Pet Care
The Rules of Punishment
Before
attempting to eliminate any undesirable behavior your pet may presently
have, you must first understand The Rules of Punishment.
Many an owner has listened to the well-meaning advice from friends and
relatives on how to punish an animal for inappropriate behavior, then found
themselves with an escalation of the original problem or the adoption of an
even less desirable replacement behavior. However, close adherence to these
instructions will enable you to control your pet's behaviors in a safe,
efficient manner.
1. The correction that you use must be effective. This may sound very
obvious, but to far too many people, it is not. Use your common sense. If
you need to correct the same behavior over and over again, try something
else. Think of punishment like hitting yourself on the head with a hammer;
if it hurts, don't do that.
Many people follow any advice thinking, "It has to work, it worked for Fido."
No two animals are alike and what may work for one, very likely will not
work for yours. Be flexible.
2. Animals must be rewarded for proper alternative behaviors. If you find a
behavior unacceptable, you had better be teaching what is acceptable before
punishing him for what is wrong. After a reprimand is administered, the
animal must know two things; first, how can he avoid being punished the next
time and second, what should he be doing instead of what he did.
If the punishment you give your pet is "instructional" you will be answering
both of these questions for him. Show him what is "right", and then reward
that behavior consistently before you administer any punishment for what is
"wrong". Animals will soon learn that certain behaviors are met with
worthwhile rewards and some are not.
3. The punishment can't be too harsh. Personalities and sensitivities vary
greatly. One animal may barely notice punishment at a level that would
petrify another. The intensity of a correction should be sufficient to get
the job done the first time, but no stronger. If the animal thinks that the
punishment does not fit the crime, the lesson will be lost.
4. The punishment must be immediate. Animals must understand that the
punishment is for the behavior that they are exhibiting right now. Never
attempt to punish after the fact.
5. The correction must be short. Many people catch their pet doing something
wrong, give it a "spanking," then brow-beat or withhold food from the poor
thing all day long. Just make the correction and call it good. The pet is
not going to remember what brought on your wrath all day, and if he looks
"guilty", he is not. He is thoroughly confused.
6. Your expectations must be reasonable. You cannot "stop" behaviors such as
barking, that is what dogs do. Animals run, jump, play, eat, fly, bark and
meow. You can't stop these behaviors, but you can certainly put acceptable
limits on anything that you want.
Cheer up! No animal misbehaves 24 hours a day, it just seems like it
sometimes. When you are thinking of punishing your pet, think about the
rules listed above. Did you break one or more? If so, y our problems are
going to remain the same at best. If you follow all the rules outlined
above, you’ll find that your companion is rapidly becoming one of your best
friends.
If you are experiencing difficult behavior with your puppy or adult dog,
please contact us. Most problem behaviors can
be corrected. We want to help and encourage a happy and healthy
relationship for you and your dog for many years to come.
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