As a pet owner about owning a dog. If dogs could talk, they would be able to tell us all about what they need. Unfortunately they can’t, so we are left to decide what they need and how they need it. Ensuring that you are a good pet owner is important, and you should throw away any perceived notions about how you think a dog should be trained. 

Oh yes, puppy training is important if you’re going to own a dog. All responsible pet owners know that training is a big part of what makes their puppy a part of the family. Nobody wants to deal with the dog that’s destructive, and it comes down to training to make sure that doesn’t happen. There are some things that you need to know about your dog though, and here they are below.

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  • Dogs are individuals. Just like people, you wouldn’t constantly compare your friends or your boyfriends or girlfriends to the last person you dated or hung out with. It doesn’t matter what breed the dog is, what size they are, how old they are, how young they are, dogs are individual. They each have their own personalities, characteristics and traits, and while some breeds are the same it’s their personalities that make some different. Most of the time, pet owners tend to buy the same breed of dog that they are used to, but that doesn’t mean that they’re going to have the same dog every time. In fact, a lot of dog owners become quite shocked when they realize that their new dog behaves differently to their other dogs. There is no point in comparing your old dog with a new dog, because comparison is the thief of joy and it will take all the fun out of it.
  • Dogs aren’t always sociable with other dogs. It’s tempting to take your dog to the doggy park to meet other breeds and play games, but it’s not always a good thing for the dog. Some dogs don’t want to be socialized with other breeds, or even other dogs of the same breed. You don’t have to force them to meet other dogs, because they don’t need the socializing on your terms. In fact, it’s a tough behavior to change if your dog is too sociable and wants to sniff and play with every single dog you may not want to play with them. Puppy training is a good idea here, because then they can learn to respect other dogs’ personal space.
  • Dogs love choice. You love choosing your own food and choosing your own bed, choosing your own games to play and choosing when you would like to be sociable or touched. Dogs are exactly the same. Dogs don’t like physical correction or yelling, force or anything that could scare or confuse them. When it comes to puppy training, you want to reward good behavior and redirect the unwanted rather than highlighting all of the bad things. Reinforcement is a good way to train your dog, so it should be something you look at first and foremost.
  • Puppies can bite. It’s not just big dogs that bite. Small dogs might leave a smaller bite but it’s still not behavior you should be encouraging or allowing. Dogs have teeth and they will defend themselves when they have been pushed too far. Even if the children want to cuddle the dog, if a pastor, they could end up getting bitten. All breeds of dogs can bite, and it’s up to you to make sure that you are respectful of your dog’s boundaries because they do have them. Don’t forget, this is an animal, not a toy.
  • Shaming dogs is awful. There are plenty of people who will tell you that the best way to teach a dog’s to shame it into submission, but dogs don’t understand shame. Dogs are not spiteful and they can’t feel spite. They won’t chew on your shoes to punish you, and they won’t pee on the rug because they need to go to the toilet. They do it because they haven’t been taught to go outside. They do it because why not chew the delicious shoe when they can? Don’t believe that spite or vengeance come into the equation because neither of those things are feelings your dog can have.

Dogs are an amazing pet to live with, but respect is something owners need to show to their new pet pooch!