04/02/2025
I AIN’T MISBEHAVING
I’m just doing what dogs do!
What may look like misbehaviour is often just a dog behaving as dogs naturally do.
We expect so much of our dogs when we bring them into our world, forgetting that they are a different species that don’t arrive pre-programmed to behave in a way we expect them to.
We hold dog’s captive in a confined, unnatural space and then become frustrated when they don’t behave the way we expect.
We become frustrated when our dogs don’t walk nicely on a lead, don’t get on with every other dog or person they meet, steal food from counter tops, don’t give things back, guard resources, dig, chew or destroy what they shouldn’t, bark, howl, whine or perhaps growl etc.
We need to replace our frustration and our need to train away or fix unwanted behaviour with understanding, patience and guidance.
Understand that dogs naturally behave in a certain way. Be patient while guiding them to learn a different way to behave through using force free, positive reinforcement methods, meeting their needs and managing their environment.
Providing outlets to engage in natural behaviour, providing mental, physical and social stimulation and understanding why dogs behave the way they do will create secure relationship and make such a difference in their lives.
One of the greatest gifts we can give our dogs is our understanding.
