First of all let me assure you that no one's dog is perfectly behaved - mine certainly are not! To be honest I prefer it that way (within reason). I like my dogs to have some character and over training can break a dog's spirit. So a happy medium is what I encourage owners to aim for.
One thing many owners despair over is how excitable their dog gets before walks. This exuberance can reach such a level that yapping , screaming , howling and jumping around can occur making it almost impossible to attach the leash and owners dread "walkies". Here are some quick tips which are tried, tested and proven to work:
1. IGNORE excited behaviour.
The urge is to tell your dog off and even raise your voice when your dog's excitability reaches such a point as to border on insanity. You have probably noticed however that this does not work. This is because your dog views your raised voice and display of emotions as joining in with the fun.
When you get your dog's leash out and he begins jumping around ignore the behaviour. Do not speak or raise your voice. Simply wait until he calms down. This may take a while but it's worth the wait.
Do this every time your dog gets excited and he will eventually learn what is expected of him and that if he wants to go for a walk he has to keep still and calm whilst you put his leash on.
The same applies to leaving the house - if he is giddy simply close the door and wait. repeat as often as required until he gets the message.
2. TEACH YOUR DOG TO SIT.
When calming your dog down its handy for him to be familiar with the "sit!" command. Teach this command in between walks so that when he has eventually calmed down before you take him for a walk you can tell him to "sit!" whilst you put his leash on.
Ignore excitable behaviour!
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