Dog Training Behavior: How to fix bad habits Kittery, ME

 

If you have a dog who has developed some bad habits in Kittery, it’s important to learn everything you can about how to train these behaviors out of your dog. It may take some time and effort, but with enough practice and attention, you can help your dog become better behaved than ever before.

Read through the tips below to get some idea of how to help your dog work on her bad habits. You can use this information to jumpstart your training and help your pet succeed in no time.

 

Be consistent.

Be consistent with your dog, and make sure everyone in your family does the same. If one member of your household is letting her get away with her bad habits, she’s not going to listen to those of you who tell her to stop. Everyone needs to be on board to help your dog succeed with her new training.

Additionally, make sure you are always telling your dog to behave properly when the situation presents itself. For example, if your dog likes to jump up on people in greeting but you don’t want her to do this, you will need to tell her “no” or “down” every time she jumps, consistently. Otherwise, she may not listen to you if she doesn’t know when the behavior is okay and when it is wrong.

 

Train with high-value treats.

Use high-value treats when helping your dog learn new commands and behaviors. Regular treats may not be enough to encourage her to do something she doesn’t want to do, and they may not help her recognize when she’s supposed to respond differently to a situation, either. Instead, make sure you’re giving her something she really wants to eat so she will be more inclined to do what you want her to do.

Cheese pieces are great options for dogs who are not lactose intolerant. A little bit of peanut butter or some cut pieces of apple or carrot may also work well, depending on your dog’s preferences and any food allergies she may have.

 

Acclimate your dog to ideal situations.

There may be situations in which your dog has learned to behave one way, but needs to behave differently. In times like these, you’ll need to acclimate your dog to the right behaviors in the right situations so she can learn how she is supposed to act instead.

For example, dogs who have severe separation anxiety may panic and destroy the furniture or potty on the floor when they are left at home alone. This anxiety may begin from the moment you pick up your keys or put on your shoes, because your dog recognizes these signs that she’s going to be left alone. You can help your dog calm down in situations when she may be left home alone by acclimating her to the activities you perform before leaving the house.

Try picking up your keys only to move them to another location, or putting on your shoes before you sit down in front of the TV for a little while. Over time, your dog will stop associating these actions with bad situations and will instead acclimate to ideal situations.

 

Be patient and calm.

Always stay patient and calm when helping your dog unlearn bad habits and learn new behaviors instead. This process can be a frustrating one for both of you, so it’s crucial to ensure your pet doesn’t sense too much anger or impatience coming from you during the experience.

If you feel like you’re at your wit’s end, take a break and come back to training another day. Taking breaks can be good for you and your dog both.

 

Consider working with a professional trainer.

If all else fails, you may need to work with a professional trainer to help your dog learn the right behaviors. A professional trainer can help teach you the right way to teach your dog, so both of you can be more successful in the training experience.

Additionally, the trainer may be able to pinpoint problem areas in your home or household. If you or other members of your family are doing things that are inadvertently encouraging your dog to behave badly, the trainer should be able to help you recognize these situations and improve on them.

 

 

These tips really only scratch the surface of possibilities when it comes to training your dog to stop performing her bad habits. Although it may take a lot of time and effort, you can teach your dog to behave better in situations that encourage her bad habits, and you can help her learn how she’s meant to act as well. Remember to practice training your dog every day so you can help her succeed by reiterating your new training and commands over and over again.