Being a responsible dog owner is a job that requires a lot of thought and effort. It doesn’t only include making sure that your dog is current on vaccinations, eating the right foods, getting proper socialization and plenty of exercise. A responsible owner should also teach their dogs what I like to call puppy manners and being respectful of others.
The number one complaint I get about dogs is that they jump on people. We start them out young teaching them to jump into our arms, and it is very cute. It’s not their fault they jump. They were taught from a young age that they get something rewarding if they jump on you: like a smile and high pitched squeal of enjoyment, or you pick them up and hug and kiss them. It’s no wonder they like to repeat the behavior. However, when they are full-grown, jumping isn’t so cute. They can hurt someone, and then they get in trouble. Teach your dog how to respectfully approach your neighbors and friends, both two- and four-legged.
Another area that residential dogs need work on is keeping their barking to a minimum. It is natural for a dog to bark out of excitement or to alert, but left unchecked, it can become a public nuisance. There are several techniques that one can apply to properly teach their dogs to control the frequency of barking.
The last area of manners that should be addressed doesn’t really pertain to the dog but to the dog owner. When your dog goes potty in public areas, owners should really be considerate and pick up their dog’s waste. It can be offensive to people to walk in their own yards or in public areas and have to maneuver around another dogs’ feces. Dog feces can also bring pests and other critters to the area. Please remember to clean up after your dogs. It only takes a second and saves you several hours of grief.
