Having a dog as a pet is great for multiple reasons – they are fun, loyal, and therapeutic you can pick whatever you like. There is one thing though you need to keep in mind, all of this that a dog is comes from their good behavior.
What do you get with a dog that doesn’t behave and listen? Well, you get a whole lot of stress, broken things around the home, bitten-down shoes and slippers, and scratched couches and chairs.
What to do to prevent this? The answer is simple right?! Teach them to behave and train them to obey because this is what they know and what they need. The answer is a lot simpler than actually doing this. Training a dog takes time but training a dog that has behavior issues is a whole different thing.
What you need here is a dog behaviorist and there are plenty of them out there that can help you and your dog with issues you may be having. Today we will talk about that a bit and we will tell you when you need to take your dog to one of these behaviorists so stick with us till the end and find out everything you need to know.
Dogs are almost like humans meaning they can sense a lot of things and feel as much. they are living and breathing meaning they also can get scared, aggressive, aggravated, sad and so on.
Certain behaviours can be treated by dog trainers and handlers and those are considered to be easy to deal with. These can be done by yourself as well if you put a lot of effort in and do your research.
Other types of dog behaviour are a lot more difficult to deal with and to remedy which means you have to hire a professional dog behaviourist to remedy this. A behaviourist should treat any type of aggression, including but not limited to resource guarding, growling, and biting in the house and toward other dogs or humans, particularly children.
Certain issues, such as separation anxiety, severe phobias, or OCD, may be difficult to treat unless a two-pronged strategy is used. This is a behavioural therapy program that needs to include medication and cannot be done without the assistance of a DACVB.
Now before you jump into all of this you need to know what is normal and what isn’t normal with dogs. Making a clear distinction between these things will help you a lot and will make your life a lot easier. You will know what to look at and what to focus on with your dog as well as how to approach certain things with care and precaution.
In truth, all behavioral disorders are caused by entirely normal canine activity. While barking is natural, over-vocalization is not. Chewing is beneficial, but destruction is not.
Understanding dog behavior begins with acknowledging that dogs have a strong desire to do certain activities. As active intellectual species, they demand secure outlets for their mental and physical needs.
To determine what is not that normal, however tricky that may be, you need to know that playfulness and sensitive dogs turn into problems in a heartbeat but it all comes in different swings depending on what your dog’s breed is, how old it is and how temperamental it was or wasn’t in its young age.
Owners will also see activities differently. What one owner finds tough may be simple for another. The key to a happy relationship is that both partners are happy. The dog may act normally in the absence of fear, concern, or discomfort, and the owner may control these behaviors within the context of their lifestyle.
Now we all like to say it is better to prevent things right off the bat than cure them later on. To prevent your dog from having any issues at all you need to consider some things:
1. Your lifestyle
The way you live or like to live will greatly impact your dog and they will need to be close to your lifestyle or lead one exactly like you. if you are a person that is mostly indoors and does not do a lot of activities you should consider a breed that likes that as well.
It is not recommended to get a Great Dane because it is huge and looks cool if you are not willing to put the effort in their exercise, and walks, and if you can’t offer them plenty of space.
2. Invest yourself
If you are getting a dog just to get one, we suggest you rather don’t at all. You will have to invest a lot of yourself into them by making them train, make them obey at least essential things and you need to socialize them as much as possible. You can do these things yourself or you can read and watch online guides that will tell you what exactly you can and cannot do.
3. Rewards
When dogs are in question and their training the reward-based system works the best. It works on anyone so why wouldn’t it work on them? You work hard you get better pay, promotion etc… use that system when you train them and when you are trying to show them right from wrong.
4. Do not mix and match commands
One thing dogs do best is listen to commands when they are thought how. What you need to make sure of is that your entire family uses the same command system so you don’t get the dog confused. Mixing and matching these will make them uneasy and easily puzzled.
5. Toys
For those dogs that are naturally playful and like to chew a lot, you need to get toys that can be their focus. Chewing on your private things is not something that should be tolerated and if you get them something of their own that can satiate their needs will be the best thing you do with them.
6. Exercise
Every dog needs a certain amount of this to stay fit, and healthy and above all avoid boredom and frustration. This is where you need to activate yourself and take them out, think of games that will stimulate them both mentally and physically and you will always have a happy dog.
