6 Tips to Be a Neighborly Owner

"Do not do unto others what you don't want others to do unto you." That's the golden rule according to Confucius, a great Chinese philosopher. That rule can be applied to practically any aspect of life including your being a dog owner. If you do not like the idea of your neighbor's dogs disturbing you, you should also make yourself a responsible dog owner to avoid conflict and to gain respect from others.

To bring your neighbors and your dogs closer to you, you can do the following tips:

1. Train your dog. To prevent your dog from disturbing your neighbors, you need to conduct some simple dog training such as teaching your pet where to poop, where to sleep, and other simple tasks so your dog will not be a liability as well as a nuisance to your neighbors.

2. Socialize your dog. If your neighbor has a dog, take time to let them play together so they won't bark at each other or your neighbor with every sight. As a responsible dog owner, you should train your dog not to bark at your friendly neighbors because aside from the fact that it can be rude, a dog barking behind your neighbors back can also be annoying.

3. Treat your dog properly. A nice and friendly dog largely reflects on how well he is treated, although some dogs are by nature fierce and some are naturally tamed even without much dog training. Still, you should treat your dog properly by feeding him on time and attending to his basic needs such as providing exercise and walking to prevent him from protesting and making unnecessary barking that could rouse and irritate your neighbors.

4. Keep your dog comfy. To keep your dog a happy one, feed him right and make sure that he is as comfortable as possible by bathing him regularly and providing him vitamins that would boost his immune system to ward off infections and sicknesses. As a dog owner, you should ensure that your dog is free from diseases that can compromise your neighbor's health and even your kids. If you are having difficulty in bathing your dog, you can have some dog training that could make him unafraid of water.

5. Give him a safe and conducive environment. To avoid seeing your dog sleeping on your neighbor's front mat, give him proper dog training that would make him sleep in his doghouse and prevent him from sleeping wherever he wants to. Keep the doghouse clean, spacious, and well-ventilated to make him want to lie inside instead of sleeping and resting just about anywhere where he can be stepped on and accidentally bite your neighbors and children.

6. Be a responsible dog owner. As part of being a responsible dog owner, you should ensure that you would collect your dog's mess if he was not able to poop on his intended pooping area. You should also make sure that your dog would not wander around disturbing your neighbors in any way.

Dog training is not just about you and your furry pet. A responsible dog owner knows that he is not only accountable to himself and to his dog but also to the other people around them.