Does Your Dog Have a Problem?: General: BraveHeart Women

Does Your Dog Have a Problem? Posted Jan 24, 2009 10:24 PM
1 Attachment ReggieandRilee Crop08.jpg (48.3 K) Reggie and Rilee As difficult as this may be to swallow, we might be our dog's reason for having a problem. Yes, that is what I said; we the dog parents might be the problem and the solution to our dog's behavior issues. When I finally accepted this statement is when my dogs began to change for the better. Granted there are some cases that are more difficult than others and those dogs may need a professional to assist in the rehabilitation. In general though if you stand back and take a look at your specific situation I would bet there are many things that you are not aware of that could be triggering bad behavior in your dog. Let's start with respect. Does your dog respect you? If your answer is no or I don't know, this would be a great place to start. If you think of them as a child in a furry suit or you constantly give them affection when they haven't earned it or you don't exercise them properly, all of these situations can contribute to a wide variety of unwanted behavior. First, the mere fact of really acknowledging that a dog is an animal not a human can set the stage for better behavior in your dog. With this mindset we actually love our dogs more not less because we are fulfilling their needs on a primal level. After all isn't that what loving our dogs is all about, wanting them to be truly happy? In the dog world there are leaders and there are followers. The followers respect the leader and that is the way it is. The leader is calm and assertive and never wavers from this role. It is clear to the follower who is in charge. This is the way it should be in a household where there is one or more dogs. The parents and the children are the leaders and the dogs are the followers. To gain respect you have to set boundaries for what your dog can and cannot do. Disciplining them when they are not behaving properly in a calm assertive manner is not punishment. If you have ever watched a mother dog, she doesn't tolerate unwanted behavior she calmly and assertively corrects the puppy. The puppy knows his or her place in the pack and is content and fulfilled. This is how nature intended it to be. Have you ever seen a litter of unhappy puppies? Dedicating a daily walk with your dog is a necessity. Letting them run around in a fenced in area or playing fetch is not the same as a 45 minute walk. It drains pent up mental and physical energy which leads to a well behaved dog. I view this time together with my dogs as a bonding time that we both truly enjoy. Your dog is your mirror. He or she will reflect back to you what energy you are projecting to them. Is your energy calm and confident or is it nervous and anxious? Remember dogs don't respect or follow weak leaders. Assess your emotions regularly. This just might be the solution to your dog's problems. Pawsitively yours, Audie Founder and CEO of KidsPetTales
In: Kids and Pets Together Permalink \| TrackBacks Share and Enjoy: Del.icio.us Facebook Digg

1 Comment

Hi Audie!
Great post- I was giggling though. I was thinking about my teenagers as they grew up and not dogs. (I have never owned a dog for a pet as an adult. We had a husky when I was young - good puppy she was. "Lobo" )
Many of your posts talk about animals but also have the human factor in there. I have been enjoying reading them.
Blessings-
Alane D Brown

Search\|Advanced Search in
BraveHeart Women » BraveHeart Women Blogs » General » Audie's Blog » Does Your Dog Have a Problem?
Welcome Guest	LOG IN \| Personalize \| Print \| Help

BraveHeart Women

BraveHeart Women Blogs

General

Audie's Blog

Does Your Dog Have a Problem?

Does Your Dog Have a Problem?

Does Your Dog Have a Problem?