Let’s face it, no one is perfect and there is a good chance that your new dog will pick up some poor manners along the way. Remember that you’re the alpha dog, so it’s your job to make him change his attitude.
Let’s look at a couple of specifics so you can get an idea of how to work with your dog in these situations without losing your mind and ending up with a frustrated dog to boot.
Chewing
One major complaint that dog lovers have is that they chew, especially when they’re puppies. There are a variety of reasons why dogs chew, so it helps if you can figure out why they do it so that you can address the problem.
Starting with puppies; they are like human babies. Everything has to go into the mouth. Part of this is just checking out the environment, but when they start teething then they are trying to ease the pain. You can be a big help here. Take some small, clean rags and get them wet, and place them in your freezer. When puppy starts to chew, give him one of these and it will give him something that it’s okay to chew, as well as help him feel better. Soft chew toys are also good for this, and if possible you can freeze them for a while for added comfort.
When older dogs start chewing on things they aren’t supposed to it usually means that they are tense and uptight. Chewing helps them to unwind. Remember the section on you as alpha dog? This is a perfect example of why it’s so important for your dog to know that it is you, not him or her in the power position. You also need to find out what is triggering the chewing. Have you given your dog a new selection of toys to chew on? Has something changed quite dramatically in his environment? Most behaviour can be modified, but it helps to know what is causing it in the first place.
You will probably notice that your dog will chew when you’re not at home. This is where the training for leaving and coming home is a valuable tool. If you’ve helped him view your leaving as an especially emotional event, then he is going to be a nervous wreck and want something to chew on to relieve his tension. When you come back and throw a fit because he chewed up your slippers, you’re only compounding the problem. Spend quiet time for a few minutes before you leave, then just get up and go. Learn the technique for a quiet greeting away from the door after you’ve been there for a bit once you return.
Of course there are dogs who just want to chew sometimes and they don’t care what they use. Dogs have a strong drive for oral activity, so they are really only doing what comes naturally. What you allow him to chew on is up to you to decide. Buy or use a basket or other container that will hold only his toys. Don’t put anything of yours in it, even if it’s been discarded. He needs to know that he can’t chew on something that holds your personal scent. Put all sorts of allowable chew items in the basket. Hard nylon bones are good things, and also balls and other toys made especially for a dog to chew on. Each time he starts in on something that doesn’t belong to him, give him a “no chew” command. Make him drop it; don’t just yank it out of his mouth. Then take him over to his own stash, give him a toy, and give him a “chew” command. When he takes the toy tell him what a good and wonderful dog he is.
If you have trouble making him drop something he isn’t supposed to have you can try several things. First you can try to distract him with one of his toys. You can try a treat but you don’t want to give him the signal that chewing on personal belongings is okay. Something that will probably work well is to blow on a whistle or bang on something that makes a fairly loud noise. That should distract him enough to be able to redirect him to his toy box.
Don’t play tug-of-war with him. If you do you’re just asking for trouble because it’s reinforcing inappropriate chewing. Not only that but it puts you in a power struggle and he might be vying to take your place as the alpha dog.
Jumping
Some dogs jump over the fence to escape the yard and some jump on people. Then there are those that do both. Neither option is acceptable so you will want to have some information on how to help your dog out of this problem.
Dogs jump over fences for a number of reasons. They want to see what’s on the other side, male dogs pick up the scent of a female in heat, they may chase a squirrel or a cat, or they might just want to escape from their boredom at being penned up with nothing to do.
Some of the obvious things to investigate are where and when he does his jumping. If you have an idea of when, you can secretly wait on the other side with a garden hose and give him a squirt. The plan is to have him think that the act of jumping was what got him, not his master, if at all possible. Next if your dog is getting out because the fence is too low, then you can try building it higher. Some suggest planting a hedge or bushes in front of the fence on the inside so that he can’t get a big enough lead to go over.
You may want to consider why he’s jumping in the first place. If you are gone all day and just leave him, he’s bound to get lonely and bored. Some things you could do to change that might be to get another dog so they can spend the day together or build a doggy door so that he could at least get into part of the house for a change of scenery. If you have to leave him out, be sure to leave some toys, food, and plenty of water. In between being stuck out in the yard, exercise him often by taking him for long power walks. It will help him relieve some of the pent up frustration he is likely to be feeling.
It would be a lot kinder to take him to a doggie day-care. Those facilities are springing up all over the place. It gives your dog a chance to socialize with other dogs which will satisfy his pack animal roots and also give him some human companionship too.
Another possible option if you have the time and inclination is to consider entering your dog into an agility training program. This is like a “doggie Olympics” and is a great outlet for dogs that are especially active. It can also be a treat for you as well.
Boredom
We’ve touched on boredom but I think that more needs to be said on the subject. Remember that dogs are very much like children and quickly tire of the “same old” toys. In addition to the chewing behaviour we mentioned, they may also begin to chew on their paws, chase their tails, or keep turning in circles.
Just as with children it’s helpful if you can come up with some ideas to keep him interested. For example, when you establish his toy basket, don’t put every toy in it at once. Let him play with some of them for a week or so and then exchange them for some you’ve kept behind. You can get away with this for quite some time. Make sure that his chew toys are interesting to begin with. Pet shops are loaded with so many these days that it shouldn’t be hard to find a good variety. In fact a very popular one is called the “Kong”. It has a compartment where you can hide some of his dry food or some other snack he’s allowed. Not only will it keep him busy trying to get to the treat, but the toy will be bouncing all over the place while he’s looking for it.
Another component of keeping a dog occupied is to give him lots of exercise. That way when he is by himself he’ll be more inclined to settle down for some nice nap-time. Take him for lots of walks on his lead; this will be great exercise for you as well. If you have a free run area for dogs near you, treat him to some visits throughout the week. He’ll meet other dogs to play with and it will be another chance for exercise. Introduce him to new people. For instance when friends come over, let your dog interact with them if they would like it. This should only be done once you have given him some obedience training and he is willing and able to use his company manners. You can also play games such as Frisbee with him, and as mentioned agility training may be an option.
You should also keep in mind that even though you are the leader of his pack, he shouldn’t always be dependent on you. He needs to have some self-confidence for those times when he is going to spend time alone. A good round number is to keep him separated either in his crate or a room for about 30% of the time that you’re home. This will be hard for some people, but it’s really better for his sense of independence if he isn’t allowed to sleep in your bedroom. Any contact with your dog should be controlled by you; another reminder of your dominance.