How to wean a dog from bad habits and teach him to control his impulses

The same uncontrollable delight that usually touches us in dogs can sometimes cause trouble. Pets are used to acting on their instincts, so the dog will bark at the doorbell, demand leftover food from the table, or jump on you when you come home.

It is important to teach the dog to control his impulses so that he is more calm and able to behave.

Impulse Control Dog Training

Use the tips below. They will teach you how to train a dog on your own and help stop unwanted pet behavior.

Taking a position

“If you teach your dog to take a position on command and wait for further instructions or clues, he will get an idea of ​​what behavior is acceptable and learn how to behave in situations where he is not sure what to do,” says the dog handler. Karen Pryor. Commands will come in handy in a variety of circumstances and will help you to wean your dog from a number of bad habits, such as jumping on people, begging for food from the table or chasing other animals. Tips on how to teach your dog to take a certain position are below.

1. If necessary, it is better to teach the dog the sit command first, if he does not yet know how to do this.
2. Give the command “sit”. As soon as the dog sits down, offer him a treat so that he has to get up for it.
3. After the dog has eaten the treat, say his name and wait for his attention to switch to you. As soon as this happens, reward with a treat. Repeat this action every time the dog’s attention begins to wander.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 five times in the same place. Then move to another place in the house and repeat five more times. In total, the dog must sit on command 10 times a day.
5. Practice this exercise every day. Keep moving around the house and training your dog in different environments, distracting him from all sorts of things. In the end, your dog must learn to sit still, focusing on you, no matter the circumstances.

When a dog rushes to the front door and barks at the sound of the doorbell

If your dog barks wildly every time someone comes to the front door, try the Wag!

1. Choose a verbal command, such as “quiet” or “stand.”
2. Approach the front door. If your dog is excitedly chasing you, use a verbal command to move away from the door and throw him a treat.
3. Go to the door again and touch the handle. Give the dog a command by moving away from the door, and then ask him to sit down. Reward her with a treat only if she completes the command.
4. Continue training by gradually increasing the distance between the dog and the door before telling him to sit down.
5. Once the dog is seated, approach the door and use the verbal command. Wait for the dog to go to the place and sit on its own without asking for instructions. Once she does, praise her and give her a treat.
6. Keep practicing by approaching the door from different parts of the house. If the dog continues to bark or rush towards the door, repeat steps two through five until he begins to move away and sit down without command.
7. Repeat step six, but this time open the door as you approach it. Only reward your dog if he sits quietly while you walk over and open the door.
8. Finally, ask one of your friends to ring the bell or knock on the door. Repeat the previous steps as many times as needed until the dog is guaranteed to go to his spot and sit quietly there while you open the door.

How to wean a dog to grab food from your hands

The following tips from the American Kennel Club will help teach your dog not to snatch food from his hands.

1. Take a handful of dry food in your hand and hold it in your fist, holding it in front of the dog. Ignore any attempts by the pet to get to the food clenched in the fist.
2. When the dog stops trying to get food, reward him with a treat from the other hand. Repeat these steps until the dog stops trying to get food out of the clenched fist.
3. As soon as she stops paying attention to the clenched fist, slowly open your hand. When she tries to grab the food, make a fist and wait until she stops poking her fist with her nose. Once your dog stops trying to take food from your palm, reward him with a treat from your other hand.
4. After the pet learns not to touch the food in the open palm, slowly take a piece from this hand and give it to the dog. If she tries to grab it or throws herself at the food left in that hand, make a fist and don’t give her the treat. When your dog learns to sit still and wait for you to give the treat, you can give it to him as a reward.

Impulsive dogs and their training require a lot of patience and constant practice, but it’s worth it because the reward is a well-behaved pet.