Ever wondered why homeless people have such well-behaved dogs? (When did you last see a homeless person being dragged down the road by their dog?) Those dogs are rarely pampered but they do get to live like REAL dogs.
'Love' to your dog is not endless petting but LEADERSHIP without which he/she is condemned to a life of stress.
You must have clear rules, determine the boundaries and set the limits e.g. no jumping up on visitors, bedrooms are off limits, no teeth on skin-EVER. When you play together make sure you end the play when it suits YOU not your dog. Your dog will learn to respect you and knowing you are in charge will help him/her to relax.
Your dog is Animal first, Dog second and Pet last. Most dogs we see only ever get to be pets and nothing else. Their owners may be getting fulfilment from the relationship but their dogs certainly are not.
If you want to share love with your pet treat him like a dog. |