How to Encourage Positive Behaviour in Your Dog

Dogs adapt to their environment, which means they are significantly influenced by how you interact with them. Therefore, if you want your dog to behave in a particular manner, you must determine what behaviours need to be encouraged (and discouraged). For example, you may want your dog to:

• Sit when greeting people or other dogs.

• Come when called.

• Stay off the couch.

• Stop barking at people who walk by the house.

When determining which behaviours need work, it's essential to be as clear and specific as possible about what needs to be changed and why—this will help you avoid mixed signals and make it easier for your dog to learn what is expected of them.

It's also vital that you're consistent in approaching training; if multiple people live with or interact with your dog, make sure everyone is on the same page regarding expectations, techniques, etc. It can take anywhere from a few days (for simple tasks) to a few months (for more complex ones) for dogs to learn new behaviour patterns—so don't get discouraged!

Let your dog know when they've done something wrong.

Imagine if someone rewarded your bad behaviour by giving you more attention for doing it again later; how much worse do you think that would be? It would probably reinforce your bad behaviour very quickly.

Letting your dog know when they've done something wrong is an excellent way to discourage the behaviour. Use a stern tone of voice, body language, and when appropriate commands like "No" or "Drop it".

Try not to hit or scold your dog. Instead, think about what you would do if you did something wrong without knowing it was tolerated (for example, eating cake before dinner).

Let's say that instead of hitting or yelling at you (which doesn't help), someone used a stern voice and said "No," walked over and took the cake away from you, then gave you a time out in the corner while everyone else had their dessert.

Ignore negative behaviours instead of punishing them.

It would help if you never used negative reinforcement or punishment. These methods do not work, but they can also cause a dog to become fearful and aggressive. A dog can't understand why you're mad at it when you punish it for bad behaviour because it doesn't have the mental capacity to make that connection. You can show your dog what type of behaviour is unacceptable and then reward it when it does something else instead.

Reward good behaviour immediately.

Once you've established that your dog is doing what you want them to do, it's time to reward them. This way, they can associate the positive behaviour with the good feelings of the reward.

Rewards can be things like food, toys, praise or attention. Don't rush giving the reward, and remember that consistency is essential when reinforcing positive behaviour in your dog.

Try out our functional treats and give them as a reward to your fur baby while training them. They will not only learn good behaviour but will also keep them happy and healthy. Check it out here!

Take note: When giving treats to your fur babies, consider how much of it is good for them. For Dr Shiba, it’s 1 treat per 1 kilo of weight and can be reduced by 50% for dogs above 25 kilos.

If you wait too long to provide a reward, your dog may not associate it with the action they just did. If you do this, On the other hand, every time your dog does something well, they're more likely to repeat it in the future.

Positive training is a fun way to build a happy relationship with your dog.

Do you want a happy dog? Of course, you do!

Positive training will make your dog happier, more relaxed, and less stressed. It will encourage her to learn new behaviours and trust you more. And it's easy and fun for the whole family to get involved!