Accidental Reinforcement

The most common form of toxic dog parenting is accidentally rewarding the wrong behavior. You yell "no" when the dog barks at the window, but to the dog you just joined in. You push the dog off the couch, but any touch is attention. You chase the dog when they steal a sock, but now you are playing their favorite game.

Every interaction either reinforces or discourages a behavior. The question is not whether you are training — you are always training. It is whether you are training the behavior you want or the one you do not. Awareness is the first step.

For one week, jot down what your dog did right before you reacted, and how you reacted. The pattern usually points straight back at you.