2020 pet magazine

2020 PET MAGAZINE LINCOLN DAILY NEWS JANUARY 23, 2020 Page 37 G ood pets come with good tendencies and trust. It is the way people treat them can negatively affect their character, behavior and trust. When trust is damaged, the pet may become confused, ill-tempered and sometimes even aggressive. An animal’s temperament is part of what makes up their personality and disposition, but also what causes them to react certain ways to their environment. There are various factors that can affect a pet’s temperament. For example, the American Veterinary Medical Association says, “Frequent, positive contact with people and other dogs early in the puppy’s life enhances its future interactions with your family, other people, and their dogs.” Dogs tend to be social creatures, so they need contact with humans to develop appropriate socialization. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, “Any dog can become bored and potentially destructive if left alone all day without an outlet for its exercise, exploratory, and social needs. Therefore, set aside time each day for activities that are fun for you and your dog such as walking, playing, petting, grooming, etc.” The Association also says, “Remember that dogs are highly social creatures and isolating a dog to the backyard or an area of the home with no interaction is one of the worst things you can do.” When dogs feel isolated, they may act out to get your attention, but you need to consider how you react to their behavior. Your interactions with your pet need to be positive. Consider a scenario where a puppy runs out the door and you try to encourage him to come back inside the house. Instead the puppy may run away from you. Though frustrated, you calmly call him back. To teach him not to do it again, some people might grab the puppy’s collar, swat him and yell at him for running off. However, these actions are likely to have the opposite effect, with the puppy becoming scared and running and hiding as he remembers how you treated him. Once you have reacted this way, your puppy will no longer respond to you calling him to come back because you have damaged his temperament. Physical discipline will not only make the puppy less likely to listen, but can also make him fearful and mistrusting. Continued Understanding and protecting your pet’s temperament