09/06/2024
Do you have Dog Envy?
Dog owners with 'naughty' or difficult dogs often feel envious when they see other people's dogs that are so well behaved (ie. A dog that sits quietly at a cafe by the owner's feet, calmly walking next to the owner on walks, or a calm and friendly dog that interacts with other dogs or people without getting hyper-excited and lose their mind). Their inner voice says "How come my dog can't be like that?". Well the answer is " yes, they CAN be like that". And it's not about whether you're good at dog training or not, or the 1 hr here or there that you train your dog to do tricks. It's no different to raising children. A really good parent with exceptional kids, aren't great parents just some of the time. They have great kids because their day to day interaction with their kids is great. Your dog's behaviour is the product of your daily interactions with them. Generally speaking (let's take out specific breed needs, diet, medical conditions etc), they are the way they are because of:
1) what you've taught them (intentionally and unintentionally)
2) what you've allowed them to do and rehearse over and over again
3) the exceptions you've continued to give around rules and boundaries you set/ havent set.
So have a look at your daily interactions with your dog. If you want to be a great fur-parent, evaluate the above 3 things in your daily interactions with them. It works on kids too😉.
For help and support on how to bring out your dog's inner genius, visit www.pawsitivemindset.com.au.
