Train Your Pet: Basic Dog Training Principles
By Masha Cutikk
Here are some basic principles that all dog owners need to learn and follow:
1. Be consistent. A behavior is either acceptable or it isn’t. It can’t be acceptable on alternate Tuesdays when you’re in the mood. For example, it can’t be OK to allow your dog to jump all over you on the weekends when you’re in casual clothes, but not during the week when you’re dressed for work. That’s an obvious one, although you’d be amazed how many people I’ve met who do exactly that.
Here’s one that’s less obvious. It can’t be OK for your dog to chew fabric toys but not to chew “inappropriate†fabric items. In other words, if you give your dog an old sock and say, “Here, chew this,†don’t be surprised when she eats your shirt. Consistency is a bit easier for singles or couples, and toughest for families. The more people who interact with the dog, the greater the likelihood of inconsistency. I strongly recommend that families conduct a few meetings to discuss and agree upon what will be universally unacceptable behavior on the part of the dog.
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