Household rules for humans

Have you ever seen those people whose dog runs wild, jumping on all the guests, barking non-stop, and the owners don’t bother correcting the dog anymore because they are so fed up with its behaviour? It’s not a pretty sight, and guess who is to blame! Not the dog, it is always the owner’s fault for the dog’s poor behaviour. When bringing a puppy into a home, there must be basic rules that everyone in the house follows. Even all guests to the home MUST follow the rules because dogs learn through repetition. It is crucial that consistency is maintained in the puppy stages.

Here are the 10 rules I have set for my household. Some are for the puppy's safety and some are for the puppy's training. Most of these rules are just common sense. To make sure these rules are followed, I will print and frame this list to ensure all guests to my home understand how to act around my puppy. Since I am training for a perfectly behaved Schutzhund dog, I cannot allow the reinforcement of unwanted behaviour when my attention is diverted. I already know ahead of time that I will receive negative feedback about these rules. I'll be told that I’m being unreasonable or insensitive to my guests. But to be perfectly honest, it doesn't matter to me how guests feel about the rules.
Don’t be afraid to establish household rules and reinforce them.  Serious dog owners put their dog’s well-being first!

10 Household People Rules

1. Do not feed Dobie anything other than his kibble (NO TREATS, NO PEOPLE FOOD)
2. Do not leave any food out, eat it or put it away, drinks included, except water
3. Close all doors when leaving a room unsupervised (washrooms, bedrooms, office)
4. Do not leave cleaning supplies/chemicals out, put away in closets
5. Do not use chemicals near Dobie, put Dobie in crate before cleaning
6. Do not pet Dobie if you have not washed your hands
7. Ignore Dobie if he jumps up on you, say “NO” and turn away
8. Do not let Dobie on any sofa or bed, say “NO” and push him off
9. Do not let Dobie scratch his ears, say “NO”, hold his foot, give him a chew toy
10. Do not let Dobie chew on anything other than his toys, say “NO”, give him a chew toy