"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
Aggression is not a normal or acceptable canine behavior. If your dog is growling, snarling, snapping, and/or biting at you or family members, then it is showing behaviors that need to be modified.Take your dog to the veterinarian to rule out physical causes for his or her 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, which is known as nuisance barking. Dogs who have not been properly socialized will bark excessively when guests are over. The socialization process starts from birth, by making sure that your puppy gets used to spending time with different people and in different circumstances. With exposure to noises and people, comes familiarity, which reduces the need to bark as a dog gets older. Dogs also tend to bark when they have been left alone for long periods of time. 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 a sound or smell to discourage 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. The tone is irritating to a dog, so a dog will learn to avoid those actions that cause the tone to go off. 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 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 consider taking your dog to a “doggie daycare.” You can even try using a dog sitting service or a dog walking service to keep your dog occupied and happy.
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.
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Sources
Humane Society
Partnership for Animal Rescue
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