'Tip of the Week'
1/4–1/10
This is an oldy, but a goody.
Never correct your dog when you have lost your temper. I know, I know. Most of you will say that that is the only time you even think to correct your dog. It seems like it makes sense, right? You want your dog to know that he has displeased you when you are angry with him. The problem with this is that corrections administered from anger are almost always mis-timed, dis-proportionate to the crime, and poorly communicated. A correction that is poorly timed or over-reactive serves to break down your relationship with your dog, not build it up. Your dog, not understanding your behavior, will lose his trust in your consistancy and fairness. His overall anxiety levels will increase as he feels he has lost control and understanding of his life. What's more, dogs are very adept mimics of social behavior (which is why they adapt so well to their life with people). This means that when your dog sees you take out your frustration by losing control and becomeing aggressive, he will be more likely to display those same behaviors towards people or other dogs.
If you have been in the habit of correcting your dog in anger it can be dificult to get used to not responding that way. Over the next few weeks, I will go through some strategies for changing your habits, and for rebuilding your relationship with your dog.
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