A Perspective On Bad Dog Behavior

You love your dog and you feel committed to keeping him in your life, but sometimes you wonder how much more you stand. You feel as if you’ve tried everything and your at your wit’s end.

If this describes your current relationship with your dog, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that there may still be hope to turn things around. The bad news is you may not be the one who can do it.

There really are no ‘bad dogs’. However, there are dogs who have been abused, dogs with physical illnesses and ‘psychiatric’ problems, mistrained dogs and dogs that simply aren’t a match for their current owners. Knowing which kind of dog you have on your hands is crucial for determining your next course of action.

First, ask yourself if there’s any chance you might be part of the problem. Did you educate yourself on dog training methods?  Did you take your dog to professionally run training classes?  Are you one-hundred-percent sure you know how to handle your dog’s breed and temperament?

If not, then there’s a good chance the relationship can be saved by doing your part to understand your dog’s needs.

If you’ve done everything you can, and ruled out health problems, then you might have a ‘mismatch’ on your hand. Not all dogs are right for all people.

Differences in personality, exercise requirements, dominance, and more vary by breed. You may have chosen a breed of dog whose nature isn’t a good match for your lifestyle or environment.

It is not unusual for a misbehaved dog to experience a dramatic turnaround when placed in a more suitable home.

The most important thing to ask yourself is whether you’ve done your best, and whether you believe the relationship can be salvaged. If not, you owe it to the both of you to find a more suitable home for the dog as quickly as possible.

Shelters should be a last resort, as many of them (even no-kill shelters) will not have the time or resources to do a full assessment of your dog’s needs, and most don’t bother verifying whether the the new home is a match.

If necessary, have a friend or relative help you create a list of interview questions and requirements to be met by prospective adopters. This will give you peace of mind knowing that your dog is moving to a better situation, and give him the best chance for living a happy, healthy life.