How To Solve and Prevent
Your Dog’s Problem Behaviors
When we talk about dog behavior training, people usually think of two things: Behavior modification for dogs who’ve developed behavioral problems, and basic obedience training that every puppy needs.
It’s very rare for a dog owner to go their whole life without running into a behavior problem. Even letting aside the challenges of training a puppy, most adult dogs will eventually pick up some “quirk” behavior. Training a puppy who doesn’t yet know the basics, and training an adult dog who’s lost his way, tend to work about the same, so no matter which situation you’re in, this information should help.
First Things First:
What to Know During Dog Behavior Training
Like the training itself, the causes of your dog’s behavior problems don’t change much from puppyhood to adulthood.
- Separation anxiety causes most behavior problems, because separation is unnatural for dogs.
- Dogs expect strong, but kind, leadership. This means setting clear expectations.
- The earlier you start your dog’s behavior training, the easier it will be for everyone later on.
- Dogs are smart, but they need repetition and consistency in order to learn.
- Dogs don’t do committees and democracy. Someone’s word has to be law – and that’s you.
- Dogs don’t misbehave because of spite or rebelliousness, except for “teen” dogs and a few breeds that remain “cheeky” their whole lives.
- Dog behavior problems usually come from some stress they don’t know how to deal with.
- Don’t respond to dog behavior problems either with rewards (giving in to their demands) or punishment. Both of these will slow the progress of your behavior training efforts.
Just HOW Important is Dog Behavior Training?
A dog whose behavior problems aren’t addressed, or a puppy who isn’t given proper behavior training, is at serious risk. I hate saying something so negative, but a lack of proper behavior training is the root cause behind almost all of the dogs who are given over to shelters. So, dog behavior training is every bit as important as your dog’s life.
Frequently Asked Question:
“I’ve never trained a dog before, how hard is it to do it right?”
Dog behavior training, with most of the popular breeds of pet dogs, is actually fairly easy. Remember to be patient, and remember that once you establish yourself as a kind alpha leader, your dog will crave the training as part of a basic instinct to be one with the pack.
Dog Behavior Training Topics
- Submissive Urination
- Dog Food Aggression
- Dogs Eating Dog Poop
- Dog-to-Dog Aggression
- Stop Dogs from Digging
- Counter Surfing
- Stop Fence Jumping
- Jumping Up
- Excessive Barking
- Dog Chewing
- Biting/Mouthing
- Stop Puppy Whining
- Stop Running Away!
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