How to Raise a Well-Mannered Dog
If you're anything like us, the volunteers of Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue, you've heard all the stories, seen all the movies, read all the novels and believed the gospel: the dog is the most loyal, faithful, noble, eager-to-please creature on Earth.
So you got one. And now you're asking, how come mine is a little bit nuts?
Well, as they say, welcome to the real world. Dogs, like people, arrive on Earth uncivilized; so, if they're denied proper training, they grow up to be less than ideal members of the community.
If they're to reach their full potential as our loving, loyal, lifelong companions and helpers, they need a little help.
Why Bother?
Chances are, your dog misbehaves only some of the time, under certain circumstances, or only around certain creatures.
Some people minimize their dog's bad manners, telling themselves it's no big deal that Rover chews on the family Bible, goes into a frenzy when a female comes into view, or pretends that "come" means "go" just when they're trying to show him off to the neighbors. Such antics, they say, may be bothersome, but still, they aren't life-threatening.
Trouble is, they can be. Behavior problems can, and often do, lead to tragedies. If he chews when he's lonely, what if he gnaws on an electrical cord? If he doesn't listen when you tell him the mailman's okay, what if your neighbor's child tries to pet him through the mail slot? If he doesn't halt when you tell him, what if he spots a flirtatious lady dog across a busy highway?
It isn't just that civilizing your dog can save his life. Truth be told, the most important reason for dealing with behavior issues is this: you get closer to your dog, and he gets more in touch with you. And isn't that the whole point of being together?
So you got one. And now you're asking, how come mine is a little bit nuts?
Well, as they say, welcome to the real world. Dogs, like people, arrive on Earth uncivilized; so, if they're denied proper training, they grow up to be less than ideal members of the community.
If they're to reach their full potential as our loving, loyal, lifelong companions and helpers, they need a little help.
Why Bother?
Chances are, your dog misbehaves only some of the time, under certain circumstances, or only around certain creatures.
Some people minimize their dog's bad manners, telling themselves it's no big deal that Rover chews on the family Bible, goes into a frenzy when a female comes into view, or pretends that "come" means "go" just when they're trying to show him off to the neighbors. Such antics, they say, may be bothersome, but still, they aren't life-threatening.
Trouble is, they can be. Behavior problems can, and often do, lead to tragedies. If he chews when he's lonely, what if he gnaws on an electrical cord? If he doesn't listen when you tell him the mailman's okay, what if your neighbor's child tries to pet him through the mail slot? If he doesn't halt when you tell him, what if he spots a flirtatious lady dog across a busy highway?
It isn't just that civilizing your dog can save his life. Truth be told, the most important reason for dealing with behavior issues is this: you get closer to your dog, and he gets more in touch with you. And isn't that the whole point of being together?