Common Behavior Problems In Dogs

When a dog misbehaves, it is usually not the fault of the dog. Instead, it is the owner to be “blamed.” By and large, dogs do not misbehave. They may act in a way that is objectionable to you, or not respond to the commands.

For example, when your dog is chewing your shoes or peeing on your carpet, he is not misbehaving, he is just DOING what is normal to him. Training your dog will help him to obey the commands and understand what behavior is objectionable to you.

Here Are Some Common Behavior Problems

Giving Commands: Your body language is important during training. Be confident. Don’t give a command, then change your mind halfway. In doing so you will confuse your dog and divert his attention. Watch the gestures you use as signals, lest these appear indecisive or subordinate to the dog.

Toilet-training: Materials like carpet, grass, and paper are perceived by dogs as toilet areas. Do not paper-train a dog on carpet or grass as these override the newspaper scent. Conduct paper-training on concrete flooring, so the dog is clear about which material it is acceptable to relieve itself on.

Barking: Dogs bark because of intruders, fear, or boredom. If your dog barks excessively, seek professional help as you may not know how to uncover the cause of the barking or correct it.

Aggression: Often, aggression in dogs is caused by owners not knowing how to handle the dog appropriately, or not understanding what provokes dogs. If your dog is aggressive, never hit it. It may turn even more aggressive. Seek a professional dog trainer’s help.

Games like tug-of-war do NOT cause a dog to turn aggressive, if done correctly. Many dogs naturally growl during tug-of-war; this is NOT a sign of aggressive.

Nipping: Three- to eight-month-old puppies that nip your hands and legs are NOT being aggressive. They are seeking attention (i.e. wanting to play). They do not understand that nipping with their sharp teeth hurts you. Your dog has to be taught that nipping is unacceptable, just as his mother and siblings would had done when he nipped too hard onto them during play.