My Dog No Longer Listens to Me! And, Oops, Bad Dog!
People get pets without doing their homework. It is vitally important, especially with dogs to make sure you know exactly what you are getting when you adopt a dog, no matter the age or size! Believe me, all dogs are not created equal. Once the dog gets home everyone is ensuring the dog is comfortable, has a nice comfy place to sleep and stay, toys, food, and all of the comforts of a domesticated dog. The problem is, after a few weeks of the dog adjusting to the noises, new people, activities, and the overall vibe, your dog will begin to come out of their shell, if you will. They will begin to open up and exhibiting some behaviors unexpectedly. Those behaviors at first may seem funny or quirky, but believe me, they will progress as long as the dog is allowed to continue the behavior. Having dogs is just like raising children; once you relax the rules, the children will take full advantage of the situation and push your buttons until you finally realize, this is too much! No matter the behavior, whether it’s jumping up in your lap with a toy to engage you to play with it, jumping up because they are so excited to see you after a long day alone, chewing up your remote and even catching your dog gnawing on your wooden sofa arm, those behaviors lead to worse behaviors and must be stopped immediately. Thankfully, there are things every dog owner in the world can do to stop behaviors once you actually realize they are just that, behaviors, and bad ones at that. Often times people will tell me when I ask what behaviors their dog has that they “only” do this, or they “only” do that as if to minimize the behavior singularly. Usually, I continue to ask questions to discover that behaviors have gone completely undetected by the owners because they just don’t know that the issue is actually a “behavior.” Do your research, check out the AKC website for the dog(s) in which you are interested in. There are dozens of other websites available with credible information to help you make an informed decision. Don’t rely on your friend to tell you how that same breed of dog was at their home, because the fact is, their home and family dynamics along with their working knowledge of properly training a dog may not coincide with what you would do in your own home. Once you’ve narrowed your decision, make sure the characteristics and breed fits with your lifestyle and family needs. Avoid at all costs getting your child a dog because they want one for Christmas or birthday. Unless you have a truly dedicated child who is a superkid, it will not work out. Too often I have had to help families rehome puppies because they either chose the wrong dog or didn’t realize how much work it actually takes to have a dog at home. It is a lot. But the good news is with the internet there is tons of information out there to assist you with your decisions. Happy dog hunting. Message me if you have questions about this topic at cherisdogtraining@gmail.com.
