The Right Way to Love Your Dog: Don’t Let Spoiling Turn into Harm

Have you ever encountered any of these situations?
□ Your dog always hogs the bed.
□ You must wait while it eats.
□ During walks, your dog drags you along.

In fact, these behaviors can harm your bond! As a pet veterinarian with five years of dog training experience, I’ve seen many new owners fall into these three common mistakes:

Three Common Mistakes

1. Letting Your Dog Take Charge
Signs:
• Allowing your dog to eat before you do.
• Always letting your dog be the first to enter the house.
• Failing to curb food guarding behavior.
Consequences:
Your dog may become irritable, potentially chewing on furniture or even attacking you.

2. Indulging Bad Behavior
Signs:
• Calling your dog “a little rascal” when it wrecks the house.
• Immediately cuddling it whenever it barks excessively.
• Permitting it to jump on people.
Consequences:
This can easily lead to separation anxiety, with your dog howling for hours when left alone.

3. Neglecting Socialization Training
Signs:
• Not stopping it from jumping on people when greeting them.
• Excessively barking at other dogs.
• Running wildly during walks.
Consequences:
Your dog might get attacked by other dogs, and neighbors may avoid you both.

Real-Life Example

My client Lily has a French Bulldog named “Meatball” who was overly spoiled by:
• Allowing it to snatch toys from others.
• Never correcting its habit of jumping on people.
• Giving unlimited treats daily.

As a result, at a dog park, Meatball provoked a Golden Retriever and was overpowered, sustaining injuries. After just three weeks of training, Meatball has learned to:
√ Wait for its owner to eat first.
√ Stay by its owner’s side during walks.
√ Accept being petted by strangers.

Simple Training Tips

Establish Leadership:
• Eat your meal before feeding your dog every day.
• Lead the way when entering or leaving the house.
• Exchange dangerous items from its mouth with a toy.

Correct Bad Habits:
• Food Guarding: Pet your dog while feeding it and use a firm “no” command.
• Excessive Barking: Turn your back until it quiets down, then reward immediately.
• Jumping: Use your knee to block the jump, and only give a treat after it sits down.

Socialization Training:
• Introduce it to two well-behaved dogs each week.
• Ask friends to help by acting as strangers.
• Keep the leash loose during walks.

Remember

True love means teaching boundaries, not endless indulgence. Spend just 10 minutes a day on training, and your dog will become:
✓ A well-mannered member of the family.
✓ A social butterfly.
✓ A calm, emotionally stable companion.

Start at dinner time—have your dog wait until you say “okay to eat”! Stick with it for three days, and you’ll see a change.