If you need any specific behavioural advice please contact Beverley Hawkins, at the Rugeley practice, who will be happy to help you.
A good relationship between dogs and their owners is based on good communication. Dogs communicate in a number of ways, but their body language is one of the most important. It's only natural, then, that they'll use the same methods to communicate with people.
Understanding your dog's behaviour and his/her body language forms an important building block for happy pet ownership. Learning about how dogs communicate through body language will help you understand your dog's needs, and will help you teach him or her how to behave appropriately.
Good dog behaviour should be rewarded
Parents often don't remember to praise their children when they behave well, yet will never forget to tell them when they do not. We tend to do the same with our pets. We ignore them when they are quiet and well behaved and pay them attention only when they behave inappropriately. It's often best to do the reverse - praise and reward desired behaviour, and ignore the unwanted.
Teaching your dog to sit
One of the most important lessons your puppy or dog should learn is that he or she must sit before interacting with you or any other human. You can easily teach a puppy or even a mature dog to sit. Dogs can learn at any age, as long as lessons are repeated often enough and teaching sessions are short and fun.
- Take a very special food treat, like a small piece of cheese, and hold it between two fingers.
- Place this hand close to the front of your dog's nose.
- Raise the hand above his/her nose and then backwards. Your dog's head will move to follow the treat.
- Eventually, your dog will sit, because it will be more comfortable.
- As soon as this is done, say "sit" and give your dog a treat. As a dog always connects what they are doing with what you are doing at the same time, they'll associate the action of sitting with the word "sit" and a reward - at this stage, the food treat.
Tips to stop your dog jumping up and barking
Dogs are social animals and need interaction with others. Withholding your attention is a very effective passive punishment. For example, if your dog jumps up at you or barks excessively, cross your arms, turn your head away and remain absolutely silent until they stop jumping or barking. Don't try to push them away, look at or talk to them. They'll interpret any of these actions on your part as attention, or even play.
When your pet does finally calm down and sit, reward them with your undivided attention and a treat of some kind.
If, in the past, you allowed your puppy or dog to gain your attention by barking or jumping up on you, you must realise that if you subsequently decide to ignore such behaviour, your pet will only try longer and harder to regain that attention. An analogy in human terms would be a person who presses the button of an elevator whose doors do not open. He or she will press the button repeatedly, before giving up and walking down the stairs.
To fully change your dog's behaviour - you must ignore, and outlast, all their efforts.
How to play with your dog
Puppies and dogs need to exercise and play and to have contact and interaction with both people and other dogs. Old slippers and socks are not suitable playthings. They should be taught to play with toys only and should learn that human hands or feet are not toys.
If your pet grabs a hand or foot, either intentionally or accidentally, such behaviour should be interrupted either by withholding your attention (ignoring them) or by making a high-pitched "ouch" sound. As soon as they let go, offer a large toy and resume playing.