Why a Mischievous Dog Should be Celebrated

Sad Pooch

The following is serious but also somewhat humorous. Being happy about inappropriate canine bad behavior may not be for everyone but in the case below it truly is a cause for celebration! Check out the story to see what we mean:

Recently, a long-term human client of mine excitedly emailed me with the news that her dog had jumped on the bed, taken a library book, and shredded it to bits. We were both ecstatic at the news because for the longest time, this dog was too scared to do any behaviors, let alone behaviors humans typically classify as “mischief.” In addition to being too afraid to go outside, she was hesitant to step on different surfaces, hesitant to engage in normal dog behaviors like chewing, and didn’t express an interest in toys or games.

Through training, her humans and I have helped this dog come out of her shell and, above all, start offering behavior as a means of interacting with her world.

Still confused as to why a dog trainer would celebrate library book destruction? Here’s just a small list of all the behaviors this fearful dog performed to achieve this “mischievous” trick:

•Leaving her “safe” space in her house, the bathroom
•Placing her paws on a new surface
•Performing a “paws up” behavior, where she places her front paws on an elevated surface
•Actively engaging with her environment
•Seeking an object to chew

This makes so much sense. The more fearful a dog is the more he will draw into himself, sleep, and not want to interact with those things and people around him.

And yes, while having Rover chew on Dad’s slipper or dig up the backyard while searching for a lost toy is irksome, as least we know our pooch is feeling at ease with his family, environment, and himself!

For more information on this illuminating article go to Mutt About Town.



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