Have you ever had a dog that just rushes through the front door when you open it, or jump in the car the second the door opens, or shoves his head in his food bowl before you can even put it down for him, or bark automatically the second they hear a knock or thump? This would be a dog that lacks impulse control. These are just a few examples of things we should be controlling, but some people struggle with. One of the most important habits he can learn with us is controlling

Day 10 of How to Ruin Your Dog. Do you ignore bad behavior in hopes it will just go away? Whenever you have a dog who growls, barks, snarls, or tries to lunge through a fence at another person or animal and you ignore it, you are creating a monster. Not correcting the unwanted or bad behavior will teach the dog that this behavior is 100% acceptable. It will only get worse over time and not better. Allowing your dog to continue with this bad behavior could result in someone or

Day 9 of How to Ruin Your Dog. Does love for your dog actually get in the way of his well-being? Have you ever heard of the saying "Tough Love". Sometimes we have to have tough love when it comes to the well-being of our dogs. We hear so many times, "I don't know if I can be away from my dog for that long" or "I don't know if my dog can handle being away from me for that long". Having to much love can do more harm for your dog, than good. Think of it as sending your child to

Day 8 of How to Ruin Your Dog. Is your voice always in a soft tone? When we were kids and our parents would correct us, they always changed the tone in their voice. Their tone would be deep and strong versus soft and sweet. When we correct our dogs, we have to do the same thing with them. Dogs understand tones and body language better than they do english. Using the right (stern) tone while getting on to your dog will reinforce the correction you are giving. Using the wrong (

Day 7 of How to Ruin Your Dog Do you reward your dog for accomplishing tasks given? When we have a job, we take breaks to rejuvenate. Sometimes, If we do really well at our job, we are given rewards for our accomplishments. Dogs should be treated the same way. Its always good to allow your dog to have a little play time in the midst of working them.This gives them a break, and they consider it as a reward for doing such a great job at the task they were given. Just like us, d

Day 6 of How to Ruin Your Dog. Are your tools for your dog being used incorrectly? When we use tools to aid in the training of our dogs, we sometimes un-intentionally use them the wrong way. Making sure you have the correct knowledge on how to use your tools will secure the safety of you and your dog. In the top 2 pictures, you will see how a prong collar is being worn incorrectly. Notice how the prong collar is very loose and there is a big gap between the collar and the nec

Daily dog training tip #5. Are you his best friend or his leader first? When you have a new boss, you immediately do not become friends first. This is because the boss has to set rules and boundaries before he can build any further relationship with you. This is to ensure you will respect him and his role as leader. Dogs are the same way. When you bring a new dog into your home, we need to immediately establish rules and boundaries. Doing this, your new dog will know you are

Daily dog training tip #4. To much love, affection, and freedom with not enough structure and balance. We all love to love on our dogs. A lot of us view them as our "kids" or our "fur babies" Sometimes we can give to much love and affection and not enough structure and balance. While it is perfectly ok to give a dog affection, we need to remember they need just as much structure to balance out their mental state. The unequal balance creates insecurities, over protective behav

Daily dog training tip #3. Allowing your dog to be in your bubble 24/7 When a dog has full on access to you and your personal space, whether we invited them in or not, this will only cause separation anxiety and/or possessiveness. This can include jumping in your lap when not asked, following you around everywhere you go, or just being under your feet at all times. Dogs should only be allowed into our bubble when we invite them in, just like humans. You can correct this behav

Daily dog training tip #2. It's human nature for most of us to want to nurture what we love. Babying or nurturing an insecure or nervous dog will only deepen the insecurities of the dog and will only make it harder to correct the misguided behavior. The best way to help an insecure or nervous dog is to use positive reinforcement at every available opportunity. Gradually allow your dog to meet new people and other dogs. When he shows confidence and not nervousness, reward him.