Changing your dog’s habits is possible

“We have to walk when no one else is out…” 😥
“We can’t go on holiday…” 😓
“We can’t walk both dogs together…” 😖
“We can’t have guests visit the house…” 😩
“Someone has to be home at all times…” 😧

I think the owners in these situations genuinely believe that nothing can be done. That these problem behaviours are just a flaw within their dog. Except that’s not true.

All the behaviours causing these major inconveniences (i.e. reactivity on lead or with guests, separation anxiety, leash pulling, etc.) are not any dog’s “personality”. They are bad habits that can and should be addressed. We have bred all breeds of dogs to be reliable in one thing – trainability. Unless the dog’s behaviour is rooted in a medical issue, it can always be improved upon with the right approach.

It’s not desirable from the dog’s perspective to live with the stress caused by these behaviours, either. So, molding our lives in order to accommodate for these habits is not a kindness to the dog.

Things can be improved if you as the owner are willing to be proactive and take the action needed to address the issue. There are plenty of resources available online to educate yourself for free. Or you can hire a professional to guide you (although do your homework thoroughly, the range of quality on both online and professional resources varies since the industry is completely unregulated).

If you truly love your dog, rather than accepting their bad habits, why not take the action needed to change them? Quality of life will improve for both of you, and your relationship with your dog will improve also. You won’t have to spend time being frustrated with them for limiting your life.

On the flip side, if you know your dog’s habits can be changed for the better and you decide not to help them to change, you give up your right to complain about their behaviour at that point. 🤷🏼‍♀️