I often joke to clients that our pets are very good at training us, and this was put into sharp focus recently when visiting friends who had two rather boisterous Cockerpoos.

On arrival, they barked continuously for the best part of 20 minutes. I noticed the deep scratch marks on the back door where their owner commented “Oh, they do that to let us know they need to go out”, and as we sat down for a cuppa, I was quickly warned not to leave the biscuit plate near the edge of the table or the dogs would “jump up and help themselves”.

These two fluffy teddy bears ruled the house and, as much as they were very cute, it was clear that their owners had been completely hoodwinked into letting them call all the shots in the human-doggy dynamic. I can also personally attest that, from a veterinary treatment perspective, they were challenging patients – and why wouldn’t they be? Why should they tolerate an ear or mouth examination or a claw clipping when everything else in their life was on their terms?

Shift the dynamic

As an indulgent pet owner myself, I’m not immune to the wiles of our four legged friends but I’ve always tried to make sure that my dogs allow me to examine them without a fuss and they are rewarded with positive praise and the occasional treat.

When dogs are getting demanding I encourage pet owners to shift the dynamic. For example, if they are barking or scratching to go out, or barking and demanding a feed or treat, make them sit and wait for 30 seconds before you open the back door or feed them. That way you are rewarding them for responding to you rather than letting them call the shots. If a dog thinks that their behaviour gets a desired response, they will simply keep on doing it. The key is to encourage the type of behaviour we want, which is usually sitting quietly!

The next time your dog is demanding your attention or something else, have a think about your response. Are you in control of when your dog gets fed, walked or receives attention, or has your dog trained you to be the perfect doggy butler?