The behaviours you don’t want your dog exhibiting when you’re out and about are very often developed and practised at home.
There are many common issues we get asked for help with that are directly or indirectly related to what happens at home on a daily basis.
Here’s a few examples:
1. My dog jumps up at everyone we meet on our walks.
At home: Does he jump up at people who visit your house? Do they reward his jumping up by patting him or giving him ill-timed treats? Does he jump all over you when you get home after a day at work? Are you reinforcing it by allowing it and responding with the same energy? Does he jump all over the kids and the cat without consequence?
2. My dog doesn’t listen to me.
At home: Does he ever have to listen to you at home, or does he pretty much do whatever he likes and very little is expected of him around the home? How often do you let it slide when he doesn’t listen or comply with your direction at home?
3. My dog barks and lunges aggressively at other dogs or people on walks.
At home: Does your dog get to practice barking at people at home? Is he running the fence line all day shouting at people, dogs, bikes, or cars to go away? Is he sitting in the bedroom window or at the side gate watching for people, dogs, or the postie going by so he can bark at them? Does he get to rush outside through the dog door and bark whenever he hears sounds that trigger him?
If your dog can do whatever he likes at home and then you take him out into the big wide world and expect him to walk nicely, listen to you, and to recall off a group of dogs or someone’s yummy picnic spread, things may not go so well.
The dog who doesn’t come when called at the park or beach where there are so many competing distractions, possibly doesn’t ever have to come when called at home where there is little or no competition for his attention.
The dog who jumps on guests hasn’t been taught how to be calm when new distractions enter the environment.
The dog who reacts inappropriately to other dogs or people has probably had lots of success at getting them to go away at home (even though people walking by the house are going away anyway, chances are your dog thinks it’s his barking that got them to go away).
If you put up with behaviours at home that you don’t want your dog to display in a public environment, you are likely going to have a difficult time convincing him that you expect something different out there.
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