Owning a Well-Behaved Dog: 

It is everyone’s dream, right?  All dogs, like people, have different personalities and urges.  A herding dog’s or a herding dog mix’s idea of a great game will be to herd and bark all the neighborhood children which most likely, will be undesired behavior.  So, dogs need to be taught.  Remember that someone must teach them what is acceptable behavior and what is not acceptable behavior.  A pet that hasn’t been given any instructions, training or boundaries can’t possibly know what you expect of him. By teaching your pet how you want it to behave; you’ll have a happier, calmer household.
 

Remember Your Dog Is a Dog Many pet owners are discouraged by their pet’s seemingly annoying behaviors such as digging, chewing, barking, and licking.  Remember that although you may not like these behaviors, your dog is acting like a dog. 
 

The following website, as many others has great information to help you change your dog’s behavior in a positive manner.  www.petplace.com

These are some of the outcomes of a well-behaved dog:

• Allows you to handle every part of his body. 
• Has good manners, so he can spend most of his time indoors with his people.  That means more supervision, less boredom and fewer opportunities for dangerous mischief. 
• Will walk or run beside you on a leash without pulling, dragging or strangling, so you and your dog can get more exercise and spend more time together.
• Knows that "drop it" and "leave it alone" are phrases that mean business, so he’ll have fewer opportunities to swallow dangerous objects.
• He also can be taught what things and places are out of bounds, like hot stoves, heaters or anxious cats.
• Understands his boundaries, knows what’s expected of him and has fewer anxieties. Less stress means a healthier dog.

Finding a Dog Training Class or Instructor Ask your veterinarian, a friend, a pet store employee, or the owner of a well-behaved dog.  Remember, good training methods focus primarily on reinforcing good behavior and use punishment sparingly, appropriately and humanely. Good obedience instructors communicate well with people and with dogs. Remember that they’re instructing you about how to train your dog.

We, City of Huntsville Animal Services believe that a family should have a pet for its life.  We see the broken hearts of the many cats and dogs that lose their family because they did not meet their family’s expectations.  Remember, your pet is depending on you to be taught, trained, and developed.