Even if you don't think you're confusing your dog with the commands you are using, you may be blaming them when in fact you're the one to blame. Be patient and loving, but be stern at the same time. Whether you choose to believe it or not, there are plenty of ways you may be confusing your furry friend. Just check out the list below:
#1 – Old shoe vs. new shoe
If you give your dog an old shoe to play with because, “that’s an old one that I don’t care if he chews,” don’t get angry with your dog or punish him for chewing your good shoes. Encourage your dog to play with dog appropriate toys instead.#2 – When you greet me, do it like this (unless I am wearing this…)
You might enjoy the apparent “I’m so happy to see you” jumping up that your dog does when you return home. But, if you encourage that behavior, you cannot expect your dog to understand that he shouldn’t jump on you when you’re dressed up.#3 – To bark or not bark
You’re better off teaching your dog to be calm and quiet and hope that should there every truly be a threat to you or your home, your dog will act on it’s protective instincts at that time!#4 – The couch – on limits or off?
You can’t get mad at your dog when you come home to find a pile of shredded dog hair on the furniture after you spent the entire previous evening snuggled up on the sofa watching your favorite sitcoms.#5 – Come to me, NOW!
For reliable recall, you should always use high pitched, happy tones. Always use encouraging tones to teach your dog to come to you reliably, and praise him for doing so!#6 – Is it still praise if I’m yelling?
Some dog owners mistakenly praise their dogs using ineffective tones – ***growly tone*** “Oh, good boy Tucker…what a good dog!!!” Always praise with high-pitched, pleasing tones.#7 – Speak plainly
Dogs don’t understand human language. If you want to communicate to your dog effectively, think good body language and effective tone.#8 – Reinforcing what, exactly?
Your tone reinforces the behavior your dog is exhibiting at that moment. At those times don’t let the dog’s emotional state determine your tone as much as the behavior your dog is exhibiting at that time.#9 – The chase
Chasing after your dog may be your first reaction when it becomes necessary to reclaim your stolen sock, however doing so will only cause your dog to think it’s time for another fun game of keep-away! Instead, you’ll have much better luck crouching down and using fun, happy tones to encourage your dog to bring the stolen item to you…#10 – Too much love can be a bad thing
Greeting a dog should be done calmly and with no pressure put on the dog to “make friends.”#11 –Getting in their face
Often times in attempts to be firm with your dog, your dog actually sees you as “soft.”#12 – Forcing vs. training
Encourage your dog to go into his crate (use small bits of treats or food or your dog’s favorite toy) leaving the door open for him to go in and come right back out multiple times daily so he doesn’t think the crate means “lock down.”#13 – After the fact never does anyone any good
Taking your dog back to “the scene of the crime” to punish them will only create confusion and little or no education for your dog. Manage your dog to avoid mistakes if you’re not there to educate at the right time.#14 – Too much talking
Avoid repeating commands. Spend time educating your dog to respond to your first request.#15 – Teasing is not appreciated by anyone
Some dog owners think it’s a good idea to pull their puppy’s food away occasionally, or to touch their dog while they’re eating to desensitize them around their food (or bones, treats, etc.). When he finishes and looks up toward you, put in a bit more, incrementally, so your dog sees you as giving, giving, giving, never taking.
After reading over these tips, do you feel you're confusing your pet? If you are taking the steps needed to fix your training errors soon enough your pet will be trained better and you'll both understand one another better. However, if feel your pet is doing great and is not confused, then bravo you!
I Heart Dogs elaborates on their above tips on what you might be doing that's confusing to them. Don't give up on your pet — keep learning their language and they'll learn yours. Soon enough, you'll both be on track!
