The dreaded what if question.

• What if my dog gets sick?
• What if my dog hates me?
• What if my dog bites me?
• What if my dog wants to sleep with me?

Having a dog is similar to having a child. They will be with you for quite a while. But remember a dog will feed off your energy. You’ve heard dogs smell fear? Well, they also smell anxiety, nervousness, and apprehension. Allow them to smell happiness, love, and enjoyment. Your dog will imitate you. If you take him on a walk and hold the leash tight with no slack at all and are scared, chances are your dog will sense that and misbehave.

Show confidence with your dog. Allow him time to be a dog by running and exploring. But when he behaves straighten him out. No dogs cannot understand the English language, but they can sense the tone in your voice.

Consistency is a real key. Sure you don’t feel like getting up all the time to correct him, but this is very important in the early years.

Also remember to reward good behavior with a treat or verbal accommodation. If you catch him chewing on a shoe take it away and say “bad” and then give him one of his toys to chew on. After he takes it say “good dog”.

You might be really stressed out thinking about a dog. It’s really not that difficult. It can be very enjoyable. Especially as the dog gets older you will have a friend for life.

For simple training tips please see our blog tips for training your dog.