Why do people blame themselves for bad dog behavior? I hate the word blame!
Dogs respond to their environment. Dog owners are a part of that environment. Whatever dog owners do in the home will affect the dog’s behavior. Owners define what bad dog behavior is. Dog owners are the catalyst of bad dog behavior but that does not warrant blaming them.
With the popularity of dogs in the home comes the need to avoid bad dog behavior. As with any popular subject, now we have entertaining dog training. The newest dog training hype is to blame the dog owner for all bad dog behavior. It wouldn’t be any fun to have a dog training TV show that teaches dog owners dog behavior. Now dog training becomes making fun of the dog owner. We publicly demoralize the dog owner shaming him or her for imaginary weaknesses like; bad energy, submissive thinking and not being an alpha dog. And, everyone believes it because it is entertaining dog training.
Why is it harmful for dog training shows to blame bad dog behavior on the dog owner?
If you are to blame then you are; bad, wrong, and guilty! Now it’s personnel. The way you think about yourself now depends on your dog’s behavior. Dog owners that think this way become frustrated and angry at their dog. A key element of dealing with bad dog behavior is patience. Dog training becomes difficult when you think your dog is making you look bad!
What is the real reason for bad dog behavior?
Dog owners define what bad dog behavior is. Common examples are; jumping, digging, barking, chewing, pulling on the leash and running off. Dog training professionals know that these are all normal dog behaviors. If a dog owner does not like them then they are labeled bad dog behavior. The accurate description of these “bad dog behaviors” is; dog behavior that is unsafe or unwanted by the dog owner. No one is to blame. No one is doing anything wrong. Bad dog behavior is not caused by the dog owner’s character flaws.
The real reason for bad dog behavior is a lack of knowledge about dog training. If your car is not operating the way you want, it is not a bad car. You do not feel guilty because you lack the knowledge to fix your car problem. You take your car to a mechanic or you learn how to fix it yourself. If your dog is not behaving the way you want, he is not a bad dog. You do dog training and learn how to fix the problem of “bad dog behavior”. The reason for bad dog behavior is that dogs are dogs not humans. Dog training is designed to teach dogs what dog owners want.
The solution for bad dog behavior is simple. You need dog training.
Your bad dog problem has now been defined as a dog behavior problem instead of a dog owner character issue. The solution is now simple. Bad dog behavior can be changed with dog training. You hire a professional that understands dog training. Dog training will teach you how to modify your dog’s behavior. Good dog training will teach you that your dog is simply responding to his environment. You practice the basic principals of cause/effect and behavior/consequence.
The most common issue I deal with when dog owner’s call about a bad dog behavior problem is; lack of dog owner confidence. They become impatient and frustrated before attempting dog training. They misunderstand bad dog behavior and take it personally.
You are not to blame. You just have a problem without the knowledge to fix it. If you are dealing with bad dog behavior; relax and call someone that will teach you dog training.
