Shelby Marlo

You and Your Dog

Our biggest communication problems with dogs occur when we punish them for doing what they are supposed to be doing. Dogs chew, chase, sniff, bark, tug, fight, play, eat, sleep, and dig. These are things they are supposed to do as dogs. It is our job to give them appropriate outlets for their natural behaviors. Don't punish your dog for being a dog. Instead, teach him how to live within the structure of your life. For instance, the dog must learn not to respond to his innate predatory drives when he is attracted by the fluttering of a bird or the wheels of a bicycle, but he can herd a basketball around the backyard or play with his friends at the dog park.