How to Remain Best Friends with your Dog

By: Craig Wilson
There is no doubt that a dog can be a man's or woman's best friend but let's face it if your best friend went around digging up your yard and chewing your favorite shoes the friendship would be a bit strained to say the least. If it was just natural instinct for your best friend to do this you may have a hard time changing his ways and both sides would feel very frustrated.

This scenario can often be the case when dealing with a un-rulely canine. The poor dog is only doing what comes naturally to him or her and you just want to protect your belongings. This is where a good training program can come to the rescue, before you do something that you will regret later!

With the right techniques your dog will learn what is acceptable and what is not and develop an understanding that you are the one that decides what behavior is allowed and what behavior is not. Dogs are exceptionally loyal and respectful animals and these traits need to be nurtured to bring out the best in your animal. Using treats and rewards at the right times and praising your dog when he does something right is the start of this nurturing process.

On the flip-side, being overly aggressive towards your dog will bring on a feeling of fear and the dog is likely to either become equally aggressive or retreat into submissiveness, which is not a relationship that is based on loyalty and respect. Sure, when your dog does something that it is not allowed to do, it needs to be shown in a firm way that it's done the wrong thing. The dog needs to be told "no" in a firm, strong voice and perhaps a tap on the snout if the behavior continues will be needed to reinforce your commands. Patience needs to be exercised as well, over time your dog will learn what the word "no" means.

The amount of time that you spend with your dog can also be a deciding factor in how quickly they respond to your training efforts. How many times have you seen dog owners welcomed at their front gate by a dog that is close to wetting itself with excitement! They love people and crave interaction with the people that give them attention so naturally they will be more receptive to someone that they simply love being around. Owning a dog can be a beneficial relationship for both parties and any time that you can spare to work on this relationship will definitely be worth your while.

Next time you find yourself getting angry over the garden beds being dug up again, take a step back and put yourself in the dog's shoes. He is only doing what comes naturally and can't understand why all the yelling and swearing. No wonder there is dog obedience classes popping up everywhere!


For more information on controlling your canine and reviews of online dog training resources please visit Tried n Tested.

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