What should I do if I do not catch my dog in the act of misbehaving?

You should never punish your dog after he has misbehaved, since he will not know what he has done wrong if you do not stop him in the act of misbehaving.

For example, if you come home and find that your dog has chewed on your favorite book, do not punish him. Instead, you should take steps to prevent it from happening again, such as making sure your books are out of his reach or placing him in a confined area when you leave the house.

Can I prevent my dog from misbehaving?

You can make sure your dog does not have the opportunity to misbehave by carefully supervising and managing your dog’s environment. Supervising your dog will allow you to redirect him before he has a chance to make a mistake. For example, if your dog often jumps up on you when you come home, you can quickly say the Sit command as your dog approaches you so he does not have the chance to jump up.

Give a Command

• If your dog is doing something you do not want him to, give him a command that prevents him from continuing.

• For example, if your dog is digging in your garbage, say the command “Off” and then the command “Come.” Your dog cannot come to you and dig at the same time.

• Reward your dog for obeying your command.

Remove Your Dog from the Situation

• If your dog is over-excited, such as playing too roughly with children in the yard, you can place him in his crate for some quiet time.

• Removing your dog from the situation that is causing him to misbehave and placing him in his crate allows him to settle down and keeps him, and others, safe.