My darling dog Joey would rule the roost if I let him. As an example, when I was trying to train him not to jump on people the inevitable response I got from the jumpee was "oh, that's ok, he's SO CUTE".
Well, it wasn't ok and if he had weighed 60 pounds rather than 14 I'm sure they wouldn't have thought so either.
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| Cute, right? |
It is doggy nature that if the pet owner isn't in charge? The dog is forced to take that position because someone has to do it!
Never have been able to understand why pet parents (or human ones for that matter) accept rude and objectionable behavior from their pets (or their kids). A dog that is well trained (okay, so Joey has a ways to go) is a joy to have around. You can take them places, enjoy their company in your home and they are secure in their knowledge that you are in charge. And, believe me, if you don't take charge you will force them to cause "someone's gotta do it"!
There are many ways to help your dog understand where they rank in the pack order - I'm not talking beating the dog if it does something incorrect - that is totally counterproductive any way you cut it.
Obedience training is a wonderful bonding experience for both of you (teaches you to endure public humiliation along the way). It also helps your pup get used to other dogs and a range of people and environments.
http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/training/articles/dog-respect-training.html
This post isn't meant to do more than give you an idea of some of the things that are not acceptable if you are thinking of getting a pup (or even an older dog) and easy ways to help the situation.
Once I get my mind off where to plant the parsnips and when can I put in the carrot seeds I might digress into some other ways to make your pack a happy one.
In the meantime just remember - if it ain't cute at 50 pounds, it's not at 10 pounds and if you don't want to spend the rest of your pet's life wishing he would STOP DOING THAT, now is the time to fix it!
PS I'm not selling the video that's in the link but the questions and answers in the article are spot on!
There is a Huge difference between 10 and 50 pounds, and, it is rare an animal is trained perfectly. But it's okay to shoot for it. :)
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of two things: the ill-behaved 10 pound animal who will end up being at least 50 pounds and/or the fully grown 10 pounder who can knock a child or older person right down if their footing is insecure. Either way it's a PIA for the non-dog person to deal with! :)
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