10 Common Dog Behaviour Problems

10 Common Dog Behaviour Problems

Dogs are wonderful pets and, as far as animals go, they tend to be very well-behaved. However, even the best-trained canine will occasionally exhibit a few undesirable behaviours. In this post, we’ll explore the 10 most common dog behaviour problems and offer tips on how you can address them at home.

Destruction

Many dogs chew on household items to entertain themselves when they’re feeling bored or simply have nothing else to do. If your dog doesn’t respond well when you tell him not to chew something, then try giving him some of his favourite food stuffed inside of an inexpensive toy like an old sock for him to play with instead. Other tips to help your dog out when he’s chewing something are to put little pieces of food and treats in his toy so that he has something else to play with besides the toy, or give him a tasty chew treat whenever he plays with his favourite chew toy.

Barking

Many people are often frustrated by their dog’s barking. But barking is a necessary behaviour for dogs that alerts the pack to any potential danger and reinforces the hierarchy in the pack. If your dog barks excessively and you’re looking for advice for how to stop it, then we highly recommend reading our article on understanding why your dog is barking.

Jumping

Dogs are naturally very social animals who like to be around other dogs, people, and things. However, sometimes your dog might jump up on you or another person out of excitement from seeing you after being alone at home all day with no human interaction or merely because he/she is happy. It’s important to praise your dog and reward him/her when he/she sits, stays, or politely jumps on you without any prompting from you.

Biting & Nipping

Both of these unwanted behaviours are very common in dogs but are easily trainable. If your dog nips you, then it’s a good idea to gently tap him on the muzzle until he stops and teaches him that this is not a safe behaviour. However, dogs will often try to bite out of fear, frustration, or boredom. If your dog tries to bite you or someone else, then we recommend reading our article on training your dog to not bite.

Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety in dogs can be an extremely frustrating problem for owners to deal with. It’s usually triggered by the owner leaving the home, going to work, or taking a short trip. If your dog is feeling anxious when you leave your home, then we recommend training him to associate your absence with good things by giving him an anxiolytic medication and using techniques like clicker training when he does something right.

Inappropriate Elimination

This problem can be caused by anxiety, but it can also be triggered by certain behavioural problems such as aggression and territorial issues. In order to help your dog with this problem, we recommend practicing a crate training technique if you have not done so already and, if necessary, ask your veterinarian about an appropriate medication to treat his/her anxiety.

Aggression

Some dogs are naturally more aggressive than others, but this behaviour can also be a result of fear and insecurity in the dog. Dogs that are aggressive must be socialized as puppies before they display the undesirable behaviour. If your dog displays any kind of aggression towards dogs or people, then we recommend consulting with a qualified trainer to address the issue as soon as possible.

Over-Eating

This problem can be caused by a number of different factors. For instance, if your dog gets too much food at once, he could become overweight. Also, if your dog is not getting enough exercise and calories, then he can develop chronic digestive conditions like bloat. Sometimes dogs are tempted to eat foods that are poisonous to them because they taste really good or because they’re trying to share treats with someone else.

Digging

jack-russel-garden-digging

Dogs that dig are usually bored and trying to entertain themselves when they have nothing else to do. If this is the case and you’re not able to give your dog additional exercise or play with him more often, then you might want to use a “digging box” as described in our post on how to stop a dog from digging.

Begging

Some people might think that begging is a cute behaviour, but it can actually be a bad habit if it’s not contained. Dogs often beg simply because they like the attention, but they might also experience some form of psychological insecurity. If your dog begs for things such as human food or treats, then you should address this problem as soon as possible.

Summary

Some dogs will have behavioural problems as a result of the way they have been treated or how they are handled as a puppy, a problem with another dog in the family that is part of the household. Other factors such as boredom, loneliness, hunger, and stress could be a root cause of the problem. Most of these behavioural issues can be resolved through proper training and management.

Fayie also recommends, if the issues seems dire, it is always best to take your dog to the vet or a qualified animal behaviourist for a comprehensive diagnosis. Dogs are notorious for giving us hints and clues about the way they are feeling, but we just need to take some time and pay attention to them.

Fayie Enterprise

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