How to Encourage Positive Behavior in Your Dog

Dogs are full of surprises, love, and tons of energy – especially a new puppy. They need constant reassurance, training, and love to grow into well-behaved dogs that will become part of your family for years to come. Puppy training and dog obedience can be hard to master since not everyone has the skills of a dog behaviorist. How, then, can you encourage positive behavior in in your dog or new puppy?

What is Good or Positive Behavior

Positive dog behavior goes beyond getting your puppy to stop biting or your older dog to do tricks. Positive behavior comes with time and eliminates dog growling in stressful situations, dog whining when left alone or when they’re not getting their way, and leash aggression while on walks.

Dogs are intelligent and quick to learn behaviors that end in positive stewards, like treats, tummy rubs, or something else they might enjoy. If you are consistent in how you reward your dog, they will be more likely to do all the good things you have taught them and will be happy to learn more when the time is right. Sometimes, your dog will even pick up on social cues and learn good behavior without any effort when they are well-trained enough!

Encouraging positive behavior in your dog is easier said than done – especially when your puppy is acting out of hand. If you’re a first-time dog owner, you might have heard that the best way for your dog to learn is to punish them when they are bad, so they know they were wrong. However, punishing them might only frighten them and lead to even more outbursts of aggression and bad behavior. Positively reinforcing your dog when they do good things will make them want to please you even more and outweigh the desire to do something bad.

Start Young with Puppy Training

Training your dog from infancy by joining a puppy training class, using a dog clicker, or crate training is all part of a great foundation for the coming years of obedience and positive behavior.

Puppy training classes, in particular, provide you as the owner and your new puppy valuable time together to bond, build trust in each other, and opportunities to experience new situations positively in a controlled environment. During your puppy training classes, your puppy will experience new people, puppies, dogs, places, sounds, smells, harness wearing, leads, collars, and handling techniques so that you can find what works for you and your pup.

According to recent research by the American Kennel Club, researchers showed that puppy classes are an effective and essential component of socialization. Owners who attended puppy training classes were much more likely to instill positive behavior in their dogs are they got older than those who didn’t attend puppy training.

The American Kennel Club goes on to say that you should “Look for a curriculum with the maximum value for socialization — trainer supervised and controlled interaction between puppies to encourage proper dog-to-dog behaviors; exposure to new sights, sounds, and smells; and handling and restraint exercises.”

Making Sure Your Dog Responds to Common Commands the First Time

The last thing dog parents want to do is to tell their dog to sit ten times when guests are over before they actually listen. It’s embarrassing and shows that your dog is lacking in the obedience department. If you have to repeat yourself multiple times to achieve the desired result, then your dog is NOT fully trained. Basic commands include the following:

Sit
Stay
Lay Down
Come
Heel
Leave it or No
Drop it

Maybe your dog is having trouble with basic commands, DO NOT skip over them for more “fun” tricks. These basics need to sink in. Reward your puppy only when they obey your command and not for half-hearted attempts. Using a dog clicker or other method of reward should help. Keep working at it until your dog knows these basic commands inside and out.

Discourage Chronic Barking

Barking is a natural behavior used by dogs to warn of danger, show excitement, and to communicate, but chronic barking is annoying to say the least. Helping your dog avoid unnecessary barking can be challenging. Here are some tips for controlling it and encouraging good behavior:

Figure out why they are barking. Is it when people arrive at your home, when they hear strange noises, or something else?
Try to eliminate their cause of barking. Have guests arrive at different doors, pull curtains or blinds, and use a white noise machine to drown out unfamiliar sounds.
Ignore your dog (as hard as it may be) until they stop barking and sit down. This ignorance shows that you are not encouraging or engaging in their behavior. Your dog wants your attention when they bark, don’t give it to them.

Those steps are easier said than done, but with some practice and patience on your end, you can end chronic barking.

Keep Your Puppy or Older Dog on Their Toes – Challenge Them Mentally

Humans aren’t the only animals that enjoy puzzles and like to learn new things. When dogs are bored, it can lead to destructive behavior, barking, and other annoyances. Take your dogs for long walks to wear them out in new places so that their surroundings are less monotonous, giving them more to think about.

Another thing you can try as a dog owner is to buy your dog a puzzle or engage them in another sort of activity. Dogs are naturally curious and love to try and solve different problems for a reward. Sites like Chewy and Amazon sell moving puzzles that hide treats behind trap doors and sliders, engaging your dog and teaching them that with hard work, there is often a reward.

The American Kennel Society also recommends buying a slow feeder. Here’s why:

They make your dog eat slower, ideal for pups who gulp down their food; eating too quickly puts dogs at risk for choking, vomiting, and bloat. Plus, the longer it takes your dog to eat their own meal, the less time they will have to bother you as you eat yours. Giving your dog something to do while you eat is also a great way to reduce problem begging.”

Having a Solid Routine is Essential to Good Behavior

We’ve all been there. You wake up and start your coffee, and your dog is already sitting at their food bowl waiting for their breakfast. But how did they know that was coming next in your activities for the morning? It’s because you have a routine.

Good behavior thrives in routine. Your dog will then always know what is expected of them and when. This leaves little guesswork for a well-trained dog or puppy and an easier life for you. Creating a routine will be the best way to build a relationship with your dog, get them to trust you, and then later instill positive behavioral traits in them when training time rolls around.

Using Clear, Simple Commands

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where someone just keeps talking about a task, and by the end of it, you really don’t understand what they want of you? This can happen to dogs too.

Make sure to use one-word commands during your training — sit, stay, come, eat, etc. These one-word commands are easy for your dog to understand instead of long phrases which they can easily get confused. If two commands sound similar, try to think of another word to describe the action you want to achieve. When teaching or speaking these commands, make sure you use an even, calm tone.

Make Sure Everyone in Your Home is Involved

Dogs spend the most time with whoever they live with., This includes children, spouses, and roommates. Making sure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to training and instilling positive behavioral traits in your dog will go a long way.

If two owners each treat the dog differently, it will confuse the dog, and they won’t know how to act. Having a discussion surrounding how you will train your puppy before bringing them home is huge for new dog owners and first-time dog owners.

Conclusion

Instilling positive behavior in your dog can be challenging, but it can be done. All it takes is a little hard work, some forethought, and teamwork with those you live with and professionals if you have them to aid in your training. Remember there is no such thing as perfect when it comes to behavior, and at the end of the day, your dog is still a dog and might not always listen to you. Keep trying these different ways to encourage positive behavior in your dog. Stay persistent, and remember that everyone, including your dog, is a work in progress.