Perhaps you’ve found yourself saying one of these: “My dog runs around the yard, then comes inside and potties on the floor. My dog chews on things, jumps on us, steals food from the counter, runs around the house, won’t stop barking, won’t listen to me, etc.”
A common misconception for many dog owners is the myth that a lot of exercise will eliminate a dog’s bad behavior. Exercise does not stop bad behavior in dogs, not even in humans! If exercise worked, there would be no dog trainers; everyone would just run their dog or play fetch for an hour a day.
Trying to tire your dog out to stop bad behavior does not work. Exercise fulfills their physical requirements, but it does not provide nor reinforce impulse control. Your dog needs exercise, but they crave quality exercise that includes mental stimulation such as training.
Dogs need engagement with you every single day. Dogs are pack animals, therefore (as a rule of thumb) they NEED to be part of the pack. Your dog needs inclusion with your family, inside and outside the house. When they feel they are not getting what they want or need, you will see unwanted behaviors show up more often and with greater intensity.
If your dog’s behavior is so bad that you struggle to live together then it needs more structure and more guidance. A great way to look at obedience commands is they provide your dog structure on how to act and how to manage their impulses as well as what is acceptable and what is not. A dog without structure is like every day is Saturday, it is WAY too much freedom that is just inviting them to make lots of bad choices. Humans and dogs alike do better with routines and structure.
If you are facing any of these issues with your dog, K-9 Culture Dog Training can help YOU and your DOG work better together as a team.
The K-9 Culture Team