Dogs, like humans, have feelings and emotions. They feel happiness, sadness, guilt and fear— just like humans do.
When you adopt them, you need to train and teach them certain things so that they are well-equipped to deal with everything and everyone in their surroundings.
And things may get a bit difficult from time to time while teaching them, but you need to have a bit of patience and stay the course. And when you teach with patience and kindness, they turn out to be the calmest ones.
Below are some of the ways you can train your dog while being calm and composed:
1. Do not use the wrong commands
If your dog has the habit of jumping on people or getting overexcited in general, then do not use the commands ‘sit down’ or ‘lie down.’
These serve to repress the dog’s natural instincts and can have an adverse impact on the dog. Instead, you should use commands such as ‘Come off’ or ‘Get down’ to make the dog come away.
2. Do not be harsh while toilet training
Many people tend to lose their patience often while toilet training their dogs. Yes, it is true that training a dog is tougher than training a cat.
However, you need to be very patient while training, especially if your dog is a pup. Do not get angry or scream at your dog, because this can make them disoriented.
3. Teach them to trust people gradually
If your dog is shy or distrustful towards people, do not force them to greet them or be near them. Instead, keep them chained to a leash and away from the person when the latter visits.
With time, you can increase familiarity by showing your dog the pictures of those people or allowing them to get used to their scent.
4. You should give them enough freedom to run around
There are some breeds that need more space, especially for running around freely. Research the breed before you get one.
If you have a small apartment, then do not get a breed which requires more space. This is constricting and painful for the dogs.
5. Teach the puppy to stay alone
If you have to go away for long periods of time, then make sure that you make the puppy used to it first, by leaving it alone for short intervals.
Gauge its reactions and see if they get better with time. If they don’t, consider getting a dog-sitter. However, it is likely to come around with time, if it’s not a breed that gets separation anxiety easily.
6. Do not be mad at the dog for being scared
If you find that your dog gets scared easily at something and scurries away to hide under the bed, then you should not be angry at it.
Do not scream or shout at it, or display other signs of anger. Remember that fear cannot be controlled by displaying anger.
It will only end up traumatising the dog further. Try and find out the reason for the dog’s fear; and consider taking it to a vet or a dog trainer to eliminate its fear.
7. Do not force your dog to eat things it doesn’t want to
Many dogs are picky eaters, and don’t chow down on everything they are offered. As an owner, it is easy to be frustrated at this.
But try not to let your anger get the better of you. Do not force your dog to eat the things it doesn’t want to. Rather, mix the nutrients with the food of its choice, and then serve it. You can also take the help of a trainer to get your dog accustomed to various kinds of foods.
Conclusion
Dogs are our best friends. Like humans, they crave love and companionship. When it comes to human kids, we are understanding, compassionate and mostly patient (up to a certain level, anyways).
We recommend that you try the same for your dog. Dogs are intelligent and perceptive creatures. When treated with compassion, they become calmer and more well-mannered, thereby being a delight to everyone around them. As they say, a little kindness goes a long way.
