Many people say that their dog drives them crazy: the digging up of the yard; the digging up of the carpet; the wanting desperately to go out in the morning, and then wanting to do it all over again five minutes later; the wanting to play one minute and then feigning disinterest when you finally do get up to play, and so on.
But you drive your dog crazy, too. Yes, you do.
Take a look below for some of the things you do that drive your dog nuts.
Inconsistency.
You’re inconsistent in your training. You’re inconsistent in the time for going on daily walks. You’re inconsistent in when you feed him. You’re inconsistent in your affections. (Sometimes you love it when he brings you a ball to throw so he can fetch – you throw it – but other times you talk to him in a disapproving tone, take the ball away from him and put it in a drawer. “What gives, human I adore?)
Dogs thrive on consistency and routine. It makes them feel safe and loved. Inconsistency in training your dog possibly is the biggest thing that drives your pet bonkers: dogs aren’t mindreaders; you need to be consistent in your behavior training so that your dog knows exactly what you want from him. He wants to give you what you want; he really, really, really does (it makes a dog happy to make you happy). So make it easy for him to make you happy by being as consistent as possible.
Hugs.
We know: surprise! Humans look at hugging as a way to show love; dogs look at it as a way to show dominance, not affection. Yes, your dog may tolerate the hugs, but he doesn’t like them. At all. A good scratch behind the ears or right in front of his tail, or even a nice long belly rub (if he’s on his back and indicating that a rub would be welcome). These are the ways to show a dog you love him.
This dog may look happy, but he could be cringing inside.
Talking to him more than using your body language talk to communicate.
Dogs may not be mindreaders but they are experts at reading humans’ body language. So don’t talk to your dog so much. Or at least make sure that your words match your actions. For example, do you tell your dog to “stay,” but lean toward him with your hand up? Your dog is hearing “stay,” but your body is leaning toward him and your hand is beckoning him to come. No wonder your poor dog is confused!
Heading outdoors without any chance to explore and smell.
Ever gone shopping without having a chance to just look around? Ever gone hiking and being told you can’t – can’t! – look around at the beauty around you? Is that enjoyable?
That’s what it’s like if you take your dog for a walk but you don’t allow him to explore some things en route, as well as sniff things he deems sniffable.
We understand you may be rushed and so you take the dog out “real quick” so that he can do his business before you leave for the day. But this outdoor exploration and sniffing-fest is what dogs love. Try hard to make sure you have enough time when you take the dog for a walk to include some good exploration time for your pet.
Dogs go crazy here at Barney’s Ranch – crazy with joy because a stay here is just pure fun. Running with other dogs outside. Playing with our human staff. Lots of doggie and human interaction. A boarding stay here is like a vacation for your dog!
Board your dog here at Barney’s Ranch when you need to head out of town. Give us a call at 469-450-7040 or send us an e-mail at info@BarneysRanch.com to learn more about our day care and overnight boarding services.
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