Why did my dog do that when he knows it's bad? But does your dog really know it's bad?

Dogs are not mechanical creatures, however, nor are they humans. Their brains do not work in the same way humans do. They lack human emotion and reasoning, but this is replaced with their own unique abilities that we would not trade for the world. That is what makes animals so special, they differ from humans. Taking the time to learn how they think and what makes them tick, will help you successfully communicate with your dog. Give your dog what HE needs, rather than only taking what YOU need from your dog. Those who do for others are in general, happier than those whose only focus is on themselves.

If you had a snake as a pet, you would more likely see the snake as the animal it is and try and give it what it instinctually needed, for example, a hut to hide under. But for some reason, people humanize their dogs, perceive them to have human tenancies, and in doing so, the dog suffers because he does not get his instincts met.

Dogs do not reason, they react. Dogs never premeditate their actions. Meaning, they never think, "I am going to go and bite that mailman today." When a dog is a biter, it is 99% the humans fault for not communicating with the dog properly. There are certain things our fellow canines need to be fulfilled and happy and when they don't get it, they react accordingly.

Dogs and animals in general have a universal language, which is, they read one another's energy / emotions. Humans are one of the only species who cannot do this to the extent that other animals can. So your dog knows you are displeased when you walk into the room because he can feel your anger, not because he knows that chewing up that couch or peeing on the floor was wrong. The only way to make a dog truly understand something is wrong or bad is to catch him the moment he does the deed, or the split second before the deed.

Dogs are pack creatures, and because the alpha member of the pack is shunning him, doesn't mean he knows why, just that he recognizes the fact that you're displeased. The slinking behavior is a generalized plea for forgiveness for crossing over boundaries or limitations the pack places on it's subordinates (lower members of the pack), not an acknowledgment of a specific wrongdoing.

Here is an example, if your dog chews something up and in the past you have yelled or corrected him after he has chewed, lets say the trash, your dog now thinks it is bad for that trash to be on the floor. However, if your correction did not come at the right time, your dog may not understand that the act of chewing the trash is also bad. Only that it's bad to have trash on the floor. SO, dog chews trash, sees trash on floor and suddenly... it's BAD and he slinks away or shows signs that he knows you are going to be upset. Yet he chews the trash again because he does not know CHEWING the trash is bad. Your dog knows you are mad, but unless you caught him in the act, he does not know why. Tip: Don't use his name when correcting him. His name should only be used for positive things.

In order for dogs to successfully live among humans, the humans must be the pack leaders. In the wild, pack leaders do not give affection to lower members of the pack. What they do give are rules the pack must follow, boundaries that pack must not cross and limitations on what they can and cannot do. This social structure makes the dog feel safe and secure. When dogs live with humans, they experience a human trait called affection. Affection is wonderful and dogs thrive on this human characteristic. However, too many times we give our dogs only affection (the human characteristic) and we over look the most important canine instincts, The things that keep the pack solid and the members secure; the consistent rules, boundaries and limitations. When a dog is lacking in the later, they loose their direction, become unstable, confused, insecure and unhappy. Dogs cannot speak words, so they are unable to tell us what they really need.

Dogs also need to be taken on daily walks. By nature, birds fly, fish swim, and dogs walk. For a dog walking is a migration instinct. Packs walk to find food. The leader leads the way, the lower members happily follow. Taking a dog for a walk is not only for exercise, but for the mental fulfillment of your dogs instincts. Running around your backyard, playing with another dog, chasing a ball, or taking your dog to the dog park is not going to fulfill this instinct. The lower dogs look to the pack leader for guidance and direction. Their instincts tell them, without a strong, consistent pack leader, they will not survive. Therefore, it is instinct for a dog to try and take over if they do not see you as a consistently strong leader.

The biggest mistake dog owners make is, they forget dogs are animals. We humanize dogs, as it pleases the human inside us to do so. Too many times we humans use dogs to fulfill our own needs, and overlook the fact that our fellow canines, what we call man's best friend, have their own needs. They do not think about what the "animal" in their dog needs. Dogs help people, and it's high time people start helping the dogs by taking a step back and seeing it is an animal. Learning what the animal needs and giving it to them. Then, and only then, can we also be our dogs best friend.

 

To help understand how your dog thinks, we suggest Cesar Millan DVD's and or Cesar Millan Books to every dog owner, from Chihuahua to Pit Bull. An excellent guide to communicating with, understanding,  and controlling your dog.

© Dog Breed Info Center® All Rights Reserved

 

The Human Dog Why did my dog do that? Top Dog Establishing and Keeping Alpha Position Guarding Furniture The Walk Puppy Temperaments A Dog Fight - Understanding your Pack Understanding your puppy or dog Raising a Puppy Should I get a Second Dog Separation Anxiety Is your dog out of control? Jumping Dogs Top Dog Photos Dog vs. Child Housebreaking Are You Ready for a Dog? Breeders vs. Rescues Find the Perfect Dog The Gangs All Here Caught in the Act

 

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