8. A Well-Behaved Dog Is Welcome (Almost) Anywhere
Training your dog properly is crucial for a few reasons. One, if he’s untrained and bites someone you’re potentially looking at a messy and expensive lawsuit. Two, your place will smell like dog piss if he takes a squirt anywhere he wants. And three, a ill-tempered dog reflects poorly on you. Obviously you should be attempting to train your dog yourself. But if you run into problems there’s no shame in turning to a profession. Just make sure you know what you’re getting into.
“It’s okay to talk to them before you commit — in person if possible, but the phone works too. E-mail can hide a lot of stuff, so be careful with that,” Burns says. “And apply the same parameters when you’re looking for a dog-walking company too. Remember, this is a person who A) Will be in your house unaccompanied, and B) will be in charge of your pet’s well-being. So make sure you’re comfortable with them, and that they’re insured.”
If you’re looking to train your pooch yourself, remember that the most important thing to consider to achieve the best results is consistency. And in this case, it’s necessary that all members of the household are on the same page. If you want to discourage the dog from jumping onto the table, nobody should be allowing them to do it, even for a single instance. Inconsistency will lead to confusion on the dog’s part, and it will be harder to discipline them in the future. You may use rewards such as their favorite dog treats to reinforce desired behavior.
