Dog Manners: Why It’s Important to Teach Your Dog to “Say Please”
Is your dog bossy? When it’s time to go for a walk, does he leap on you when you try to leash him up? Or, does he demand his meals by barking as you prep his food? Bossy dogs have learned that manners don’t matter because they usually get what they want if they push hard enough. But, teaching your dog manners, specifically how to say “please,” can transform your dog’s behavior as well as your relationship. The “nothing in life is free” program is a dog training protocol you can use to help your dog understand that being polite is the only way to get what they want. Why Dog Manners Help Teaching your dog to say please is actually a radical change for both ends of the dog leash. It requires dogs to adjust how they ask for resources and forces pet parents to be mindful about the many ways they can implement the technique. Since dogs will usually stop acting obnoxious once they get what they want, we often give into to our dogs’ pushy requests because it’s easier than trying to deal with inappropriate behavior. For example, to keep a dog from scratching at the door, most pet parents simply open it. To quiet pre-breakfast barking, many pet parents might hurry through the prep routine. By accommodating these behaviors, we are accidentally teaching our dogs that scratching, barking and begging work. Learning to say please is a simple but powerful way to short-circuit that belief in your dog while teaching him self-control.









