Changing a Habit

So you’ve had it! That bad habit your dog has of (fill in the blank) has finally gotten you to your breaking point. The problem is that the behavior is a habit and as we know, habits can be hard to break. So how do you eradicate the bad habit? How do you create a new, better habit?

They say it takes an average of 6 weeks to change a habit. Unfortunately, current research shows that humans tend to get distracted and lose interest within minutes — sometimes as few as 5 minutes. You can see the conundrum this creates.

So, despite our best intentions, it’s easy to see why the bad habits our dog’s learn, often remain for life. It doesn’t have to be like that though. When it comes to breaking a habit, a little planning can go a long way.

Forge a Plan

First, identify the problem. What exactly would you like to change? A clear identification of the problem is important, so don’t gloss over the planning phase. First, decide what it is you don’t like and come up with a plan on how to change it. Are you looking to improve your dog’s greeting manners? Perhaps they like to jump up on people and you’re ready to stop that from happening. You need to come up with a solution that you can carry out consistently. Also, think through the variables in the situation. How are you going to help the dog? Are you going to teach an alternate behaviour…