Quck answer
If you’re dealing with dog behavior problems, the first step is to identify the root cause. Is your dog anxious, aggressive, or simply untrained? Once you understand the underlying issue, work on training your dog with positive reinforcement techniques. Consistency and patience are key. If your dog’s behavior is severe or dangerous, consider seeking professional help from a dog behaviorist. Additionally, make sure your dog is getting enough exercise and mental stimulation. Finally, don’t forget to show your dog love and affection – a happy and secure dog is less likely to have behavior issues.
Pets
Many behavior problems experienced by dogs can be attributed to miscommunication between them and their owners. Humans and dogs have different ways of perceiving and processing the world around them, making it challenging for them to coexist peacefully. While natural behaviors like chewing, barking, and scent-marking were not an issue when dogs were wild, they can become problematic when they are part of human families. Therefore, it is important to shape a dog’s behavior to fit in with polite society, which involves teaching them good manners.
Below are some effective solutions to common dog behavior problems:
Handling an Aggressive Dog
Dogs can exhibit aggressive behavior for various reasons, including anger, playfulness, pain, defensiveness, territorial protection, and reproductive urges. It is crucial for every dog owner to recognize the difference in these behaviors to ensure everyone’s safety. Certain strategies can help make your dog friendly and sociable.
Handling a Dog that Bites
Dogs use their mouths to interact with and analyze the world around them, similar to how humans use their hands. Dogs may bite for different reasons, such as anger, self-defense, playfulness, or love, which can be easily confused. However, there are solutions to prevent your dog from biting people or other dogs.
Stopping a Dog from Chasing Cars
Dogs have a natural urge to chase moving objects, which can be confusing or frightening for drivers and put the dog in danger. With patience and training, you can help your dog overcome this habit and curb their car-chasing urge.
Stopping a Dog from Chewing
Chewing is a natural behavior for dogs, particularly for puppies who are teething or grown dogs who are bored or distressed. However, inappropriate chewing can be destructive, and it is essential to train your dog to know the difference between good and bad chewing habits.
Stopping a Dog from Eating Stool
Although it may be unpleasant to discuss, many dogs eat their own feces or that of other animals, especially younger dogs. This habit, called coprophagy, can be a sign of a more significant problem in older dogs. There are ways to discourage this behavior and prevent your dog from eating stool.
How to Stop a Dog from Digging Excessively
While digging is a natural behavior for dogs, it can cause damage to your yard or even your neighbor’s property. Additionally, it can be messy when your dog tracks mud into your home. If you’re tired of your dog’s digging, this section provides tips on how to curb their urge to dig.
How to Stop a Dog from Fighting
Dogs are territorial and have a strong sense of hierarchy. If your dog perceives themselves as the dominant one in your household, they may exhibit aggressive behavior, including fighting. This can be dangerous for all involved, so it’s important to understand the causes of this behavior and how to prevent it.
How to Stop a Dog from Guarding Excessively
Dogs may naturally guard their food or favorite possessions, but this behavior can become compulsive and even dangerous. This section provides solutions to this problem, including changes in the owner’s behavior.
How to Stop a Dog from Jumping
Jumping on people may not always be a sign of affection and can be frightening or uncomfortable for some. This behavior can also be problematic when your dog jumps on inappropriate guests. This section provides techniques to curb this behavior and even train your dog to jump on command.
How to Stop a Dog from Marking Territory
Dogs naturally mark their territory, but excessive marking can be a problem, especially if the dog is under stress. This section provides advice on how to train your dog to mark their territory appropriately.
Preventing Leash Pulling in Dogs
Dogs have a natural instinct to pull on a leash, which stems from their history of pulling sleds and packs. However, some dogs take this behavior too far and pull so hard that it affects their breathing. While it may not be possible to completely eliminate this habit, you can train your dog to minimize this aggressive behavior. Depending on the breed of your dog, there are various solutions to this problem.
It’s important to understand that an aggressive dog is not necessarily a violent or angry dog. In the next section, you will learn how to deal with this issue.
Dealing with Aggressive Dogs
Aggression is one of the most common reasons why a healthy dog is put down. We often forget that dogs are predators and can cause serious, and sometimes fatal, injuries. A truly aggressive dog can be quite terrifying.
It’s essential to determine if your dog is genuinely displaying aggressive behavior. The word “aggression” has a specific meaning in the field of animal behavior, and it’s relative. What may seem aggressive to us may be perfectly normal to a dog. For instance, play is often seen as practice for real-life skills, so it’s not unusual for dogs to engage in stalking, chasing, hunting, and killing behaviors during playtime.
The best way to tell if your dog is acting aggressively is by observing their body language and vocalizations. If your dog has a relaxed-open jaw and wide-open eyes, they are displaying a play face. If their behavior is accompanied by furious or loud snarling and barking, it may be a sign of aggression. Happy yips and play-growls are generally acceptable. If the roles reverse during playtime, and the chasing dog suddenly changes direction and is now being pursued, it’s most likely play.
There are several reasons why a dog might display aggressive behavior, and these are the types of aggression:
Defensive: A dog may bite when they feel threatened. For example, if a dog does something wrong, and the owner scolds them, and the dog retreats under the bed, the owner may reach under the bed to pull the dog out to reprimand them. If the dog bites the owner, it’s because the dog felt threatened and protected itself.
Territorial: Dogs will defend their territory, which includes their food, home, possessions, and their owners, against anyone who tries to invade it. Without territorial aggression, there would be no watchdogs.
Territorial aggression can manifest in various ways, from jumping and marking territory to biting. Building a strong dominance relationship with your dog is essential to prevent such behavior. If you establish yourself as the dominant dog, your pet will feel secure and won’t defend your home against friendly visitors. However, he will still protect you and your home when necessary. Agonistic aggression is common in sick, injured, or aging dogs who feel vulnerable and may lash out in defense. Reproductive aggression occurs when unneutered male dogs are attracted to a female in heat, leading to fighting with other dogs and even aggression towards family members. Neutering or spaying your dog is the best solution for this type of aggression. If your dog exhibits any form of aggressive behavior, it’s crucial to seek professional help immediately. Biting is one of the most common and concerning types of aggressive behavior in dogs, which we will discuss further in the next section.
Dealing with Dogs That Bite
Annually, between half a million and one million dog bites are reported. Children under 12 years old are the most common victims of dog bites, constituting about 60 percent of all incidents. The top five breeds responsible for bites are Rottweilers, Chow Chows, German Shepherd Dogs, Dalmatians, and Cocker Spaniels. Unneutered male dogs are the most likely perpetrators of dog bites. This means that having an unneutered male Chow Chow in a household with a two-year-old, a five-year-old, and twin eight-year-olds will likely lead to at least one trip to the emergency room caused by a bite. However, this does not imply that you should not have a dog or that you should wait until your children are older to get one. It merely implies that you must comprehend why and when dogs bite and take steps to make your home bite-proof for your family and dog.
Preventing Dog Bites
When faced with a dog that is exhibiting aggressive behavior, your response can determine whether you are bitten or not. Do not assume that a growling dog will not harm you, even if you are familiar with it. Similarly, do not assume that an unfamiliar dog that is not exhibiting aggressive behavior is friendly. Since children are at high risk for dog bites, teach them these basic techniques and practice them yourself.
The most critical rule is to never approach a strange dog. If a dog approaches you, do not run. Stand still, with your fists under your chin and your elbows close to your body. Keep your legs together and look straight ahead, not at the dog (staring is a threat gesture). If the dog approaches you while you are on the ground, roll onto your stomach with your legs together, fists behind your neck, and forearms covering your ears. Stay still until the dog goes away.
At least half of all reported dog bite cases were provoked by the victim, albeit unintentionally. Dogs usually give clear signals that they are ready to bite, which are evident to other dogs and people who understand how to recognize them. The most common dog bite situation involves a person or child who misses the dog’s warning signal and gets too close. The other common cause of bites is miscommunication. A well-known example is the interaction between a stray dog and a child. The child is frightened by the sudden appearance of a large, unfamiliar dog and instinctively screams and runs away. This triggers the dog’s chase reflex or is misinterpreted as playful behavior. The dog has no other way of catching the child except by biting them.
The classic signs that a dog is about to bite include staring, baring teeth, growling, a stiff-legged stance, raised hackles, and a wagging tail with a stiff, rapid movement. If the dog is lowering its head and ears while snapping its teeth, it’s time to back off. Calling a behaviorist may be necessary if your own dog is showing threatening behavior, as it may be caused by fear, defense, pain, or territorial issues. A behaviorist can help identify the root cause and develop a strategy to change the behavior. Car chasing is a dangerous problem for some dogs, and it may be caused by a desire to hunt, territorial instincts, or herding instincts. It’s important to teach your dog when chasing is appropriate, such as fetching a ball, and when it’s not, such as chasing cars. Understanding why your dog is chasing cars can help find a solution, such as introducing the dog to the car in a friendly manner.
Leashing or distracting a dog with an unpleasant noise is an effective way to prevent predatory chasing. Once the dog turns their attention away from the chase, reinforce the behavior with praise and occasional treats. However, the best way to prevent a dog from chasing cars is to keep them safely fenced or leashed. To redirect a dog’s herding instincts, provide plenty of exercise such as long walks or runs, play running and jumping games with a Frisbee, or enroll them in organized sports like flyball and agility training. For herding dogs like Collies or Shelties, consider training them for herding trials. If a dog chews on items they shouldn’t, it’s important to put away items with your scent on them. Never give a dog old shoes or clothing as chew toys, as they may not be able to differentiate between the old item and a new one. This behavior usually doesn’t require veterinary attention, but the next section will cover how to stop dogs from chewing.
To prevent destructive chewing in dogs, it’s important to make their chew toys as attractive as possible, which can be achieved by rubbing something tasty on the outside of rubber balls or stuffing hollow toys with treats. It’s also crucial to give them appropriate toys to chew and praise them when they chew them. If they start chewing something they shouldn’t, quickly replace it with a chew toy and praise them for chewing the correct item. Large knucklebones or thigh bones can be given as bones to chew on, but small bones or those that could splinter easily should be avoided. Dogs who spend a lot of time alone often resort to destructive chewing out of boredom or anxiety, so providing a variety of toys and spending quality time with them when you’re home can help prevent this behavior. If your dog is a destructive chewer, it’s important to have them checked by a vet to rule out any underlying physical problems. To prevent chewing, keep items you don’t want chewed out of reach or use deterrents such as cayenne pepper in petroleum jelly or double-sided tape on furniture. Dogs who only chew when left alone can be put in kennels or crates, but these should never be used as punishment and should be thought of as a safe and happy place for the dog.
When correcting a dog for inappropriate chewing, it’s important to only do so when you catch them in the act. Scolding a dog after the fact is ineffective, as they are only reacting to your anger and don’t understand why they are being reprimanded. Instead, when you catch them chewing on something they shouldn’t be, interrupt the behavior with a shaker can or other distraction, take away the incorrect item, replace it with a chew toy, and praise them enthusiastically.
Dogs have a tendency to eat things they shouldn’t, including their own feces or that of other animals, a behavior known as coprophagy. While this may seem disgusting, it is sometimes a natural and normal act, such as when newborn puppies are licked by their mother to stimulate elimination. In other cases, such as when dogs eat cat feces, it may be due to a higher percentage of fat in the diet. If an adult dog is eating their own stool, it may be a sign of boredom or loneliness, or a result of housebreaking miscues. While coprophagy isn’t harmful to dogs, it is unpleasant for owners. To prevent this behavior, give the dog more attention and exercise, rotate their toys, and feed them multiple times a day. In public areas, muzzle a coprophagic dog or pick up after them immediately. If the behavior persists, a visit to the vet is recommended to rule out any underlying physical or nutritional deficiencies.
A dog that constantly digs can be just as frustrating and damaging as one that chews obsessively. The following section will explain how to prevent your dog from excessive digging.
Preventing Excessive Digging in Dogs
Digging is a natural behavior for dogs and they do it for various reasons. Terriers, for example, have been bred for generations to dig out burrows and hunt vermin like rats and badgers. Other dogs may dig to create a place to sleep, hide their food, or simply out of boredom.
To stop your dog from excessive digging, you need to determine the motive behind their behavior. Are they bored and trying to pass the time by landscaping your yard? Are they seeking a cool spot to rest? Are they trying to escape to mate with a female? Once you understand the reason, you can take steps to change their behavior.
If your dog has been bred to dig, it may be difficult to stop the behavior entirely. Instead, provide them with a designated area to dig, like a sandpit or a plot of dirt, and encourage them to use it. If they are digging to find a cooler spot to rest, provide more shade or move them to a cooler location. If they are trying to escape, consider neutering or spaying them to reduce the urge. Providing shelter and access to a garage, shed, or doghouse can also help.
When catching your dog in the act of digging where they shouldn’t, use distraction techniques and praise them when they stop. Never correct them after the fact as it can confuse and make them anxious.
There is usually no need to seek veterinary attention for digging behavior. In the next section, we will discuss excessive fighting in dogs and how to prevent it.
Preventing a Dog’s Aggressive Behavior
Dogs tend to fight with other dogs to establish dominance, protect their territory, defend their food, or out of fear. However, proper socialization during early stages of life with the mother and littermates, and exposure to other dogs and humans, can help prevent fighting behavior. When dealing with an adult dog that is prone to fighting, you can take steps to control the situation.
Your reaction to other dogs can affect how your dog reacts to them. If you anticipate danger and feel uneasy, your dog will pick up on your apprehension and view the approaching dog as a threat. To avoid this, keep a loose lead, stay calm, and maintain a happy conversation. Your dog should perceive the approach of other dogs as a normal occurrence.
Training your dog in obedience is essential, especially if it is prone to fighting. When another dog approaches, ask your dog to go through an obedience routine or perform some other activity to divert its attention from the other dog. Correct your dog if it growls or barks at other dogs, not because of their approach, but for failing to respond to commands.
Reproduction is a significant factor behind territorial and aggressive fighting. Neutering a male dog and spaying a female dog can help control and correct fighting behavior. Additionally, neutering and spaying have long-term health and behavioral benefits for all dogs.
When to Consult a Behaviorist
Each dog has a unique personality, and dominance varies among them. If two dogs in your household are fighting, they might be trying to determine who is in charge. Consulting a behaviorist can help you understand the situation and provide advice on how to solve the problem. Remember, being dominant or submissive is natural for dogs, and they do not have to treat each other equally. To correct dog behavior, try to think like your dog occasionally.
If your dog growls while guarding its food or bones, it can be irritating. In the next section, we will learn how to stop your dog from excessive guarding.
Preventing Dogs from Excessively Guarding Their Food
Dogs naturally feel the need to protect their food. However, it is crucial for owners to have complete control over what their dogs consume. This is not only for safety reasons, but also to establish dominance over the dog. By teaching the dog to take commands and drop items on cue, owners can establish themselves as the dominant figure. Food guarding is also a common trigger for dog bites, so it is important to establish authority early on.
If the dog is still a puppy, it is essential to teach them that everything they receive comes through the owner, such as food, toys, and petting. Owners can teach their puppy to sit or lay down before feeding them and to wait for the release command to start eating. Owners should also make it a habit to pat or touch the puppy while they eat and add food to their bowl. This will teach the puppy that the owner’s presence around their food is a positive experience.
The location of where the dog is fed can also affect their possessiveness over their food. Owners should practice giving their dog small portions of food at a time and take the dish away and refill it with another small amount until the food is finished. Once the dog responds well to this, owners can try adding food to their dish while they are eating and even add something special to the dish.
However, it is essential to remember that these techniques are to establish control over what the dog eats. Owners should not pester their dog while they are eating and should teach all household members, especially children, to leave the dog alone during mealtimes. By practicing these techniques, owners can maintain their dominance relationship with their dog and prevent excessive food guarding.
Protecting Other Belongings
Lisa is a single working mother who has two young kids, aged 4 and 7. She adopted Hugo, their dog, from the shelter to keep her children company and to protect their home. Hugo is a kind dog who is great with kids, but he growls and shows his teeth when they approach him while he has a toy. Lisa told the behaviorist, “I don’t understand. My kids can enter the room where he’s playing with his toys, and he growls. He even brings a ball for them to throw, chases it, and then snaps at them when he returns!”
A possessive dog is trying to communicate something to you, and you need to understand what it is. In Lisa’s case, the issue was a misunderstanding about playing. Hugo loved to play fetch, but after a few runs, he wanted to lay down and chew. The kids thought that his lying down was part of the game and would take the ball away and throw it again. Hugo learned that the only way to stop the game was to act aggressively.
In other cases, it’s a matter of dominance. The same methods used for food guarding can be effective, but owners need to be assertive in other ways. Keeping the dog on a leash, even inside the house, sends a clear message that you’re in charge, and everything is under control. Train your dog, and when he starts to guard a toy, give him a command, shifting the focus from the toy to the desired behavior. Praise him when he responds to the command, even if you had to correct him or use the leash to make him obey. As part of his training, every dog should have a command to prevent him from picking something up or dropping something already in his mouth.
If a particular toy causes your dog to become possessive, get rid of it. Bones are especially likely to turn even the nicest dogs into jealous, possessive brutes. If your dog can’t handle them or certain other toys, don’t give them to him. Remember to praise your dog when he does something right. Whenever your dog turns away from a toy to obey a command or lets you take something away, don’t hesitate to tell him what a great dog he is. The amount of praise should always exceed the number of corrections.
When to Consult a Behaviorist
If your dog’s guarding behavior persists, consult an animal behaviorist, who can recommend the appropriate treatment. Once you have a solution, make sure all family members learn how to deal with the problem.
Even if you enjoy it when your dog jumps up to greet you after a long day, not all guests appreciate it. In the next section, we’ll learn how to keep your dog on the floor.
Preventing a Dog from Jumping
Jumping up is a common problem among dogs, regardless of their size. While it may seem cute when they’re young, it can become dangerous as they grow older. Jumping up can also be a sign of dominance, which is why it’s important to teach your dog that this behavior is not acceptable. To do this, you need to remain calm and avoid any kind of physical or verbal reinforcement of their jumping. Instead, greet your dog calmly away from the front door and reward them for sitting when you come home.
When to Seek Veterinary Attention
Jumping up is usually not a cause for concern and does not require veterinary attention.
Another common problem among dogs is marking their territory, which is covered in the next section.
Teaching Your Dog to Jump Up on Command
If you want to train your dog to jump up on command, it’s important to first teach them when not to jump up. Make sure your dog’s nails are trimmed and filed, and wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty or torn. Use the command “Up!” when you want them to jump up, and “Off!” when you want them to get down. Avoid using the word “down” as it may confuse them with the down command.
When your dog greets you, make sure to use the chest pat and say “up” to signal that it’s acceptable. Otherwise, tell your dog “off” and ignore him if he jumps on you or someone else without permission. Your dog needs to understand that this behavior is only allowed when given the okay. It’s important that everyone who interacts with your dog follows this routine to avoid confusion. Dogs appreciate consistency and clear rules.
Dogs have a keen sense of smell and use scent-marking to communicate with other dogs. This behavior is natural and instinctive, but it’s important to train your dog to only do it in specific places and at certain times. Establishing your dominance and regularly practicing obedience commands can help with this. Additionally, make your dog work for rewards like food and play by having him follow commands first. Walking through doors before your dog and disallowing him from jumping on furniture or beds will also reinforce the hierarchy. Neutering can prevent hormone-driven territorial behavior.
If your dog sprays due to separation anxiety, gradually leaving him alone for longer periods of time and confining him to a crate can help him feel more secure. To deter spraying on furniture, attach aluminum foil to the area and let the sound and splash back discourage your dog from doing it again.
It’s important to differentiate between scent-marking and housebreaking issues. A puddle of urine inside the house may simply mean the dog needed to go outside, rather than a display of dominance. If you’re dealing with a behavior problem, it’s best to consult with a vet before attempting any corrections. If there’s a physical cause, training or punishment won’t solve the issue. Dogs love to pull on their leashes, but excessive pulling can be a problem. To address this, start training your dog from the beginning to walk alongside you without pulling. A jewel-link training collar can help, as can a head collar like the Gentle Leader. For sled dogs, harnessing their natural instinct to pull can be a great way to engage them in exercise and fun activities. If you’re concerned about your dog’s behavior, it’s always best to consult with a vet.
Training Your Dog to Break Bad Habits: 11 Common Behaviors
In this article, we have discussed 11 different dog behaviors that can become problematic if not addressed properly. By understanding these behaviors, you can feel more confident in training your furry friend to overcome bad habits and become a well-behaved companion. Best of luck in your training endeavors!
В© Publications International, Ltd.
FAQ
1. What are some common dog behavior problems?
Some common dog behavior problems include barking excessively, chewing on household items, jumping on people, digging holes in the yard, and aggression towards people or other animals. These behaviors can be frustrating for owners and may even be dangerous for the dog or those around them.
2. How can I prevent dog behavior problems?
The best way to prevent dog behavior problems is to provide your dog with plenty of exercise, mental stimulation, and socialization. This can include regular walks, playtime, training sessions, and interaction with other dogs and people. Consistency in training and positive reinforcement are also important in preventing behavior problems.
3. What should I do if my dog has a behavior problem?
If your dog has a behavior problem, it’s important to first rule out any underlying medical conditions that may be causing the behavior. Once medical issues have been ruled out, it’s important to seek the help of a professional dog trainer or behaviorist. They can help identify the root cause of the problem and develop a training plan to address it.
4. Can behavior problems be fixed?
Yes, many dog behavior problems can be fixed with the right training and guidance. However, it’s important to note that behavior modification can take time and patience, and may not be a quick fix. Consistent training and positive reinforcement are key to successfully addressing behavior problems.
5. What if my dog’s behavior problem is severe?
If your dog’s behavior problem is severe, it’s important to seek the help of a professional dog trainer or behaviorist. They can provide more specialized and intensive training to address the problem. In some cases, medication may also be recommended to help manage the behavior.
Leave a Reply