A Problem Dog Begins With No Dog Obedience Training
A lot of a canine’s personality actually develops during the period between eight to sixteen weeks of age. As far as how a family dog will actually turn out to be behavior-wise is largely decided by what kind of environment the puppy is living in at this important stage in his life.
When you first bring an eight week old puppy into the house, they are practically coming in with a mind like a blank slate. Whatever is written on that chalkboard will determine the personality and character of the puppy. The problem lies in the fact that the dog owners lack of knowledge is the cause of what ends up being a problematic dog.
Bad Behavior Is Not Something Your Dog Is Born With
Dogs are not born problem dogs it is through lack of training that they are either allowed to become that way, or are made that way as a result of the puppy’s environment. The responsibility rests solely and squarely upon the shoulders of the person who owns the dog. Your dog needs dog obedience training.
Most puppy obedience classes will not accept a puppy for training unless it is six months or older. This is really understandable because most trainers know that some dog owners do not possess the patience needed to deal with puppy training. It is a sad fact that once a dog is up to six months old it may already be seen as a “problem dog”. You are responsible for any dog behavior problems. Dog obedience training may or may not help but in too many cases, it does not, as by that age it is too late.
There are many disappointing tales of disasterous training and lack of understanding of what has to happen. One example pertains to owners requesting that their standard Schnauzer be put sleep. Each person in the family had been the victim of a bite, with at least one being serious. The dog was only eight months old, still a puppy as far as dog trainers’ are concerned. The first bite occurred when the puppy was just 12 weeks of age, its final bite at eight months of age. In between, the bites became progressively worse, yet not one single member of the family could bring themselves to properly discipline the dog. They “loved” their dog too much and thought it would be too mean to discipline the animal. Mistaken kindness can be a bitter and unneeded cruelty and the responsibilty solely rests upon the head of the dog owner.
The natural instinct of the canine is to try and assume dominance within the pack. In this situation, the pack is you and the family. The fact that it will test you periodically and try to assume control does not mean that it doesn’t love you. Neither does it mean that it doesn’t respect you. If you are permissive and weak, allowing it to achieve dominance, its love and respect for you will quickly wane. You then become inferior in your dogs eyes and will be owned by your dog,therefore suffering the consequences. Knowing your dog’s motives is one of the secrets to dog training. Start training as early as possible so your dog does not turn into a problem dog.
