Let’s say you’re trying to bring a golden retriever into the family. Many pet owners will put their attention on getting the right food, selecting the perfect toys, and establishing an area in the backyard for going to the bathroom. What many pet owners might not consider is that it’s just as important (if not more so) to set boundaries with your dog and make sure that they know what those boundaries are. The reason for this is that your dog will continue to “misbehave” if they don’t know what the rules are. This will lead to dysfunction and disciplining that could all have been easily avoided. In order to do all of this, though, it’s important to understand basic canine psychology before enrolling in dog boarding in the Lakewood area.
How does canine psychology work?
Since dogs operate in a pack system, their number one goal is to help out the pack in any way that they can. To do this, they have to rely heavily on social cues from their pack leader. In this case, of course, the dog owner is the pack leader. As you can imagine, then, if the pack leader operates in a dysfunctional way, the dog will do the same in order to emulate its leader. Instead of limiting the dog and controlling them, setting boundaries serves as a way of calming the dog and letting it know that it’s helping the pack to survive.
How do the rules work?
There’s a difference between the kinds of rules that you can set for your dog. For instance, boundaries relate to where the dog can’t and can go. Dogs operate on the concept of territory, and you have to teach your dog what is and isn’t their territory. This can include anything from not being allowed in the bathroom to not being allowed to come close to you unless you let them do so. This can also include places the dog is supposed to go as well. For instance, you can teach your dog to go on their bed instead of on theirs. All of these things will teach your dog acceptable behavior and will make them respect you as a pack leader. The key to all of this is that you be fair in your rules and yet firm as well. If you do all of this in a consistent way, the dog will be sure to understand what they’re allowed to do and what’s forbidden.
Another rule to keep in mind with dog training is the idea of limitations. This involves restricting how long an activity lasts or how intense the activity is. For instance, you would end a game of fetch with your golden retriever when you want to and remain assertive when the dog protests. If your dog is getting overly excited, you might use something like a timeout to calm the dog down. All of these constraints might seem like they’re being too controlling of your dog, but they are actually helping to reduce anxiety in your pet. Dogs thrive when they have something to do. When you give them the job of sitting down or otherwise obeying your commands, they feel as though they’re serving the pack and respecting their pack leader. And again, when any rule is enforced, you want to make sure that this is done in a consistent fashion and said in a firm tone of voice. At the same time, you shouldn’t be overly harsh with your dog but fair instead.
Restrictions help your dog.
One of the best ways that you can reduce aggression and unwanted behavior with dog training is to give your dog clear and helpful restrictions. For instance, restricting where your dog can go when they’re alone will reduce a great deal of anxiety that your dog might face. One commonly overlooked restriction is that your dog should stay where they are when they’re in the way. You might feel like it’s easier to just step over your dog, but this only reinforces the unwanted behavior. Instead, you should let your dog know every time that this is unacceptable behavior.
It might look cute to see your dog playing tug of war with someone or play wrestling, but this reinforces aggressive behavior that could easily translate to rough play in the house. This has to be set up as a zero tolerance policy in order for your efforts to be effective. If your dog at all thinks that roughhousing is okay, they will continue engaging in this behavior. It’s far better for your dog to take out this aggression on their dog toys or on bones that you buy for them. This extends to other dogs in the family too. You should never encourage or even allow the dogs to fight or wrestle. If their pack leader doesn’t stop them from doing so, they’ll simply accept that it’s okay for them to do this.
Redirect that energy.
Exercise is just as important for dogs as it is for humans. If a dog is not getting the level of exercise that they need, they’ll be much more likely to misbehave. Exercise isn’t just good for their bodies, it’s a great way to redirect their mischievous energy into something healthy too. Where before they might tear up potted plants or fight with another dog, now they’ll be racing to catch that stick or running by your side through a forest preserve. Everyone wins: Both of you get exercise and the misbehaving stops. One of the best ways for you to achieve this goal if you’re quite busy is to enroll your furry pal in a dog daycare facility or kennel. Dog boarding facilities have staff trained in getting dogs the exercise they need. On that note, you should choose Pet Peeves if you’re looking for a kennel or dog daycare in the Lakewood area that will help your dog get on the right track. They will help to reinforce boundaries, and their professionals are consistent throughout the entire process. It’s important to make sure your dog has been given the proper nutrition and living space, but their training is just as important.
Pet Peeves can help
While you work to set boundaries for your dog, the professionals at Pet Peeves will work with you to help to set them while your pet spends their day playing with other dogs. Training goes along with the care of your friend in the Golden/Lakewood facility. Contact us to find out more!
