With Valentine’s Day approaching, you might have your mind on the loves in your life. If your dog is on that list, you don’t have to get him a mushy card or red squeaky toy to show him how much you love him. This month of love, take an honest look at your daily and weekly routine with your dog to see if you are sending him the right love signals.

Exercise.
We often mention exercise for your dog in our articles, but it is important! Your dog relies on you to give him the active lifestyle that his personality, age, and breed requires. Without ample exercise, your dog is more likely to show some behaviors that are not exactly acceptable or easy to love. To combat extra chewing, digging, scratching, barking, or other naughty behaviors, get your dog out for a neighborhood walk at least daily. Chances are, your dog doesn’t care if it’s cold or rainy; he loves the chance to get out and stretch his legs, bond with his human, and smell some new things.

A walk around your neighborhood or forest preserve is a great way to bond with your pooch. Use your time together to practice commands and establish yourself as the leader. By doing that, your dog will be confident that you are going to protect him, which means he can have fun sniffing and relaxing. Making walks a priority in your home will make for a happy and healthy dog, along with a better obedience relationship for both of you.

Lead.
Speaking of being a leader, you can show your dog that you love him by being the leader of your house. “Dogs love a leader,” says our Trainer Judy. “When he know that you are a leader, the dog will relax and can just focus on being a dog.” Power struggles between human and dog can lead to unwanted behaviors, so be the boss! While you might feel compelled to baby your dog, he won’t understand your coddling. What he does understand is leadership behavior.

Routine.
Dogs, like many humans, love routine. There is a comfort in knowing what comes next for everyone, but for dogs especially. If your dog knows the routine for meals, treats, obedience, exercise, and other milestones in your day, he is more likely to be calm and obedient. Show your dog some love by sticking to a routine and not making him guess when he get food or get out of his kennel for the day. Unfortunately, homes without solid pet routines can lead to anxious dogs that are more prone to separation anxiety and other behaviors.

Expectations.
Make sure that your dog knows what you expect from him, and that you keep your expectations constant. It can be confusing for a dog to be asked to obey commands when a guest is over, but not during any other time. Your dog wants to please you, but if he doesn’t know what exactly does that, he can become confused or downright naughty. Be sure, too, that the entire home knows and sticks to the expectations. This way, your dog knows how he must behave no matter if you tell him a command or if your teenager does.

Affection.
Finally, take a look at your affection patterns with your dog. Do you offer lots of praise when he follows a command or when he learns something new? If you do, you are showing your pooch that when he obeys, he will get lots of pets and love. This is a clear signal that your dog can easily understand. Your dog is an excellent reader of body language, so be sure to watch how your body is communicating to him as well. Praising him immediately after doing something good, and often, will encourage that good behavior. All the trainers at Dog Training Now are experts at praise and motivation; we see the best results when we praise our dogs and you will too.

However, affection can also backfire if you are not careful and conscious with how and why you show love. For example, if your dog barks like crazy every afternoon when school children pass by your window and you give him a rawhide to keep him quiet, he thinks that he is getting praised for barking and keeping those pesky children moving along. Watch when and how you are encouraging your dog’s wanted – and unwanted – behavior.

This Valentine’s Day, even if you do spring for a cute treat or new toy, know that you can show your dog love throughout the year with some good habits and encouragement. If you don’t know how to get your dog on walks without lunging and pulling, or if you aren’t sure that your dog can be trained to stop barking at the passing school children, give us a call. Our trainers have years of experience working with dogs of all ages and with all types of behaviors – we love them all!