There is no such thing as a perfect dog, suggesting that many of us will be dealing will dog behaviour problems at some point in their lives. It could be chewing the dining room chairs while teething, digging holes in your prize grass, enthusiastically launching themselves at your visitors to get their attention or any of the other countless number of behaviour issues we encounter.
But dog behavior problems are not always what they appear to be on the face of it. Often they could be a indication of something else that is wrong and is the dog's way of trying to deal with the situation.
Dog Anxiety is Behind Many Behavior Problems
A good example of this is separation anxiety in dogs, which can lie behind a complete range of behavior issues from urinating in the house, to gnawing the furniture or barking non-stop.
We could assume that a dog urinating in the house is bad behaviour when essentially they are anxious about where you have vanished to and are using their instincts to try and bring you safely back to the house. In natural habitats, the scent of the wee would act as a type of smell beacon which would help pack members find their way back to the den, so their actions make complete sense to a dog. Dogs just haven't worked out that our sense of smell is not as good as theirs!
Learnt Responses in Dogs
Other dog behaviour problems are learned reactions to situations. Aggression is a good example of this, for example where a dog has learnt to react aggressively to somebody raising their hand in order to protect themselves (particularly where a dog has been maltreated), yet will carry on reacting like this even when the situation has changed and the dog has been re-homed.
The way we respond to our dogs can also unintentionally reinforce a learned response. Whining is a good example. If you react each time your dog whines at you, your dog learns this behavior gets him attention. You may hate his whining, but as long as you give him attention for it (regardless of whether it's just to tell him to be quiet) he'll continue to do it.
When our dog arrived from a rescue home he had very clearly learned that jumping up and nipping fingers got him attention (and possibly a one way trip to a rescue home too), so we had to teach him that this behaviour would not get him attention and show him what sort of behavior would.
Big Changes in a Dogs Life
Any major change in a dog's life may be the kick off point for behavior problems as well , as they struggle to adjust to new surroundings, new territory, new folk in the house, or perhaps another dog. Changes to a dog's health can also create issues as a dog can feel more vulnerable or be suffering discomfort.
But dog behavior problems are not always what they appear to be on the face of it. Often they could be a indication of something else that is wrong and is the dog's way of trying to deal with the situation.
Dog Anxiety is Behind Many Behavior Problems
A good example of this is separation anxiety in dogs, which can lie behind a complete range of behavior issues from urinating in the house, to gnawing the furniture or barking non-stop.
We could assume that a dog urinating in the house is bad behaviour when essentially they are anxious about where you have vanished to and are using their instincts to try and bring you safely back to the house. In natural habitats, the scent of the wee would act as a type of smell beacon which would help pack members find their way back to the den, so their actions make complete sense to a dog. Dogs just haven't worked out that our sense of smell is not as good as theirs!
Learnt Responses in Dogs
Other dog behaviour problems are learned reactions to situations. Aggression is a good example of this, for example where a dog has learnt to react aggressively to somebody raising their hand in order to protect themselves (particularly where a dog has been maltreated), yet will carry on reacting like this even when the situation has changed and the dog has been re-homed.
The way we respond to our dogs can also unintentionally reinforce a learned response. Whining is a good example. If you react each time your dog whines at you, your dog learns this behavior gets him attention. You may hate his whining, but as long as you give him attention for it (regardless of whether it's just to tell him to be quiet) he'll continue to do it.
When our dog arrived from a rescue home he had very clearly learned that jumping up and nipping fingers got him attention (and possibly a one way trip to a rescue home too), so we had to teach him that this behaviour would not get him attention and show him what sort of behavior would.
Big Changes in a Dogs Life
Any major change in a dog's life may be the kick off point for behavior problems as well , as they struggle to adjust to new surroundings, new territory, new folk in the house, or perhaps another dog. Changes to a dog's health can also create issues as a dog can feel more vulnerable or be suffering discomfort.
About the Author:
Author Venice Marriott is a writer and dog owner and runs a Dog Anxiety website, which provides help and information for dog owners dealing with dog anxiety. Get more information about dog behaviour problems, when you visit the site.
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