Specialty Pet Toys Spoiling Your Dog with Exceptional Playthings

Dog Training | How to Avoid Spoiling Your Dog

Most pet owners are definitely guilty of indulging their dog when they shouldnt! Even those who try to keep a strict routine for training will let their dogs have a few treats. There isnt anything wrong with this, but it can go too far! Sometimes our pets can end up so pampered, that weve found weve spoilt them entirely! Whether youre bringing home a new puppy or just noticed a change in behavior from your dog, a lot of people can wonder how theyve ended up spoiling their dog.

If this is a fate you want to avoid, you have to stay alert. The key to avoiding spoiling your dog is understanding the difference between treating a dog nicely and spoiling them. Spoiling them isnt just getting them a lot of toys and treats! It mainly applies to the way we treat our dogs and the boundaries we set. A spoilt dog will have no concept of boundaries and what they are or arent allowed to do. Worse still, theyll expect things that should be reward to be given to them just for showing up and looking cute! This can lead to seriously badly-behaved puppies.

If you want to avoid spoiling your dog, you need to think about what boundaries youre going to set. You also need to think about what is a reward for your pet, and what is routine. You can reward your pet a lot and not spoil them. Teaching your dog good manners isnt all discipline, it can be a good experience for both of you.

Is Your Dog Spoilt?

Different behavior will count as spoilt to different pet owners. A good example is the use of human furniture! Some dog owners dont allow their pets free roam over sofas or chairs as others do. To them, a dog that climbs up on furniture can be seen as spoilt since it crosses the boundaries they expect from a pet. However, to others, this is perfectly normal.

Spoiling a dog doesnt just mean being nice to them. Spoiling a dog is when they expect to receive food, or peoples food, or whatever else is a special treat for them as a regular occurrence. This leads to rude behavior. A spoilt dog will expect these things for nothing and become frustrated when they dont get them. Whereas other dogs might still sit on the sofa and be treated to some home-cooked food, they wont expect anything for no reason.

If you want to make sure your dog can be treated nicely without becoming spoilt, there are key things you can do.

Training

Obedience training is vital for any new dog. However, it particularly helps to teach your pet manners. If youre bringing home a new puppy, then you need to start training once they are old enough. Keeping on top of your pets obedience training is going to be key to teaching them manners and ensuring that they dont become spoilt.

Regular obedience training will teach your dog that a treat comes with as a reward for good behavior. It should also teach them that they cant expect a reward for just anything. If a dog knows that responding to training will get them treats, they will respond to their training.

Reward Your Dog

Not spoiling your pet doesnt mean you cant ever give them a reward or treat. However, it does mean thinking through just what youre rewarding your pet for. You dont have to be stingy with rewards, but you cant just hand them out.

You should make sure that youre only rewarding your dog for good behavior. When they behave well, give them praise or attention or a treat. This reinforces that good manners get them what they want. If you dont reward them, they might begin to misbehave. However, you need to make sure that your rewards are reinforcing positives and not bad behavior.

Reinforcing a naughty dog with a treat is how bad habits form. A dog will learn that they are given a treat or praise or attention as a reward for acting out and this will lead to them repeating the bad behavior to get more of what they want.

Set Clear Rules and Boundaries

If you want to avoid spoiling your dog, you need to make sure they know what behavior is wrong or right. Rewarding them for doing things right and training them helps you establish these boundaries. To keep them in place you need to be consistent.

This might be easier said than done. Being consistent means not allowing them to get away with certain behavior because of special circumstances. If you dont want your dog climbing on things with messy paws, they need to be taught to consistently wait after a walk for the all-clear. This will prevent them from spreading mud all over your home. However, you have to reinforce this routine with every walk, not just the messy ones.

You also need to make sure everyone is consistent with this. Anyone who is spending time with your dog needs to be reinforcing your rules and making sure your dog isnt rewarded for bad behavior. Allowing anyone to break these conventions is going to undercut the training youve been doing.

Feeding and Food Manners

An important part of not spoiling your dog is not indulging them in bad eating habits. They arent allowed food from a persons plate, even as a treat. This just reinforces that this food is up for grabs to them! They should be eating their own healthy food, not something cooked for a humans pallet.

Setting clear rules also applies to meals. If your pet gets two meals a day, you need to make sure that it is a consistent two. Otherwise, they may see extra food as a reward when it is given to them, or act out to try and get more food.

Since dogs are quite motivated by food, teaching them good manners when it comes to eating is really important to avoid spoiling your dog.

Toys

Puppies love to play and chew, but it needs to be on their own toys. A spoilt dog might see everything in the house as their potential toy. This can lead to the destruction of shoes and anything else you might leave laying around. Much like food, the key to avoiding spoiling them in playtime is to set clear rules and boundaries for your pet.

A dog should never be rewarded for playing with something that isnt their own toy. Instead, encourage them to play in a way youd like them to. Play with them, and make sure theyre interested in a toy. This encourages play in the right setting. However, you shouldnt allow them to make demands of you.

If a dog is pestering you to play, it might be because theyre bored. However, doing this too many times will teach your dog that they control your schedule. They will begin to think that they can demand you play with them whenever they want. This type of behavior has to be discouraged if you want to avoid spoiling your dog.

Can You Unspoil a Dog?

If your dog has become spoiled because of some years of indulging him or her, all is not lost! A dog can be re-taught manners, even if theyve become quite badly behaved. If you want to do this though, you need to be willing to put some work in.

Unspoiling a dog is going to take some time and consistency. Youre also going to have to put up with your pet sulking throughout this training. After all, youre trying to teach them that they cant have everything that they want anymore. Theyre unlikely to take this news well!

Unspoiling your dog requires you to do all of the same things that you would with a young puppy. However, this time youre going to be fighting against their years of experience getting what they want. It might take your dog a while to learn that they will no longer be permitted to beg for food. However, with some patience, they will get there.

Make sure that you respond to any behavior that is wrong with a firm No. You also need to respond well to positives. Over-encourage your dog when they start behaving themselves properly. Be sure to give them a treat and a lot of praise. Even if they sulk for a while when they initially dont get what they want, consistency will pay off. After a while, your dog to going to learn that the only way to get what they want is to behave the way you want them to. You might feel bad through this process for being stricter to your dog, but it is for the best. The longer you leave it before disciplining them, the worse it is going to get.

Avoiding Spoiling Your Dog Can Be Fun for Them

Avoiding spoiling a dog doesnt mean having to be really strict about every aspect of their life. If you do it right, it can mean handing out lots of treats and praise to your pet. However, the key thing is to do this to reward the right behaviors. After a while of doing this, every dog is going to realize that they get what they want when they behave well, not when they misbehave.

The process may take a while, especially with an older or adopted dog. It might be a bit of work and you may feel bad for disciplining your dog. However, the end result is going to be a lot more positive. Training can be a fun exercise for you and your pet. Avoiding spoiling your dog doesnt mean you have to be strict with them, just that you have to reward them for doing things right.

7 Ways Youre Spoiling Your Dog (& How to Do It the Right, Healthy Way)

1. Your dog prefers human foodand you deliver

Feeding your dog scraps directly from the table is a one-way ticket to Spoil Town. Not only are you rewarding begging, you are probably feeding her food she shouldnt be eating. Or, at the very least, food with a higher calorie count than she needs. Shes extra spoiled if she turns her nose up when you place dog food in front of her.

2. You hand out treats like theres no tomorrow

According to Preventive Vet, treats should make up no more than 10 percent of your pups diet. Giving her a treat any time she asks for one - or any time she does what shes told - could result in obesity in her old age. Overweight dogs are more likely to develop heart conditions, arthritis, and tumors. Do not go overboard on treats, even during training exercises.

3. You carry your dog as soon as shes tired

Small dog owners beware! You are spoiling your dog if you pick her up and carry her at the first sign of fatigue. You are also doing a disservice to your pup. Walking and running is necessary exercise for dogs. It keeps them healthy inside and out, mentally and physically. If you notice your dog gets very tired very quickly, take her to the vet to make sure everything is okay. Aim for shorter routes or less time at the dog park if necessary.

4. Your dog has more clothes than your kids

Yes, a warm sweater and winter booties are wonderful doggy wardrobe items. Toss in a Halloween costume and a rain slicker! But, as soon as you notice your dogs wardrobe taking up the entire closet, its time to put a hold on buying new outfits for her. Dog gear can add up. Invest in a few items that will stand the test of time, rather than fast (canine) fashion.

5. You bought a king-size mattress to fit your dog

I know a couple who invested in a king-size mattress after they adopted a greyhound who had recently retired from racing (which is a great route for anyone interested in high energy, very sweet animals). They did this because the dog insisted on sleeping in their bed. While this can be adorable, making a habit of moving over for your pup in the middle of the night lets her know she can get away with a lot more. If shes disrupting your sleep because she wont go to her kennel or bed, shes spoiled. If she wakes up in the night every time you move, she may be losing out on quality sleep which is detrimental to her immune system.

6. You constantly excuse her bad behavior

Bark Busters, a home dog training company, says dogs repeat behaviors they know will earn them rewards. Ergo, if your dog jumps up on people when shes excited to see them, shell keep doing it until you discipline her. Ignoring bad manners is essentially the same as encouraging them. Dogs actually enjoy boundaries and routine; be clear with them about the difference between good and bad behavior. Otherwise, your dog may lash out at other people and animals, making it difficult for you to take her anywhere.

7. Your dog is never without you

Inseparable much? Spending every waking moment with your dog can make you feel secure and happy, but it may trigger separation anxiety in your dog later on. Secure and happy dogs have a sense of independence and know how to exist alone without you for a bit. Going on a walk without your pup shouldnt result in whining, barking, howling, or other signs of separation anxiety. (Heres why you should leave your dog alone for at least 15 minutes today.)