Episode 6: Changing the Culture

Everybody loves a reason to spoil their dog, most owners don’t even need a reason at all, but is this behavior actually hurting our dogs? In episode 6 of The Everyday Trainer Podcast, Meg explains why giving constant attention and too much affection towards our dogs could be conditioning them to be insecure and fearful. As a society, we condition our dogs to not know how to be without us. Teaching your dog independence and boundaries will allow them to feel confident, which in return can squash bad behaviors and acting out due to fear. It is helpful to remember the saying, “what you pet is what you get”. Give affection to your dog when they are displaying behaviors you want them to keep. If your dog is constantly jumping up on your leg, picking them up or petting them will show that jumping on your leg gets them a reward. Be sure to only reward your dog when they are calm and doing what you instruct them to do. Over using our affection can be confusing for dogs, so make sure to assign value to your affection.