How to Let a Dog Knows Its Role in Your Household

My spot. My bed. My nap.

A healthy dog is one that knows it's not in command of your household. And it's not. After all, you pay the bills, you take care of your dog, and you dish out the rewards - you're the one in charge. It's when people give their power away to their dogs that a lot of dog behavioral problems come to the surface. If you want to give your dog a healthy life that will fulfill its instincts as a dog, you'll want to treat it like a dog. Here's how.

You can start out with giving your dog its own spot in the house. Every other member of the household has a room and bed to sleep in - so should your dog. When a dog knows it has a place to sleep, it feels like it has a home. When your dog can sleep anywhere it wants, it feels like it owns a home. See the difference? You want your dog feeling like part of a household, not the one paying the bills.

Putting this dog's spot in a place like the basement is just fine. Dogs don't quite understand the significance of the dirty spot in the corner - they're just happy to have a spot, period. If you use a dog kennel frequently, be sure that you let the dog know that it has to remain calm if it wants to get out - don't let it out until it shows you that it's calm and relaxed.

Next, you'll have to remember that it's easy to go overboard with "compassion." Compassion doesn't always translate as "free affection" - if anything, it's more compassionate to your dog to be more consistent with your affection. What does consistency with affection mean? It means that you'll remember that affection often reinforces certain behaviors. If your dog scratches you for your attention, don't reward it with treats and affection - that just teaches it that it's in charge of the food supply. Instead, wait until your dog is calm to reward it. A calm dog is a healthy dog.

Also, remember that a dog has its place as a companion, but that all of your family members have a higher place in your household. Help your spouse and children to treat the dog in a similar way, expecting a standard of behavior before dishing out rewards. Your dog will be happy to be a companion to all of you, but it has to know that your children are given priority over it. Set these boundaries, and a healthy dog will respect them.

Photo Credits: **msk

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