Hello. It’s a human bear. It’s been a while since I’ve been writing because I’ve been busy with a lot of things these days. During the consultation, I realized that when living with a dog, there are moments when the owner becomes anxious without even realizing it.

If you see him barking when you hear the sound of the front door, pulling on the leash when you go for a walk, or growling when you try to take something from him, you want to do something to make him stop as soon as possible.

When I talk to owners during training consultations, I find that most of them do not do wrong things to make things difficult for their dogs.
Rather, I comfort the dog because I love it, solve the problem for the dog because I’m worried about it, and rush to control it out of fear that it may be dangerous or cause harm to others.

However, the guardian’s intention and the dog’s perceived meaning may be different.

In this article, rather than blaming the guardians, we will look at the behaviors we tend to repeat inadvertently one by one.
It is enough to slowly change the parts that can be changed.

Please remember this first.
Your dog’s problem behavior may not simply be a behavior that doesn’t listen to what you’re told.
Innate temperament, experiences during growth, current living environment, interactions with caregivers, and learning outcomes all have an influence.
If behavior suddenly changes, pain or illness should also be checked first.

1. Whenever I do something wrong, I scold myself loudly

If your dog barks or makes a loud noise when he bites an object, his behavior may stop for a moment. It is easy for guardians to see this and think that the discipline was effective.

However, there is a difference between stopping for a while and resolving the cause.

If a puppy is scolded without learning why it barked, what made it uncomfortable, or what behavior to replace, it may hide its behavior in front of its guardian or become more fearful of certain situations.

The American Veterinary Behavior Society (AVSAB) recommends that reward-based methods be used in general training and behavior correction.
Using pain, fear and physical pressure can increase the risk of behavioral problems, including anxiety and aggression.

Try something a little different

Before scolding your dog for barking or misbehavior, check first what is causing it. Check if it’s a sound from the front door, a person outside the window, another dog, or the owner getting ready to go out.

Also, let the guardian know specifically what behavior you want, such as the moment the dog does not bark, the moment it looks at the guardian, or the moment it waits on the mat.

It’s hard for a dog to know what to do just by being told, “Don’t do it.”

2. Every action is interpreted as a matter of hierarchy

You may think that your dog is ignoring you if he walks ahead of you on a walk, climbs on the sofa, or doesn’t put down a toy easily.

So, you deliberately take away the dog’s food bowl, suppress it by pressing it, or use strong force to force it into submission.

However, it is difficult to explain the relationship between a dog and its guardian as a simple competition for rank.

These days, many organizations are concerned about excessively applying dominance theory to correct behavior problems and forcing dogs to obey.
Many of the behaviors that caregivers find uncomfortable may be the result of accidental reward or failure to learn appropriate behavior, rather than an attempt to gain a higher rank.

Rules are needed, but power struggles are not

Teach your child daily rules one by one, such as waiting a moment before going out the front door, sitting calmly before putting down the food bowl, and receiving a different reward when he puts down a toy.

The goal is not to beat the puppy. It’s about helping dogs understand how to live with us.

3. I think growling is a bad habit

When a dog growls, the owner may be surprised and upset.
I may feel like they are ignoring me or that I need to correct their habits before they get worse.

However, growling is a warning signal from your dog.

You may have been touched while you were resting, touched an uncomfortable part of your body, suddenly tried to take away something you were eating, or were unable to escape a situation you wanted to avoid.

Using strong punishment in situations where aggression is occurring may make it appear that the behavior has briefly abated.
However, warning signals that appear just before an attack may be suppressed, creating a more dangerous situation.

Please find the reason for the warning rather than removing it

If you hear a growl, gain distance first.
Also, note under what circumstances it is repeated, such as food, toys, bed, paw brushing, ear cleaning, and picking up.

If there is a risk of bites, it is safer for owners to seek help from veterinarians and behavior experts rather than trying to handle the problem alone.

4. Responds immediately whenever barking or fussing

When your dog barks, give him a treat. If you scratch your pet with your front paws, you will be petted. If they whine at the table, give them some food.
When he gets excited to go for a walk, he quickly puts on his harness and goes outside.

The guardian just wanted to sort out the situation quickly.

However, from a dog’s perspective, barking, jumping, whining, and scratching with their front paws can all be learned as ways to get what they want.

Behaviors are more likely to be repeated when they are rewarded.
Even if you don’t get what you want every time, if you succeed occasionally, your dog may try longer.

Please find a quiet moment first

When going for a walk, wear a harness when all four feet are on the ground. When feeding food, wait for a moment of silence.
When your puppy wants your attention, tell him to sit or move to the mat instead of jumping.

Make the act of waiting calmly the fastest way to get what you want.

5. Each family has different standards for acceptance

One person is allowed on the sofa, but the other family member is scolded.
Some people happily hug a jumping puppy, while others push it away because it leaves footprints on their clothes.

When the guardian has free time, he or she makes the dog wait, but when he or she is busy, he or she gives the barking dog a treat and ends the situation.

It is natural for each family to have slightly different opinions.
However, from the dog’s perspective, it becomes difficult to understand what behavior is acceptable.

Only set rules that the family can follow together

There is no need for all rules to be perfectly unified.
First, decide on just a few essential things.

Wait a moment before opening the front door.
When jumping on a person, do not immediately pay attention.
Exchange items rather than forcefully take them away.
Do not suddenly touch or wake a resting puppy.
Everyone in the family praises your calm behavior.

Rules that are easy for your puppy to understand can be more helpful than complex training.

6. We intentionally bring a fearful puppy into strong stimulation

Take a child who is afraid of other dogs to the middle of the dog park.
Drag a dog that is startled by the sound of a motorcycle closer to the road.
Pick up a puppy that avoids strangers and force it to say hello.

Caregivers may think that they will get used to it if they continue to experience it.

However, if your dog is forced to endure stimulation that is difficult to handle, his fear may not decrease but rather increase.

The MSD Veterinary Manual explains that the flooding method (a method of desensitizing animals by exposing them to a strong stimulus) has the potential to worsen behavior in most animals and is generally not an appropriate method.

Socialization is not a process of patience

You should start at a distance where your puppy can eat a treat, look at you, and retreat on his own.

Experience the scary stimulus at a very low intensity, and gradually increase the difficulty level as you remain comfortable.

Just because your puppy stands quietly doesn’t necessarily mean he’s adapted.
You may be too nervous to move.

7. I think of socialization as just a lot of meetings

You’ve probably heard that socialization is important for young puppies.

But socialization isn’t a competition to get your puppy to meet as many people as possible. You are not forced to say hello in an unfamiliar environment.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVSAB) describes the first three months of life as an important socialization period. During this time, it is important to experience people, animals, the environment, sounds, and various stimuli in a safe and positive way.

Start with small, comfortable experiences

You hear cars and motorcycles in the distance.
Walk slowly on various surfaces such as grass, sidewalk blocks, and mats.
Look at a person wearing a hat or umbrella from a comfortable distance.
Stop by the animal hospital, have a snack, and return comfortably.
Short, safe encounters with calm adult dogs.

Vaccination status and local infection risk should be discussed with your veterinarian. There is no need to force your child into places where sanitary conditions are difficult to determine.

The goal of socialization is not to get your puppy to like everyone.
The aim is to help children navigate unfamiliar situations together with their guardians without being overly anxious or excited.

8. Leave the environment the same and correct the behavior as it occurs

A dog that looks out the window and barks every day continues to live in front of the window.
The resting area for dogs that are sensitive to the sound of the front door is right in front of the door.
Deliberately approach a dog that is sensitive to food and touch its food bowl.

In this environment, the dog will continue to practice the same problem behavior.

Veterinary manuals explain that managing behavior problems involves meeting your dog’s needs, avoiding or controlling the stimuli that trigger the behavior, and preventing repetition of undesirable behavior. Distance control, line of sight, sound blocking, and physical blocking can also be helpful. Improving the environment is also the easiest way to start training.

Environmental management does not mean giving up on training

If you look out the window and bark, it blocks some of your view.
If you are sensitive to noise from the front door, place a mat away from the door.
For dogs that want to guard their food, provide an independent space where they can eat comfortably.

Lowering the level of difficulty is also an important part of training so your puppy doesn’t continue to fail.

9. I think that if you just exercise a lot, all your problems will be solved

Sufficient walking and play are important.

However, making your child walk for a long time, keep throwing a ball, or run until he or she gets tired does not solve all problem behaviors.

Being overly excited can make it difficult for your dog to learn new behaviors.
They explain that dogs with a high level of arousal are prone to reflex reactions and may need to reduce the intensity of stimulation and teach calm behavior.

Teach activity and relaxation together

Don’t judge your walk time solely by numbers.

Even if it’s only a short period of time, it’s a balanced combination of slow sniffing walks, simple search games with a caregiver, safe chew toys, and comfortable resting practice on the mat.

Playing well is important, but learning how to relax comfortably is also important.

Suddenly changed behavior requires health checks rather than training

A normally calm puppy suddenly growls when touched. He doesn’t like going for walks, avoids stairs, wakes up frequently at night, has more toilet mistakes, and keeps licking certain areas.

At this time, the guardian may think that the dog is stubborn. However, changes in behavior may be a sign of pain or illness.

AAHA’s pain management guidelines state that when identifying pain, changes in posture and gait, as well as behavior observed by caregivers at home, are important. Chronic pain, especially, can make it difficult for caregivers to notice changes that progress slowly.

If this change suddenly appears, please check at the vet first.

Becomes sensitive or growls when touched
Avoid walking or taking stairs as usual.
Continuously licking or biting one area
Wake up often at night or have difficulty resting easily.
There has been a sudden increase in bowel movements.
Appears more aggressive or withdrawn than usual.

Three things that parents should change first

1. Record the moment the behavior occurs

Notice when, where, and with whom the behavior occurs. Finding the cause is better than stopping the behavior.

2. Reduce the chances of failure

Help your dog avoid repeating the same behavior over and over again by blocking lines of sight, maintaining distance, using safety gates, leashes, and independent resting areas.

3. Tells specifically what behavior you want

Rather than just telling the dog not to bark, teach it actions that the dog can actually do, such as waiting on the mat, looking at the guardian, putting down the toy, and putting all four paws on the floor and saying hello.

A word from the human bear

Everyone makes mistakes when raising a dog. I also continue to learn while living with my dog.

The important thing is not to be a perfect guardian.
The idea is to look a little more carefully at the signals your dog sends and inform them in a way that is easier to understand than yesterday.

Finishing

When faced with a dog’s problem behavior, the guardian becomes impatient.
The need to fix it quickly can make your voice louder and push your dog into situations that are difficult for him to handle.

However, problem behavior may not be a habit that needs to be eliminated with force. This may be a sign to look into what your dog is struggling with.

Find the cause before scolding them, control the distance before forcing them to endure it, and create an environment where they can succeed before scolding them after they make a mistake.

The goal of puppy training is not for the owner to beat the puppy.

Helping dogs learn to live with us comfortably and safely

Good article to read together

A dog’s problem behavior does not occur for just one reason. The guardian’s standards, living environment, walking method, and socialization experience are all interconnected. Take your time and look at what your dog needs, one by one.

What is good leadership for dogs?

This is not a way to become a guardian that pushes hard, but a guardian that the dog can trust and follow.

Why your dog is sensitive at home

Before starting training, first check the home environment.

What to check when puppy mat training is not going well

We’ve outlined what you need to look for before making your excited puppy wait.

How to become friends with a dog that is afraid of people

We will tell you why you should not force a fearful dog and the correct friendly order.

Puppy who missed socialization period, how to start again

This is a way to not give up just because socialization is late, but to start over from a distance you can handle.

Dog walking training, proper walking method

A walk that allows the dog to communicate with its owner is more important than a long walk.