The “Not To Do” List- 5 Common Strategies You Can Do Without
Here is a list of 5 rather random things that I hear people say they are doing VERY frequently. And they are things I wouldn’t recommend. These things are usually not helpful and often even make things much worse.
5-Tethering your puppy or dog to you all day
This is supposed to strengthen your bond and “reduce freedom” but really it helps create a needy dog with potential separation issues. It also allows you to actually mentally check out.
4-Letting dogs sort things out themselves
You won’t like the way dogs sort things out. There is no doggy jail and they don’t have the ability to think about the gravity of their actions. Dogs that “love” each other may very well enjoy the company of another dog one minute and be willing to fight to the death the next. Advocate for the dogs before you have a problem.
3-Using redirection to stop mouthing or reactivity
Redirection is essentially a reward and you’re creating a vicious cycle. Don’t avoid having the real conversation with a correction or at the very least setting firm boundaries. This doesn’t happen with redirection.
2-Using pee pads during housebreaking
This is a real common strategy for folks during the house breaking period, especially with small dogs or folks that live on the third or fourth floor. But you might be setting yourself up for more work later as you are normalizing peeing in your house!
1-Putting your hand in the dog’s food
This is annoying to most dogs. And whether it is or not, it really doesn’t do anything to prevent resource guarding. Instead you can employ other strategies like feeding in the kennel and leaving the dog the hell alone. Also get your relationship in order. Have rules. Have expectations. That is what really prevents resource guarding. It might not hurt to create some positive associations, but I don’t do that by annoying the dog while they are eating.
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Minute-by-Minute Breakdown
- 00:00 – Kati Peppe introduces the show and asks listeners to hit subscribe.
- 01:00 – Kati announces plans to hire additional staff and mentions prior planning.
- 02:00 – She introduces five things she does not recommend doing with new dogs or puppies.
- 03:00 – Number five: she advises against tethering a dog or puppy to you.
- 04:00 – Tethering teaches puppies to be shadows and follow owners everywhere.
- 05:00 – Tethering impedes coping skills, creates shadowing, and encourages owners to mentally check out.
- 06:00 – Don’t let dogs ‘sort it out’; advocate before problems escalate.
- 07:00 – She lists pestering, resource theft, tail chewing, and unwanted mounting as problematic behaviors.
- 08:00 – She describes intervening—redirecting, saying no, or using a leash to stop unwanted behavior.
- 09:00 – Don’t wait for problems; be proactive like scheduling preventive ‘oil changes’ for dogs.
- 13:00 – Number three: redirection for mouthing or reactivity creates a reward cycle, so avoid it.
- 15:00 – Redirection can escalate arousal and reinforce the unwanted chewing or reactivity pattern.
- 17:00 – She admits redirection may occasionally help but generally doesn’t recommend it.
- 18:00 – Number two: pee pads complicate housebreaking and effectively require retraining outdoors.
- 19:00 – She recommends heavy structure: use kennels, frequent outdoor trips, and not relying on puppies to signal.
- 25:00 – Number one: putting your hand in a dog’s food won’t prevent instinctual resource guarding.