Understanding Dog Behavior And You

Those of us who own a dog know the importance of understanding dog behavior. Our furry friends have the mentality of a four or 5-year-old for their entire time on this earth.

They act on their basic instincts, and unfortunately, that is what most often gets them in hot water with their owners. Dogs will most always seize the opportunity to grab that stack of butter or loaf of bread you carelessly left within their reach. We must understand that this is rarely done with any motive or ill will intended. I am a big advocate of positive reinforcement rather than using physical punishment to correct dogs mistakes. Most often a stern reprimand will suffice, but only if you catch them in the act. Another way to affect good behavior in your dog is to provide ongoing training.

Don’t just do puppy obedience training; make it a life long process of learning for your dog. You will find that you can teach old dogs new tricks. Our dogs are a wellspring of loyalty, love, and never-ending devotion. Dogs make excellent pets, but they all must have the training to quell their latent bad dog behavior tendencies. It’s best to start this training at an early age, because these bad habits just become harder to break, down the road. Understanding dog behavior will help us enjoy and appreciate man’s or woman’s “best friend.”