Third, when your dog misbehaves—and she will, frequently, what should you do? You must never forget that dogs are not human. They don’t have the same memory we do. Therefore, if you weren’t there to punish the misbehavior as it happened, you mustn’t punish the dog at all. If there is a habit you are trying to break, try to anticipate when it will happen and be ready to intervene. When I first brought Harry home, he had a jumping problem. He simply felt obliged to run and jump on every passer-by. Whenever I had a guest I warned them of Harry’s problem before letting them in the house, and then asked them to lift their knee when Harry approached. I also gave a stern, “Off!” when he jumped. None of my guests encouraged his behavior, so he eventually got the hint, and stopped. (Dogs do aim to please. It just takes them time to know how to please YOU.)

Of course, the worst thing you can do to punish your dog is to strike him. I can’t understate how big this mistake is. Direct punishment, no matter how “bad” the dog behaved, will only backfire on the owner. Hitting, kicking, or even swatting the dog’s nose will make her fearful of you. When punishing your dog, try your best to associate the punishment with the bad action. Never, ever hit your dog!

The last mistake common to dog owners is probably the funniest to watch. When you bring that new dog home, start teaching it the “Come” command right away. This is not done by chasing it around the neighborhood. Trust me, your dog thinks this is the best entertainment since rawhide bones. “Chase” is a game most dogs love to play, but I haven’t yet met an owner who does. If your dog runs off, fight the urge to pursue. Instead, give a command—any command—he might know. “Sit” works well, as does “Stay.” Then reward him. If she’s not that far along in training, bribe her with food or with a toy. Toss a stick and see if she falls for the cue. Then, reward with hugs, attention, treats…whatever to make it clear to your dog that you want him to follow you, not the other way around.

These are the things I wish all dog owners knew. The good news is that none of these mistakes is unavoidable, nor are they difficult. Keeping these five tips in mind, the new dog owner will be on the right road to a happy ever after—ruff ruff!

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