Victoria Stilwell - It’s Me or the Dog - How to have the Perfect Pet

And at this point, many owners respond in one of two ways: Either they give up and ignore the situation, or they resort to harsh punishment that inevitably makes things worse. Some people carry on living their lives with an unruly pet, accepting all the restrictions that this state of affairs imposes upon them. Others find themselves at the end of their wits and decide to give up their dog. It doesn’t have to be that way.

As a trainer, I’ve seen it all, from the dog who tried to eat through a wall every time his owner left the house, to more common problems, such as chewing shoes, barking in the garden, and chasing cats. As a dog fosterer, I know only too well what price pets pay when their owners can’t or won’t train them properly. That’s why I was delighted to be asked to take part in the television series It’s Me or the Dog , and show how fundamentally simple techniques can really turn around what seem like hopeless situations.

Throughout the book, you will find advice on every aspect of caring for dogs, from what to feed them to how to walk them. At the same time, you’ll also find tried and tested solutions to the type of common problems most dog-owners encounter from time to time. Training isn’t about imposing your will on your dog; it’s about giving him the tools he needs to live in your world.

Dogs are amazing animals. They never cease to fascinate and inspire me. Take the time to train your pet and you will be rewarded many times over by the love, affection, and sheer good company that dogs bring into our lives.

My top ten rules for raising and training a dog

1 Think dog

Understand how dogs learn and what makes them tick as a species. Dogs are not humans, but many people treat them like they are.

2 Talk dog

Learn how to communicate effectively in dog language. Dogs can’t speak English, or any other human language. You, however, can learn to talk dog.

3 Top dog

Who’s in charge? You are. You have to be a confident leader. Your dog will be much happier if he has an effective leader to follow.

4 Accentuate the positive

Reward good behavior. Good things happen when your dog does well! Ignore or correct behavior you don’t want to encourage. Sounds simple, but many people do exactly the opposite without meaning to. Never, ever use harsh punishment.

5 Perfect timing

Get the timing right when rewarding or correcting. Dogs won’t associate a reward or correction with an action if you leave it too long to respond. You need to give feedback within one second of the behavior.

6 He says, she says

Be consistent at all times – and that goes for everyone in the family. Use the same commands and agree on your house rules. Can the dog sit on the sofa or not? Mixed messages confuse dogs and make them anxious because they can’t work out what they’re supposed to do.

7 Know your dog

Your dog is an individual with his own strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes. Whether he’s purebred or a mixed breed, there are breed characteristics to take into account, too. Go with the flow.

8 Vary the picture

Offer a variety of different experiences to stimulate your dog’s brain and senses. Dogs like to play and they get bored, just like we do. Don’t just train in the same place or using the same posture. Teach your dog to respond to you in every situation.

9 Lifelong learning

Start training early and keep reinforcing the learning all through the dog’s life. You can, and should, teach an old dog new tricks.

10 Easy does it

Make it easy for your dog to do well and succeed. Manage his environment. Put the shoes away so he can’t chew them. When you’re training your dog, accept failure as part of the learning process. Successful training requires patience.

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