Like humans, no dog is perfect — despite what we might like to think about our own pups!
There might well be things you’d like to change when it comes to your dog’s behavior, and this is totally normal. It doesn’t mean that they’re a failure, or that you are, but if you’d like to change your dog’s behavior there are ways of going about it, and you might want to get some of the best dog treats to help you.
In a recent Instagram post, award-winning trainer Lisa Burton of Listen Dog Training has offered a plan for changing your dog’s behavior, based on behavioral adjustment training, and there’s a lot of valuable advice in there. So, let’s take a closer look.
First of all, Burton says that it’s important to rule out any medical conditions that could be contributing to your dog’s behavior. Are they feeling any physical pain or discomfort, or living with a condition that hasn’t yet been diagnosed? Ensure, too, that your pup has enough rest and sleep.
“Providing a good quality diet without fillers, unnecessary colors, sugars or flavorings, preservatives, or allergens,” is something else Burton recommends, along with “learning effective management techniques and rehearsing them outside of problem situations and using them whenever required.”
Burton also advises building your dog’s confidence and optimism with a range of training games each day, and giving your dog the opportunity to meet their breed-specific needs – and engage in typical canine behaviors too.
She continues, explaining that “meeting your dog’s physical exercise needs and ensuring energy is effectively spent” is also important, as is promoting calmness in a variety of situations, both at home and in public.
She recommends making your dog’s day as enriching and fulfilling as you can, too, and completing regular training sessions that have clear outcomes, and a way for you to track your progress — training dogs with treats is often a good idea!
Keep in mind that changing your dog’s behavior isn’t something that you can do overnight. It’s important to look at the longer term, and focus on making changes each day. As you keep doing so, taking on board Burton’s advice, you may find that your dog’s behavior changes for the better.
But, don’t lose heart if you don’t see any notable changes right away — a bit of perseverance and dedication now can mean that you have many happy years of fun with your pup still to come.
If one thing you’re struggling with is your dog’s reactivity, why not take a look at this article? I trained as a dog behaviorist to better understand my reactive dog, and it totally transformed our bond.
