In today's issue:

-Meet our adoptable dog of the day

-Enjoy a laugh with our dog meme of the day

-Get great information in our featured article

-Take our action of the week

-Check out our family photo of the day

Join our Facebook group - Post Your Pooch!

Real Food Without the Hassle

Fresh dog food sounds great — until you’re thawing it in the sink every morning. Sundays skips all of that. It’s gently air-dried in the US, which locks in nutrition and flavor without needing a freezer, prep, or cleanup. Just scoop it straight from the bag into the bowl. It’s shelf-stable, mess-free, and easy to take on trips — built for real life with a dog, not a lab schedule. I Love Every Dog readers: your dog’s next meal is one scoop away — and it’s 30% off your first order with Sundays For Dogs.

Try Sundays Today — 30% Off Your First Order

Why Rewarding Bad Behavior Backfires (And What to Do Instead)

You sit down at the dinner table after a long day, fork in hand, ready to enjoy a quiet meal. Suddenly, two velvet ears pop up over the edge of the table, accompanied by a soft, soulful whine and big, liquid eyes.

Without thinking, you reach over, scratch your pup’s chin, and say in a sweet, coaxing voice, "No, sweetie, dinner is for humans."

It feels like a gentle, loving interaction, right? But in your dog’s eyes, you just threw a celebratory parade.

When it comes to canine communication, attention, even negative attention, is a powerful reward. One of the most loving things we can do for our four-legged family members is to stop accidentally rewarding the habits we don't want, making way for a calmer, happier home.

The "Accidental Reward" Trap

Dogs are brilliant, pragmatic creatures. They do what works! If an action produces a fun result—a treat, a touch, a laugh, or eye contact—they will gladly repeat it.

The trouble is that as human beings, we often react to bad behavior in ways that inadvertently feed it.

Common scenarios where well-meaning pet parents fall into this trap include:

• The Greeting Jump: Pushing your dog down when they leap up on you feels like a correction to you. To a dog, it feels like a playful wrestling match!
• Demand Barking: Turning around and telling your dog "Shh, stop!" when they bark at you for a ball rewards the noise with instant eye contact and engagement.
• The Thief Routine: Chasing a pup around the room when they snag a sock turns a household item into a high-stakes game of keep-away.

Beware the "Extinction Burst"

When you decide to stop rewarding a nuisance behavior, things will often get worse before they get better. Behavioral scientists call this an extinction burst.

Think of it like a vending machine. If you put money in a machine and press the button, a snack drops out. If one day you press the button and nothing happens, you don't just walk away calmly—you push the button harder, press it three times fast, or rattle the door!

When you suddenly withhold attention for barking or jumping, your dog will try harder at first, thinking, "Hey, maybe you didn't hear me!"

Pro-Tip: If the barking gets louder or the jumping gets higher right after you start ignoring it, don't give up! That spike means your new rule is working. If you give in during the spike, you accidentally teach your dog that escalation gets results.

Three Steps to Shift the Energy

Simply ignoring bad behavior isn't always enough—and for self-rewarding habits (like chewing furniture), it won't work at all. The most effective approach combines clear boundaries with positive redirection.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                      THE THREE-STEP REDIRECTION PLAN                    │
├───────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 1. Starve the Bad │ Remove all attention, eye contact, and physical     │
│    Habit          │ touch the moment unwanted behavior starts [1.1.5].  │
├───────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 2. Teach an       │ Ask for a behavior that is physically incompatible  │
│    Alternative    │ with the bad habit (e.g., "Sit" instead of jump)    │
│                   │ [1.1.5, 1.2.3].                                     │
├───────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 3. Reward the     │ Lavish love, treats, and praise the moment they     │
│    Good Action    │ choose the desirable behavior [1.2.1, 1.2.5].       │
└───────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Become a "Stone Statue" for Attention-Seeking

If your dog jumps, barks, or paws at you for attention, fold your arms, turn your torso away, and look at the ceiling. No words, no touch, no eye contact. The moment all four paws hit the floor or their mouth closes, turn around and warmly greet them.

Practice "Incompatible Behaviors"

It's much easier to tell a dog what to do than what not to do. A dog cannot jump on your guests if they are lying down on their bed. They cannot bark with a rubber toy firmly clamped in their mouth. Teach them an alternative job that makes the bad behavior impossible.

Catch Them Being Good

We often ignore our pets when they are quiet, only giving them our full attention when they act up. Flip the script! If your pup is resting peacefully on their rug or quietly chewing a toy, walk over and gently drop a treat between their paws or offer a soft stroke. Show them that calm, polite behavior is the ultimate golden ticket.

By closing the "bank of accidental rewards" and opening a fresh line of credit for great behavior, you'll help your pup feel secure, understood, and eager to show off their very best manners.

Dog Food and Supplement Recalls

Here are the recent recalls and advisories:

• FI - Pet Supplements: Potential Salmonella Contamination
• Northwest Naturals - Chicken Recipe: Potential Salmonella and/or Listeria Monocytogenes Contamination
• Fromm - Wet Canned Dog Food: Potential Metal Contamination
• Oma's Pride - Canine Food: Contaminated with Salmonella
• Pedigree - High Protein Chopped Chicken & Duck Flavor Wet Dog Food: Potential Plastic Contaminants

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We want to feature your pup!

We want to share your pup with our pack. Email us your favorite doggy pic or video with your pup’s name, and we'll try to feature it as a family photo in one of our upcoming newsletters or on our Facebook page.