How is the relation between your pet & wildlife? Do they negatively effect on Urban Wildlife? Here we talk about your Canines. How to train your dog to be wildlife Friendly. Domestic canines are never part of our urban ecosystems. In addition, these dogs are responsible for more wildlife kills than we imagine and are a potential threat to alter our biodiversity. Dogs with red-zone behaviors, such as hunting, chasing, constant barking, can put wildlife in danger.
Further, domestic dogs can spread deadly diseases, such as distemper. Most of these diseases can directly affect rare wolfs and other wild canines.
However, a well-balanced, well-trained and well-socialized dog can be more wildlife friendly. To achieve these qualities in your dog “Responsible ownership is the key”. Following are some of the more important aspects that you need to take into consideration to become a responsible owner. Let’s see How to train your dog to be wildlife Friendly.
understand your dog
The ideas we use when conceptualizing general human behaviors, senses and psychology are not going to always help us to understand those of canines. We like to consider and treat dogs as part of our family. Children consider them as their siblings, while parents consider them as their children. There is no problem with giving dogs plenty of love and care. However, the manner that dogs enjoy being loved and cared is different from what we imagine.
A dog considers everyone (including other pets) lives in and around him as a member of his pack. In addition, dogs like to play a secondary role in his pack, while having someone or everyone else as pack leader or leaders. This is a trait that canines have as a species. Dogs feel loved and cared, only when you establish yourself as the leader of his pack and make the dog your dog follower. When they don’t get it, nothing else matters to them. Therefore, it is utterly important to consider your pet dog as species, pack member and then probably as a son or a brother.
As a human, eyes are our strongest sensing organ, and then follow ears and nose. However, this is the exact opposite when it comes to dogs. We get the strongest sense and understanding of something when we see it with our eyes. Dogs get the strongest sense and understanding of something when they smell it. Eyes are their weakest sensing organ. Hard to imagine, right! But that is the truth. Therefore, you follow this order, your dog will obey more and it is one of the qualities of a good pack leader. This is the First step of How to train your dog to be wildlife Friendly.
Be the leader of your pack
The most important aspect or quality that you need to have as a pack leader is being calm under all circumstances at all times. Here what you do is controlling the energy of your pack under your command to impose rules and boundaries.
Then when you communicate with your dog, follow the nose, ears, and eyes order. You have to get everyone else in the pack and any stranger that the dog confronts to follow these rules. No joke. When you are becoming the pack leader, you have to transform yourself to have the correct power to take control of everyone.
The other important aspect is not to be afraid of any dog, and instead be a leader. Otherwise you won’t be able to establish yourself as the pack leader of your dog. You may not show your fear of dogs. But in your heart, you may be scared of other dogs. Your dog will pick your weakness one way or the other, and you won’t be his pack leader anymore.
In simple terms, you can’t pretend to be a pack leader. First, you have to trust and train yourself as a pack leader. In addition, being a pack leader is a full-time job, but it is enjoyable. This is the Second step of How to train your dog to be wildlife Friendly.
Master the dog walk
There are three good reasons why you should walk your dog every day. First, it fulfills the all-important agility and exercises element of a dog. Secondly, canine species migrate from one territory to another every day as a pack. You, as the pack leader, need to mimic this to maintain the mental stability of your dog. Thirdly, you make your dog burn all his energy. A dog with a lower energy tends to pick the role of a follower within his pack. This enables you to project your energy to the pack.
Mastering the dog walk is an art. You have to leash your dog and have him on the side as you walk. The dog or you should not pull on the leash. In other words, the leash should not be tight. When you walk, the dog should simply follow you, with his head slightly behind you. The dog should not lead you. That is an attribute of being a good pack leader. If the dog doesn’t follow you with his head straight, simply give a jerk on the leash and correct him. In addition, at the end of the walk, the dog should be tired than you. Then he understands your energy is greater than his energy. This is the third step of How to train your dog to be wildlife Friendly.
Train your dog to obey basic
After you establish yourself as the leader of your dog’s pack, it is time to train your dog to obey basic commands such as sit, stand, down, heal, catch and fetch. As a start, you can use pieces of your dog’s favorite food to lure him to perform activities you wish. Once the dog is comfortable doing those, consider adding verbal commands to the activities. Finally, reduce the number of lures you offer and to encourage the dog to follow your verbal commands only. This is the 4th step of How to train your dog to be wildlife Friendly.
Socialize your dog
Dog socialization is utterly important when it comes to nature friendliness. A well-groomed dog should not show any unprovoked aggression or any unacceptable behaviors towards anyone. Humping, nipping, biting, being hyperactive and hunting are some of the more common unacceptable behaviors. Socializing your dog can help diminishing these unacceptable behaviors. When socializing your dog, it is key to train the dog to interact with his nose first while establishing yourself as the leader of the pack.
Socializing also includes housebreaking and potty training. These are important aspects of dog training since it allows you to mark the limitations and boundaries. This is the final step of How to train your dog to be wildlife Friendly.
Very Helpful article! it`s great that you are thinking about Protecting wildlife as a Tour guide and the knowledge about a very specific subject like Dog behaviour. this article is an eye-opener for everyone!