Good Pet Ownership: How To React If Your Dog Misbehaves *

*Collaboration

It’s not easy to own a dog, even if they’re well-behaved most of the time. That’s because while they can be trained and loyal and absolutely lovely, they’re still dogs, as they should be. That means they might still run off at a million miles an hour after a squirrel, or you may have your own FENTOOOON moment depending on how unlucky you are during that morning walk.

However, with good training, most of the usual unhappy displays dogs may show are generally reduced. However, as with humans, that behaviour isn’t going to be 100% perfect. For this reason, good pet ownership also means knowing what to do if your furry friend misbehaves.

What does that mean in practice? Let’s discuss that below, and consider some helpful and actionable advice:

Stay Calm & Consistent

Now, despite frustration, the most important thing is to try and stay calm. Dogs are really good at picking up on our emotions, and if you get upset or angry, it can just make them more stressed or confused. A calm reaction helps your dog understand that you’re in control of the situation.

It is also vital to be super consistent with your responses. If you let something slide one day but scold them for it the next, like your dog jumping up on the sofa, your dog won’t understand what’s expected. Always reacting the same way to the same misbehaviour helps them learn what’s okay and what’s not, making training much more effective as you try to apply it.

Redirect Their Attention

Sometimes, a dog acts out simply because they’re bored, overly excited, or don’t know what else to do with their energy. A good approach is to try and redirect their attention onto something more appropriate. For example, if your puppy is chewing on furniture, immediately give them a chew toy instead or distract them elsewhere.

If your dog is jumping up on guests, you could ask them to sit and then reward that good behaviour. This teaches them what to do instead of the unwanted action, and gives them a more acceptable way to behave, as opposed to just telling them ‘no’.

Understand The Root Cause

A dog’s misbehavior often has a reason behind it, even if it’s just a lack of boundaries having been trained. Though remember it’s not usually out of spite. Perhaps your pooch isn’t getting enough exercise, or they’re feeling anxious, or they simply haven’t learned what you want them to do yet. For instance, if your dog is barking excessively, are they bored, protecting territory, or reacting to outside noise? Could it be that they’re frustrated with a medical issue you’re unaware of, especially if the behaviour is new and unexpected? Speaking to a 24 hours emergency vet may help you.

With this advice, we hope you can more easily react even if your dog misbehaves. It takes a little time to ensure their training, but doing so, even for a mature rescue pooch, is possible.