Socially Presentable Dog Essay

Training a Socially Presentable Dog

A canine companion can add an abundance of happiness to any family. However, a family dog can often become an inconvenience when in public. Dogs love to jump on people, they bark relentlessly, and can even show aggressive or violent behaviors toward strangers. Nobody wants to leave their dog at home all day because they are embarrassed or worried that their dog will attack somebody. Proper training is essential in avoiding these unwanted behaviors in dogs. Training a socially presentable dog is a daunting task, however it can be accomplished through the use of praise, consistency, and patience.

Dogs love to be praised. According to the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, “effective dog training involves reinforcement of the dog's correct actions in response to specific cues given by the trainer,” (Fukuzawa and Hayashi 221). Every time a dog is rewarded for a specific behavior, the dog associates that behavior with something they enjoy. While

Many people struggle to be consistent with their dogs because humans express themselves through complex sentences. Dogs simply do not have the cognitive capacity to understand most sentences. By keeping commands simple and not preceding them with other words, dogs have a better time understanding what they are hearing (Braem and Mills 47). In addition to consistency with communication, both the owner and the dog must strictly follow the rules established by the owner. As Jennifer Bridwell explains in her book The Everything Dog Obedience Book, “Nothing could be more unfair than changing the rules just when your dog thinks he has it all figured out.” (14). For example, if a dog is not allowed to jump on the couch, the owner should not allow any exceptions to this rule. If the rule is broken occasionally, the dog may begin to think he or she can jump on the couch