It’s safe to say that multiple lockdowns have had a significant impact on both dogs, and their owners. Whether your family includes a young puppy or an older dog, the impact of human socialisation and fewer interactions with other animals has meant many dogs suffer from behavioural issues.
Training your dog to follow commands is incredibly rewarding, both for you and your puppy’s welfare. However, proper training and routine are essential in order to ensure that your pup develops healthy habits and doesn’t become a danger to others. From positive reinforcement techniques to a regular exercise routine, this blog will explore the types of training methods available to help your pet overcome their behavioural issues.
What behavioural issues could your dog have?
Thanks to a variety of contextual reasons, dogs can have a range of behavioural issues. These include the following;
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Aggression
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Anxiety
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Fearfulness
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Destructive chewing
Behavioural training tips
Positive reinforcement
One of the most common forms of dog training, positive reinforcement involves rewarding desired behaviour as your pet learns. To help the dog repeat positive actions, treats, praise or playtime are given. In this way, your pup can learn to associate treats and fun with positive behaviour, becoming less aggressive as a result.
This method of training can also help strengthen the bond between you and your pet. Taking the time to interact with your dog, patiently and consistently, helps build more trust between you. This can often be crucial if your dog has suffered in the past: building a strong relationship often means aggressive behaviours lessen as your pup begins to trust you more.
Clicker training
Another method of positive reinforcement is clicker training, in which a handheld clicker device is used to reward good behaviour. The sound of the clicker creates an association between the behaviour and the reward, which encourages your pup to repeat those actions in order to receive more rewards.
Clicker training is an effective way to address behavioural problems such as aggression, anxiety and fearfulness, as well as destructive chewing habits. However, it’s important to provide consistent, fast feedback when you use a clicker, so as not to confuse your dog. Making sure your pup knows what they’ve done right, and rewarding their behaviour consistently can yield fantastic results.
Creating a safe space
When training your dog, it is essential to create a safe and comfortable space for them. A kennel or dog bed can be an effective way to provide such a space. Having their own designated area will help the pup feel secure and relaxed, and give them their own space to return to when they need to. Additionally, having a dedicated spot for your pup will make them more likely to stay put when asked to do so during the session. All of these factors contribute to creating an environment where you can effectively train your pup, and help them enjoy a happier and safer life.
Benchmark Kennels supply a range of high-quality dog kennels, big enough to give your pup space, and improve their behaviour.
Regular exercise
Regular exercise is essential for all dogs, whether they have behavioural issues or not. As well as providing physical and mental stimulation for your pup, getting a run around the park helps them learn how to behave properly in social situations with other dogs. This is particularly important following the lockdowns. Exercise can help tire out a restless or hyperactive pup, as well as reduce boredom-related behaviours that can lead to destructive chewing or excessive barking.
Enjoying the fresh air provides an opportunity for fun activities with your pup, too. Just like positive reinforcement, building recognisable routines with your dog helps them associate behaving well with things they enjoy, improving their demeanour as a result.
Socialisation
Properly socialising your pup is an essential part of teaching them to become an upstanding member of society. Socialisation helps dogs understand how to interact with humans and other animals in a safe and appropriate way, learning from each other. It also teaches pups important skills that will help them fit into their new environment, such as learning how to greet strangers politely or playing nicely with other pets. With the right guidance from pet owners, socialisation can be a fun and rewarding experience for both you and your pup, and is especially important for puppies born in the lockdown.