Common Dog Behavioral Problems & What to Do About Them

Dog Behavioral Problems

Bringing home a furry friend is an exciting, fun-filled experience, to say the least. But what happens when your playful pup turns sour? Unfortunately, behavioral problems are common amongst dogs, especially as young puppies learn to navigate the big world. 

If your dog has begun acting and displaying more annoying, destructive, and sometimes aggressive behaviors, it’s up to you to remedy the situation. 

However, working with a quality dog breeder can nip many destructive behaviors in the bud before you even bring your furry family home. For example, Snowy Pines (https://www.snowypineswhitelabs.com/) is a reputable breeder that includes puppy training and socialization, giving your dog a leg up in the training process.

Keep the following behavioral problems in mind, and read on to learn how to remedy destructive tendencies. 

Chewing

You’re sitting on the couch, happily engaged in the TV, phone, or your favorite pastime, when suddenly, you become aware of an inconspicuous munching noise from the dog at your feet. So you peer down, and lo and behold, the dog has gotten a hold of your slippers and is steadily destroying them.

Dogs explore the world with their mouths and noses, so chewing—regardless of how annoying— is a natural behavior. However, excessive chewing can lead to destruction, so it’s best to train it.

Start by making a sharp noise, like a NO. Then quickly replace the item your dog was chewing on with a dog chewing toys. Another good way to prevent this behavior is ensuring your dogs get the right amount of exercise and stimulation for their breed, as excessive chewing is often caused by boredom or too much energy. 

Barking

Dogs tend to bark to express themselves, which can be hilariously entertaining at times. But that doesn’t mean you want your dog disrupting your life with loud, incessant barking.

Additionally, the barking often extends from other problems like anxiety, dominance, or aggression, which are complex behavioral problems that take a lot of time to fix. However, if the barking is a different problem, you’ll likely be able to fix it by channeling your dog’s energy into something productive.

If your dog barks when someone’s at the door, teach them to get a toy from their basket when someone knocks. Or, if they bark at other dogs, try socializing them or rewarding them for sitting quietly. 

Jumping

Dog owners should be diligent about no-jumping, regardless of the dog’s size. Ultimately, it’s a matter of obedience and respecting boundaries set by humans. However, dogs love to jump when they meet new people, so eliminating the behavior may take patience.

To start, ignore your dog when jumping by turning away when they attempt to hop up. By giving your pup a non-reaction and ignoring the behavior, you help them understand what not to do. 

Once your exited puppy settles down, give them all the attention they want, celebrating their good behavior. This reinforces that staying down, not jumping, is the desired task. 

Before You Go

We all want our loyal friends to be as well-trained as security dogs, but you’re likely not going to get that far unless you’re a professional dog trainer. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get your canine companion to stop their most egregious behaviors and sit pretty for you.

All it takes is dedication, patience, and time. Then, with the proper dog training tips, you can learn how to train your dog out of these behaviors and even teach them cool tricks.

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