Do you refer to your puppy as wild, overly enthusiastic, or even a little heathen? This article is for you! Whether overzealous when greeting guests at the door, stealing food from the kitchen counter, or biting you at every opportunity, we can help you navigate puppyhood through positive means. In this blog, we will explore puppy problems solved with positive reinforcement.
Naughty Behavior 1: Biting
Playbiting is a natural part of puppy development. Puppies explore the world with their mouths; they may do this by nipping at your hands when you hold them, targeting any shoes left out, or chewing on your fuzzy rug. Fortunately, puppies can be taught better manners through positive reinforcement. Keep toys easily accessible to your puppy in every room. Praise, pet and play when they have a toy in their mouth. Block off areas of the house or keep your puppy tethered to prevent them from chewing on inappropriate items unsupervised.
Naughty Behavior 2: Jumping on everyone
Many puppies learn that jumping on people will get them attention. Even someone pushing them away can reinforce this jumping behavior, as any form of attention can seem like a reward. Instead teach your puppy to put their bottom down for pets, pet and reward with kibble anytime they offer a sit for you.
Naughty Behavior 3: Running out the front door
Does your puppy run out the front door when it’s left open? Maybe they push through you to escape? Puppies are curious and lack impulse control, a dangerous combination, especially if you live on a busy street. Instead, teach them to wait at the threshold of the door. Offer treats or pieces of kibble for not crossing through the door. If they try to break through, close the door or pull them back in and try again.
Naughty behavior 4: Stealing food from the kitchen counter
It can be hard to correct counter-surfing behavior. This is because the behavior is rewarded each time they get some food. Perhaps they snuck a snack while you were cooking dinner; your puppy is going to remember sneaking that delicious meal more than the scolding they received for eating it. Address kitchen begging with an alternative behavior like the place bed command. Reward your puppy for staying on their bed while you are in the kitchen, instead of scrounging for snacks themself.
Naughty behavior 5: Whining in the crate
Perhaps you need fifteen minutes for a phone call, but you’re unable to watch your puppy, so you put them in the crate, and the loud whining starts. Whining is an attention-seeking behavior, and it can be accidentally reinforced by how you respond to it. Give them a kong or their meal every time your puppy is in the crate to build a positive association with being left alone there.
Naughty behavior 6: Going potty inside
All puppies need to be potty trained, but it can have its challenges. Puppies will need to be monitored, have a food and water schedule, and receive positive reinforcement to encourage them to potty outside, all while maintaining consistency with training. Potty training should be taught as soon as your puppy arrives at home. With positive reinforcement, your puppy can learn that you love when they potty outside. Overtime they will naturally gravitate to pottying in the same area.
We’re here to help
Do you need help addressing any problematic puppy behaviors? Do you want to teach your puppy high-level obedience commands and manners? You can schedule a free consultation with our Pet Behavior Team to discuss your training goals.
All of our programs are conducted through one-on-one training sessions at your home and in your local Houston neighborhood. We also offer board and train programs, during which your dog stays at your trainer’s home and participates in follow-up sessions with you after their training.
Do you live outside our service area or prefer to connect remotely? Our co-founder and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, offers virtual consultation programs. During these programs, she will develop a customized training plan and provide support to achieve your training goals.
