Thanks from Pet Perennials to Tyler Evans of dogzasters.com/ for the great information on keeping our pets healthy and happy.
Banish Bad Behaviors and Live Harmoniously with Your Pet
Dogs don’t come with instruction manuals. Much of pet parenting is learning your dog’s temperament and things he responds to best. But there are some universal behaviors that can be tempered by consistent training.
Begging
You’ve got a tasty treat and, understandably, your dog wants his share. The only real way to curtail your beseeching vagabond behaviors is to ignore it completely. Even looking in his direction tells him he’s got your attention and a nibble is imminent. Another option is to simply put your dog in another room or outside while you dine.
Chewing
There are few things more shocking than arriving home after an afternoon outing to find your dog has eaten the couch. But it happens. Often. Dogs chew for a number of reasons, mostly lack of physical and mental stimulation. Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise as well as hands-on time with people and other pets. If your work or school schedule doesn’t allow you to spend enough time walking, running or playing with your dog, find a local dog walker that can swing by during the times you’re absent. Even normally low-maintenance dogs can get bored and destructive. If you’ll be gone for the entire day or must leave town for the night and don’t want to board him, you can find a drop-in pet sitter onRover.com to provide attention and love.
Chasing
If you’ve ever driven down a busy highway, chances are you’ve seen the remains of someone’s unfortunate pet. Dogs run into traffic to chase cars, bikes and motorcycles as a throwback to a time when wolves had to defend their den against threats of all shapes and sizes. Chasing is an instinct that requires training to tame. WhyDoDogs.com explains that dogs believe their actions are causing the “threat” to run – they don’t know the car is driving by anyway. Likewise, dogs with a high prey drive will chase stalk, hunt and grab anything that runs and is smaller than them. Teach your dog to quell his pursuits by playing impulse control games.
Eating trash
Your trashcan is little more than a pile of waste to you but it’s an all-day buffet for your dog. Like running after prey, dogs are naturally inclined to scavenge for food and your leftover chicken wings from last night saturate your home with an irresistible scent. There’s not much in the way of training you can do to stop this issue but you can change your behaviors. If you have cabinet space, keep your waste bin behind a closed door. Alternately, you can replace your open-top trashcan with one that comes with a tight fitting lid.
Barking
If you live on a large piece of land in the middle of the country, your barking dog may cause little to no problems. But city life, or even suburban bliss, can be greatly impacted by your dog’s vocalization. Nuisance barking, which happens constantly and when faced with everyday situations such as neighbors playing in the backyard, requires diligence on your part. The Humane Society recommends teaching your dog the “quiet” command and desensitizing him to stimuli.
Poisoning
You might love your azaleas, but these and other landscape inclusions can be fatal to your pets. Avoid a doggie disaster by taking care to remove Spot’s access to poisonous plants, chemicals, and medications. Petfinder offers tips on how to prevent pet poisoning. If you suspect that your dog has ingested a dangerous substance, take him to the nearest veterinary clinic, after hours animal hospital, or contact the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center at 888.4-ANI-HELP.
Raising a pet isn’t always easy. But your actions – training, preventing access to dangerous situations – can mean the difference between a healthy pet and happy home and having a dog that’s destructive and always in harm’s way.
Photo by Pixabay
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