of disciplining the dog . Spray the dog with cold water every time it starts to bark or spray the furniture leg with Bitter Apple.
To make the dog associate the disciplinary action with the bad behavior, reprimands must be made while the dog is doing the act. “No, Leave it, Stop are only some of the excellent commands that will stop the dog in mid act. It would take some time for the dog to understand the meaning of these commands but consistent training, lots of praise and treats are invaluable tools that will correct the dog’s unwanted behavior.
Learn more about how to discipline a dog and dog first aid at Sarah’s Dogs.
