Dog manners

No one wants to be the owner of a bad dog. Create a friendly pooch who shows good dog manners.

Set expectations and use training to make sure your dog understands what you want and exhibits good dog manners. Don’t let your dog jump, bark excessively, paw or bite.

And remember, always reward your dog for good behavior.

Ten essential commands: Use basic dog commands to mold your canine companion into a well-behaved and well-disciplined member of your family.

Train your dog to be polite to strangers: Train your dog to be polite — or at least indifferent — to strangers to help your dog be the best version of himself that he can be.

Stop your dog from jumping: Start early to prevent dog jumping. Be consistent and train your dog to sit calmly rather than jump to show excitement.

Reward your dog for good behavior: Reward your dog quickly for good canine behavior using time playing with you, occasional treats or special toys.

Don’t make dog socialization mistakes: Never force dogs to interact. And avoid dog socialization mistakes by letting your dog play with dogs of similar size and temperament.

Get your dog to focus on you during a walk: Don’t reward your dog for pulling on the leash and failing to focus during dog walks. Don’t scold your dog for being distracted, instead make training fun.

Stop dog barking: Start by determining what causes your dog’s non-stop barking. Is it anxiety, dominance or both? Once you decide, use training to correct the underlying problem.