4 Ways You're Ruining Your Dog

Jun 16th, 2010

FOUR WAYS YOU'RE RUINING YOUR DOG...

If you have a dog that misbehaves, you've probably tried everything to correct it.  But if you don't know what you're doing, you could easily make the problem WORSE.  Here are four things dog owners do that they SHOULDN'T . . .

#1.)  YELLING AT YOUR DOG FOR BARKING.  It doesn't really work, and it might make them bark even MORE.  It's because they think that . . . in a way . . . YOU'RE barking too. 

--You're better off reprimanding them quietly, ignoring it, or distracting them with a game.  Another option is to train your dog to bark on COMMAND.  If you can do that, it's easier to make them STOP barking.

#2.)  COMFORTING YOUR DOG WHEN HE'S SCARED.  If your dog freaks out at thunderstorms, or cowers in the corner when you use the vacuum, just ignore it.  Comforting a dog just tells them that they SHOULD be scared.

#3.)  LETTING YOUR DOG CHEW ON BONES.  According to the FDA, dogs shouldn't chew on real bones because they can break teeth, and the splinters can cut up their digestive system.  But rawhide STICKS are okay.

#4.)  YELLING AT YOUR DOG FOR CHEWING UP YOUR SHOES.  Unless you catch him in the act, don't even bother.  Dogs have horrible memories, and if they do something bad, you have about one second to punish them.

--Studies have shown that even a HALF-SECOND delay has a noticeable effect on how fast dogs learn.
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