Teaching Your Dog Etiquette in Public and at Home

As a dog owner, you love everything about your pup, but not everyone adores dogs. While you might find her sloppy kisses cute, the person you pass on Main Street might be disgusted. Rather than carrying vats of hand sanitizer or screaming “no” at your dog every time someone passes, obedience training can be your best ally in maintaining dog etiquette. Pet Costume Center offers some important tips that can make training your dog a little easier.

Training Basics

As a dog owner, you are responsible for obedience training – not just for the public, but also for your dog. Training makes for a happy and content animal. When a dog is given purpose and a healthy outlet for excess energy, she is much less likely to engage in poor behavior such as jumping on children, barking at other dogs, and pulling leashes during walks.  

While training takes work, it is not as difficult as it seems. The work involved in compensating for poor behavior actually seems much more than proper training from the get-go. 

Good Dog Manners Start at Home

Your home is a good place to start training a dog to behave well around others. Dogs learn from daily interactions with owners. Dog dining etiquette training teaches a dog that begging for food, growling while eating, and taking food off of tables are all undesirable behaviors. Training rewards good behaviors and ignores or prevents bad ones. 

Calming an Overly-Excited Dog

A hyper dog may be the easiest problem to solve. Daily exercise occupies and tires animals. If it rains or snows, have a plan to burn off some steam indoors. A greyhound is going to need more than a two-minute stroll around the block, while a chihuahua is not going to be happy if you take him for a 5K run. When given appropriate exercise, you may find that your dog calmly greets visitors. If she is still excited, try separating the dog from the initial commotion of a visit. A doorbell ring and high voices that your dog hears when a friend comes over sets off all sorts of alarms in a dog. Wait a little bit after saying hello to introduce your dog, and you will likely see that he is relaxed and possibly even over the excitement.

Problem Walkers

If your dog tends to pull while walking, there are two acceptable methods to control. First, is through a harness that restrains your dog from pulling. These harnesses can be simple vest-like collars that give the walker increased control over the dog, or under-the-shoulder, slip-knot contraptions that tighten when a dog pulls. Either can be effective, although some dogs disregard the pulling sensation and consider it a normal and non-corrective result of pulling. Before purchasing a harness, do a little research to ensure you’re getting a product that’s both comfortable and safe for your dog.

The second and more effective solution is to train your dog to heel when distractions occur. This can be done with reward training – so bring training treats on your walks and commit the time needed to fully train your dog.

When another dog or a person passes, instruct your dog to heel and guide her to your side away from the distraction. When she stays, say “good” and reward her with a treat. This could take a few weeks to stick, but once learned, the good behavior will remain for life. A good leash is an important tool to aid your training.

Dining Out With Your Pooch

When your dog is well-exercised and trained in the art of restraint, you may want to take the dog out to dog-friendly public places, such as restaurants with outside dining and “yappy hours.” Since a public dining environment can be hectic for a dog, it is crucial that she is well-exercised prior to dinner. Take her for an extra-long walk and throw a ball around a few more times than usual to make sure she is tuckered out. Also, make sure she does her business before you sit down for a meal, but be prepared to leave temporarily if she motions the need for relief.

Additionally, many apartment complexes have outdoor areas designated for pet owners to enjoy with their pets. It makes training very convenient. However, if you currently live somewhere without that amenity, it might be time for a change – and there are plenty of places to choose from, including over 260 available in Stamford alone.

With a little bit of training, dog etiquette becomes simple. Your dog will become more content, and you will be a happier owner, knowing that your trained dog will behave in public situations.

Pet Costume Center is an internet site that offers pet costumes, outfits, and accessories for all year-round pet dress-up occasions. Whether it be for halloween, any holiday or your pets birthday, share the joy of these occasions with our fabulous selection of pet products. If you have any questions, please reach out to us. We’d love to help!