Typical Dog Behavior Problems

While many dogs are easily trained, some dog owners are eventually faced with dog behavior problems. There are some general behavior problems that dogs display that can be managed with a few, simple measures.

Here, we will examine some of the most commonly identified behavioral problems that dogs will present, and we will further examine positive solutions with regard to such issues.

“Stop That Whining!

The very first problem that a dog owner will face is the moment that a puppy begins to whine. Often times, the dog owner will make the terrible mistake of running to the puppy’s aid, unable to bear listening to the animal cry.

The next thing you know, the dog is whining all the time for attention or to get something it wants. In fact, the dog will whine for longer and longer periods of time until the dog owner finally breaks down and eventually gives into the dog.

Now the dog owner has created his or her own cute, little, manipulative monster and all the owner can think to do is to scream at the dog with: “Stop that whining!” Unfortunately, since it has worked so splendidly in the past, the dog will continue to whine until it is completely retrained not to do so.

The dog owner will need to start ignoring the whining of the dog at all times, unless the dog is in pain, hungry, or the dog needs to relieve itself, if the dog owner is to get the whining under control.

“Hey… Don’t Bite Me!”

Sometimes when dogs are overly enthusiastic during play sessions, the dog may bite at the owner. This type of behavior must be eradicated immediately so that the dog understands that it is not allowed to, for any reason, bite someone. First, be sure that your dog is only playing with you and that something else is not wrong with the dog.

If the dog is in any kind of pain, is ill, or if the dog has something wrong with it, it can act out of character and become nippy or attempt to bite you. If the dog is healthy, the dog should be firmly told no with a voice that conveys authority. If the dog acts aggressively, isolating the dog and not providing it with any rewarding affection will help in teaching the dog that its behavior is bad.

“Hey…Don’t Chew on That!”

Many dogs love to chew on toys. If the dog doesn’t have something to chew on they are more than happy to use household items so that they can chew until their hearts are content.

The main reason why dogs chew, at least when they are little, is so that they can cut their teeth. As dogs grow older, some dogs like to chew because they find that it relieves stress and anxiety. If you should step out of the house for a few hours and leave a dog alone and anxious, you can count on your designer shoes and/or work boots being torn to bits if you don’t give the dog some positive alternatives.

“Stop Your Jumping Around and Get Down!”

If a dog owner ever encourages a dog when it gets excited about the dog owner’s return, that encouragement will lead right into a problem with having and overly excitable dog.

Every time the dog encounters a new person or it sees a person it hasn’t seen in a long time, the dog might jump around, run under the person’s feet, and jump up onto the person for attention. By not encouraging such behavior, the dog owner can teach the dog to gain affection in a calm, appropriate way.

If the dog has already developed an issue with over-excitability, the dog can be retrained. The dog owner will need to acknowledge the dog after the dog illustrates that it can calm down.

Once the dog becomes calm, the dog owner can then reward the dog with attention and some treats. Giving the dog attention and treats for doing well helps to reinforce the desired calm behavior. After retraining the dog to behave calmly, the dog will often receive a better reception from neighbors, friends, and family too.