- Is your dog pushy, defiant or disobedient?
- Does he refuse to obey commands he knows unless he sees a food treat?
- Does he come when called only when he has nothing better to do?
- Does he growl when moved from a resting position?
- Does he nudge your hand and demand petting?
This behavior in pet dogs almost always has a direct connection to the behavior of the owners.
We’ve all heard the old adage, “Treat your dog like a person and he’ll treat you like a dog.” Some bad habits in pet dogs can be traced to the owner “spoiling” the dog – treating the dog like a four-legged person. And sometimes the cause of undesirable behavior is genetic rather than environmental. But here’s the good news - regardless of the cause, the solution is the same!
Follow these two rules to help your “pushy” dog learn better manners:
Practice “The Deference Protocol”
- Simply stated, the deference protocol requires that your dog must earn everything that he or she gets from you. This important training principle is often referred to by trainers and behaviorists as NFL (“No Free Lunch”) or NILIF (“Nothing in Life is Free”).
- The dog must defer to you by obeying a simple “sit” command before receiving toys, treats, petting, walks, food, going outside, etc. Before you do something for them, they must do something for you. “Want a treat? Sit.” “Want to go outside? Sit.”
- When teaching your dog to defer, your attitude must be calm. No yelling, no drama, no hitting.
Ignore all demands for attention.
- Dogs must never be permitted to demand play, petting, toys or attention. The owner should initiate all pleasurable interaction with the dog. For example, when you return home, ignore the dog for 5 minutes, then call him to you to greet him. If Fido drops a tennis ball in your lap, ignore it. A few minutes later you can go get a ball and call him to you for a fun game of fetch. But it’s your idea, not his. You start the game, and you end the game.
- Remember, rude behavior in dogs did not happen overnight, and it will not improve overnight. Any dog can learn better manners if you are patient and consistent.
