Preventing Bad Behaviour: Why Stopping Problems Before They Start Is So Important
We talk a lot about fixing or changing unwanted dog behaviours. But what about stopping the dog from learning those behaviours in the first place?
In my previous post, I admitted that I had accidentally created a problem with Odin that was specific to my son. If I had followed my own advice — the same advice I give so many clients — it never would have happened.
Make Rational Decisions, Not Emotional Ones
We often make emotionally driven decisions when raising dogs. But when we step back and look at the facts, we’re far more likely to succeed.
Once you’ve made a decision and have a plan, it’s normal to feel hesitant if you’ve never done it before. That’s okay. Training and shaping behaviour in dogs isn’t as difficult as many people think — especially for basic behaviours like Sit, Down, Come, and “Don’t chew the furniture or kids.”
As I’ve said in earlier posts, success comes down to three things: the dog’s genetics, its previous learning, and the environment. And the environment includes everything — especially us.
How to Teach Good Behaviour
When teaching or rehabilitating a dog, my first step is always to give a brief introduction and then show the dog how it should feel about the situation.
For example, when teaching a puppy to Sit:
- I start in a quiet area.
- I place one hand at the base of the tail and the other on the chest.
- I gently guide the puppy into a sitting position while saying the command.
- The moment the puppy sits, I reward with a treat and release.
We repeat this until the behaviour is clear.
How to Stop Unwanted Behaviours Before They Start
The best way to prevent problems is to control the environment so the dog never has the chance to rehearse bad behaviour.
Think about it: Why did your dog chew your new shoes, the TV remote, or your phone? Because you left them within reach and weren’t paying attention. The puppy wasn’t being naughty — it was just playing with something that looked fun. Dogs don’t understand value, money, or sentimental meaning.
What This Looks Like in Real Life
I’m currently raising a young Malinois named Thor (almost 5 months old). He’s progressing beautifully — he already knows around 20 behaviours and loves training sessions.
But every day, I also spend time just hanging out with him. When he’s inside with me, I make sure there’s nothing lying around for him to chew. I’m teaching him to relax and enjoy my company. He can usually settle for about an hour before he gets bored and needs to go outside to play with my other dogs or entertain himself.
I’m not punishing him — I’ve made going outside a positive experience. I’m simply limiting his opportunities to practise unwanted behaviours. By the time he’s fully mature, many common problems will never have been learned in the first place.
Key Takeaway: Prevention is always easier than correction. Set your dog up for success by controlling the environment and you’ll spend far less time fixing problems later.
Check out Sidney’s Youtube channel (5017) Sidney Aarons Professional Dog Trainer – YouTube