{"id":114,"date":"2015-11-28T05:17:37","date_gmt":"2015-11-28T05:17:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.espol.edu.ec\/lizpacai\/?p=114"},"modified":"2015-11-28T05:35:47","modified_gmt":"2015-11-28T05:35:47","slug":"15-things-you-do-that-are-unintentionally-breaking-your-dogs-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.espol.edu.ec\/lizpacai\/2015\/11\/28\/15-things-you-do-that-are-unintentionally-breaking-your-dogs-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Things You Do That Are Unintentionally Breaking Your Dog\u2019s Heart"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article was reviewed by professional dog trainer Shelby Semel<\/a>, an advocate of Positive Reinforcement Dog Training.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

There are several things we as puppy parents unintentionally do that mess with our dogs\u2019 emotions. No matter how hard we try in our effort to be perfect, some of our human ways can lead to one confused pup. And sending mixed signals to our pups will make them more likely to misbehave. But is it really bad behavior, or just bad communication?<\/p>\n

Here are fifteen common puppy-parenting missteps you can easily avoid.<\/p>\n

\"thedaisyblake\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: thedaisyblake<\/a><\/p>\n

1. \u201cCOME HERE NOW!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

How many of you have called to your dog and a wild west standoff ensues? Well, what exactly are you calling them for? We often expect our pups to come even when they know there\u2019s no incentive to do so. Instead, ensure that \u201ccome\u201d works every time by rewarding your dog with a puppy party every time they obey this all-important command.<\/p>\n

\"outdoorsydoguk\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: outdoorsydoguk<\/a><\/p>\n

The key-word here is reward<\/em>. Puppy parties should involve anything your dog finds rewarding\u2013a nice belly rub, a yummy treat, their favorite toy, etc. The key-word here isreward<\/em>. Unless your dog absolutely, 100 % lives to take a bath, a puppy party should not involve bath-time. They most certainly won\u2019t want to come when called if they\u2019re punished once they get to you.<\/p>\n

\"blogpaws\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: blogpaws<\/a><\/p>\n

Never<\/strong> punish your dog for coming when called. Even if your dog is coming back after an hour-long escapade through the neighborhood, they still get a puppy party. Remember to always issue a recall command with a pleasant tone and a smile on your face; no dog wants to come running to an angry tone\u00a0and a scowling face.<\/p>\n

\"terra\"<\/figure>\n

Source: @mikaela_stanislav<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Jump Around<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do not allow your dog to jump on guests, period. Even if you have a friend that insists \u201cOh it\u2019s okay! I\u2019m a dog person!\u201d don\u2019t allow your dog to jump up and greet them. Your pup doesn\u2019t know the difference between a twenty-year-old who is a \u201cdog person\u201d\u00a0and seventy-five-year-old Grandpa who just had a hip replacement.<\/p>\n

\"oliviaerin5\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: oliviaerin5<\/a><\/p>\n

If you have a dog that jumps, warn your guest before they come over. Ask your guests to turn away from your\u00a0dog and ignore them until your pup is\u00a0sitting quietly. Teach your dog that they get lovin\u2019\u00a0when all four paws are on the floor, and not before.<\/p>\n

3. \u00a0Rubbing Their Nose In It<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rewarding your dog for going potty outside<\/em> is an integral first step to house training. A key part of house training your dog, however, is preventing indoor accidents from happening in the first place. Yelling at your dog, rubbing their nose in their mess, or giving them a spanking doesn\u2019t teach your dog to potty outside\u2014it teaches him to be fearful of you and to have those accidents out of sight. (And come on, you paid good money for those bath rugs.)<\/p>\n

\"annfinch\"<\/figure>\n

Source: @_annfinch<\/a><\/p>\n

While house-training, Tinkling Tucker should always be within sight and constantly monitored. Kennel your dog or puppy while you can\u2019t monitor them, keep them on a leash, or if they are small, have them in your lap while you are on the couch or at the computer. Don\u2019t wait for your dog or puppy to do the potty dance or assume the squat position\u2014set your dog up for success<\/strong> and offer your pup plenty of opportunities to go potty in the right place.<\/p>\n

4. Playing Fast And Loose With Leash Rules<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pulling on the leash is inherently rewarding for dogs. Why? Because it gets them where they are going. Don\u2019t allow your dog to strain the leash and drag you from place to place. If your dog is pulling, make like a tree and stand still. Once the leash relaxes and your dog is looking at you, continue your walk.<\/p>\n

\"Related:<\/div>\n
\n

RELATED<\/span><\/p>\n

4 Ways Science Says Your Dog Is Smarter Than You Think<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n

Another option is to turn around and walk the opposite direction. Don\u2019t forget to mark and reward your dog when they\u2019re walking politely on the leash. A dog that walks at the side\u00a0and offers eye contact is a dog that deserves a reward!<\/p>\n

\"julianajean\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: julianajean<\/a><\/p>\n

Remember loose-leash-walking takes practice and patience! Your dog may look like a yo-yo for a while while they\u2019re learning that pulling won\u2019t get them where they\u2019re going. Also note, your dog will\u00a0NOT<\/strong>\u00a0learn how to loose-leash-walk on a retractable leash.\u00a0If\u00a0your dog pulls forward on a retractable leash and the leash extends, your dog just learned\u00a0\u201cpulling gets me there faster!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"hankthewestie\"<\/figure>\n

Source: hankthewestie<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Potty Time Is NOT Play Time<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not the time Fido gets to sniff all sixteen rocks\u00a0Buster from next door peed on yesterday, or their personal\u00a0time to roll in the grass by Coco\u2019s house. Potty time is potty time. Your dog only needs the length of the leash to do their business. Teach your dog that social hour\u00a0starts after business gets done.<\/p>\n

\"paigetester\"<\/figure>\n

Source: @paigetester<\/a><\/p>\n

This is especially true for those night time potty-breaks.\u00a0It might be cute the first time, but eventually you won\u2019t\u00a0want to take Fido\u00a0out at 3 A.M. to look at the stars. Take your dog to do their business and put your pup right back to bed. You will thank yourself later.<\/p>\n

6. \u201cGO TO YOUR ROOM!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, your dog is less than eager to spend time in their kennel\u2026 well, how many times have you used the kennel as a form of punishment? The kennel should be a comfortable place that your dog is eager to visit. The kennel is\u00a0that magical place where your pup\u00a0eats their dinner or gets a peanut butter-stuffed Kong. Never<\/strong> use the kennel as a form of punishment!<\/p>\n

\"so_shiba01\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: so_shiba<\/a><\/p>\n

7. Back Talk<\/strong><\/p>\n

Petting, talking to, playing with, and even scolding a barking dog, reinforces the dog to bark. Do not give a dog attention while they\u2019re barking. The best remedy to a\u00a0Barking Betsy\u00a0is the good ole\u2019 cold shoulder. And don\u2019t forget to praise the peace and reward Betsy when she is being quiet!<\/p>\n

\"big_border_little_border\"<\/figure>\n

Source: @big_border_little_border<\/a><\/p>\n

Remember, barking can be inherently rewarding for some dogs, especially for many\u00a0smaller breeds. Make sure the reward you give your dog is more rewarding then the barking itself. You may have to test out several treats and toys to find out what your pup goes absolutely bananas for.<\/p>\n

8. Giving In To Their Begging<\/strong><\/p>\n

Those big eyes peering at you from under the table can be pretty hard to ignore. It can be especially hard when you find a warm, fuzzy face in your lap. Do yourself, and your guest, a favor and never feed your dog from the table. You are wrong if you think your\u00a0pet won\u2019t remember you giving them that\u00a0piece of steak fat during last night\u2019s dinner. It only takes one time!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"11264829_864210376983742_1967138129_n\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: j_stolt<\/a><\/p>\n

Not feeding your pet from the table\u00a0doesn\u2019t mean your pup can\u2019t enjoy some healthy human scraps every now and then\u2014it simply means that your pup doesn\u2019t get to enjoy them at the table or while you are eating. Reward your dog for staying away from the table during mealtime and consider teaching your dog \u201cPlace.\u201d Ask your dog to go to their bed, or \u201cplace,\u201d and provide them with a\u00a0treat-filled toy or their own dinner once they\u2019re lying down. Teach your pup that it is more rewarding to be away from the table during mealtime, rather than under it.<\/p>\n

9. Permission To Counter Surf<\/strong><\/p>\n

If your dog finds food on the counter, it won\u2019t be long\u00a0before he comes back looking for more.\u00a0Prevention is key here. Reward your dog for staying out of the kitchen when you are home, and keep the kitchen closed off when you aren\u2019t around to\u00a0monitor your pup. Keep food out of paws reach by storing it in the pantry or in the fridge. If you have kids, remind them not to leave their half-eaten snack or dirty dishes on the counter.<\/p>\n

\"katieskennel\"<\/figure>\n

Source: @katieskennel<\/a><\/p>\n

10.\u00a0Play Is Important<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dogs need an outlet for their energy. If you aren\u2019t providing one, your dog will provide one for himself and, odds are, you won\u2019t like whatever they choose. Make sure you are giving your dog plenty of exercise. A large majority of dog-related problems can be attributed to your dog not getting enough stimulation or exercise. If your dog is running around the house and has a bad case of the zoomies, it\u2019s time to take them out to play.<\/p>\n

\"geryland_puppy\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: geryland_puppy<\/a><\/p>\n

11.\u00a0Bribery<\/strong><\/p>\n

Does your dog only\u00a0listen if you have a treat in your hand?\u00a0Do you keep your hand in the treat pouch during a training session\u00a0or move towards the cookie jar before you issue your dog a command?\u00a0If you answered \u201cyes,\u201d\u00a0you are one of many hoomans guilty of bribing your dog. Many people begin training a behavior by luring their dog into position.\u00a0Using a lure is\u00a0okay in the initial stages of training a command,\u00a0however,\u00a0there is a fine line between a lure and a bribe,\u00a0so it\u2019s important\u00a0to phase out the lure as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

\"hachi_melbourne\"<\/figure>\n

Source: @hachi_melbourne<\/a><\/p>\n

Think of positive reinforcement\u00a0like a slot machine. If you play the slots and win the jackpot\u00a0on your\u00a0first, second, and third try, you just learned that the slots can be very rewarding. Odds are, you\u2019re gonna keep playing even if you don\u2019t win much on the fourth or fifth try.<\/p>\n

You keep playing because you won in the past, and you want to win again in the future. The casino doesn\u2019t have to guarantee a win for you to keep playing the game. Rate of reinforcement with dogs is similar. Teaching your dog to work without a bribe is important because a treat might not always be available.<\/p>\n

\"territ76\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: territ76<\/a><\/p>\n

12. Chew On This<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dogs don\u2019t just have a desire to chew, they have a need<\/em> to chew! Providing your dog with plenty of chew toys is the first step, but unfortunately not the last. Dogs need constant reminding of what is okay to chew and what isn\u2019t. Keep anything you don\u2019t want your dog to chew off the floor! If you do catch your dog chewing on something off-limits, redirect him with a few cues (sit, down, touch), and then replace the item with one of their chew toys.<\/p>\n

\"everythingerika\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: @everythingerika<\/a><\/p>\n

As soon as they start chewing on their toy, reward them! While your dog is learning, reward them with treats and praise each and every time you catch them chewing on one of their toys. Your pup will soon figure out that their Nylabone means chew time AND treat time. Keep your pup interested in their toys by putting them on a rotated schedule\u2014an old toy can become a new toy if your pup hasn\u2019t seen it in a while!<\/p>\n

13. Nipping Enabler<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mouthy puppies can be\u00a0sweet and funny when they are little, but nipping can become dangerous fast.<\/em>\u00a0Don\u2019t allow your dog to make teeth-to-skin contact with anyone,\u00a0ever.\u00a0When dogs first learn how to play, their litter mates and mother teach them what an acceptable mouthing pressure is, and what kind of wrestling is tolerated among other\u00a0dogs.<\/p>\n

\"nikki_pondelli\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: @nikki_pondelli<\/a><\/p>\n

As a puppy parent, it is your job to teach your dog the appropriate way to play with humans.\u00a0Even if it\u2019s a playful accident, let your dog know that nipping isn\u2019t okay by exclaiming\u00a0\u201cOUCH!\u201d and by walking away. Don\u2019t play with your pup for fifteen to thirty seconds. Your dog will soon figure out that if they don\u2019t play appropriately, the game will end.<\/p>\n

14. Growl About It<\/strong><\/p>\n

Growling is one of the few ways a dog can communicate that they feel threatened or scared. You should never punish a dog for growling. If your dog is growling at something or someone, immediately remove your dog\u00a0from the situation and DO NOT<\/strong> punish them.<\/p>\n

\"cats_on_things\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: cats_on_things<\/a><\/p>\n

Your pup just let you know that they feel threatened or scared, and that is something you should be grateful for. A dog that doesn\u2019t growl is a dog that bites without warning. Additionally, don\u2019t encourage your dog to growl during play. Growling should mean one thing, and one thing only: \u201cI\u2019m uncomfortable and I need to get out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

15. Submissive Peeing<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you have ever been greeted at the door by a dog that stops and pops a squat, you have been greeted by a dog that submissively pees. Submissive peeing is one way little Buttercup can say\u00a0\u201cI\u2019M BUTTERCUP AND I AM NOT A THREAT!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"thor_thebostonterrier\"<\/figure>\n

Source: @thor_thebostonterrier<\/a><\/p>\n

If your dog submissively urinates, there are a few\u00a0things you may\u00a0be doing that unintentionally make the matter worse. Petting, talking to, or even looking at a dog that feels the need to submit can drive the pup to submissively urinate. If you think your dog is about to submit, look away and ignore him. Give Buttercup\u00a0a couple seconds to calm down and allow some of the excitement to pass. Never\u00a0scold your dog for submissively urinating, as that can make the matter much worse.<\/p>\n

Sources: ASPCA<\/a>, Humane Society Of The United States<\/a>, Shelby Semel<\/a>\u00a0<\/code><\/small><\/p>\n

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This article was reviewed by professional dog trainer Shelby Semel, an advocate of Positive Reinforcement Dog Training. There are several things we as puppy parents unintentionally do that mess with our dogs\u2019 emotions. No matter how hard we try in our effort to be perfect, some of our human ways can lead to one confused […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10096,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[818],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sin-categoria"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.espol.edu.ec\/lizpacai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.espol.edu.ec\/lizpacai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.espol.edu.ec\/lizpacai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.espol.edu.ec\/lizpacai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10096"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.espol.edu.ec\/lizpacai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.espol.edu.ec\/lizpacai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":147,"href":"https:\/\/blog.espol.edu.ec\/lizpacai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114\/revisions\/147"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.espol.edu.ec\/lizpacai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.espol.edu.ec\/lizpacai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.espol.edu.ec\/lizpacai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}