Top Tips To Improve Dog Behaviour Whether your dog is naughty or nice, you still want behaviour to improve.
For owners struggling with behaviour, there are several factors you should
consider to make sure dog behaviour is never a problem at any age. With the
right training, you can achieve the behaviour you want. AB Dog Training
work with any dog breeds, size or age to help all owners improve behaviour. If
you notice behavioural problems or want your dog trained as a puppy, we can
always assist.
Choose A Dog Breed Right For You The first step in understanding a dog's behaviour and making
sure they are well behaved is choosing a dog breed right for you. For example,
if you regularly spend time working and won't always have time to take your dog
out for hikes or long walks and runs, it's best to steer away from certain dog
breeds.
Belgian Malinois, Dalmatians and Husky are all breeds that
require a lot of energy and if they fail to get their daily exercise, this
could turn to havoc and mischief around your home. Although these dog breeds might
be at the top of your want list, consider whether you will have the time and
effort to look after them properly. If the answer is no, improving behaviour
could become more difficult without them getting the right exercise.
Train From An Early Age Although behaviour can be improved in the later stages of
the dog's life, this can be made so much easier by training your dog when they
are a puppy. By completing repetitive and positive dog training
from the beginning, your dog will naturally learn the dos and don'ts in your
home. Positive dog training means giving your dog rewards when they do the
right behaviours, so they will learn to do this more and more.
When training from an early age, you should never punish
your dog. It is always best to use positive rewards and this actually teaches
the dog much quicker. Using this method, dogs become more obedient from a young
age and managing their behaviour is not as stressful! There is also no point
shouting at your dog as they are unlikely to understand why you are shouting.
Use Toys & Balls Dogs love to play and if you are tiring them out with toys
and balls throughout the day, as well as giving them plenty of exercise, they
won't become distressed or bored during other parts of the day. If you have
friends who also own dogs or know any local clubs, this is also a fantastic
opportunity to get involved and make sure your dog becomes sociable and playful
with other animals.
Using safe and fun toys will mean your dog tries to rip into
squeaky bones rather than your chair leg! Not only will toys allow you to play
with your dog but if they do become bored, you can also buy toys that hold
treats and other rewards. If your dog is feeling particularly mischievous on
certain days, having these to distract and keep them busy will prevent any
damage to your home.
Dog toys even include puzzles
with rewards inside them. Alternatively, make sure your dog gets plenty of
exercise, with fetch being one of the best options to keep them busy.
Be Observant There are several dog behaviours that could give you a sign
of stress or fear. Whether this occurs from when they are a puppy or begins to
happen out of the blue, it is important to know what you are looking for.
Identifying different dog behaviours will give you the chance to reduce the
problem much sooner and improve behaviour immediately. Some signs of scared or stressed
behaviour include:
Aggression Cowering Excessive Panting Hiding Licking Lips This could end up being a minor problem, while panting could
just mean your dog needs to cool down and have water. However, there is no need
to take any risks with these problems so make sure you are always caring for
your dog and regularly looking out for any new signs and behaviours which could
be a problem.
Contact Us For more information and tips to improve dog behaviour,
contact AB Dog Training today. We can give you as much advice as you need and
begin dog training sessions for all dogs to improve behaviour and give you and
your companion the best possible relationship. Call us on 01422
835 459 or fill in our contact form today.