There is no such thing as a bad dog, only an untrained one. Untrained dogs can cause chaos in your home, and the longer you ignore the problem, the worse it will become.
Think of your happy-go-lucky puppy that shows typical puppy behavior like pulling on a leash, mouthing, jumping on people, and everything in between. That is not a bad dog, just untrained.
Today we will talk about how to solve common training issues and turn your untrained dog into a good boy.
Is Your Dog a Bad Dog?
If we look at common examples of puppy behavior, you might say that you live with a bad dog. For example, if a dog pees in the house, your first thought might be that your dog is bad or did it on purpose. As a dog owner it’s important to understand your dog’s thought process so you can react appropriately.
A Dog’s Thought Process
Unlike humans, pets don’t have the capacity for complex thoughts about the consequences of their actions. However, they can learn associations between behaviors and rewards/punishments. A pet might “misbehave” because they are seeking attention, bored, hungry, anxious, or trying to communicate a need.
Pets learn through positive reinforcement, so if an action leads to a desired outcome (like getting a treat), they are likely to repeat that behavior. Some reasons a dog might act out could be due to being under stress, suffering from separation anxiety, medical issues, or simply lack of potty training. That’s not to say dogs and pets in general don’t act out or behave randomly, but 9/10 times, a dog’s bad behavior is a result of poor training or learned habits.
Top 5 Mistakes Dog Owners Make
You might think you are training your dog, but sometimes, you make mistakes without knowing it. Think hard if you are making any of the following mistakes.
No Time Commitment
Let’s be honest: most dog owners follow a busy schedule that doesn’t leave time for dog training. When the schedule gets hectic, consistent training is one of the first things that gets pushed to the side.
Sadly, without effort and time, dogs do not get enough reps to learn basic obedience commands and cues. Owning a dog is a huge commitment, and you should be ready to put time into teaching your pup proper manners.
Train Too Long
No dog wants to train for more than 10 to 15 minutes. Even working dog breeds like German shepherds and Belgian malinois will get bored after 15 minutes. Good things can turn into bad things when we overdo them, and that applies to dog training.
Do not press your dog for too long or you will lose his interest. Aim for 15 minutes per day, broken up into two or three sessions.
Reward Bad Habits
Anyone can support a bad behavior without realizing it. A common example is jumping on people. Untrained dogs jump on people when they are excited, a habit they pick up from their owners. How? Well, most dog owners, when they come home to an excited dog, they praise and pet it. Dogs learn that excitement results in praise, and they do it over and over again.
Repeat Commands
If your pet doesn’t respond to a certain word, stop saying it. You cannot repeat it 10 times and expect different results. New owners often do this without receiving the desired action from their dog. Try to build meaning behind the word. Practice recall and reward every step of the way. Instead of starting outside, when your dog has no idea of what “come” means, start at home and call your dog to follow you.
As a dog owner, it is your responsibility to bring meaning to the word “come”. To dogs, words do not mean anything until we teach them the meaning. Be patient and remember, your puppy might not be disobeying, they might just be confused. Take a break and try again later.
Rush Obedience Training
We talked previously about how dogs might perform great at home yet when they step outside, they forget everything. That is because their owner rushed obedience training and didn’t go step-by-step. Once your dog learns a command, add more challenges and increase the difficulty.
Why You Shouldn’t Skip Dog Training
Training is a critical part of responsible dog ownership. No dog owner should question the necessity of training. If you choose to invest time, effort, and consistency into teaching your pet dog proper manners, results will come. But what happens if you skip training? Let’s take a look.
Behavioral issues
Training ensures you have a well-behaved family dog, instead of an untrained dog. Without training, behavioral issues that show up during puppyhood will linger into adulthood, including aggression, excessive barking, anxiety, chewing, and more.
Lack of Communication
Training is a tool for communication between dogs and their owners, enabling canines to understand and respond to cues and basic commands. The result is a harmonious living environment. Without training, dogs will not comprehend their owner’s expectations, resulting in confusion and frustration.
Safety Concerns
Training is a critical part of ensuring the safety of dogs and their environment. Canines that lack training can run off, chase cars and small animals, or approach other animals aggressively, increasing the risk to your pet’s well-being.
Lower Quality of Life
Untrained dogs have limited opportunities and may miss out on amazing experiences due to their behavioral problems. For example, an owner might decide to exclude his pet from public spaces and dog parks or avoid social gatherings. These limitations lead to isolation, lack of socialization, and lower quality of life.
Strained Dog-Owner Relationship
Training helps your dog learn basic commands but also improves the relationship between him and his owner. Untrained dogs cause frustration and disappointment on both ends and over time, erode the bond. Instead of trust and respect, dogs and their owners experience only frustration. What should be a joyful ownership diminishes as the challenges pile up.
Quick Solutions to Common Issues
Every dog deserves a chance at a happy life. Dog training is a huge part of improving your dog’s quality of life. To help you out, we have some quick solutions to common problems.
- If your dog jumps on people, teach him to sit to greet them.
- If your dog is pestering you constantly, teach him to love his bed.
- If your dog barks from the yard at neighbors and noises, teach him to come to you.
- If your dog hogs when you talk to another dog, teach him the command to stay calm.
What Should You Do?
For a dog to be stubborn, he must first understand completely what is asked of him and then choose to disobey. There are very few stubborn dogs in the world. There are, however, many untrained dogs.
The first thing you should do is stop blaming your dog for being a dog. Is there a behavior you have trouble with? Well, work on it, or ask for help from a professional dog trainer. Learning is something that happens all the time, not just during training sessions.
Final Thoughts
Often, “bad” behaviors come from misunderstandings between dogs and their owners. Your dog is not deliberately trying to ignore you or misbehave. He lacks the training to follow your commands.
Try to address common training mistakes, avoid reinforcing bad habits, and do not rush training, or neglect your pet. If you can implement the suggestions above, you transform unruly behavior into positive traits and get the best out of your good boy.