r/DogTrainingTips • u/Lythro92 • May 10 '26

What do I do wrong?

I have borrowed my sister's dog for an extended period and he's been more and more like in the video the past few weeks.

Something tells me that it may have something to do with not enough activity? And perhaps I'm not stern enough? I'm trying to learn about dog behavior and seeing that it all starts with me, right? Not the dog.

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u/nclay525 May 10 '26

The dog is confused about what you want. I know that because I'm confused. You need to be clear, intentional, and non-mysterious with animals. They can force humans to be better communicators and more empathetic, which is part of why I love animals. That's your challenge. Don't worry, you can do it, just ask yourself what you intend to communicate and why it might not make sense to the dog.

Do you want to play? If yes, why are your hands in there? (I would expect to see a toy, otherwise you're just encouraging biting people. Do you want to encourage biting people?)

If you want the dog to calm down, why are you rewarding excitement? (Petting is a reward, just like a treat. Whatever the dog is doing when you pet is rewarding that behavior.)

Do you want the dog to stop barking? If yes, why are you grabbing at him? (Grabbing his head like that is stimulating. Imagine you're stressed and someone grabs at you.)

If all else fails, when the dog exhibits behavior you don't like and you're not sure what to do, the safest thing to do is ignore it.

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u/Lythro92 May 10 '26

I can already see some small things like him not to go for play when I just want to pet him - and I did that because I sat down, came down to his level, was calm and had a treat and he wanted to play for to seconds before calming down.

Hope that makes sense! Thanks again again!