Common Dogs Behavior Problems

Some sorts of dog behaviour problems have been encountered by most people who have owned a dog for any length of time. It's very easy to react inappropriately to common problem behaviors such as chewing, biting, barking and other undesirable things your dog may do. You might have no experience with dogs and are looking into getting your first one, or maybe you already have a dog that has began exhibiting these kind of problems. In order to prevent behaviour problems from occurring, or to correct them if they're already present, it is important to understand why your dog does those things. If you have good command of obedience training it can really help you to avoid the most common dog behavior problems or avoid them altogether.

Undesirable Barking

Just about all dogs will make noise of some sort, barking, whining and howling are frequently used to communicate in canine society. If a dog barks excessively it can be considered a behavior issue. First you've got to figure out the underlying cause of your dog's need to bark incessantly.

Then you can take steps to correct the barking. It's important to be even handed and unchanging in your efforts. One way to address this problem is to teach your dog to speak. Ultimately you need to stick with the training and provide your dog with positive reinforcement.

Destroying Furniture, Shoes and Other Possessions

Chewing is also an instinct for dogs, a normal part of their behaviour. But it can quickly become a serious problem if your dog chews on valuable belongings in the home.

First things first, you need to give your dog a chance to chew on the correct types of items. Make sure he has lots of safe chew toys. By removing things you don't want to get chewed from your dog's environment you can reduce the chances of a relapse. Confine your dog to a safe area where he can't do any damage when you have to be away from the home. Sharp noises are a good way to deter problem behaviors like chewing, but you must catch your dog in the act. After you have got his attention remove the "bad" item and replace it with something that he is allowed to chew. If your make sure your dog is getting a lot of exercise, you war well on your way to fixing this and a lot of other major behavior issues.

Digging Up The yard

Digging is also a normal instinct for many dogs, but one which can cause a problem for homeowners. All dogs will tend to want to dig, but there are dogs like Terriers that were actually bred for this instinct to be even stronger.

But it will still be annoying when you find your your lawn or flower bed has been dug up by your dog. If you're able to figure out why the dog is digging you can then go straight to the root of the problem. Also put in extra time with your dog, giving him additional training and exercising him more. Another option is to give your dog a special sandbox or other area and train it to only dig there.

4. Separation Anxiety Behaviours

This is easily one of the most frequently talked about canine behavior problems. Separation anxiety may manifest itself as inappropriate elimination, chewing, howling, backing and other destructive behaviors that are preformed when the dog is apart from it's owner.

This type of problem will need you to dedicate real time and effort to advanced training techniques. Extreme cases of anxiety may require medication, but only after every other remedy has failed.

Inappropriate elimination is a behavior issue that can become troublesome very quickly.

One of the easiest ways for a dog to infuriate its owner is to urinate or defecate inside. Such problems can make your dog an unwelcome guest in other people's homes, in public and can cause damage to your own home. If a dog that was previously housebroken begins to exhibit these problems it's important to check with your vet to make sure the dog's health is okay.

Puppies under twelve weeks old will of course not be able to control their elimination. But if it continues as your dog gets older, this problem will also require dedicated training to modify your dog's behaviour and break this inappropriate habit.

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