Does your dog destroy things while you are at work? How about jump all over house guests? Dig child-sized holes in your yard? Bark without pause? Pay attention to everything except you? If you answered yes to ANY of these questions, then these tips to help your dog behave are for you!

1.EXERCISE: One of the simplest ways to combat problem behaviors in your dog is to make sure they are getting enough exercise! For ideas on effective exercise techniques, visit our blog post LCTA’s Tips and Tricks-Exercise.

2.STRUCTURE: I don’t care what rules you have, just make sure that you have them! Dogs, much like children, respond to structure! Speak with other members of the household and come up with a list of rules that you all can agree to enforce.

3.ENFORCEMENT: Once you have communicated to your dog what the rules of the house are, make sure that you are enforcing them 100% of the time. If you don’t, your dog will start to test them to see what they can get away with. If you cannot be there to ensure that your dog is following the rules, it is best to confine them to a room or a crate where they cannot get into trouble. Dog daycare is another great alternative!

4.COMMUNICATION: Dog’s natural behaviors vary from our own. What is normal to you and I will likely not be natural to them. For example, dog’s greet face to face, which tends to lead to jumping on humans to say hello. If you do not communicate to them that jumping is not an appropriate behavior, they will never know what they are doing to upset you! If you are having problems communicating with your dog effectively, give us a call for a free phone consultation at 308-455-0235!

5.TRAINING: The best thing you can ever do for you and your dog is to train them! Not only will this help establish and enforce rules, but it is also great mental stimulation which helps get rid of energy when added to a physical exercise regimen. If you are unsure of how to correctly train your dog, contact a professional such as Lost Creek.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I truly believe that with diligent education of the general public by expert trainers, we can improve lives of dogs around the world! Remember to Keep Calm and Get Lost at The Creek!

tiff and max

Tiffany Buerer has almost half a decade of training experience with Lost Creek. She is an expert in obedience training and has helped rehabilitate hundreds of aggressive dogs. She has also assisted with the training and certification of multiple service dogs through Lost Creek’s Service Dog Training & Certification Program.