A dog who is "well-behaved" generally speaking is a confident and happy dog whose needs are fulfilled – and who has learned that the “desirable behavior” works out well for them. Therefore they choose those behaviors voluntarily, because they have been filled with a history of satisfying rewards. They see no downside to repeating something that works well and they trust will work again in the future.
Learn how to observe and reward your dog by reinforcing calm, polite, and attentive behaviors. Successfully modify any nuisance behaviors that might have been inadvertently reinforced such as excessive barking, lunging/jumping on people entering the house, leash aggression towards other dogs, or a variety of other excitement-related issues.
Teach the dog to know how to behave without nagging or prompting. We know that dogs thrive when they feel they have agency and are given pathways to choose acceptable and safe behaviors that align more with the human viewpoint of appropriate behaviors. The dogs can then confidently choose those highly rewarded and reinforced behaviors – and you get to be the proud and loving guardian communicating with kindness, attention, and all the love you are ready to give. By raising your awareness of how inadvertent reinforcement happens, you can avoid those common pitfalls while having a loving, caring, and fun relationship with your dog.
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