Talking to Your Dog

Second, express yourself clearly and concisely. For a dog to understand what you want, you need to teach him simple, one-word commands. Simply shouting, "Don't do that!" when Fido wets the floor is not going to communicate anything more than the fact that you are upset with him. He won't understand why. He won't be able to correct his behavior. He may begin to assume you simply don't like him, or even that you are slightly insane. And if your dog thinks you're insane, he won't be inclined to listen to you.

In addition, in communicating with your dog, timing is everything. Rubbing Fido's nose in a urine-soaked carpet is not only cruel and disgusting, it's counter-productive, just like yelling. What you need to do is catch him in the act. Because of the way doggie brains work, you need to give him a firm, "No!" WHILE he is urinating on the carpet, or eating from the garbage, or engaging in whatever offensive canine habits he may have developed. He will understand this.

Now, as soon as he stops the behavior – which may be immediately, due to being startled – change the tone of your voice and praise him highly for having the good sense to listen to you. Pretty soon, if not immediately, the light bulb will go on in his head.

Third, don't give Fido too much to think about at one time. His brain is already on fire with his squirrel-chasing agenda and plans to weasel more treats out of you. Give him a few days to get a handle on the fact that he isn't supposed to wet the carpet before you work on the garbage-eating project. This means you will have to prioritize.

Changes don't happen overnight. Proper communication takes time and effort on the part of both individuals involved. Give your dog a fair chance to do what you asked, stay alert, and try to catch them in the act. This little bit of extra effort will go a long way towards improving your dog's behavior and gaining you some respect from your dog in the process.