|
ditch the
behaviour not the dog Andrea
Williams - Canine Behaviour Counsellor Associate
Member of Canine Behaviour Centre Need help
NOW?
Click here! |
“Just to let you know that my Mum and Dad say that the
improvement in Ellie’s behaviour even at this early |
||
|
Imagine a life without doggy
dilemmas! Now
wouldn’t that be AMAZING? |
|||
|
|
The key to success If
you have problems with your dog, you'll know that it's no joke! If you think it's bad for you, it's
usually a lot worse for them. There's
always a reason for problem behaviour and finding the cause is the key to
improving the situation and in some cases eliminating the problem behaviour
entirely! Punishment is not a good
idea. It pushes the problem
underground, makes the dog fearful and anxious and doesn’t address the root
cause. Dogs respond extremely well to
positive reinforcement ie focussing on and encouraging the desired behaviour
and paying little attention to problem spots. IT WORKS! |
||
|
|
Punishment may
appear to produce some kind of result initially, but make no mistake, like
most “quick fix” solutions, it can have unpredictable and negative repercussions
which may prove far more difficult to cure than the initial problem
behaviour. We feed and water our dogs, take them to the vet when they’re sick,
walk them daily and give them a little or a great deal of love and affection
but do we really understand what makes our dogs tick? Do you? If you’re like me, you’ll want to understand more fully how your dog’s mind works. The key to solving doggy behaviour problems in a fair and compassionate way requires that we begin to see the world from their perspective, respect their canine needs, and choose some positive and consistent behaviour of our own in order to help them learn. The more you read into this, the more you’ll realise that not only can your dog do much better but you’ll feel better too! Of course, you can implement techniques with your new puppy to prevent problems occurring in the first place but the best news is that EVEN OLDER DOGS CAN LEARN NEW “TRICKS”! |
||
|
STOP! Ponder for just a moment.
Are our expectations of our dogs fair and reasonable? Do we assume that our dogs automatically
know how to behave around us? Could we
be indadvertently teaching them the very behaviours that we dislike and then blaming
them for their “misbehaviour”? How
often have we seen a look of total confusion on our dog’s face and then felt
pangs of guilt when we realise that our dog is struggling to make sense of
the world he lives in and that our losing patience with him is not helping
him do that? By understanding how dogs
learn and applying that knowledge in a positive and fun way, you and your dog
have a much better chance of establishing a happier and more rewarding
relationship. Whilst a good
percentage of domesticated animals appear to live a relatively relaxed and
happy life, it is a sad fact that many receive unfair and inappropriate
treatment from humans on a daily basis.
Though most people find blatant abuse unacceptable and even appalling,
many of us may have unwittingly caused our pets to experience varying degrees
of unecessary stress! Sometimes even
the most well-intentioned and loving owners create confusion in their pets
and then struggle to cope with the resultant behavioural problems without
even knowing what went wrong. This
happened to me when I took on my first rescue dog. You can read my story later! Bearing
in mind that excessive stress has physical implications (it can cause illness
and disease) as well as psychological effects (often resulting in abnormal
and destructive behaviour patterns), it makes sense
to avoid causing it wherever possible.
Prevention is always preferable to cure in terms of both the animal's
welfare and our own convenience. It is important not to
paint too bleak a picture because there are often solutions to what may
initially appear to be insurmountable problems. Once we gain insight and knowledge into the
psychology and motivation at the roots of the behaviour, there is often much
that can be done to help both dog and owner.
With the right mix of patience, commitment and kindness so much can be
achieved and the rewards can be immensely positive and well worth the
short-term effort when you consider the long-term benefits. These
days more and more people are seeking the advice of pet behaviour counsellors in an
attempt to help their animals, not to mention themselves, to a more enjoyable
life with less stress and anxiety. |
|||
|
Please call back soon or
feel free to e-mail here. In June 2004 I was
awarded Top Student at the Canine Behaviour Centre. You can check it out and read my story if
you click here. |
|||
|
Associate Member of the Canine Behaviour Centre
Please Note:
All animal treatment will require your Veterinary Surgeon’s approval. |
|||
