How to Get Your Dog to Behave: Tips From a Dog Trainer
Key takeaways:
When Beck Skaggs moved her Australian shepherd, Dak, from the country to the city, his disruptive behavior took her by surprise.
Training improved Dak’s behavior and, as a result, Beck was inspired to become a certified dog trainer.
Now, she helps others strengthen their bond with their dogs through training and guidance.
GoodRx for Pets: Here’s how to save on pet medications with GoodRx.
Beck Skaggs adored her Australian shepherd, Dak. But, boy, was he difficult.
He would bark and lunge at everyone and everything, including fellow canines, pedestrians, and even passing cars in their neighborhood near Louisville, Kentucky. Dak’s behavior meant that Beck and her husband could rarely leave the house for long. And they didn’t feel comfortable taking him to the park or on walks, which wasn’t good for him.
“He was basically locked inside. We couldn’t go anywhere,” says Beck, 25, who grew up with animals near Knoxville, Tennessee. “He wasn’t really living how a dog should live.
Despite Beck’s best efforts to find training tips online, nothing worked. Two years after adopting Dak from a rescue shelter, she was stumped.
“We had friends over at one point, and he tried to bite one of my friends,” Beck says. “I was like, ‘What am I doing wrong? I’m following all this advice that I’m seeing online. I’m being super consistent.’ I just wasn’t seeing the results.”
Beck decided it was time to take Dak to a professional dog trainer. And the training proved so transformative for Dak that it helped propel Beck into the field. Beck is now a certified professional dog trainer who helps others train their dogs.
Practical training tips for a well-behaved dog
Dak’s transformation wasn’t easy, but Beck’s commitment to training him paid off. Here are eight tips she has for owners looking to guide their dogs toward better behavior.
Search and compare options
1. Start socializing your dog early
Dak’s behavioral issues, Beck realized, stemmed partly from his lack of early socialization. He spent his early years in a quiet Tennessee country home with few other people or animals around, leaving him with few examples of how to behave. When Beck moved to the city, Dak was overwhelmed by the new sights, sounds, and activity, which triggered his lunging and barking.
Beck says it’s important to socialize a dog early, especially before they reach 16 weeks old. Puppies learn from people and other dogs. And they often do that by sitting and observing their surroundings, not just by playing with other dogs.
Those early experiences shape a dog for life, Beck points out. “They’re learning things like bite inhibition, what’s appropriate play and what’s not appropriate play, and how to basically be a dog,” she says.
2. Seek help from a professional trainer
Growing up in Jonesboro, Tennessee, Beck was surrounded by animals that had never been trained. She thought it was normal for some dogs to be “rough around the edges.”
“I didn’t realize how important training is until I had a dog that really needed training,” she says.
Now, she advises owners to seek out professional help early, ideally when their dog is a puppy. Even if there aren’t behavioral issues, training is easier than correcting bad habits, she says.
When Dak’s reactivity became unmanageable, Beck turned to a professional trainer for help. After an evaluation, she enrolled Dak in a 5-week intensive training program, where he learned to manage his reactivity and respond to commands.
Can I give my dog Prozac for anxiety? This article discusses why veterinarians sometimes prescribe Prozac for anxiety in pets.
Saving on pet medications with GoodRx: Learn how to use GoodRx to find the lowest price on medication for your pet.
How can you calm an anxious dog? Discover practical strategies to help soothe your pup.
3. Be consistent
After Dak’s training program, Beck had to reinforce his progress at home. “It’s like trainers build the house for you, and then you kind of maintain it,” she says.
Beck focused on addressing his reactivity and used a muzzle when Dak was around others.
She says consistent commands, rewards, and corrections are essential for setting clear expectations.
Dogs need to know what’s acceptable all the time, not just some of the time, Beck notes. So, for example, if you allow your dog to jump on you when you come home but scold them for jumping on guests, it sends mixed signals.
“You have to be consistent in the fact that you're doing this every single day,” she says.
4. Correct behavior immediately
Beck also learned that she had to address a behavior while Dak was doing it or right after to be effective. Waiting too long can confuse a dog, leaving them unsure about which behavior is being corrected.
“If they’re barking and you don’t tell them, ‘Hey, stop barking’ until 5 minutes later, they’re going to be, like, ‘What do you need?’” she says. “So it’s really important.”
5. Find your dog’s motivation
It’s critical to figure out what motivates your dog — whether that’s food, treats, praise, or affection — Beck says.
Read more like this
Explore these related articles, suggested for readers like you.
Once you know what motivates your dog, you can use it to encourage the behaviors you want, she explains. For example, if your dog jumps on the counter because they’re after food, you can redirect that motivation. “Let’s make the motivation, like, ‘Hey, if you sit, I’m going to give you a treat,’” she says.
Whether you’re working on stopping unwanted behaviors like jumping on people or teaching your dog to walk nicely on a leash, motivation is crucial, Beck says: “A dog’s not going to want to do something if they’re not motivated.”
6. Balance positive and negative reinforcement
Many dog owners find it hard to balance positive and negative reinforcement, Beck says. She recommends focusing on clear expectations and thoughtful corrections.
When a dog is first learning to sit, she says, “I’m not going to correct the dog for not knowing how to sit. That’s not fair to a dog. But at some point, whenever the dog fluently understands what ‘sit’ is, and I tell the dog ‘sit’ and the dog doesn’t sit, I’m going to correct the dog, because ultimately I want to set clear expectations.
Beck uses positive reinforcement, such as with treats or praise, to encourage good behavior. She wants to reward dogs for doing the right thing but, she says, “I’m not afraid to tell a dog ‘no’ or correct a dog, either.”
Corrections can be especially important in emergency situations, such as when a dog runs into the street. A dog needs to come to you on command, and not just when they expect a treat, Beck explains.
She cautions against using tools like prong collars unless you’re working with a professional trainer. “It’s such a precise skill that you have to have. You have to be taught,” she says.
Beck also highlights the importance of shifting your mindset when training your dog. “Your dog is not misbehaving because it hates you or because it wants to make you mad,” she says. “It’s misbehaving because maybe it doesn’t necessarily understand what’s expected or how to react.”
7. Consider pet medication when needed
For highly reactive dogs like Dak, medication can sometimes be a helpful tool alongside training. Dak’s vet prescribed him fluoxetine (Prozac), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), to treat his anxiety and help him stay calm and focused during training.
The medication made Dak more open to learning, instead of being distracted or distressed, Beck says. She adds it’s important to consult both a trainer and a veterinarian to determine if medication is the right option for your dog.
8. Tailor training to your dog
While there’s plenty of dog training advice online, Beck warns that not all methods work for every dog.
For Dak, a tailored training approach made all the difference. These days, Beck can take him to work and the park without worrying about him lunging and barking. Though, she admits, “he still has his moments.”
At Beck’s wedding this year, however, Dak was on his best behavior. “He didn’t snap at anybody. He kind of just coexisted and hung out with us,” she says. “So we’ve made a lot of progress.”
Why trust our experts?
