Dogs are loyal and lovable creatures. They quickly develop a strong bond with human beings and create good companionship. Domesticated dogs of today’s era are much better than ancient dogs in their behavior. However, there are still some instinctive behaviors in dogs that annoy the owners.
Additionally, with proper training, several behavioral issues can be easily rectified in dogs. This is why; it is recommended to train a dog from a very young age to instill good habits.
Several behavioral issues make dog owners worried and might put them in trouble. Here, we will discuss some common behavioral problems in dogs, along with their effective management.
Common Behavioral Problems
Aggression
This is one of the most common and dangerous behavioral problems in dogs. Many pet parents complain about this behavioral issue in their beloved canine friends and seek professional assistance to correct this behavior. However, this is important to note that every wild animal is aggressive, but excessive aggression marks an issue. Outrageous aggressive behavior of your dog can harm you along with other animals and humans around.
Aggression is a complex amalgam of various behaviors that a dog shows under various circumstances.
An aggressive may dog also exhibits the following behaviors:
- Growling
- Showing teeth
- Snarling
- Guttural bark that feels threatening
- Muzzle punch (Dog tends to punch the other person/animal with the muzzle)
- Sharp and quick bite that tears the skin
- Repeated bites cause bruises and puncture wounds.
- Biting and shaking
Types of aggression:
- Fear aggression
- Social aggression
- Protective aggression
- Possessive aggression
- Sex-related aggression
- Predatory aggression
- Pain-elicited aggression
- Frustration-induced aggression
- Redirected aggression
- Territorial aggression
Solution:
Regardless of the type of aggression, it is better to have a thorough knowledge of dogs’ history and any underlying medical issue. As research about dog DNA testing on ThePets.net shows, some breeds of dogs have a natural instinct to be aggressive and labeled as dangerous. Secondly, the Environment plays a vital role in making a dog aggressive. If you find an abnormal aggressive tendency in your dog, immediately talk to your vet or a professional pet trainer. He/she will suggest training sessions/medications depending upon the current situation of your canine friend. Finally, provide your dog a calm, stress-free living environment and lots of your attention. Take serious precautionary measures to save you and your beloved ones from aggressive dogs.
Chewing
Just like human babies, dogs and puppies chew. Chewing alone is not an annoying thing. This keeps the dog’s teeth and gums healthy. The issue arises when your beloved canine friend chews something so vital that you do not want him to chew. Generally, for a better understanding of this behavioral problem, we have summarized the several reasons for chewing in dogs below:
- Nervousness
- Boredom
- Teething
- Curiosity
Solution
Chewing itself is not a big issue. If you observe this behavioral anomaly in your dog, then talk to your vet. There are several dog chewing toys available in the market. After consulting with your vet:
- Select some safe chewing toys for your beloved canine friend.
- Take your dog out for exercise and encourage him to chew toys.
- Give mental stimulation/environmental enrichment to your dog.
Inappropriate elimination:
This is one of the most frustrating dog behaviors that irritate the owners. Due to a variety of reasons, dogs defecate or peeps at random places in the house. There are many reasons for this behavioral problem; the important ones have been listed below:
- Stress/anxiety
- Any underlying medical issue such as renal or gastrointestinal problems
- Territorial marking
- Lack of proper potty training
- Excitement urination
Solution:
Housebreaking/potty training plays a very crucial role in correcting this bad habit in dogs. Puppies can be quickly potty trained compared to the older dogs at the age of 8-10 weeks. However, it takes courage, unstoppable attempts, and consistency. All along with that, talk to your vet and get a thorough medical examination of your beloved canine friend. Note: This is quite challenging to correct this habit in older dogs as they need severe behavioral modification and training sessions to get rid of this disastrous behavior.
Begging
This is another behavioral issue that is not usually appreciated by many pet owners. However, this has been documented that some pet owners encourage this habit in their canine friend. Additionally, as research shows, this behavior leads to many health-related issues in dogs, such as obesity, diabetes, and other digestive problems.
Solution:
As you sit down with your family for food, give your dog a command to go to his place. Confining the dog into another room is also a brilliant idea. Give your dog proper training and only give him treats when you are finished with your meal.
Biting
This is another destructive behavior that is usually shown by dogs. However, biting is considered an instinctive behavior, but excessive biting humans, other animals, and important stuff irritate dog parents. Usually, pet parents teach their puppies to not bite and mount, which leads to biting inhibition. Apart from puppies, dogs bite due to several reasons, some important causes have been enlisted below:
- Aggression
- As a gesture of defensiveness
- Fear
- Predatory instinct
- Protection of property & pain/sickness
Solution:
If you observe an unnecessary biting issue in your dog, talk to your vet or a professional dog trainer. Breeders/dog, owners can decrease biting in dogs through proper training sessions, socialization, exercise, and good breeding practices.
Digging
This is an instinctive behavior of some dog breeds such as Terries due to their hunting histories. Still, there are some important reasons, which provoke dogs to dig. Some essential causes have been given below:
- Boredom
- Fear and anxiety
- Hunting instinct
- Desire to hide foods/toys
- To seek comfort
Solution:
Some dog owners get frustrated when their dog digs up the yard. Being a responsible owner, this is your duty to know the actual cause of digging and eliminate that cause. Give lots of attention to your dog and go out for a walk with him (as per your schedule). Additionally, if your dog has a digging habit, define an area or manage some sandbox for him. Train him to use that sand box/specific area for digging.
Howling
This is another instinctive behavior that dogs use to communicate with others, get attention, or mark their presence. However, excessive howling indicates something wrong. There are various reasons for howling in dogs. Some important ones have been listed below:
- Separation anxiety
- Medical causes
- Howling in response to sounds
- Systematic desensitization
Solution:
First, you should figure out the actual cause of howling in your canine friend. If your dog is howling to take your attention, it is good to ignore him. Give treats/rewards to your dog for being quiet. Give your dog lots of attention and care. It is also better to talk to your vet or a professional dog trainer.
Hyperactivity and unruliness
These two are other undesirable behaviors in dogs. According to experts, the significant reasons for hyperactivity and unruliness in dogs are lack of exercise, absence of mental stimulation, and boredom. Remember, breed of dog, age, and size are also involved in making your dog hyperactive and unruly.
Solution:
Give mental and physical stimulation to your dog. Design a proper exercise schedule for your dog. Additionally, proper training (clicker training) by using clicker can help your dog in getting rid of these behavioral problems.
Excessive licking:
This is another behavioral problem in dogs. However, this becomes hard for the owner to determine whether this licking is ordinary or behavioral. The primary signs are excessive licking a carpet, car, furniture, and almost everything.
Reasons:
- Underlying medical causes such as allergies/injuries
- Psychological troubles such as stress/anxiety
Solution:
First of all, determine the actual cause of the excessive licking in your dog. Moreover, you can talk to a veterinary professional to seek help. He/she can help you in correcting this habit in your dog.
Leash pulling
Every dog owner loves to walk calmly with his/her dog on a leash. Pulling on a leash is considered one of the behavioral problems.
Solution:
Try to purchase a harness to prevent injuries in your dog. Start walking sessions with your dog on the leash and harness. Try to keep these sessions short and fun. With proper training and positive experience, this bad habit can be corrected in dogs.
Other Behavioral Issues
Along with these, there are also some other behavioral issues include eating poop, fear of noises, escaping, being overprotective of family, and humping. With proper training and professional assistance, these behavioral problems can be rectified.
Important Tips
Here are some crucial tips that can help you correct the behavioral issues in your beloved canine friend.
- Provide your dog a stress-free, enriched environment.
- Design a proper walk/exercise schedule for your dog.
- Start doing basic training, including potty training/obedience training of your puppy from a very young age or as recommended by your vet.
- Try to keep your dog engaged in healthy activities.
- Stay in touch with a registered veterinarian/ pet professional trainer. Do report him/her if you see any abnormality in the behavior of your dog.
- Try to give lots of attention to your dog. Remember, they are no humans, and they all come with instincts and habits. Give your best to train your dog well and understand him as much as you can.
