With how the world is today, you’re probably spending more time with your pet than you’ve ever had in the past; that could mean you are noticing behaviors and tendencies you might not have before. Odds are, you’re here seeking dog training tips and guidance.

Training is vital to a dog’s life. Not only does it make home life easier for you, but it also allows you to build a better relationship with your dog. It helps them communicate their needs as well as being more active and sociable. Thus, resulting in your pet living a happier life.

Here are ways on how to break common unpleasant dog habits:

Excessive Barking

WHY:

Dogs use barking as their way of communicating. There are various reasons as to why they might be barking excessively. If it’s not a health concern, it could be that they’re being territorial, bored, or seeking attention.

DO:

• Try to figure out why they are barking.
• Make sure you remain calm. You can train them to understand when you say “QUIET” by saying it when they’re barking and praising them when they stop.
• Bring them out for walks or dedicate time to play with them. Tiring them out with enough exercise helps them behave more at home.
• Ignore the barking and only give them attention when they stop.

DON’T:

• Yelling at your dog will only make them think that you are playing and joining them. It will result in them barking even more.
  

Pooping or Peeing on Your Furniture

WHY:

Dogs tend to be territorial and need to assert dominance in foreign spaces or objects. They usually do this to mark what they think belongs to them. This can also be because they are new to the space and do not yet accept it to be part of their home.

DO:

• Bring them out for regular walks. It makes them aware that there is a set time for them to poop and pee.
• Be clear about which surfaces they’re allowed on, and which ones they’re not.
• Thoroughly clean objects and areas — make sure to remove their scent. You can use dog-safe sprays for this (lemon juice and other citruses work really well too).

DON’T:

• Don’t allow them to get on sofas or beds.
• Rub their nose into the furniture. (They will not understand why you’re doing that.)

Note: Another way to help is spaying or neutering your pet.

Chewing on Your Belongings

WHY:

The major reason for this is that either they are bored or they are teething (only for puppies). It is also possible that your dog cannot differentiate what’s his and what’s yours because of the number of toys that they have.

More often than not, they don’t know that what they’re doing is wrong.

DO:

• Make sure that your dog has only one to two toys that they can always play with.
• Regular exercise or walks will help them release pent-up energy.

DON’T:

• Yelling and hitting them won’t help, because they won’t associate the punishment with the unwanted behavior.
• Keeping valuables within your dog’s reach is not a good idea.

Aggression Towards Strangers

WHY:

If you sometimes feel cautious or scared when dealing with strangers, odds are your dog isn’t that different. Dogs aren’t naturally aggressive animals (except for trained guard dogs). They usually display aggression as a means of confronting a possible threat. And the only way to make them stop is to desensitize them and make them realize that most people, and dogs, aren’t going to harm them in any way.

DO:

• Allow your dog to socialize! Bringing them out for walks to meet other dogs will help them get used to being around other dogs and humans.
• Ask a friend or a relative with a dog to help you. Carry treats with you. Start by having the other dog stand far away and as they come closer give your dog a treat. Stop when they are out of sight.

DON’T:

• Don’t force them to be around a lot of humans and other dogs when they’re not used to it. Ease them to it.

It is not the simplest of tasks — It really does require a lot of patience.

As you know, some dog breeds are quicker and faster to pick up on these dog training tips, while some are a bit slower or a kind of stubborn. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all technique in training dogs, it takes a lot of trial and error.

Please be patient with your buddy and trust the process.