Common Dog Behavioral Problems
Each dog owner has probably faced some common dog behavioral problems when raising his dog. Experienced dog owners usually know how to deal with these problems, but first-time dog owners could have difficulty recognizing and handling dog problems such as barking, biting and chewing.
In order to start solving and preventing dog behavioral problems it is important to understand them first. Many of common behavioral problems come up because your dog lacks exercise and training and because of lack of time that you spend with your dog. You should activate dog’s mind and body in order to help him feel more relaxed and happy. Very common problems are barking, chewing, digging and begging Dogs usually bark because they want to warn us or they are alert, are excited or want to play or are seeking attention. Some dogs are anxious or bored and some dogs respond to other dogs by barking at them. Every barking is not already a behavioral problem, as barking is part of dogs’ natural behavior. But if your dog excessively barks this could be a problem. However, before you start correcting that behavior, find out why your dog is barking in the first place. When you identify the cause that makes him bark it will be much easier to solve the problem. Another common dog behavioral problem is chewing. Similar as with barking, all dogs chewas chewing is part of their nature. Puppies chew because their teeth are growing, dogs could chew because they are bored or have too much energy or because they are anxious, some dogs chew from curiosity (especially puppies). However, if your dog causes damage by chewing inappropriate objects, than this can be a problem. Provide your dog with many chew toys in order to encourage him to chew dog toys instead of other objects. If you catch your dog chewing inappropriate things, correct him and replace that item with a chew toy. Enable your dog enough exercise in order to prevent him to chew too much things you do not wish him to chew. Many dogs love to dig, as this is also part of their instinct. Dogs can dig because of being bored or having excess of energy; some dogs dig because of anxiety or fear or because they are seeking comfort, some dogs have strong hunting instinct, some others want to hide their belongings (like bones or toys)and some dogs dig because they want to escape or get access to something. If you think your dog has a digging problem find out first the cause of the problem and then remove the source. Again, spend more time with your dog, maybe the dog needs more exercise and training. Begging is actually not a real behavioral problem but a bad habit usually encouraged by the owners themselves. If your dog begs, do not give him treats or any food from the table, as in this way you only encourage begging. Giving your dog treats when he begs, you actually award him for such behavior. Be consistent in ignoring that behavior and soon your dog will give up on begging, when he will see that it is no use in doing this. If he really does not give up and aggressively begs, remove him to another room (isolation). This bad habit has a bad influence on dog’s health as it can cause digestive problems and obesity. Besides, in a pack, a subordinate never begs from alpha dog without reproof. Your role as a pack leader is jeopardized when you allow your dog to beg. Chasing and jumping up Dogs love to chase moving things and this behavior is a display of their predatory instinct. Many dogs chase other animals, people and cars, but such behavior can have a devastating result. In order to prevent such events you have to control your dog in all situations and keep him on a leash when on a walk where many potential triggers for such behavior are present (like joggers, bikers or animals). You have to train your dog to come when you call him. Some dogs jump when they greet people. Some dogs may jump up to exert dominance. There are different methods how to prevent dog from jumping, such as lifting a knee, grabbing the paws, pushing the dog away…but they don’t work with all dogs, in the contrary, some dogs are even more encouraged to jump when you use these methods. The best method is to ignore the dog when doing this, without eye contact, words or touch. When he relaxes and remains still, calmly reward him. More frustrating problems are separation anxiety and inappropriate urination and defecation Separation anxiety can occur when a dog is separated from his owner. If your dog becomes anxious when you prepare to leave or misbehavior occurs in the first 15-45 minutes after you leave or the dog wants to follow you around constantly or he tries to touch you whenever possible than it is possible that your dog has separation anxiety problem. True separation anxiety requires dedicated training and behavior modification. Ask also a professional dog trainer for advice how to handle this problem. Inappropriate urination and defecation are more frustrating dog behaviors. First talk about this problem with your veterinarian in order to eliminate possible health problems. If from a medical point of view everything is ok, try to find another reason for this behavior. Some common reasons for this dog behavior can be submissive/excitement urination (especially with puppies before 12 weeks of age), territorial marking, anxiety, dog seeking attention or lack of proper housebreaking. Again, it is important to find out the cause first, in order to successfully treat this problem. Biting and aggression Dogs bite because of fear or defensiveness, protection of property, pain or sickness, dominance assertion and their predatory instinct. Despite the fact that puppies love to bite, a dog owner should teach a puppy that biting is not acceptable. Owners and breeders are the ones who can help decrease the tendency for any type of dog to bite through proper training, socialization and breeding practices. Dog aggression is displayed by growling, snarling, showing teeth, lunging and biting. Any dog has the potential to become aggressive, regardless of breed or history. Dogs with violent or abusive past and offspring of aggressive dogs are much more likely to develop aggressive behavior towards people or other dogs. Reasons for aggression are the same as the reasons a dog will bite or snap, but canine aggression is a much more serious problem. Different types of aggression demand different approaches:
If your dog has aggressive tendencies, consult your vet first - a health problem could be the cause. If this is not the cause then find an experienced dog trainer who knows how to deal with canine aggression problems. Related Articles: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2085&aid=2415 http://www.lhasahappyhomes.org/Dominance%20vs.%20Aggression_21.htm http://www.2ndchance.info/aggressivedog.htm http://www.canismajor.com/dog/behvterm.html http://dogs.about.com/od/dogtraining/tp/behaviorproblems.htm |
