written by Jessica Brody
If you are a dog owner, you are undoubtedly a dog
lover as well. To be a good dog owner, however, you need to be aware of others’
opinions about dogs. While you may pass off your dog barking at night, jumping
on visitors and digging holes in your backyard as just normal canine behavior,
many people view these actions as nuisances, not usual doggy quirks. If you
want your neighbors to share in your adoration of your pup, take some time to
follow basic dog etiquette. All it requires is some training, attention to your
dog and cleaning up after him. Here’s how to make your dog a well-behaved and
welcome addition to your neighborhood.
A
well-exercised dog is a calm dog
Before you embark on an obedience training
program aimed at making your dog well-behaved, take a simple step to make him
calm. Many dogs suffer from boredom and lack of exercise, which fuel bad
behavior. Your dog doesn’t want to act like a jerk - he may just be itching to
burn off some energy. Once you adopt your animal, start daily walks as a
habit. The exercise will not only calm
your dog, but will create an important bonding experience that will help you in
the obedience-training process. As a bonus, daily walking is good for your mental and physical health as well.
Exercising is important for your dog’s physical
health, too. A sedentary dog can quickly become obese, which will bring physical discomfort
and lots of expensive vet bills. And while the exercise will build a bond that
will help transition into training, your dog’s physical fitness will also make
him more adept at learning new things.
How training
improves behavior
Obedience training gives a dog a purpose,
which adds another layer of activity to stave off boredom and frustration-based
bad behavior. But obedience also can target those bad behaviors before they
develop. Barking, for instance, can be neutralized
through training that rewards silence when your dog is tempted by stimuli.
Reward-based training can teach that it’s not acceptable to bark when someone
approaches the front door, and that your dog can alert you of someone’s
presence by tail wagging and other silent actions.
Another area where training helps with dog
etiquette is in walking behavior. An untrained dog will often
pull the walker, bark at others and try to jump on people who pass by. Rather
than being the dog owner who drags their dog to the other side of the road
anytime someone passes, teach basic walking etiquette. When your dog is a calm
walker, it benefits you by making the experience more pleasant, and your dog
will get the reputation of being a joy in the neighborhood.
Overall, one of the most important obedience
training commands to master is heeling. The “heel” command helps you as the dog
owner to keep complete control of your dog at all times. If he barks, “heel”
will silence him and bring him to your side. If he darts loose of your control,
the command will quickly bring him back to you.
Fencing
can create the safest level of control and peace in your neighborhood
Speaking of the possibility of losing control of
your dog, a fence is one of the best ways to ensure that your dog does not roam
the neighborhood. In order to be effective, though, a fence has to be carefully
selected and installed. For example, if your dog often barks at those who pass
by your home, it will make sense to install a fence that blocks visibility to the front, such as a
full-panel wood or vinyl fence. If your dog is a digger, you will want to bury
the fence about 6 inches. If your dog is prone to jumping or scaling a fence,
you will want to ensure that the height is tall enough to prevent your dog’s
escape.
The price of a fence will vary depending on
material and length of fencing required. The investment will pay off in years
of safe dog containment, but remember to monitor your dog in the yard. A fence
is not 100 percent fail-proof, and a fenced-in yard should not entirely replace
dog walks.
Be
neighborly at the dog park
If you and your pooch take visits to your local
dog park, it’s important to make sure your dog is well-trained and obedient not
just for safety’s sake, but to stay on other park visitors’ good sides -
especially if they’re your neighbors. In addition to keeping up on his
behavioral training and commands, follow basic dog park safety and etiquette rules: keep his
vaccinations and ID tags up to date, supervise him at all times, and clean up
after he does his business.
Overall, being a polite and neighborly dog owner
comes down to using good judgment and common sense. Make sure your dog gets
plenty of exercise, learns obedience commands and proper reinforcement, and is
secure in your home and yard, and you, your neighbors and your beloved pooch
will all get along famously.
for further information contact
Jessica Brody
info@ourbestfriends.pet
Photo Credit: Pixabay
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