Home
Abscess
Addison's Disease
Adrenal Glands
Allergy
Anal Gland
Anemia
Anxiety
Arthritis
Asthma
Canine Atopy
Bad Breath
Beds
Behavior
Bladder
Bleeding/Blood
Blood Pressure
Cancer
Cloning
Coccidiosis
Cold
Colitis
Constipation
Canine Coronavirus
Cough
Kennel Cough
Diapers
Cushings Disease
Diabetes
Diarrhea
Distemper
Ears
Energy/Lethargic
Epilepsy
Eye Health
Eye
Fleas
Flu
Food and Diet
Giardia
Hair
Heart Disease
Heartworm
Heat Stroke
Herpesvirus
Hip Dysplasia
Hives
Hyperactivity
Hypoglycemia
Hypothyroidism
Canine Insurance
Irritable Bowel (IDB)
Kidney
Knee Problems
Leptospirosis
Liver
Lyme Disease
Mange
Medicine Guide
Canine Nose Bleeds
Pancreatitis
Pain
Parvo Virus
Paw
Pneumonia
Poisoning
Pregnancy
Prostate
Pyometra
Rabies
Ringworm
Sinus
Skin
Skin Lumps
Warts
Spleen
Stroke
Stomach
Teeth and Gums
Thyroid Disease
Ulcer
Urinary Tract Infection
Vomit
Weight
Worms
Vaccines
Hair Vacuum
Dog Care Links
Dog Training
Dog Food Recall
Photos
Dog Breed Info
Birthday Cake
Kennels
Read Our Blog
Privacy Policy
About Us/Disclosure
Reader Questions
Toxoplasmosis

Subscribe To This Site
XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Subscribe with Bloglines
 

Dog Behavior

"Dog behavior starts with understanding the route cause of a behavior problem. Once understood, behavior can either be modified or the cause can be eliminated."




If you’re going to have a dog, it helps to understand some of the basics of canine behavior. You’ll want to know what is normal behavior and how to deal with problem behavior. Here are some things you can expect.

Canine Behavior Links

Dog Aggression Behavior
Dog Dominance Behavior
Dog Fear Aggression
Territorial Aggression
Predatory Aggression
Dog Aggressive Behavior Toward Owner
Aggressive Behavior Toward New Baby
Alpha Dog Behavior
Barking - How to stop dog barking
Chewing
Destructive Behavior
Digging
Dog Pack Behavior
Puppy Behavior

Aggressive Dog Behavior

Unlike the other behaviors we’ve discussed, aggression is not a normal canine behavior. If your dog is growling, snarling, snapping, and/or biting at you or family members, that is not normal or acceptable behavior. Take your dog to the vet to rule out physical causes for his aggression. Then seek help from a behavioral specialist. Don’t allow aggressive behavior to continue - it won’t get better on its own, and will probably just get worse. Until you are able to get help to correct the issue, keep your dog confined as necessary to keep people safe.

Barking Canine Behavior

Dogs bark. They bark to warn us of strangers, to let us know when they need to go outside, to tell us when they are hungry, when they get excited, and for many other reasons. Sometimes dogs bark too often, and this is known as nuisance barking. Dogs who have not been properly socialized will bark excessively when you have guests over. Make sure your puppy gets used to spending time with different people. Dogs also tend to bark when they have been left alone for long periods. Make sure your dog has plenty of toys to occupy him, and give him plenty of exercise. Tired dogs are less likely to bark. You can also try a ""stop barking dog collar" which uses a small punishment such as sound or smell to discourage your dog from barking.

To stop neighbors barking dog you can use an outdoor anti barking device which uses an ultrasonic tone that only dogs can hear. It is activated by barking and works from 50 feet away.

As an alternative you can select a non barking dog breed (all dogs make some type of noise) or select a dog that has a calm temperament. As a last resort there is a surgical procedure called debarking that will reduce barking but is obviously controversial.

Chewing Canine Behavior

Dogs have a need to chew things, especially puppies when they are teething. However, as dog owners, we don’t want them to chew our shoes and other items. To prevent chewing from becoming a destructive behavior, it is important to provide your dog with plenty of appropriate chew toys. You also need to realize that many dogs chew when they are bored. Make sure to give your dog plenty of playtime. If you must be gone for long hours during the day, consider having a pet sitter come in to walk your dog in the middle of the day or taking your dog to a “doggie daycare.”

Digging Behavior

Digging is another dog behavior that can drive owners crazy. Dogs will often dig in the yard when they have been left outdoors for too long with nothing to do. Make sure your dog has appropriate toys to play with, and play with him as well. Dogs will also dig so that they can lie in the cool dirt when it’s hot outside. Make sure your dog has a cool place to rest outdoors.

Have A Dog Behavior Question or Story?

Do you have a question for our editors or a great story about this? Share it! We'll select 1 question each week to answer.

Enter Your Title

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Puppy Biting and Chewing Problem  Not rated yet
I have a puppy biting and chewing problem with my 8 month old Jack Russel, white and deaf. We love her to death, she chews,,,,and chews. Is it possible ...

Dog Wees When Excited  Not rated yet
My 9 month female, unspayed Cavoodle wee's when anyone comes into the house. This could be someone familiar in the family or a friend who she may have ...

Dog Unable to Jump on Furniture  Not rated yet
Dog Unable to Jump on Furniture Reader Question

My 10 year old Chihuahua/Dachshund neutered female mix is unable to jump on the furniture. What would ...

Separation Anxiety - New Home  Not rated yet
Dog Separation Anxiety in New Home Reader Question

Our daughter has left the country for two years and we have her basset/Australian cattle dog. Hiedi ...

Sources

Humane Society

Partnership for Animal Rescue



From Dog Behavior to Dog Health Guide Home


footer for dog behavior page