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Quick helpful information on breeds to find out which is best for you

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Which Dog Breed Is Best For You? Choosing & Finding a Good Dog

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Learn how to choose and find the right dog for your family, how to buy a dog from a breeder or adopt a dog from the animal shelter or rescue group, how to use temperament tests to evaluate puppies and adult dogs.

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Socializing Your Puppy or Adult Dog To Get Along With The World - Michele Welton from Yourpurebredpuppy

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Socializing Your Puppy or Adult Dog To Get Along With The World - Michele Welton from Yourpurebredpuppy

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How to introduce you puppy to cats, children, adults, and other dogs.

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Socializing means teaching your dog to get along with the world. You must introduce him to strangers, children, dogs, cats, and other animals.

And you must introduce him in the right ways so he behaves appropriately.

You want your dog to greet people politely.

Think about how YOU feel when you visit friends and you can hardly get in the door because their dog is going crazy, jumping all over you, or barking frantically. Or perhaps you can't even touch him because he's such a scaredy-cat.

Those dogs have not been properly socialized or taught how to behave.

You want your dog to be non-prejudiced.

Some dogs are suspicious of certain physical features - a beard, a floppy hat, dark sunglasses, a walking cane.

Some dogs react aggressively to uniforms (police officers, mail carriers).

A few dogs are so observant that they notice skin color. If it's not what they're used to, they might react with suspicion.

Again, you want to socialize your dog with all kinds of people - men and women, different races, different appearances.

You want your dog to be safe with children

You might think, "That's no problem, my puppy loves kids!"

But often this doesn't last, you see.

Puppies change as they grow up, and many puppies grow into adult dogs who are wary of children.

Over 60% of dog bite victims are children.

That's because dogs do not view children as miniature adults. Many dogs view children as unpredictable creatures with loud voices, herky-jerky movements, and melodramatic emotions. Many dogs don't know what to make of children.

Here's another statistic: 76% of dog bite injuries to children under age 10 are bites to the face. That's tragic. To keep your dog (and of course a child!) from becoming one of those statistics, you have to socialize him with children. Not only as a puppy, but as he grows through his teenage months, and on into adulthood.

You want your dog to be peaceful with other dogs

Owners are often dismayed to discover that as their little puppy grows up, he may begin to NOT tolerate other dogs.

Usually it's other dogs of the same sex. Or dogs that are larger (or smaller) than himself.

Or perhaps your dog doesn't become aggressive. Perhaps he becomes shy or fearful. Or perhaps he is so enthusiastic that he overwhelms other dogs who may not want to play.

You need to work on socialization with other dogs, from puppyhood through adulthood.

You want your dog to be peaceful with cats

By teaching your dog to respect cats, you're keeping him safe. A cat's claws carry lots of bacteria, which means cat scratches can become seriously infected.

Also, dogs who become obsessive cat chasers will dash through open doors, leap from car windows, climb over fences, and rush heedlessly into the street when a cat suddenly appears from the shadows.

Finally, your cat-owning friends will be very unhappy if you show up for a visit with a cat-intolerant dog.

Yes, socialization with cats is imperative if you want a truly well-behaved dog.

You want your dog to be calm and confident in the world

You want your dog to react calmly to sights and sounds in the world.

Unsocialized dogs often develop fears and phobias. I knew a Beagle who freaked out whenever his owner opened an umbrella.

A Doberman who refused to walk across a tile floor. Apparently he didn't like the sound of his toenails clicking on the hard surface.

Dogs who won't go up or down stairs.... or who will go up but not down.... or down but not up.

Dogs who pitch a fit when the vacuum cleaner turns on.

Fear of thunder, fear of fireworks, fear of sirens, fear of mailboxes. (Mailboxes?)

Fears are stressful, and stress is bad for your dog's health. Socialization takes away fears and stresses so your dog is not only happier, but also healthier. You can socialize your dog to be calm about what is happening in the world around him.

Finally - and this is so important - you want your dog to be trusting.

Otherwise, he's going to get really stressed when a new person needs to handle him. It's a miserable experience for both your dog and the vet (or groomer) when a muzzle is required because your dog wasn't taught to trust people other than family members.

Or imagine if your dog was suddenly separated from you. An open door, an open gate, a car crash from which your dog escapes and finds himself loose on the road. Will he go to strangers who are trying to help him? Suspiciousness, aggression, or fearfulness could cost him his life.

We never know what our dogs might have to cope with in their lives. So we need to prepare them by socializing them with everyone and everything. Just as you spend time and effort training your dog to be well-behaved, you need to spend time and effort socializing him to deal calmly with the world.

Socialize from puppyhood through adulthood

PUPPY socialization (first six months) has the most dramatic effect on how a dog turns out.

In fact, here's something interesting....

The most critical period in a dog's life, psychologically, is the period from 7 weeks old to 16 weeks old.

Now, you wouldn't think those nine specific weeks could be so important. But scientific research shows that they are. Puppies should be introduced to strangers and other animals during this critical period.... but....

There's a right way and a wrong way to do it.

You have to pay attention to how Puppy reacts.

If he is shy, or if he jumps all over everyone and mouths at their hands, you need to know how to handle these issues before you invite more people over. Otherwise he could develop bad habits that last a lifetime.

Remember, this critical learning period (7-16 weeks old) comes only once in your dog's life. So you want to get it right.

But socialization doesn't END with puppyhood.

ADOLESCENT socialization is next in importance.

Adolescence begins somewhere between 6 and 9 months old. It ends somewhere between 14 months old and 3 years old. (Larger breeds have the longest adolescent periods.)

Adolescence is an awkward time of change. A young dog's attitude toward the world may change from week to week - even from day to day!

This is also a difficult time for owners. Because up until then, Puppy may have been getting along famously with the world.

But during adolescence, when the hormones kick in, Puppy may change dramatically.

He may suddenly become suspicious or nervous around other people or other dogs. Or he may alternate between aggression and fearfulness.

Most owners respond to these fluctuations in ways that are actually counter-productive with dogs. Your responses, though well-meaning, can simply reinforce the spooky behavior.

To help your dog through this challenging period in his life, you should respond in specific ways that match how dogs learn. I can help you with that.

Finally, there is ADULT socialization. Suppose you have an adult dog who is acting inappropriately toward people or other animals. Obviously you can't "go back in time" to socialize him during the all-important puppyhood and adolescent stages!

But you can start now and work forward. It may be too late to change his feelings about other people or other animals - but socialization can still change his behavior toward them.

In other words, you can teach your dog to remain calm and quiet, tolerating and accepting people and other animals even if he doesn't particularly like them. And that is a very worthy goal.

Start socializing today

Dogs feel most secure when they know how to interact positively with strangers and other dogs. Dogs feel most secure when they're comfortable with the sights and sounds of the world.

So take your dog out into the world and teach him how to interact.

As long as your dog shows appropriate reactions, all you have to do is continue giving him new socialization experiences.

That's the easy part!

But if your dog shows fear or aggression, or becomes suspicious or skittish, or even if he shows excessive enthusiasm such that his behavior spirals out of control, you must take charge of teaching him proper reactions.

And you must do it immediately, or the inappropriate behavior will only get more rooted.

Consider this example.

You take your dog Jake out for a walk. Jake sees another dog and starts barking wildly and pulling on the leash. Jake's behavior is inappropriate, whether it comes from aggression or friendliness.

You say, "Jake, stop it!" But he ignores you and keeps barking and pulling wildly toward the other dog.

Why is Jake acting like this? Why isn't he listening to you? The answer goes to the heart of almost all dog training issues.

The truth is that Jake doesn't respect you enough to let YOU make the decisions about what's acceptable and what isn't. Dogs know instinctively that someone has to make those decisions. Respect issues come up when your dog doesn't recognize that YOU are that someone.

So...

Along with socialization, Jake needs respect training. Then he will trust you to make the decisions about how he should respond to the world around him.

We need to socialize our dogs because the human world doesn't naturally make sense to dogs.

They have to be taught that it's okay for other dogs to be out for walks with their owners. It's okay for the neighbor's cat to be standing on the sidewalk. It's okay for your relatives to come visit. It's okay for thunderstorms to boom, and for vacuum cleaners to rev up and zoom around.

When your dog respects you, he relaxes and lets you make all such decisions about what's OK and what isn't.... about what's safe in the world and what isn't.

Does your dog look to you to find out what's OK in the world and how he should respond to it?

If not, he needs respect training as well as socialization experiences.

I can show you how to do this. One of the most popular chapters in my respect-based dog training book is The Sociable Dog (Getting Along With The World)

I explain the details of socializing your dog with strangers, children, and other animals. Most importantly, I tell you how to respond if he acts inappropriately. My respect-based training book that includes this valuable chapter is called Teach Your Dog 100 English Words.

It's available for instant download or as a printed book. You can read all about it here.

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Socializing Your Puppy or Adult Dog To Get Along With The World

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Socializing means teaching your dog to get along with the world. You must introduce him to strangers, children, dogs, cats, and other animals. And you must introduce him in the right ways so he behaves appropriately.

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Starting your puppy off right - Cesar Millan

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Starting your puppy off right - Cesar Millan

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Quick tips to raising your puppy the right way

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By Cesar Millan

People often ask me at what age they should start puppy training. The answer is immediately! Here are some quick tips on the steps to training and maintaining an obedient and balanced dog from the start.

New puppy owners often make the mistake of endlessly worrying about finding the right accessories, puppy treats, or bed. They spend little or no time thinking about how or what they will teach their new puppy. Yes, a puppy needs nutritious food and a safe, warm place to live, but another equally powerful and important biological necessity is the need for a strong pack leader.

Be the Pack Leader

Puppies are naturally hard-wired to follow a pack leader. A pack leader is, by definition, strong, stable, and consistent; traits many new puppy owners forget. Many of my clients are strong leaders in their jobs, but when they come home, they turn to mush with their dogs. Then they come to me puzzled as to why their dog won't behave.

Puppies sense our confidence levels and will take control if they perceive us as weak. When this happens, bad behaviors, such as excessive barking, chewing, leash-pulling, or anxiety, will develop.

The most important thing you can do is become your puppy's pack leader. This role doesn't begin when your dog is six months old or when he's bad; it should be maintained throughout the entire dog training experience. For your new puppy to grow into a healthy, balanced dog, you must demonstrate leadership from day one!

Visit to the veterinarian

One of the cornerstones of good health for your puppy is regular veterinary care. It is crucial that your puppy maintains a nutritional diet and exercise routine to stay healthy and balanced. Plus, your vet can advise on heartworm, and flea and tick preventative care. While a lot goes into keeping your puppy in good health, it all begins with the first visit to the vet.

Housebreaking

All dogs become conditioned never to eliminate in their dens. From two to four months of age, most pups pick up on the concept of housebreaking quite easily since it is part of their natural programming.

In the early days of housebreaking you want to make sure the puppy has a place to relieve herself where she feels safe; a place that seems and smells familiar. First thing every morning, bring your puppy outside to the same general area. It is important to remain consistent throughout the process so your puppy can learn the habit.

Once your new puppy has successfully gone outside, it is important to reward the good behavior. It doesn't have to be a big, loud celebration, but a simple quiet approval or a treat can get the message across of a job well done.

And be sure not to punish your puppy for an accident or do anything to create a negative association with her bodily functions. Stay calm and assertive and quietly remove the puppy to the place where you want him to go.

Dog walking

Please find safe ways to exercise your puppy too! As your puppy's pack leader, you must help to expend their energy in a productive way. For all dogs, this means a daily walk.

Walking in front of your new puppy allows you to be seen as the pack leader. Conversely, if your dog controls you on the walk, he's the pack leader. You should be the first one out the door and the first one in. Your puppy should be beside or behind you during the walk.

Also talk to your veterinarian about the risk of long-term bone development problems, parvovirus, and other health issues before implementing an exercise routine.
How cute is your puppy? Post a photo of your pooch in the comments.

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By Cesar Millan People often ask me at what age they should start puppy training. The answer is immediately! Here are some quick tips on the steps to training and maintaining an obedient and balanced dog from the start. New puppy owners often make the mistake of endlessly worrying about finding the right accessories, puppy treats, or bed.

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Celebrity dog behaviourist Cesar Millan shares what he thinks every new dog owner should do before bringing the canine home.

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Puppy Training Schedule - Michele Welton from Yourpurebredpuppy

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Puppy Training Schedule - Michele Welton from Yourpurebredpuppy

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How and when to get puppy training started

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We always anticipate the joys of all that's good about owning a puppy.

But often it doesn't work out as well as we'd hoped. Puppies are delightful bundles of energy and curiosity.... but they can also be exasperating and frustrating.

If you respond properly to the challenges of bringing a new puppy into your home, the adjustment period will be shorter and less stressful for both of you.

If you do not respond properly..... well, unfortunately that's why so many teenage dogs are turned over to rescue groups and animal shelters.

What you must get right when raising a puppy

First and foremost, teach your new puppy daily routines.

Where his food and water dishes are located.

What times of day he will eat.

Where his bed is.

What time he goes to bed.

What time he gets up.

Where he goes to the bathroom.

Where his toys are kept.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that it doesn't matter HOW you teach each of these routines. It definitely does matter.

If you use the right teaching method, your puppy will be better-behaved and will be happy to let you decide what he can and can't do in your family.

If you use the wrong teaching method, your puppy will begin making decisions about how he wants YOU to fit into HIS life. That's a recipe for conflict and behavior problems.

Teach your puppy words

You must teach your puppy words as well as routines.

The most important words are "No" (which means "Stop whatever you're doing") and "Good" (which means "I like what you're doing").

These praise and correction words should be started at 2-3 months of age.

You must teach these words properly, with the right tone of voice and the right body language, or they won't be of any help in teaching other words.

If your puppy is older than 2-3 months and hasn't learned "No" and "Good" flawlessly, you must start with those words before you can expect success with other word training.

Avoid biscuit training

It's a big mistake to rely on food treats to train your puppy (or a dog of any age).

What's wrong with "biscuit training"? It's based on your puppy deciding when he's hungry enough to do what you want.

Imagine your puppy running out the front door. You call him, waving a treat. But he'd rather chase a squirrel into the road than come back to munch on a treat. In addition to the obvious danger of Puppy getting hit by a car, he learns that he doesn't have to listen to you. He learns that he's in charge of what he decides to do and what he decides not to do.

Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't give ANY treats to your puppy. Treats can be great motivators, especially in teaching fun things such as tricks.

But if your training method consists of giving your puppy a treat to coax him to do what you say, then you're going to find yourself in trouble when you want him to do something and he's not hungry.... or when you want him to STOP doing something and he's having too much fun to stop, regardless of the treats you're desperately flinging at him.

This sad scenario happens a lot with biscuit training. It doesn't happen at all with "Respect Training."

Respect training is the best way to train your puppy

You should teach your puppy to respect you as the leader in your home.

Without proper respect, your puppy may learn words and routines but choose not to do them. I'm sure you know dog owners who say their dog "understands" them but doesn't do what they say.

They might even try to laugh it off by saying, "He's so smart he has ME trained!"

But that isn't intelligence - it's disrespect. And it can be traced to improper training right from the time the puppy was first brought home.

Respect training is not something you can get "almost" right. You must get it completely, consistently right - in a way that dogs understand. I can help you with this.

Dogs are capable of learning many words, and there is no better way to get your dog to understand what you want and what you don't want than to teach him carefully chosen vocabulary words.

Of course, knowing which words to teach isn't much help unless you also know HOW to teach them. I can help you with this, too. Keep reading.

First, I'll give you a hint. The photo above is cute, but don't expect your dog to want to listen to children's stories!

But do expect him to listen carefully to your words, waiting for one he understands. Expect him to be eager to follow your directions.

Puppy training schedule... more training at 2-3 months

Crate training (2-3 months)

Your puppy's crate is his safe and secure den.

Some people mistakenly refer to a crate as "doggie jail" but that is not the way Puppy will view his crate.

Oh, at first he might be unhappy to have his movements curtailed, but it won't be long at all before he goes into the crate on his own, to take a nap or just to get away from household activity.

For a new puppy, a crate helps with housebreaking and provides a safe den for sleeping. When your puppy is used to his crate, it will be easy to take him visiting, or for trips in the car, or to the vet. When we watch TV, we sit in our favorite chairs and our dog Buffy chooses to lie down in her crate, watching the same shows we watch (well, sort of!).

Housebreaking (2-3 months)

At 2-3 months old, puppies are infants and won't have reliable control of their bladder for several months. (Tiny breeds are notoriously difficult to housebreak and take even longer.)

Still, housebreaking begins the day you bring your puppy home.

Establish the right pattern from the very beginning and Puppy will be housebroken as soon as his internal organs can cooperate.

But if you do it wrong, housebreaking will become a nightmare. And sadly, many owners don't realize they're doing something wrong until Puppy's "accidents" have become a bad habit.... and bad habits are hard to undo. So you want to establish the right pattern from the very beginning.

There are several methods of housebreaking, including using a crate, an exercise pen ("ex-pen"), a doggy door leading into a small potty yard, or a litter box (for tiny breeds).

You'll find detailed housebreaking directions in my training book (see bottom of page) - and yes, I cover each one of those housebreaking methods so you can choose which one works best for your dog and your lifestyle.

Acceptance of being handled (2-3 months)

Your puppy must accept YOU as the leader in your family. Being the leader simply means you are the one who decides what is okay for Puppy to do and what isn't okay.

For example.... brushing, bathing, clipping nails, cleaning teeth, giving a pill, putting on a collar or harness.

These are all times when YOU - not Puppy - have to be the one to decide what is necessary. Puppy should stand quietly for anything you need to do with him.

The best way to do this is to include it in your vocabulary lessons and your respect lessons. If you teach words and respect properly, acceptance of being handled will come naturally - they go "hand-in-hand", so to speak!

Gentleness (2-3 months)

Just like acceptance of being handled, gentleness is taught along with vocabulary and respect training.

Puppy's mother (and siblings) began teaching gentleness by firmly correcting Puppy when he played too roughly.

Your job is to take over from where they left off and teach Puppy how to restrain himself when he plays with humans.

Remember, you must be the one who sets the limits of ALL good and bad behavior.

Household rules (2-3 months)

Teach Puppy which behaviors are allowed in your house and which behaviors aren't.

Is he allowed to shred the toilet paper? (no)

Is he allowed to jump up on the furniture, or into the lap of a seated person? (that's up to you, but everyone in your family must follow the same policy or Puppy will be hopelessly confused)

Is he allowed in the kitchen when meals are being prepared? (can be unsafe if things get dropped)

Can he take a toy away from another dog in the family? (absolutely not! it might look cute but it can lead to bullying and dominance battles later)

Can he take socks out of the laundry basket? Can he sleep on your bed at night? What about barking at strangers he sees through the window?

Decide on the household rules. Then be completely consistent about enforcing what you have decided. "No!" and "Good!" will serve you well for these puppy lessons, but only if you have taught those words properly.

My training book spends a lot of time showing you how to teach those words, and also tells you the best rules to establish with your puppy.

Is your puppy older than 2-3 months?

You might think a training schedule would be different for an older puppy.... but it isn't.

Whether your puppy is 3 months old, 6 months old, or 9 months old, the order of training must start with the same vocabulary words and respect training I've been talking about.

Namely.... daily routines, praise and correction words, crate training, housebreaking, acceptance of being handled, gentleness, and household rules.

So if your older puppy is still mouthing on your hands, or barking back at you when you tell him to do something, or if he doesn't stop whatever he's doing when you say, "No", you mustn't rush on to "heel" or "sit-stay".

Respect needs to come first, no matter how many months it takes. Then you can move on to....

Walk on the leash without pulling.

Come when called. Every time.

Lie down - and stay lying down for up to 30 minutes.

Wait inside the door or gate, even when it's open, until you tell him he can go through.

Stop barking when you say "Quiet."

"Give" or "Drop" whatever is in his mouth when told.

and much, much more

All of these skills involve Puppy learning new words, but remember, simply knowing what a word "means" won't automatically lead to Puppy DOING it.

You need to teach these new words in specific ways that encourage Puppy to view you as a worthy leader. Popping treats into his mouth won't accomplish that.

Now, leadership doesn't mean hitting Puppy. No choke collars or shock collars. Just little things you need to say and do every time you interact with Puppy. These little things are viewed as "leadership" by the canine mind.

All puppies misbehave from time to time. How you respond when Puppy misbehaves is very, very important.

If you respond the wrong way, he will keep misbehaving.

Respond the right way and he will view you as a leader and listen to you.

It's best to get this right the first time around, because Puppy won't ever be the same age again. You get only one chance to teach all the right habits to a "clean slate" puppy. If you try to train your puppy without help, you will probably have to re-do the lessons, only this time with an older puppy with bad habits.

You don't need to sign up for an obedience class to get help training your puppy. I've taught hundreds of those classes and they can be overwhelming for a puppy. Timid puppies can get overrun by bullies, and excitable puppies just get more excitable.

You can teach your puppy at home. I'll help you. In my dog training book, Teach Your Dog 100 English Words, I'll show you a step-by-step training schedule for teaching your puppy all the vocabulary words he needs, plus consistent household rules and routines, housebreaking, crate training, acceptance of being handled, gentleness, and obedience training.

Most importantly, I'll show you how to teach your puppy to respect you so that he actually does what you say. You can download the book immediately, or have a printed book sent to you in the mail.

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Puppy Training Schedule: What to Teach Puppies, and When

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We always anticipate the joys of all that's good about owning a puppy. But often it doesn't work out as well as we'd hoped. Puppies are delightful bundles of energy and curiosity.... but they can also be exasperating and frustrating.

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Great tips to get started with your puppy - even before you've picked him up

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Whether you train your new puppy or dog yourself, take classes, or hire a private trainer, some basic training tips should be tackled right out of the gate. These top 10 tips from professional dog trainers at the top of their game will help get you going.

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Sue from Canine Academy helped Floofer & I start our puppy training

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Our Programs Professional Dog Trainer Program Day Camp & Train Camp Obedience Courses Canine Sports Behaviour Consultation Upcoming Events and Seminars The Canine Academy Advantage With over 5000 dogs trained since Canine Academy opened nearly twenty years ago, and training programs that are individualized for you, your dog and your goals, Canine Academy has set...

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To get an idea about what puppy training is like - watch this video!

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German Shepherd puppy obedience training | 9 weeks old | Valor K9 Academy, LLC

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Questions & more about crate training, potty training, basic cues, loose leash walking, and dental care.

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PetSmart Puppy Training: How to Crate Train a Puppy

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Training Our Puppy! // 9 Week Old Golden Retriever - Alex & Dan

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Training Our Puppy! // 9 Week Old Golden Retriever - Alex & Dan

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Relatable experience from new puppy owners and their start with puppy training

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Training Our Puppy! // 9 Week Old Golden Retriever

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Crate training is a great tool to use with nervous puppies, or rescue puppies

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How to help with the whining, and crying from puppies in crates

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Puppy Training-Puppy Screaming and Whining in the Crate

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Top 3 Puppy Problems SOLVED! Biting, House Training & Chewing - Zac George

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Top 3 Puppy Problems SOLVED! Biting, House Training & Chewing - Zac George

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Top 3 Puppy Problems SOLVED! Biting, House Training & Chewing

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Learn a thing or two about clicker training - an easy way to provide encouragement to good behaviour

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The Puppy Training Shortcut: Clicker Training Explained

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Solving Dog Behaviour Problems - Michele Welton from Yourpurebredpuppy

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Solving Dog Behaviour Problems - Michele Welton from Yourpurebredpuppy

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So you're reading this page because your dog is doing something you don't like - some behavior you want him to do differently - or simply stop doing.

Housebreaking "accidents"

Barks too much

Won't let go of things

Steals food when you turn your back

Jumps on people

Chews on your hands

Constantly seeks attention

Guards his food or toys

Pulls on the leash

Aggressive toward people or other dogs

Struggles when you try to restrain him

Chases the cat

Chews on the furniture or your belongings

Did I mention housebreaking "accidents"?

"How can I stop my dog from....?"

One of the most common questions dog owners ask me is: "How can I stop my dog from (doing some specific behavior problem)?"

They're hoping I'll tell them where to find a secret button on the back of their dog's head that will trigger a misbehavior-OFF switch.

Alas, my answer is almost always the same, no matter what the misbehavior is. Here it is (free of charge):

You need to tell your dog, "No. Stop that."

Does that sound too simplistic? It probably does, because most owners respond in a frustrated voice, "But I already tell my dog No! He still doesn't listen!"

Fair enough. Here is what is going on. Either he really doesn't understand what No means (this is the truth in MANY cases), or else he understands it but doesn't see any reason why he should obey it.

There are two key points here, you see...your dog must understand the word (I can show you how to teach words properly) and then he must respect you enough to obey it.

Because without respect, your dog may UNDERSTAND what you say, but he doesn't see any reason why he should DO what you say. (Unless you're bribing him with a cookie, which only works sometimes - usually NOT when you need it most.

Getting your dog to respect you means interacting with him in specific ways that encourage respect.

You might be thinking, "But I already know how to interact with my dog. I care for him and I love him.... it's easy."

Actually, it isn't so easy, because canines see and interpret the world differently than we do.

Whenever you do anything with your dog, even just walking through the kitchen, or petting him, or speaking to him.... he is busy judging your tone of voice, your facial expression, your body language, how you're touching him, how you're responding when he does "X" or "Y".

All of these seemingly little things are very, very important to your dog. They're the clues he uses to draw conclusions about you and to decide whether you're worthy of respect or not.

If you interact with your dog in certain ways that are WRONG for canines, he will conclude that even though he loves you, he doesn't need to obey you. And you will see behavior problems.

If you interact with your dog in all the RIGHT ways, he will conclude that he not only loves you, but also that you're a capable leader worthy of respect. Then he will obey when you say, "No. Stop that." (assuming, of course, that you have taught him what it means so that he understands)

Respectful dogs don't misbehave.
It is as simple as that.

Well, okay....ALMOST as simple as that. There are a few more things your dog needs in order to be well-behaved.

Exercise, Activities, Companionship

Even respectful dogs will misbehave if they don't get enough exercise, interesting activities to do, and daily companionship.

Dogs are sociable creatures.

If you leave your dog home alone for 8 hours, he will feel bored and frustrated.

If you leave him outside for hours at a time, he will feel bored and frustrated.

If you don't provide enough exercise and activities, he will feel bored and frustrated.

Boredom and frustration are major causes of behavior problems in dogs.

Dogs vent boredom and frustration by destroying things.... digging holes.... rambunctiousness.... escaping.... barking...

Those "misbehaviors" cannot be solved by training. Your dog has every right to vent his boredom and frustration when his needs of Exercise and Companionship are not being met.

You must meet those needs while ALSO teaching commands and a respectful attitude. That's how you raise a well-behaved dog.

What you should do right now to prevent or stop behavior problems

You need to learn the right ways to interact with your dog - and the wrong ways too, so you don't do those!

You need to know how to teach the Magic Word ("No") to your dog and how to respond if he doesn't obey it.

That's how you stop behavior problems. With that one word.... plus respect... plus however much exercise and companionship it takes to keep your dog satisfied.

Here's another article I've written on Respect Training.

Or just follow the complete, step-by-step Respect Training program in my book, Teach Your Dog 100 English Words. You can download it and start reading immediately, or I can mail you the printed book.

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So you're reading this page because your dog is doing something you don't like - some behavior you want him to do differently - or simply stop doing.