How to train a silver fox dog to be non-sticky?

With its lively and cute appearance, as well as loyal and friendly personality, the Japanese Spitz has become a favorite among many pet lovers. However, some Japanese Spitz are overly clingy, becoming anxious and restless as soon as their owners leave, which may cause troubles to the owners' lives. In fact, through scientific and effective training, Japanese Spitz can learn to be appropriately independent and not overly rely on their owners.

First of all, we need to deeply understand the reasons why Japanese Spitz are clingy. Japanese Spitz are extremely loyal to their owners. They are innately eager for companionship and regard their owners as the center of their lives. If owners usually give excessive attention and affection, such as constant hugs and strokes, Japanese Spitz will gradually develop a strong sense of dependence. In addition, a lack of sufficient social interaction and stimulation can also make them place all their emotional needs on their owners.

The preparatory work before training is of crucial importance. We should create a rich and interesting living environment for the Japanese Spitz. Prepare a variety of toys, such as puzzle toys, bouncy balls, and plush dolls. These toys can stimulate its curiosity and sense of exploration, allowing it to enjoy itself even when the owner is not around. You can also set up a special activity area at home, lay a soft mat, and place its favorite toys and a small den, so that it can feel safe and have a sense of belonging.

The training should start with cultivating its ability to be alone. At first, the owner can leave the room briefly, with the departure time controlled within a few minutes, say 3 - 5 minutes. Before leaving, gently tell it that you are going out for a while, and then leave calmly. When you come back, if it doesn't show excessive anxiety, praise it and reward it with small snacks, such as dried chicken or cheese cubes. As the training progresses, gradually extend the departure time, from 5 minutes to 10 minutes, and then to 20 minutes, so that it can slowly get used to your short - term absence. During this process, don't return immediately to comfort it just because it cries or fusses, otherwise, it will reinforce its clingy behavior.

Establishing clear rules and boundaries is also very important. Although Japanese Spitz are cute, we can't indulge them without principles. When it wants to follow you around all the time and affects your normal activities, stop it in a gentle but firm tone, for example, give the command "No", and at the same time, guide it to play in its own activity area. If it follows the command, give it a reward in a timely manner. If it doesn't, you can ignore it temporarily, and interact with it again after it calms down. In this way, let it understand when it can get close to you and when it needs to stay by itself.

Increasing the social activities of the Japanese Spitz is also an effective way to reduce its clinginess. Start from the puppy stage and take it to meet different people and animals, so that it can get used to various environments and sounds. You can take it to pet parks, participate in pet gatherings, etc., allowing it to enrich its social life and divert its excessive attention to the owner through interactions with other dogs and people. During the social process, the owner should always pay attention to its emotions and behaviors. When it shows a friendly and confident attitude, give rewards and encouragement. If it shows nervousness or fear, soothe it in a timely manner and guide it to relax.

Training a Japanese Spitz not to be overly clingy requires the owner to invest a lot of time and patience. Every training session is an opportunity to strengthen the bond with it. When you see it grow from an overly dependent furball into an independent and confident dog, the sense of achievement and happiness is indescribable. Japanese Spitz add countless colors to our lives with their innocence and companionship. In return, we should use scientific training methods, full of love and patience, to create a healthy and happy growth environment for them and accompany them through every beautiful day.