Today, behavioral problems are the first reason for animal abandonment, ahead of unwanted litters or economic difficulties.
Educating a living being of another species, so that it develops happily and behaves appropriately in our society, is essential in a country where there are more dogs every day and they have access to a greater number of common spaces.
But, how do you get to educate a dog well?
1. Review your expectations:
a dog is just a dog , and will behave like a dog. I leave you a list of annoying things that your dog could do, for the simple fact of being a dog:
- It will be covered in unpleasant odors, dead bugs and shit.
- It will leave everything full of hair, it will eat poop from other animals and it will dedicate itself to smelling everything when it goes out for a walk, even if you are in a hurry.
- He will react when he sees other dogs in the park.
- It will fill your garden with holes, or worse, your brother-in-law’s garden.
- He might get scared when he meets something for the first time and run away.
- She could get on the visitors, even if they are dressed in soft or lace stockings.
- It would be weird if on no occasion did he not urinate where he shouldn’t.
- It will bite things within its reach, such as the TV remote or your shoes.
- It will chase bikes, racers and motorcycles.
- He will ask you for food all the time, and more when you have guests.
- Will do “things” with your cushions
- Will do “stuff” on your rugs, like puke
- Will bark when someone walks by your door or rings the bell
- Lots of etc…
2. Check your motivations
Living with a dog can become a stressful situation. There are people who become real slaves to their dogs or feel emotionally overwhelmed, especially when they have some kind of behavior that puts us in conflict with other people. For example, a dog that barks when left home alone can be a problem with the neighbors.
The motivation to incorporate a dog into the home must be a responsible motivation. And also passionate enough, so that you are able to dedicate the time that your dog needs. This often means giving up certain things you do now that you don’t have a dog and adapting.
3. Check your self-knowledge
But also good intentions and passion alone are not enough. A dose of realism is also necessary.
There are many dogs. Very different dogs in morphology, but also in character and energy.
Choosing a life partner aligned with our abilities is an essential point to avoid neglecting their education or attending to them responsibly, due to a lack of our abilities.
The best way to do this is by making a conscious reflection on our way of being, tastes, energy and possibilities in the future.
Assess, then, what type of dog suits us and not be in a hurry to find the perfect match.
4. Prepare in advance
One of the most common mistakes in canine education at home is improvisation.
Dogs grow extremely fast and need to learn different routines at each of their life stages . A puppy that learns to use the underpad will not be the same as a teenage dog that ignores you when you call him in the park or a geriatric dog that gets disoriented at night.
Prepare the environment well and plan how you are going to train him before each moment arrives. Even think about how you will react in an emergency and avoid inappropriate reactions, which mostly break your dog’s trust in you and your bond.
Some things you can keep in mind and plan for your dog’s training process:
- Relieve yourself in the right place or on the street
- Appear calm in the presence of other dogs
- Appear calm in the presence of other people
- Rest and not ask for constant attention at home or when we have a drink on a terrace
- Walk properly with harness, leash and muzzle if necessary
- Come when we call you in the park
- Travel by car or other means of transportation
- Appear calm during a bath or while brushing
- learn to be alone
5. Arm yourself with patience
A very common mistake is to ask our dog to come already known.
We forget the importance of spending enough time teaching him beforehand.
6. Don’t wait for it to be mandatory
Soon with the new animal welfare laws, prior training and an examination will be mandatory for all people who want to incorporate a dog into their family.
However, the advantages of having an educated dog go beyond whether or not it is mandatory.
An educated dog allows you to enjoy its company in the maximum number of possible situations.
Nowadays, leisure with dogs is booming, and these are welcomed in more and more places.
It depends on our responsibility that the rest of the people, with or without a dog, feel comfortable and respected, ensuring good social coexistence.
