Doggone Etiquette —

Behave Yourself!

By Bardi McLennan

A Word to the Dog:

When someone tells you to behave yourself, do you know what they really mean? When you are punished, do you know why, and whether you’ve been a little bit naughty, or a very bad dog? Even when you don’t know, or aren’t sure, do you get punished anyway? What do you do when your VIPeople get very angry with you, punish you, and you have no idea what all the fuss is about? You probably figure it’s just one more thing you don’t understand about humans – and forget about it. Let’s see if we can get through to your VIPeople and straighten out some of this confusion.

A Word to the Dog’s Owner:

Does your dog fully understand what he did that was wrong and why it has you so riled up? Is he able to connect whatever punishment you are handing out with the crime you feel he has committed? Or are you guilty of berating the dog nonstop in a verbal tirade as to what he did, and why you’re angry, and why he must never do it again, and on and on. If so, you are wrong in your method of dealing with the dog, but you are not alone. Lots of dog owners go down much the same route in making corrections when their dogs don’t behave themselves.                           

All too often the angry scenario goes something like this: “Look what you did! You bad dog! Why did you do that? Get into the kitchen!” (The latter may be followed by a slammed door.) None of which explains to the dog exactly what he did, or why he’s being incarcerated in the kitchen. So in fact, nothing has been accomplished in the way of teaching Rufus not to do whatever it was again.      

Another big mistake is to let off steam five minutes or more after Rufus smashed your favorite glass ornament. A child would be able to understand what you are talking about, and why the catastrophe has you so upset. But it is all “blah, blah, blah,” to the dog because he cannot connect those broken bits on the floor with his prior action of merely bumping into the table. Corrections must take place at the exact same time as the mishap for the dog to understand what he did that was wrong and therefore mustn’t do again.

That might then be followed up with a second mistake such as shoving the dog outside – where he probably digs up a flowerbed! And, no doubt, Rufus will be punished for that too, an hour or so after you discover the excavation. One more error on your part! Rufus was not being spiteful or seeking revenge for the previous undeserved or unexplained punishment he got. Those are human traits, not canine. In that particular example, digging is something dogs do, especially when they are bored. (Most dogs do it rather well, don’t they?)

Educating your dog does not involve harsh dominance. In other words, be a leader, not a dictator. All training should be as positive as possible. Keep negatives to a minimum! If you don’t want Rufus to jump up on people, teach him the one word “Off” and/or “Sit.” Then be sure he knows what you mean when you say it. No need to be physically harsh. He’s a dog and he can only learn what you want him to do, or not do, by teaching him in such a way that he can put a one-word request from you together with the action.           

Confidential chit-chat, cheerful conversations, and mood-sharing with the dog are all fine because Rufus can merely go along with your tone of voice and perhaps the look in your eye or the touch of your hand. He doesn’t have to comprehend any of it. That is only part of what makes all our dogs such great companions.

Until next time – BEHAVE YOURSELF!

- Bardi