There is no doubt that you love your puppy. You get it everything it needs, from a warm bed to the right food, lots of hugs, toys and warm clothes to beat the cold.
Well, a dog and its owner should have a loving relationship based on respect and trust.
However, you are wondering; do you love it too much? Is it possible to spoil your dog too much?
Yes, it is possible to spoil your dog too much.
Let’s see how.
By Not Setting Boundaries
Dogs need boundaries. You should set rules and routines. Train the dog to follow these rules by giving it rewards when it does. For example, you can give it a hug or a belly pat when it shows desirable behavior.
However, a dog with no boundaries can be challenging to handle. That’s a dog that has been spoilt. It hasn’t been trained to follow the rules. It’s a dog showered with love even when it is on the wrong side. Such a dog can be demanding, out of control and aggressive.
To have a healthy relationship with your dog, you need to set boundaries. You need to be the leader and decide when to reward it for good behavior.
You need to train it using love as a reward as to what it can do and what it can’t. Don’t ignore or make excuses when its behavior is bad, don’t give it anything it demands, you are spoiling it.
A spoiled dog is one that can demand to sleep with you one the bed, bark incessantly when you are on the phone, it wakes you up at 3 am for no reason or drags you around a block.
Check out The Pampered Pup to get more info on how you can have a healthy relationship with your dog.
Giving It Rewards for Wrong Behavior
No matter how much we love dogs, it remains that they are animals. They learn behavior from the rewards they are given.
For example, if your puppy learns that you reward it with petting and hugs when it jumps, licks and gets excited when you come in, then it will continue to do so in adulthood. Unfortunately, it can jump even on your visitors. The problem is, you spoiled it and rewarded it for the wrong behavior. It doesn’t understand it is wrong.
Train and reward your dog for desirable behavior. This way, you will coexist peacefully.
Do not pay attention to your puppy when it is misbehaving. It can translate that as a reward for its misbehavior, and it may exaggerate it.
Instead, praise it and give it more attention when it shows good behavior. You can give it a belly rub, take it for a long walk or scratch it behind the ears. Pet it when it is happy and calm and not when it is jumping and excited. Reward it for obeying and listening.
Spoilt Dog Behaviors
Behaviors that a spoilt dog has include dominant behaviors such as being bossy, biting, growling and marking territory. It can also exhibit anxiety with behaviors such as excessive barking and aggression. It can bite, growl and lash out as it experiences fearful aggression.
A spoilt dog can demand attention continuously by barking, begging, and jumping.
The dogs also get physically unhealthy and can start licking it and chewing obsessively. Don’t spoil your dog by carrying it everywhere, or overfeeding it. It will become overweight.
