Bad Dog Behaviors Encouraged By Owners

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Bad Dog Behaviors Encouraged By Owners

We try to be the best parents we can for our pets but this can lead to some problems on its own. There are many bad dog behaviors encouraged by owners and we should take a look at some of the most frequent ones.

We may ignore some things even if they aren’t something we would tolerate from other dogs while also being too strict in some other situations. As the dog grows older the behaviors they have will become more and more rigid and thus it is really important to ensure a good development from the start.

If we rewarded our pet for some things that shouldn’t have happened in the past then we know just how difficult it is to stop them from doing that. One example would be when we taught them to beg for food when we are eating. If they get something off our plate every time they beg for it then it should come to no surprise that the pet has health problems.

Here are some of the most common issues that are encouraged by most dog owners and some solutions on how to fix them or prevent their appearance.

Begging For Different Things

Bad Dog Behaviors Encouraged By Owners

Let us start with the one we mentioned already. It is very hard to resist the temptation to offer your pet something when they ask for it. The puppy-eyed look is something we all know and it is definitely very efficient.

Even if you have something that is good for the pet, the habit of begging for things isn’t something you should encourage. You probably just want to show your affection by sharing some food with your pet but what you are actually doing is setting this habit forever.

Instead of offering a bite of your own food it is better to have some dog treats that the pet can enjoy in the meantime. Every dog owner should know that it is a bad idea to leave the house without some treats for the dog so make sure to keep them handy. If your pet already ate then there are many toys available and offering them some of their favorite ones should keep them busy.

Even if it seems cruel, it is better to ignore them when they start begging. They will become even more insistent when you do that but after a while they will stop doing it.

Jumping Up All the Time

Bad Dog Behaviors Encouraged By Owners

Dogs are really easily attached to their owners and want to show affection through any way they can. One of these ways is to jump in your lap and start licking you. Obviously, we feel flattered and want to show the dog we understand his emotion so we pat them, laugh and thus encourage this behavior. This means that the dog now considers this to be something they should do more of.

This might not seem to be a problem at first but a puppy continues to grow and if you have a huge dog jumping in your lap this will start to become more serious. It will be difficult not to encourage this in a dog who wants to show affection but you should think of some boundaries from the beginning.

If this has already been going on for a long time your best option is to stop acknowledging the behavior. This means that you should just ignore the dog when he gets on you (no positive or negative feedback) and only interact with them when they are on the floor again. After doing this for a while (depending on how long the habit has been continued and on the age of the pet) the behavior should reduce.

Pulling the Leash

Bad Dog Behaviors Encouraged By Owners

Dogs are interested in their environment and they like to explore, not to mention their habit of marking territory and so on. This can become a problem when you take them on walks. They might want to pee on a tree and they pull you in that direction so you go along. Next thing you know, it is the dog who is leading the way and you end up in strange places without any intention of getting there.

If they lead the way then they will learn that a tight leash means that they should continue to walk and this will clearly be more harmful to them. The idea is to teach them that the leash should be loose. Doing this means that every time the dog pulls you should stop walking. If they circle around you or stop then you should give them a treat and only then continue walking. The pet should eventually get the hang of it and once again, the earlier you start, the easier it will be for both of you.

Barking When Expecting Something

Bad Dog Behaviors Encouraged By Owners

When a dog wants something they tend to bark and sometimes it is easy to know why they do this. Let’s say you are playing together and their toy gets under the couch. They will start barking in that situation and if you give them the ball back you will probably make the dog stop but the next time they want something they will bark again. This teaches the dog that making noise is how they get rewarded.

Train your dog to ask for what they want in another manner. Put them to sit before you toss them the ball or offer them food and also teach them that barking for things won’t work. If you are getting their food ready and they start making noise just walk away and they will learn that making noise will cause the opposite of what they want.

Biting and Chewing on Stuff

Bad Dog Behaviors Encouraged By Owners

When a dog’s teeth come out they will nip on different surfaces and it is clearly something that isn’t pleasant either for them or for the parents. This behavior usually stops once the teeth are out but some owners might encourage this and thus it will become a habit. This can lead to damage through the house and also to injuries so stopping this behavior is really important.

If your dog bites you scream in pain and then walk away for a few seconds. During play if this happens you should do the same thing. Scream, drop the toys and walk away. This should eventually signal to them that a line has been crossed and they should eventually understand that their teeth shouldn’t be used that way.

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