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 For
your dog pets to enjoy time with you, they must always be in good health. Like
you, if the pets are feeling pain they are unable to feel the mood of having
fun!
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Good
communication builds good relationships
Just as between people, good
relationships between dogs and their owners are based on good communication.
Dogs communicate between themselves by means of body signals. It’s
only natural, then, that they’ll use the same method to communicate
with people. Your responsibility as a pet owner is to learn to interpret
such signals. Doing so will enable you to teach your puppy or dog
the appropriate way of telling you what he or she needs or would
like, whether it’s food, to be let out, to play or› to receive some
loving attention from you!
Good behavior should be rewarded
Parents often don’t remember
to praise their children when they behave well, yet will never forget
to tell them when they do not. We tend to do the same with our pets.
We ignore them when they are quiet and well behaved and pay them
attention only when they behave inappropriately. It’s always best
to do the reverse and praise™and reward™a desired behavior, and
ignore the unwanted.
Social skills aren't just for humans!
One of the most important
lessons your puppy or dog should learn is that he must sit before
interacting with you or any other human. You can easily teach a
puppy or even a mature dog to sit. Dogs learn at any age, as long
as lessons are repeated often enough and teaching sessions are
short and fun.
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Step
1 |
| To begin, take a very special food
treat like a small piece of cheese, and hold it between
the two fingers of a hand. |
| Place this hand close to the front
of your pet’s nose. |
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| Step 2 |
| Raise the hand above his nose and then
backwards. Your pet’s head will move to follow the
treat. |
| Eventually, your dog will sit, because
it will be more comfortable. |
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| Step 3 |
| As soon as he does, say “sit” and give
your pet his treat. As a dog always connects what he
is doing with what you are doing at the same time,
he’ll associate the action of sitting with the word
“sit” and a reward™at this stage, the food treat. |
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Unwanted
behavior should be ignored
 Dogs,
just like humans, are social animals and need interaction with
others, so withholding your attention is a very effective passive
punishment. For example, if your dog jumps up on you, cross
your arms, turn your head away and remain absolutely silent
until he stops jumping. Don’t try to push him away, look at
or talk to him. He’ll interpret any of these actions on your
part as attention, or even play. When your pet does finally
sit, reward him with your undivided attention and a treat of
some kind.
If, in
the past, you allowed your puppy or dog to gain your attention
by barking or jumping up on you, you must realize that if you
subsequently decide to ignore such behavior, your pet will
only try longer and harder to regain that attention. An analogy
in human terms would be a person who presses the button of
an elevator whose doors do not open. He or she will press the
button repeatedly, before giving up and walking down the stairs.
To success-fully change your dog’s behavior, you must ignore™and
outlast™all his efforts.
Or interrupted
Dogs
do react to eye contact. Call your puppy or dog by his name.
As soon as he looks at you, you should give him a special treat.
Repeating this simple exercise at any time will teach your
pet that it is worthwhile to pay attention to you. In fact,
calling your pet’s name is an effective way of interrupting,
and thus eliminating, unwanted behavior. Making an unusual
sound is another way of interrupting. Once your dog is paying
attention to you, you can ask him to come or sit.
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Play takes training, too!
 Puppies
and dogs need to exercise and play and to have contact and
interaction with both people and other dogs. They should be
taught to play with toys only and should learn that human hands,
feet or any other body part are not toys. If your pet grabs
a hand or foot, either intentionally or accidentally, such
behavior should be interrupted either by withholding your attention
(ignoring him) or by making a high-pitched “ouch” sound. As
soon as he lets go, offer a large toy and resume playing.
Diane
Frank, DVM
Diplomate
ACVB |
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