Give a dog some personal space

Dogs need their personal space, too — having a designated area for your dog to go to in the home can make him more obedient.

According to the National Humane Society, training a dog to go to a designated space uses a dog’s natural instincts as a den animal. A wild dog’s den is his home, a place to sleep, hide from danger and raise a family. The space becomes your dog’s den, an ideal spot for it to snooze or take refuge during a thunderstorm.

A designated space can be a bed, crate or area of the home where the dog knows he is safe and knows that the space is his.

Dr. Margaret Gruen, clinical assistant professor at the N.C. State College of Veterinary Medicine, advocated in a press release being aware of a dogs’ needs while training.

“Dogs need food, water, and shelter, but, most dogs need more than that,” Gruen said. “Dogs have emotional needs as well as physical requirements, they are social animals and need to be a part of the family or be included in your daily routine.”

For dog owners who live in smaller environments such as an apartment, it would be best to purchase a small breed dog with an expected mild-mannered behavior, she said.

One way to give a dog his personal space is to crate-train.

“A crate can help limit access to areas that are off-limits until all household rules are learned,” Gruen said. “It should be just large enough for the pet to stand and turn around in and strong enough to securely contain the pet.”

Different dogs require different situations, but initial crate-training should be done with the pet nearby. Pets should be kept close so that crating is not associated with social isolation. Puppies less than 6 months old should not be left alone or neglected for more than three to four hours at a time because they cannot control their bladders for long periods of time, according to the American Kennel Club.

“A lot of people see the crate as punishment, but for a dog they usually like going in there,” said Mychelle Blake, Communications Director for the Association of Dog Trainers. “Dogs like having a place to go; it makes them feel safe and secure.”

Getting a dog to stay in his designated spot can also be beneficial in situations when people are entering the home.

“ ‘Stay’ is definitely a very important command,” said Darlene Thomas, a dog trainer at PetSense on U.S. 70. “When people are coming in the house, dogs have a tendency to jump up, and they need to stay and wait until they are approached.”

Thomas said teaching a dog stay can help them if they get out of the house, and can curb issues like food aggression. She recommends positive reinforcement training, or rewarding the dog when it does well, as the best way to train dog.

Joel Gerber can be reached at 252-559-1076 or jgerber@freedomenc.com.