If you are thinking, “It’s too late to train my dog”, know that it’s never too late to improve your dog’s behavior and for more reasons than you may think!
That leads me to this question for you: “What does your dog’s behavior say about your priorities?” You don’t have time or never had time to train your dog. You don’t have time to really walk your dog properly which all may mean: “How he acts is not high enough up on your priority list to do something about it, yet.”
It may take something extreme like getting a warning from your apartment manager about neighbor complaints regarding your barking dog. Suddenly you have to kick it up to the top of your priority list. The clock is ticking.
But given that you are asking if it’s too late to improve your dog’s behavior, no, it’s really not too late. However, (and you knew this was coming) prevention is still the best cure. I guess that’s why they call it hind-sight. It’s 20/20.
If you have a crazy, rowdy dog it pays to train him when you first get him and keep up the training. You don’t want to become known as the person with the barky, hyper or interruptive dog.
That’s correct.
Sometimes people may make assumptions about you based solely on your dog’s energy and how he behaves. Don’t let your dog’s behavior suggest how someone might view you as a person.
Do we have some dog training to do?
Here are two descriptions of extreme “dog types” and both can be a source of embarrassment in different ways which I will talk about later.
But for now, what dog type best represents your dog’s personality? If your dog is in between, count your blessings. But if you recognize one of these two personalities in your dog, read on.
- Does high energy, hyper and wound up like an 8-day clock describe your dog? This same dog type could be barky, interruptive and always wanting your attention.
- Or is your dog cool, calm, collected and almost always submissive to a fault? Can you also call him affectionate and easy to be around? If the answer is yes, you may find yourself hanging out with your dog to excess.
What’s next?
Both dog types need structure and training for different reasons.
The bossy, pushy dog
The bossy, pushy dog all wound up and hyper is easily stressed without lots of structure. The stress he feels tends to surface in the form of his outward expression with unruly behavior that you notice today. He desperately needs structure, training and exercise for better control and toning down.
The cool, calm and collected dog
The dog type that is cool, calm, collected and wins your heart with affection may not show behavior issues as quickly as the bossy type.
The more submissive types tend to turn inward to express their insecurities (when developed) like:
- house soiling,
- destructive chewing,
- self-mutilation (chewing mostly)
- whining and or barking.
This dog type needs confidence boosting with lots of daily obedience training. Six minutes a day will do it. Three, 2 minute sessions of obedience training (sits and downs) will help you make great strides in your dog’s confidence.
Adding more structure (sits for food and affection) and a good exercise program will be a bonus. These new brisk walks will be a welcomed difference to lounging in front of the television all night.
But not paying attention to what all the free love and affection does can cause your dog to become very territorial keeping others (dogs and family members) away from your love and affection.
Two dog types – same solution
Assuming that no complex behavior problems have developed and that your bad dog behavior is just at the annoying, irritating level, it’s never too late to improve your dog’s behavior. Exude calm energy with the bossy, pushy dog and throttle back on your love and affection with your softer dog requiring sits for occasional petting.
Like I said before, prevention is the best cure. Starting when you first get your dog is always best. However, if your light bulb just came on and it is now a priority, for whatever reason (I won’t ask), structure, training and exercise will always turn out a better dog. Who knows, he may even surprise you!
Thanks for letting me share my dog training knowledge with you. Don’t be a stranger. I’d love to hear what you think.
His Ground Rules for Great Dogs is your must have, easy step-by-step process to helping your dog. Be the dog owner your dog needs to be a great dog. Ground Rules gets you there. Grab them now.
Remember: “Together, We Can Raise a Happy and Obedient Dog”
Jim Burwell, Houston dog trainer for 25+ years, serving over 9000 clients, has a profound understanding of dog behavior and the many things, we as humans, do that influence that behavior – good or bad. Jim has the ability to not only steer dogs and puppies down the right path but to also train the owners to understand their part in having a great dog.
