Whenever I talk about correcting a dog when it misbehaves,there are always different opinions.Some people say, “A dog only stays with you for a dozen or so years—why be so strict? Wouldn’t it be better to let them stay happy?”My answer? Go ahead, spoil them if you like—but remember the saying: “Indulging a child is like harming a child.”The same lesson applies to dogs.When I take Sunny out for walks,I meet all kinds of pet parents.One woman told me her dog has been completely spoiled:if it’s in a bad mood, it knocks things over.Her pup was actually abandoned by aprevious owner during the pandemic.She felt sorry for it and brought it home.At first the dog was indeed very well-behaved—clever, and quick to read her expressions.Now, more than two years later,excessive pampering has made the dog obedient only when it wants something.If she forgets to “announce” she’s leaving the house,she’ll come back to find items on the table flipped to the floor.Clearly, this dog doesn’t see her as the leader at all—it sees itself as the boss.So when a dog’s behavior starts to disrupt your life,will you still keep spoiling it without limits?
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Don’t Let Your Dog Get Spoiled Without Realizing It Signs of a Spoiled Dog:
① Ignoring Your Commands.Dogs are naturally obedient animals.If your dog acts like it couldn’t care less about your instructions,that’s a sure sign of being spoiled.
② Bad Temper & Showing Teeth.Always baring teeth or snapping when things don’t go their way?That’s not a pet—you’re raising a little tyrant!
③ Food Guarding.If your dog growls or shows its teeth when you try to take food away,that protective behavior can escalate into biting if not corrected early.
④ Won’t Let You Touch Their Stuff.Anything they consider “theirs” becomes off-limits.If anyone touches it, they snarl in protest.
⑤ Revenge Destruction.When displeased, they chew furniture or knock things over.Think revenge is just a joke?I once heard of a real case:a family scolded their dog,and it waited until everyone was out to poop right on the owner’s bed.Shocking, right? Definitely a behavior to correct.So why do dogs get this spoiled and stop listening?Most of the time, it’s because owners fail to correct bad behavior,allowing the dog to think its status outranks the humans—eventually believing it’s the true “leader” of the house.
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Extreme Food Guarding
Food aggression can lead to attacks on people or other animals,even full-on bites.When you notice food guarding, correct it right away.You can hand-feed or gently pet your dog while it eats
to show you’re not there to steal its food.
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Picky Eating
If your dog refuses kibble and you immediately offer whatever it wants,you risk nutritional imbalance and reinforce the ideathat it can get anything by holding out.Soon it may refuse food just to manipulate you.
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Ignoring Commands
When a dog pretends not to hear,or gets more excited when you tell it to stop,or refuses a simple “sit,”you must correct it early.Otherwise it will disregard your authorityand future training will be much harder.
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Excessive Barking
Constant barking might mean anxiety or an attempt to grab your attention.At home it disturbs neighbors;outdoors it can sound like a challenge to other dogs—especially large ones that might respond aggressively.
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Guarding Territory or Items
Refusing to let you sit on the couch,sleep on the bed,or touch its toysshows the dog thinks it’s the boss.If unchecked, this damages the bond between you and your petand can lead to a “dog rules the house” situation.
Dogs don’t naturally understand right from wrong,but they’re smart enough to read their owner’s reactionsand figure out what’s allowed—and what’s not.If your dog misbehaves and you don’t step in,it will assume the behavior is acceptable.Next time, it may push even further,constantly testing your boundaries.So when your dog refuses to listen,will you still keep spoiling it?
