Most dogs will need some sort of behavior modification at one point in life or another. They are much like children in that way; they need training and guidance in order to learn acceptable behavior. Since the number one cause for abandoned dogs is unwanted behavior, it is helpful for people to understand that one of the responsibilities in dog ownership is teaching obedience and proper behavior. Most problems actually result from normal behavior, such as scratching and jumping, that has not been controlled. Modifying behavior, in most cases, is as simple as teaching obedience.

If you need help, or have the extra cash, there are many obedience schools that can help you and your dog. However, if you are strapped for cash, you need not worry. There are plenty of books available on the subject of obedience and there is a lot of information on the internet as well.

Obedience training is a system of rewards and praise coupled with simple commands. When your dog obeys the command, you give the dog a reward. For example, you don’t want your dog to jump on people. So you decide to teach the dog to SIT. You say “Sit!” and show the dog a treat and put your closed hand, with the treat in it, on the floor. When your dog sits, you give him the treat. It is very important that you do not give him the treat until he sits down. In order for this training to stick, it needs to be practiced regularly. You will want to eventually begin switching between reward and praise and gradually introduce consequences for disobeying. A consequence as simple as a stern “no” will work well. Do not hit your dog. Hitting can actually cause more behavior problems.

Behavior modification is simply offering alternative behaviors for your dog to use through the use of commands. If you don’t want your dog to run around, you command her to “Sit! Stay!” If you don’t want your dog to jump, you command her with “Down!”

It takes time and a whole lot of patience, but you and your dog will enjoy each other so much more if your dog has a clear understanding of what is acceptable and what is not.

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