So many times I hear clients tell me “He’s really a good dog, but….he nips, jumps, runs away, barks, destroys his crate, lunges at other dogs, etc”. I have to break it to them that their dog is NOT a “good” dog.
Now, before you throw me under the bus, here is what I mean by a “good” dog. A dog that listens to you when you give a command the first time…heck, let’s be generous and say even when you repeat the command a couple times… NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE.
Not many people fall into this category.
Here is where people get confused. Just because you LOVE your dog…does not make them a good and obedient dog.
EVERY dog deserves to be loved, cared and provided for. EVERY dog deserves a happy home. Don’t get this confused with being a “good” dog.
I guarantee you my German Shepherd was “loved” just as much as any dog out there…and she would try and eat cats and kill other dogs. She was not a “good” dog even though I was in denial and claimed she was.
My boxer mix was just as well loved and he was not a good dog. Giving everyone in my home scratches and bruises from rough play, JUMPING OUT THE CAR WINDOW on the freeway, running away, and breaking out of the crate were some of his specialties.
Just because you LOVE your dog does not mean they get a free pass.
Now my dogs truly are good dogs. And guess who changed? Not my dogs…ME. I had to learn how to love them how THEY needed to be loved. I learned how to talk to them how THEY needed to be talked to.
Stop making excuses for your dog’s bad behavior. Stop arranging your life and your home around their bad habits. Realize that your well-loved dog may not be a “good” dog…and that you have the power to change it!
After all…your dog wants to be a good dog, too.
If you have any questions about how to stop your dog’s bad behavior please contact me here. I’m always happy to chat!
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