How to Encourage Good Behaviour from your Pet

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• 1. Set the rules and don’t break them. Remember, your pet has to fit in with the family routine, not vice versa, so make it clear who’s boss.
• 2. If your pet behaves inappropriately in certain situations (e.g. children’s parties), then limit their exposure to those situations whenever possible.
• 3. Stick to set meal times (for your pet) and discourage begging at the family table or jumping up on benchtops where meals are prepared.
• 4. Encourage good behaviour with praise, attention and rewards. 
• 5. Never punish your pet physically or with undue force: this may only lead to aggression or further bad behaviour.
• 6. Expose a new pet to other family members (including other pets) as soon as possible, in the environment you want them to live in.
• 7. Seek help for major behavioural problems before they seriously disrupt family life. Retraining is possible with most behavioural problems; ask your vet for advice, or research pet behaviour on the Internet.