Being a dog parent may seem exciting, but it brings along several inevitable problems. It won’t be much of an issue if you have trained your dog since puppyhood. However, if you havenât, it will be challenging to alter your dogâs bad behaviour as well as time-consuming.
Your dogâs abnormal behaviour is due to puppyhood habits that it might have induced subconsciously. Chewing, unnecessary barking, jumping, etc., are some of the behavioural problems you need to keep in check. In this article, we will discuss how you can fix them without putting in much effort.
4 Dog Behavior Problems And Their Solutions
Unnecessary Barking
If your dog barks at intruders only, they are on the right track, and you must appreciate them. However, if they keep barking pointlessly, you have to find the cause. Unfortunately, some owners’ most common reaction is to shout back, which doesnât serve the desired purpose.
Besides, itâs important to identify if your dog is barking, howling, or whining. Here are some common reasons for barking:
- Boredom
- Anxiety
- Attention-seeking
- Communicating with other dogs
To fix barking issues, you can repeat words like âlowâ until they stop. Once they stop, you can appreciate them by saying words like âgood boyâ in an encouraging tone. This act will positively impact your dogâs mind, and hopefully, they will stop unnecessary barking.
Destructive Chewing
Getting your branded clothing ripped away is worst than a nightmare, but unfortunately, some pet owners live it. However, chewing is a good habit for dogs to strengthen their teeth and jaw muscles. But excessive chewing is a behavioural problem that is caused by excess energy. Even worse, if your dog accidentally swallows part of synthetic fibre, plastic, or glass, it might push them into real trouble, which can be fatal too. So, you must eliminate this habit before itâs too late.
To tackle this behavioural problem, you can give chewable toys and bones to your dog. Further, you should keep your personal belongings out of the reach of your dog. Moreover, you should keep your dog engaged in physical activities to make the most out of its energy.
Digging
Digging, particularly, canât be considered a bad habit. Instead, itâs an outcome of the natural instincts of dogs. Hunting breeds like terriers have digging in their blood. However, getting your backyard wide open isnât something youâd like to have.
Scolding is definitely a wrong choice after your dog has dug up a place. Alternatively, you can make a loud, sharp noise whenever you catch your dog digging. Then, replace the area with a sandbox as soon as your dog is distracted. Finally, you can train them to dig in that specific box only. Perhaps, you can separate the digging spot from your garden, which would make it a lot easier.
Moreover, itâs even better to remove the source by pampering your dog and spending quality time with them so that they never feel the need to invest their excess energy somewhere else.
Pulling the Leash
We understand why most pet owners are reluctant to go for long-walk with their dogs. It can become difficult to navigate your pets who keep pulling. However, a leash pulling habit generally develops from childhood which we might ignore as it seems funny and adorable.
Leash pulling is a risky activity for both humans and dogs as it can cause severe neck and back pain and injuries. Moreover, if you have got a determined leash puller, you are left with two options: you can use management tools like no-pull harnesses to stop the pulling habit of your dog and teach them to walk politely. While this is a great option, it is not an ideal fit for all types of dogs.
Teaching your dog to walk gently without any tool is a time-consuming process and requires a lot of dedication. This can be done by rewarding your dog with treats when there is no pulling, even if it’s only for a few steps. You can use a marker word or a clicker to indicate to your dog that heâs on the right track.
Conclusion
These troubling behavioural issues of dogs are not the only ones; there are numerous. Still, if you follow the right tactics, you can tackle and eradicate these destructive behaviours following the aforementioned tricks. The dog is an intelligent animal, and you can make them obey your teachings by learning from dog-training programs, or you can hire a dog trainer for the same.
Indeed, you canât scold or dominate your pet when they are not at their best behaviour as it can have a negative impact and will not serve the desired purpose. Instead, handling the pets in a smart yet teachable way is the best thing you can do to get rid of your dogâs undesirable behaviours.