Correcting Bad Dog Behavior

When you search the internet for ways to correct bad dog behavior you can find 150 ways NOT to do it. ...but your dog is pulling your arm off, and you are frustrated!

I have more years of training horses under my belt than dogs. During all those years I was always told not to pull on my horses mouth. Instructors would stand in the center of the arena and yell for me to get off my HORSES mouth.

They would say ride from your seat (I hope none of MY students are reading this page.)

It wasn't until I found an amazing Mentor named Margeurite Browne (a riding student of Karl Mikolka for those of you in the know) that I was set straight.

She said to me, Kirsten, if your horse doesn't respond to your legs or seat and you can't touch his mouth, what then, are you left with to control your horse? Long pause...(the correct answer was, at that time, the mouth).

The point was, I had to teach my horse a positive way of listening first, then I could stop pulling on her mouth. If I kept on the other way, I could have never stopped pulling.

We often read about all the things we should not do to correct bad dog behavior (like pulling on our dog's leash, yell at them, grab the scruff of the neck, show them who is boss, use squirt bottles, gentle leaders, or any other type of collar). Then we read about how we should not let our dog sleep with us, eat with us, go out the door first, live outside, live inside, be off leash, or be on leash...It's no wonder we are confused about what we should do to correct bad dog behavior!

If you just adopted a dog, you have to get him home and inside your house somehow. Usually this is done with a leash. You also have to take him outside several times before he understands who you are or what you want him to do outside. At this point in time, you can't be worried about whether or not you are positively reinforcing your dog it is too early for a new dog to accept your leadership. And if that dog gets away from you, he has no reason to come back - he doesn't know who you are. In his opinion, you are the equivalent of a dog-napper and he'd just as soon take his chances on the street.

That said, let's get one thing straight. In the words of musician Ani DiFranco, Every tool is a weapon if you hold it right!

Humans tend to be pretty slow. Sometimes I think it is because we humans live 80 years and dogs live 15 years. Dogs have to figure stuff out pretty fast because by the time they become teenagers they are already pushing midlife.

What can you do to help the situation?

Keep your hands to yourself (put them in your pockets if you have to), say your dog's name once or twice (don't yell it). And in that split second when he is aware of you, acknowledge him. Give him something else to chew on, give him a shoulder rub or a treat, make it worth his while to listen to you. Click here for more training articles.

If you start out by asking your dog to listen by providing a GOOD REASON to listen, you will actually be training your dog to listen!

When you train your dog to listen you will have the proper tools to correct bad dog behavior!

I believe knowledge is power. I also think dogs are individuals. The more dog books you add to your library the more knowledge (and power) you will have to make good choices for you dog.