WANTED : Dogs Behaving Badly!

Is your dog behaving badly? Canine behavior doesn't always make sense from a human point of view. What we consider "behavior issues" are the dog's way of doing what they think is right. These issues are usually symptoms of a bigger problem: lack of leadership and communication between owner and dog.

We understand--you've got a busy life, and you’re looking to end the bad behavior as quickly as possible. However, a dominant dog will usually replace one problem with another. It’s their way of trying to "lead," because they're not being led to good behavior by their owner! You may even be reinforcing bad behaviors without realizing it.

The good news is, because behavior issues are all connected to your relationship with your dog, most can all be solved with solid obedience training. If the dog respects the leader – they will listen. Here, we've listed some common dog behaviors problems, with insights on why they occur and how obedience training can solve them:

Housebreaking: This is often the first major goal of a dog owner, and it can be achieved with a combination of things: scheduling food and water (control the input so you control the output), proper use of the crate, lots of supervision. How and when you take them out. Young puppies are like toddlers. You can’t expect them to act like adult dogs, you have to set them up for success. Good training can help you establish the leadership, so they wait for you, and when you take them out, they go.

Housebreaking difficulty can also result from insecurity or dominance in dogs. Some dogs don’t want to go outside because they are insecure; they feel it’s much more safe and comfortable to go inside. Or, they are using indoor urination to claim territory (this is called scent marking), so you need to make it clear that your house is your territory.

Playbiting: Dogs do this to initiate play. It’s a natural instinct to try to control, dominate and intimidate. It’s a social skill that dogs use with each other, but it shouldn’t be allowed with people. Some dogs learn to bite, starting with play. You can override this instinct with clearly communication. Playbiting can often be decreased or eliminated entirely during the first lesson.

Chewing: Different from playbiting, chewing often occurs because of teething pain, boredom, stress, etc. Dogs need to chew throughout their lives, so it’s up to you to provide the proper outlet for it. Good obedience training can also help to reduce chewing by communicating with dogs, to restrict chewing to certain objects (i.e. toys, not shoes).

Jumping: If a dog is jumping on you, in some cases they’re demanding something. It’s their only way of saying, "Pet me! Feed me! Play with me! Help, pick me up, I’m scared!" etc. Jumping often goes away with training naturally, because you will learn to lead, to provide the dog with new options, redirecting the dog’s energy and building confidence.

Pulling: For safety as well as comfort and control, dogs must be to be taught to walk on a leash and owners need to learn handling. Proper Leash handling is leadership. It lets the dog to know they can trust you to handle situations out in the world. Teaching dog to "heel" or "free walk" is effective in countless practical situations! You can use it to get control quickly, avoid traffic, pass other dogs and people, build confidence in shy dogs, allow the dog to socialize without jumping or pulling, etc.

Stealing food: Some dogs eat everything in their path. If you allow dogs the freedom to make this mistake, it's more difficult to make them stop. Utilize good training to make sure they understand, right from the start, where the boundaries and limits are.

Barking: Let's get something straight: dogs bark. But incessant or inappropriate barking can be handled before it turns into a problem. Dogs will bark for many reasons. Some bark because they have nothing better to do, and it's up to you to redirect this energy with activity. If they’re barking at you, it's sometimes backtalk: the dog is demanding something from you. Some dogs bark to establish territory: they think it's their job to alert the pack of a potential intruder. With training, it's possible to teach dogs to alert bark, and control their instinct.

Aggression: Has your dog bitten someone, or does he fight with other dogs? Does this mean you have to euthanize? Do you try to find another home? Is this dog crazy? Can it be stopped? Does he have a health issue causing aggressive behavior? Is this dog just not right for our family? These are very serious questions that need to be addressed and the answers are different for each situation.

We evaluate – get to the bottom of the why, consider all the variables, then weigh the options. Owning any dog is a big responsibility. We must emphasize here that aggression can’t be stopped all the time. However, we have had great success with this problem. We can teach the dog to control himself and teach you to safely and responsibly handle the dog that you have.

Sometimes it depends on who’s holding the leash! You can be an extension of a dogs territory. Fear, connected to lack of socialization and leadership, is the most common reason for aggressive dog biting. If you build confidence with obedience, you may be amazed at the difference in your dog.

Won't Come: Young puppies will naturally stick with the safety of the pack. As they mature, gaining confidence and become more familiar with their surroundings – they go further and faster. Dogs must be trained to come. Yes, in a lot of cases, they know what the word means, but they choose to ignore it. Or even better, its much more fun to be chased!

The most important thing to remember in all dog behavior issues? It starts with you, the owner. A dog will only be as good as its owner's leadership of it. Your dog's confidence and good behavior is bred from your confidence and handling. Dogs are capable of so much…why not give your loving, loyal pet the chance to be its best? Obedience training can help build a truly rewarding relationship and experience for both you, and your dog.