Puppies and dogs alike respond better to correction and praise than they do to punishment. When you are hitting or smacking a puppy they are not learning how to correct the behavior that makes you unhappy.
There really are no winners in a dog fight. Whether you have two dogs at home who dislike each other or your dog gets in a fight when you're out for a walk, it's a bad experience for everyone – you and the dogs.
If your dog is in the fight, of course you will want to prevent injury and keep it safe. But for your own safety, you must know when to step in – and if you do try to break up the fight – the proper way to do it.
An untrained dog can also be a danger to itself and others. If your dog won’t come back when called, it could easily run out of the park and onto the road, potentially injuring itself, or worse, causing an accident that injures others.
You say “come” and he comes running. You say “sit” and, well, he goes running. From commands to walks in the park everything . . . everything ends in running. If this sounds familiar, you may be thinking of giving up on teaching your dog good manners.
It is not hard to raise a puppy properly but it takes good communication. You have to pay attention to your dog and the signals he sends you. He is an animal. He can’t speak to you. You can only watch him and figure out what he wants by what he does.
more dog training articles
Zack Grey is a veterinarian-recommended professional dog trainer specializing in obedience and behavior
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