A dog that can coexist with humans is one that has learned the rules of human society. By human society, I mean the family of the owner and the surrounding environment. The environment is different when living in an apartment in a city compared to living in a secluded house in the mountains, and the rules of life are also different.
In urban environments, there are definitely things that can be done and things that cannot be done. Teaching a dog some rules is called “training.” Perhaps the word “training” can be easily misunderstood and be thought of as “scolding.” In human society, using scolding methods with children is difficult to make them accept and can lead to a fear of school, let alone dogs who cannot communicate with humans. Using scolding methods alone to train dogs is unlikely to be effective, and can lead to the other extreme, where the dog thinks “human society is scary” and “people are not worth trusting.” Especially male owners, who think verbal discipline is less effective than physical punishment. So, when the dog does not listen, they kick or beat it. However, for dogs, this threatens their life safety, and they develop a counterproductive mindset. In this case, the original purpose of training is lost.
Although dogs are considered very intelligent animals, they are not smart enough to remember everything after just one lesson. They should be taught patiently over and over again. It is important to avoid scolding, punishment, and other negative behaviors. People who are skilled at training dogs will make their dogs understand that being with their owner is the happiest and safest thing. In order not to confuse the dog with the family’s orders or make it doubtful about the rules and feel uneasy, all family members should agree on the same thing.
(1) The whole family should come up with a set of unified rules. In terms of setting standards for training the dog to do “allowed” or “forbidden” things, the whole family should reach a unified agreement. For example, whether the dog can sit on the sofa or whether the dog can go to the door when guests arrive, etc. Based on the different environments and circumstances of each family, a unified answer should be reached. If the rules are jointly formulated by the whole family, there will be no obstacles in their implementation.
(2) The command should be spoken in the same language. In the obedience training (to be posted later), the command is the signal for the dog to obey. Therefore, the whole family should use the same command so that it can achieve good results. For example, when calling the dog to sit down, should you use “sit down”, “sit”, or English “sit down”? The whole family should use the same command. Short, clear sentences are easier for the dog to understand. Therefore, try to choose sentences of this type.
(3) When scolding a dog, don’t call its name. Have you ever cursed your dog along with its name, “Dongdong, no!” when it did something “not allowed”? This creates a conditioned reflex in the dog, where whenever its name is called, it knows it’s in trouble. As a result, when its name is called again, it may ignore you or even run away. During training, use your dog’s name only for giving orders or praising it. This way, the dog associates its name with something “happy”, and when you call it, it will immediately come running to you.