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Correcting Bad Habits in Your Pup

October 21, 2021

Pups might be soft and fluffy and loving and represent everything good about the world. However, believe it or not, sometimes, they can be less than perfect.

Sometimes, they exhibit less-than-pleasant behavior and the best move in situations like this is to nip it in the bud.

You don’t want your once-adorable puppy growing up to become a misbehaving adult. So, here’s are 5 tips to help with correcting bad habits in your pup:

Training

Well-trained pups seldom exhibit bad behavior, so training is key. Commands like ‘come’, ‘sit’, ‘lie down, are the building blocks for encouraging good behavior.

Using a training system that includes rewards helps your pup quickly understand that following your commands means delicious treats.

Your pup also gets mentally stimulated through the course of training, and an exhausted pup would definitely keep out of trouble.

Prevention

Pups usually have triggers, sounds, or sights that make them react that way. A good idea would be to get these triggers out of the way, and in turn, no naughty reactions.

For instance, if you notice that the doorbell triggers a flurry of barks, take it out. Avoid giving your pup scraps from your table so that you don’t encourage begging.

Restrict your pup to areas where he’s wanted and make it clear that certain areas are off-limits. For instance, counter-surfing can be avoided by making the kitchen out of bounds.

Exercise

A physically exhausted pup would rather snooze than concern himself with distractions. So, in addition to helping your pup burn off energy and remain healthy, exhaustion keeps your pup out of trouble.

Similarly, regular exercise with your pet helps to strengthen the human-doggy bond, and your pup would likely obey your commands even faster and more often.

Burning off pent-up energy in your pet could help your favorite shoes remain intact.

Redirection

Some bad behavior in your pup might be pure instinct, such as digging and chewing. Behaviors like this might be totally impossible to get rid of.

However, this doesn’t imply that these actions cannot be redirected appropriately. For instance, providing a chew toy for your pup gives him something to take out this habit on.

Specifying an area where digging is acceptable would help keep the rest of your front yard intact. This way, you’re in control of the situation, and your pet gets what he wants too.

Ignore

Pups are huge attention seekers and might go some lengths just to get you to notice them. Some of the bad behaviors that pups exhibit are simply intended to gain your attention.

Behavior like barking, or jumping up, or begging would simply go away after a while if you ignore your pup. Once he realizes that the attention he’s seeking doesn’t come via that channel, he should stop.

Avoid shouting or punishing your pup, as this is attention as well. Simply turn away until he is calm and exercising restraint once again.

✓ This article has been reviewed by Petland Lake St. Louis & Fenton’s expert team to ensure accuracy and reliable pet care guidance.