How to Take Control of Your Dog

Do you want your dog to trust and respect you? Here are some tips to help you get started:

• Keep your dog beside you on walks. Don’t let them be ahead unless you’re giving them permission to sniff.
• Praise them calmly when they’re walking nicely beside you.
• Praise them calmly every time they look up at you – they’re looking for approval and direction. It’s very important that you acknowledge that.
• Calmly but firmly tell them “no” and immediately move them in a different direction when they get overly excited or reactive towards something.
• Do not free-feed your dog. Put them on a feeding schedule and teach them to earn their food by sitting nicely and waiting for permission to have it. Then, when the bowl is empty, remove it until the next meal.  Or, if they walk away half-way through, give them 5 minutes to come back to it. If they don’t come back in that time, remove the bowl until the next meal. This teaches the dog that you control the food, not them.

If you want your dog to trust and respect you, you need to show them that you control literally every aspect of their lives. From the walk, to meal times, to play time – essentially, for all things – you set the rules, and you consistently enforce them. This teaches your dog that you are their most important resource; if they want food, play, and etc., they must respect the source, or they get nothing.

If you aren’t sure how to go about changing the dynamic between you and your dog, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Just send me a consultation request, and as soon as I receive it, I’ll give you a call to make an appointment for me to come and meet with you and your dog.

Have a great day, and remember to stay calm and lead on.