I’m proud to say I usually get compliments on how well-behaved Molly is when I take her out in public. It takes a lot of work, but it all starts with communication – a way of letting your dog know that they are doing what you like. To do this, start marking and reinforcing the behaviors you like. If your dog sits, mark the behavior by saying GOOD and rewarding them with a pet, some play or a treat. The more times you do this, the more times you’ll find your dog sitting quietly hoping for another reward. Equally important is to never reward bad behavior. If your dog barks for attention, do NOT reward it with attention (good or bad). Instead, ignore it and wait for a behavior you like, mark it with the word GOOD, and THEN give the attention. If you stick with it and are consistent, you’ll be amazed at how quickly your dog will learn to get what it wants by doing the things you like!
