Four Types of Dog Owners

Did you read Jennifer Gish’s story today: “Don’t blame Fido.” She interviewed Jody for her professional take on these types. Do you recognize these owners? Know a few others we missed? Read Jen’s story and add your comments below.

– — –

No bad dogs, just bad owners?

Isn’t that letting the four-legged, tail-wagging set off easy?

Not really, says Jody Diehl, a certified dog trainer and behavior counselor with a Capital Region business called Dog’s Best Friend.

Dogs act like dogs, she says. And when we humans forget that, we fail to get along.

Here are four types of dog owners, what their actions say to their dogs, and how to get the results they desire in a positive way that works for both man and beast.

The Dreamer

The Dreamer thinks dogs come programmed to live with humans.

“People expect their dog to sit and look cute on the hearth rug,” Diehl says. “Without training, they’re not going to do that. Dogs’ needs have to be met for the rest of us to have any sanity.”

But the Dreamer assumes a dog automatically recognizes the command “sit” and knows not to shred and digest the latest issue of People or pull that loaf of sourdough off the kitchen counter.

The dog: A dog owned by a dreamer will lick those last crumbs of sourdough off his lips while thinking all that frantic hand waving and yelling is a delightful after-dinner show.

Like toddlers, dogs don’t know what expectations the world has for them until someone shows them.

Solutions: Accept that dogs need a positive outlet for certain doggie behaviors, Diehl says, such as chewing or digging. Buy some chew toys and find a place in the yard where it’s OK to dig. Make time for exercise.

And invest the time in training. Commands need to be taught in stages, she says. Teaching vocal commands such as “sit” should always follow mastering commands given by hand signal, which dogs understand better.

The Spoiler

The Spoiler looks into a furry face and can’t say no. It’s not about buying loads of toys and snacks. Puppy love is no crime, Diehl says.

But always allowing dogs to have their way can get spoilers into trouble. Toss a pup some popcorn every time those big brown eyes look up, tail wagging and tongue fully unfurled in a playful smile, and this dog owner will never be able to dig into a bowl of Jiffy Pop without a whining, barking beggar at his or her side.

The dog: “Pass the kettle corn, please. And not the unpopped kernels. They tend to stick in my teeth. Woof.”

A dog owned by the Spoiler will exhibit what Diehl calls “rude dog behavior,” which means whining, barking, patting the owner with his paw or nudging the owner’s hand with his nose to get his way.

But the dog is not to blame, she says. If begging or barking gets results, that’s exactly what dogs will do. It’s a doggie survival skill.

Solutions: Set boundaries, Diehl says. If dog owners don’t want their canine companions begging for popcorn or nesting on the couch, they have to be consistent about enforcing the rules.

Owners should ignore the behavior they don’t like, she says, and reward the behavior they do. But they should also realize that if they try to ignore a behavior and then give in after 20 minutes of barking, they’re only teaching the dog he has to bark for 20 minutes to get results.

The Dominator

The Dominator is a dog owner who thinks he needs to establish himself as the “alpha” in the dog-human relationship.

Traditionally, dominators will say they can never let a dog go through the door before them or they won’t let the dog eat until they’ve eaten first.

“Dogs are not trying to take over the world. They’re doing what works for them,” Diehl says. “They’re very opportunistic creatures.”

The dog: Dogs who live with the Dominator could shut down and become withdrawn, afraid to act — either good or bad — in fear of negative consequences.

Solutions: Reversing the effects of a dominating owner can be tough, Diehl says, and it takes time. The owner would have to stop their negative behavior and start with almost over-the-top positive interactions, she says, such as praising and rewarding the dog for everything until the pet’s trust is regained.

The Confuser

Much like the Dreamer gives a dog more credit than he should, the Confuser thinks the dog has built-in smarts to differentiate between when it’s OK to do something and when it’s not.

The Confuser is the owner who pats his chest, inviting his dog to jump up for a “hug,” and then gets angry when Fido does the same thing to Grandma and knocks her right out of her orthopedic shoes.

The dog: “Jumpin’ on the couch, hooray! Jumpin’ on the couch, hooray! What? Get down? It was cute last week when we were snuggled up watching ‘Air Bud’ and enjoying some lightly buttered popcorn. What gives?”

Solutions: “Consistency is key,” Diehl says. “You have to do it the same way every time.”

An owner who wants “hugs” when he gets home from work but doesn’t want to have to pry Grandma out from under his Great Dane first needs to enforce that jumping up on humans is not acceptable. After that’s been mastered, Diehl says, jumping up only on cue can be taught as a special doggie trick.