How to stop dogs from roughhousing

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DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My girlfriend and I moved in together recently, and we each brought a dog with us. I’ve got a German Shepherd named Mac, and her Golden Retriever is Diz. Both are about 2 years old, and they get along fine. However, in the evenings they roughhouse in the living room. We want them to just settle down so we can watch TV. Is this possible? – Laura N., Augusta, Georgia

DEAR LAURA: It’s very possible, even with younger dogs. And the sooner you establish behavior norms around a schedule, the better. Diz’s playful personality probably balances out Mac’s serious working dog persona, so take advantage of this.

Wear them out: Both of these breeds are energetic. It’ll be much easier to keep them calm if you take them out for a walk or a romp at a dog park for about an hour before dinner and TV time.

Set the behavior: When it’s TV time, bring them into the room and give the “sit” or “lie down” and “stay” commands to each dog. Give them a treat only when they obey the commands.

Correct and redirect: When the dogs begin to wrestle or steal each other’s toys, tell them to stop. Call both dogs over and work on the basic commands again, then have them sit or lie down in the original spots.

Separate them: If they begin roughhousing again and no longer respond to commands, take Diz into one room and Mac into another.

This will take time and repetition. The goal is to get them to follow your commands for longer and longer periods until you no longer have to separate them. Be prepared to pause the TV and focus on their training for days or weeks. The long-term reward is worth it.

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