08/09/2024
Dog behaviour
The dog is aware of what they did, you have not become angry, your dog still loves you without reservation, and you have not yelled. One of the most important things to avoid concerning dogs is to never yell at them. Once you yell, it soon becomes habit, and one day, the dog hasn't done anything correctly, you yell at him constantly, and you both know you do not like each other very much anymore.
We claim that our dogs misbehave, but dogs do not misbehave. What they do is, they fail to live up to our expectations, so we become frustrated and use all manner of corrections to get them to understand when the issue is, we are not communicating so the dog understands what we want, so the dog is punished for our failure to learn how to talk to him in a way he understands.
I consistently raise good, well behaved, non reactive dogs by doing these five things;
TRUST your dog. Know how far he can be trusted by allowing him some freedom, then make rules after he goes beyond our comfort zone. Too often people will not allow their dog to actually do anything because they do not know what he will do. There is just one way, let him do it. Now you know what to expect….
Be KIND to your dog. Always be kind to your dog. They are just dogs after all, and they deserve kindness.
Be PATIENT with your dog. They have tiny brains, and most everything is distracting, but as they grow, and have exposure, they calm down plenty.
Be UNDERSTANDING to your dog. They can be regarded as mentally re****ed two year old children that will never learn how to talk, and will need constant care. That's care, not angry frustration.
Lastly, be FORGIVING to your dog. They like things we find disgusting, and by disallowing and preventing your dog from expressing their joy, it depresses them. Lighten up. Let them meet other dogs. Let them approach strangers. Take them in an elevator. Show them everything you can to acclimate them to sounds and other frightening things.
I even go as far as to visit the cop shop and introduce them to police men, fire station, and any and everything to expose them to reduce fear and anxiety. I ake them to the police station in the hopes that the dog will not ‘bark' at one and frighten them into shooting and killing my dog. Yes, just like that!
People often express how laid back my dogs are, and ask me my secret. When I begin to tell them, they balk, and refuse to even listen because ‘That will never work with my dog, my dog need disipline and scolding, so he would not respond to that.’
There is of course more to this, and I have been working on a book and video to show and explain what I do, but I procrastinate some. Maybe in the next year or so.
