There Is No Such Thing As A “Bad Dog”
BAD DOG! We’ve all said it at some point in our lives, whether it was towards our own dog or someone else’s. They ate your shoe, drank out of the toilet, jumped on a guest, ate out of the garbage can, chased down the mailman, opened the fridge and gobbled up the chocolate cake; or in more serious instances, have bitten our hand during a grooming exercise, guarded a toy, growled at a child…….the list is endless. But who’s fault is it really that our dog committed these infractions? Is it there’s? Or, is it ours?
This is a moment for true self-reflection. If your dog is exhibiting behavior that is unwanted, what are you doing to correct the behavior? Dog’s are honest, transparent creatures. They mirror us in every way. So if they are lacking in rules, boundaries, and limits, then what you see as a result is complete and total honesty on their part. If you have never taught your dog how to be alone, and when you are around they follow you everywhere, then of course when you leave, problems are going to occur! From opening up the fridge, to literally jumping out windows, I’ve seen it all. If your dog is shy with low self esteem, and you never took the time to teach people how to approach him or pet him, you wonder why his go to response at the end of the day is to bite anyone that comes near him. Or, if your dog has absconded away with your favorite shoe and you catch him in the act of demolishing such a tasty leather treat, is your go to response to scream NO! and then laugh and pet him a few minutes later? What message are YOU sending your dog? How are you advocating for him during moments that stress him out? Do you know the appropriate steps to take to ensure that your dog stays in a calm and focused state of mind?
Be the change you wish to see in your dog. Dogs live in the moment, and if we show them a different, better way to handle a situation, then they will gladly follow. They will follow because they enjoy when you play a leadership roll. Now, they don’t have to make poor life choices, because you are there guiding them every step of the way. Take time to really learn about your dog. They may need to be crated when you are gone. If so, take the time to teach them how to become conditioned to a crate. They may need time and space to get used to new situations and people. If so, take the time to learn how to help them cope and to counter-condition the negative actions into positive ones. They may require more exercise than you are giving them. If so, master the structured walk and if you are able, invest in a treadmill! Bottom line, do not be afraid to work on YOU! We all make mistakes. Mistakes are there for us to learn from them. Your dog can be your greatest teacher. Just take the time to listen to what they are telling you:)
Recommended Read: Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz