Dog Behavior Modification

To learn dog behavior modification, we must first be aware of the part WE play in our dog's current behavior.

Once we accept that dogs are dogs and not human, we begin a special appreciation and a stronger bond with our canine companions.

And we probably wish we could be as consistent and loyal as our dogs. To call a dog human is more of an insult than a compliment.

That said, lets move on to understanding dog behavior, whether its dominant, submissive or unusual dog behavior. Do we unknowingly instigate the unwanted behavior or allow it by being submissive in our dog's eyes.

We'll start with Correcting Dog Behavior, where we learn the proper way to greet our dogs thanks to Angie Woods, dog rehabilitation expert and owner of USCanine. This a great first step to dog behavior modification.

Remember, your dog doesn't have to act insane to be happy to see you. That's one of those human misconceptions.

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And here’s a few ideas for positive reinforcement so you don’t have an out of control dog.

If you have ever experienced dog food aggression in your home, even a tiny growl or a paw claiming the bowl, learn to stop the behavior NOW. This is how your dog claims to be the leader and I've seen it escalate into dog biting and fights.

Next I talk about dog fear. I use an example of dog fear of thunder and explain the difference between encouraging it and solving this unusual dog behavior.

In Dog Behavior Problems - When Dogs Mirror Our Emotions we see how our attitude and emotional state affects our dogs and what they have to say about it.

In Dog Behaviors vs. Human Behaviors, I talk about the misconception of dogs being human. Of course they aren't but in a few areas I still catch myself treating them as if they were, and you probably do too. There's also a reminder of what a blessing dogs are to us.

I believe dogs have a gift. I know I have psychic dogs. If I just think the word medicine, my dogs scatter like an air raid siren is blaring in the living room. If I think about going to the grocery store, all ears perk up in anticipation of a possible ride in the car. Is your dog psychic too?

How we perceive our dogs, how we treat our dogs and what we expect from them, all play a part in the picture. Some of the things we do are pretty dumb once we see it and can give us one of those forehead slapping moments, others are more subtle.

I hope you enjoy the way I present our human imperfections and they help you understand how simple dog behavior modification can be.

I'm not sure if this next one is dog behavior modification or training, but I found "Leave It" on another website and I loved it. As soon as I read it I thought, "What a great idea. Here's something I can teach sitting down. (Yes, I can be lazy.)

Why didn't I think of this myself?" But I didn't and I don't want to take the credit away from Sandy Mesmer who has been been breeding Silky Terriers for thirty years and has a website called "About Small Dogs." Go ahead and read Leave It .

I haven't written specifically about the meaning of the Alpha dog yet or a description of pack leader behavior so I'm going to link you to another site. I like what Pauline says about the alpha dog, or the pack leader. Simple things that make a difference.

I have found that many people are afraid to adopt dogs from rescue groups or the humane society, believing all these dogs have problems and need dog behavior modification (at least). This is simply not true. Here's a page about dog adoptions I found on a site called Dogs Gossip. About half way down the page, she has listed 'A Dog's 10 Commandments'. A good reminder for us all.

The following are other pages here at Three Little Pitties you may enjoy:

Understanding Dog Behavior
Using a slide show of my dogs play fighting I explain dog body language.

Does Your Dog Bite?
You might be shocked at his behavior if you let him out alone. Here's a dilema my daughter and I had recently when she received a dog bite.

Good Dog
Did I just get a good dog or did I earn it? The story of Jason, the best family dog I could ever have.

Dog Mounting
Where mounting and humping go beyond the limits of good canine citizenship.

Learn the four possible causes of destructive dog behavior and what you can do to help your dog get a grip on his behavior instead of your furniture.

Bad Dog – Why does this dog make me crazy?

Dog aggression is often overlooked, but Pit Bull aggression? Never.

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