Have a puppy who is getting more spoiled by the treat? Ahem, day. Here are some simple techniques to win respect in your dogs eyes! Remember, a happy dog is one that is not only rewarded for calm, followership behavior but also one that is raised with healthy boundaries.
One of the most common ways to spoil your puppy and spend a minute or two wanting to pull your hair out is open availability to dog toys. Your dog will likely respect play time with toys more when they are rotated. Remember when you were growing up and it was always more fun to play with your friends toy (even though you had the same one at home). Make most of the toys scarce and dole them out like the treats that they are to play with!
Secondly, many dog parents leave the dog bowl filled with food out all day long. If you are having a difficult time getting your dog to listen to you albeit a dinner free of incessant begging, him/her running away when their name is called or selective hearing when it comes to practicing commands- we suggest you manage meal times. Some dogs like to work for their food. So go ahead and limit meal time two twice per day (unless you have a puppy) and feel free to use their dry food (kibble) as treats instead. This may work especially well if your pup is food motivated. No need to replace the entire meal- perhaps start with 50-75% of the dry food, keep it in a bag and go ahead and start training on walks outside and practicing commands for a set amount of time (5-7 mins) a few times throughout typical meal hours.
Thirdly, using a flexi leash. Allowing your dog to lead the walk is one of the surest ways that your pup will be leading and not following you. If you let your dog lead you, your dog does not respect you as the leader on the walk. Be sure to reinforce the stay and sit command to help your dog continually look towards you for guidance on the walk. It will help both of you relax on walks and be better for your overall parent-dog relationship.
This article was written by Cynthia Okimoto of New York Dog Nanny.
