Getting Your Puppy Used to Other Dogs

Dogs can be notoriously territorial and can very easily become protective over their human companions too. Furthermore, certain dogs may also simply be scared of other dogs if they do not spend any time around canines until later in life.

Therefore, it is very important to get your puppy used to other dogs as early as possible. Not only will this make it far easier if you decide to get another dog further down the line, but it will also make everything from walking your puppy to going away on holiday far less stressful.

The biggest mistake that dog owners make when trying socialise their dog is to comfort them when they are scared or yell at them when they are aggressive. However, what these actions do is reinforce the behaviour, and therefore will likely only cause problems. The best approach is to look at trying to change their behaviour. A short sharp tug on the leash will show that their action is wrong without injuring them or scaring them, and this will need to be done the moment fear or anger is exhibited.

It is important not get angry with your dog, but instead to simply show authority. This will instantly put you in the role of leader and in turn they will respond to you positively, making changes in their behaviour a very natural step.

Once they have started to change their behaviour, it will be important to reinforce the positive actions with a reward. However, the right puppy food might not only be good as a reward, but instead, the right puppy food might also be important generally. The food they eat will have a marked effect on their temperament, so if your dog exhibits aggression or fear, a change in food as you start to try to change their behaviour could be a very important helping hand in getting the results you need.

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