Capable Canine Tips Tips Archive   Developing Your Relationship with Your Canine Companion Positively reinforce everything you want to see repeated. Prevent or ignore undesired behavior. Companion, friend, playmate, guardian, listener, worker, hunter, herder, retriever. your dog can be all of these, or he can be something else. A barker, digger, aggressive, obnoxious, destructive. How your dog behaves is often the result of how you treat (or don't treat) your dog. They don't arrive in our houses pre-wired with known behaviors, but they do arrive with needs, and their needs must be met. Being social animals, they need their pack, and social structure. They need exercise and stimulation … and training. They don't need isolation, boredom, inconsistency, cruelty, or lots of roaming room to get into trouble. They do not know the grass from the white carpet until shown the way. Keep your dog safe from harm. Harm from other dogs, other people, and the elements. In addition, your dog should feel safe with you! He should not feel that he has to decide whether to run away or fight: to be aggressive towards another dog or a person, or to hide. You are the one who takes care of him, and tells him whether and how he should respond. Even something as simple as the back yard can be a place of danger or a breeder of bad habits, if your dog feels he has to patrol and defend the whole thing, and you're not there to reassure him. Always, if other dogs are in the vicinity or young children are around, extraordinary supervision is necessary, until you know what your dog's responses will be.   Manage your dog's environment. This means that if your dog is a chewer; find a chew-proof spot for him to stay in when you can't watch him (crate). Give him a stuffed KONG. Keep him on leash in traffic. Try not to blame your dog for being a dog, and start modifying your environment to set him up for success. As he gets older you can relax your management. Respect your dog as an animal and as an individual. He is not a toy; he is your dog and companion. Forcibly moving him, striking or pinning him to the ground is likely to lead to problems with your relationship. If a dog sees you as a threat to his safety, he may either "shut down," or become aggressive towards you. He should welcome your touch, not fear it. An inappropriate physical correction can seriously harm or actually destroy your relationship with your dog. Exercise & stimulate your dog. Especially in adolescence, the only good dog may be a very tired one! Because dogs are naturally most active in the morning and evening hours, a run at those times is very appropriate, and will help your dog relax in between. Throwing the ball in the back yard is also good exercise, and develops your relationship, play until your dogs' legs are wobbly!!! Your dog also requires mental stimulation as well as physical, put him through his obedience exercises.