By quickly correcting your dog, you can protect the beautiful furnished rooms at Capital Place.
Everyone loves their pets, but it can be frustrating to keep a dog in FAMU apartments when they're constantly chewing on your table leg or tearing into a couch cushion. With a Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University student's schedule and budget, you don't have the funds to deal with your dog's destruction. To keep your cheap apartment cheap and save yourself the headache, it's imperative to nip this behavior in the bud. This article will outline how to teach your dog that destructive behavior isn't acceptable.
Make Quick Corrections
Although you may feel the urge to yell and punish your dog when they ruin your FAMU apartment's furniture, anger won't help the situation. There's no use getting upset at your dog because they don't understand; it only hurts your relationship in the long run. Respond quickly to the behavior to help your dog understand what you want, but try to keep your emotions neutral when you do so. The best way to correct unwanted behavior is to immediately stop your dog and redirect them to an acceptable activity. For example, if you catch them chewing on the couch, quickly give them a command to stop and provide them with a chew toy instead. Your dog also may turn to destruction because they're under stimulated, so make sure you take them on plenty of walks, and play with them often. The key is consistency: if you diligently correct your dog every time, they'll catch on and learn that it's unacceptable to chew holes in your bedspread.
Protect your FAMU apartment
When your dog is still learning to respect your furniture, it can feel dangerous to leave them unsupervised in apartments near FAMU. While you are away at the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, there is no one home to correct them if they start chewing on chairs again. If this situation sounds familiar, you likely need to invest in a crate. It can seem cruel to shut your dog in a crate, but in reality, many canine behaviorists see crating your dog as a necessity when it comes to training. Crating a dog teaches boundaries and gives them a safe area of their own that they can retreat to whenever they want. Most importantly for your furniture, it teaches them to have downtime where they're not chewing on things. Crating your dog at night, or for a few hours each day, teaches your dog to relax and demonstrates that you decide what they get to entertain themselves with.
Positive Reinforcement
Lastly, when your dog finally does start to pick up on what you want, it's important to celebrate their success. Rewarding your dog when they give you behaviors you want will keep training sessions fun for the both of you. Reward often when training begins, then reward less and less as your dog starts to get it. You can use treats, playtime, or anything that your dog loves. When you're done, your relationship will be strengthened, and you'll be able to live without fear of losing your furniture!