How to help your dog behave well

The way a dog behaves depends on their age, breed (or type), personality and past experiences. Having a well-behaved dog starts with choosing a type and size of dog that suits you, your home and your lifestyle. However, dog behaviour is hugely tied to how you look after them.

Train your dog

Use rewards to train your dog to behave from an early age. This training should include:

Good training makes your dog easier to control, as well as enhances their quality of life and your relationship with them. Reward training can also be a lot of fun for you and your dog!

Why not check out our video on how to teach your dog to wave and give it a go at home?

Top tip: Always encourage good behaviour with rewards – never shout at or punish your dog. Dogs are more likely to behave badly if they're scared or suffering. Be consistent in the way you, your family and your friends react to your dog.

Provide a safe space

Your dog also needs to be able to avoid things that scare them. They need constant access to a safe hiding place where they can escape when they feel afraid.

Encourage regular exercise and play

Dogs need regular exercise and plenty of opportunities to walk and run. Aim to take them out at least once a day to keep them fit, active and stimulated (unless your vet recommends otherwise).

Dogs are playful, sociable animals and can become distressed or bored without enough to do. Give them safe toys as well as regular opportunities to play with people or other friendly dogs.

Top tip: If you struggle to make time to exercise your dog, why not hire a dog walker?

Teaching your dog to give up a toy

When taking on any dog – whether young or old – it’s important that the individual dog will happily give up anything that it has in their possession.

Some dogs see their toys as being of very high value to them and therefore may show some form of aggression if you try to take the toy away. Other dogs simply run around with it in their mouths, not giving it up, and seeing it all as a good game. Then you have the dogs who will give the toy up – but only after a tug of war or prising it out of the dog’s mouth.

Dogs learn by the immediate consequence of their behaviour. This means that if the outcome of the behaviour they have shown has the desired response they want, they’ll become more skilled at this behaviour and then the behaviour becomes more reinforced. So where do we start in training our dogs to give up their toys?

Remember, don’t think because you may have rehomed an old dog you can’t change the behaviour. All behaviours can be altered with time and patience.
If you’ve rehomed a puppy, don’t think, ‘we’ll wait till the puppy is older as it’s nice to be getting into tug of war games’. You may just be reinforcing the behaviour that you don’t want later on in life.
For training it is best to go into a secure location which is not too large, where your dog isn’t able to roam too far away from you. You also don’t want any distractions.

Training a dog who is food focused to give up toys

Using high-value treats, something that your dog finds really tasty, should encourage the dog to give up the toy.
As your dog has the toy in their mouth, give your dog a command such as ‘drop’ and then drop or toss a high-value treat on the floor near to them.
As they drop the toy to eat the treat, praise them, such as ‘good dog’, but don’t try to pick the toy up at this point. Remember you need your dog to not be in competition with you for the toy.
Again, call your dog and when you have their attention give the ‘drop’ command and drop a treat on the floor for them.
Remember, you’ll need to be patient: some dogs learn more quickly than others.

You’ll need to keep repeating this until your dog is dropping the toy when you tell them.

Now your dog is dropping the toy with your ‘drop’ command and you are dropping the treat on the floor, it’s time for your dog to start dropping the toy when the ‘drop’ command is given and now taking the treat from your hand. Still don’t try to pick the toy up.

Once your dog is taking the treat from your hand it’s time to start picking the toy up after your dog has dropped it.

You now have your dog dropping the toy with the ‘drop’ command and taking the treat from your hand.
Now, when you give your dog the ‘drop’ command as you give the treat with one hand pick up the toy with the other giving your dog lots of verbal praise. Then, toss the toy back for them to pick up.

Remember, you’ll need to do this training on a regular basis so that the behaviour you desire can be reinforced into your dog.

Training a dog who is not food focused

Some dogs are so focused on their toys that food will not entice them to give up the toy.
Have two or three toys at the ready for your training session.
Toss a toy for your dog.
As your dog has the toy in their mouth, ask them to ‘drop’ and then show them the other toy and toss the toy on the floor.
As your dog drops the toy to pick up the new one praise them, such as ‘good dog’.
Ask them again to ‘drop’ and again toss the next toy in your hand onto the floor.
Again, praise and then keep repeating the sequence.

You now need to teach them to drop the toy and wait for you to toss the next toy.

Now when you give the ‘drop’ command let your dog see the toy in your hand, wiggle it a bit if needed to gain their attention, as soon as your dog has dropped the toy praise them with ‘good dog’ and toss the toy immediately.
Keep repeating this to reinforce the behaviour you want.

If you’re experiencing difficulties with teaching your dog how to give up its toys, seek professional help from a qualified dog trainer or behaviourist.

Look out for problems

If you think your dog is showing signs of aggression (rather than mouthing or play biting, which is common and important developmental behaviour in puppies), then a full behaviour assessment must be carried out by a dog behaviour expert who will then be able to advise the best course of action. Learn more about aggression in dogs.

Finally, pay close attention to your dog. If their behaviour changes or they show regular signs of stress or fear (such as excessive panting, licking lips, hiding, cowering or aggression), they could be distressed, bored, ill or injured. If you notice a change, ask your vet for advice. They may then refer you to an animal behaviourist.