DOG BEHAVIOR PROBLEM PREVENTION AND SOLVING

Although most dog owners would love to have a relationship with their dog where nothing ever goes wrong, unfortunately, at some point in their life, most dogs do get into trouble. Dogs jump on people, smearing them with dirt or mud and knocking down small children or the elderly. They bark, creating bad feeling between neighbors. Dogs destroy things that don't belong to them and dig holes in the lawn. And there's more, such as food guarding, mouthing, leg lifting, mounting, and trashcan raiding. At times, dogs can be very uncivilized according to our society's norms.

It is important to remember that dogs are dogs. They are not people in fuzzy dog suits. All the behaviors we feel are problems are very normal behaviors for dogs. They bark to communicate; they jump up on people to greet them face to face as they would other dogs; they urinate to mark territory; and so on. However, just because dogs do these things normally doesn't mean that we have to tolerate them.

What Can You Do?

The key to controlling most problem behaviors is to manage your dog and his environment so that you can teach him more desirable behaviors. It is much easier to make a few changes in your dog's life and yours, perhaps even to your home or your schedule, so that you can prevent problems from occurring. Then, at the same time, teach your dog something he can do, and will enjoy doing, in place of the problem behavior. At the same time, though, it's important to understand that many things can lessen the incidences of problem behaviors.

Health Problems

Many trainers and behaviorists feel that as much as 20 percent of all behavior problems may have some root in physical or health-related problems. Thyroid or hormone imbalances can cause behavior problems, as can many medications. Seizure disorders may have a relationship with unpredictable aggression. A bladder or urinary tract infection can cause housetraining difficulties. (See the section on housetraining for more information about this.)  An ear infection can cause enough pain that the dog will snap when his head is touched. Many, many physical and health problems such as a urinary tract infection, medications, or the loss of hearing or sight can cause behavior problems or changes in normal behavior.

When your dog's behavior changes, especially if the changes are sudden, call your veterinarian before you approach this as a training problem. Tell your veterinarian you want to rule out a health problem first and ask for a thorough exam and physical for your dog. During the exam, give your veterinarian as much information as you can think of, even if you're not sure it has any bearing on the problem. Let him sort through the information.

Exercise

Very few dogs get as much exercise as they should. Even though a dog home alone in a big backyard might dash back and forth a few times, he is not going to do enough to be considered aerobic activity. Aerobic activity for most dogs is a fifteen-minute game of chasing the tennis ball, or a run alongside a bicycle, or a jog with you. Obviously, a Basset Hound's exercise needs will differ from a Doberman Pinscher's, but both need aerobic exercise of some kind every single day.

If your dog is not used to vigorous exercise, begin slowly. Build up his muscles, toughen his pads, and give his body time to get used to more exercise. Use common sense, too. Don't take your dog out in the heat of the day - go in the early morning or later in the evening when it's hot. Feel the asphalt or concrete with your hand - if it feels hot to your hand, it's too hot for his paws. Make sure your dog gets water before, during, and after exercise - not a lot - but enough to make sure he doesn't dehydrate. And then watch him; don't let him do too much.

When a dog doesn't get enough exercise, he's more apt to look for stuff to do and very often that ends up a problem behavior. He may run back and forth along the fence, barking, or he may chew up your landscaping. Just keep in mind that a tired dog is a happy dog.

If your dog is very young, or elderly, or has some physical problems, talk to your veterinarian about an exercise program before you begin. Your vet may suggest a lower-impact form of exercise, such a swimming, rather than running and leaping for a ball. No matter what form of exercise you do, begin it gradually. Sore muscles are no fun for anyone, human or canine.

Play

Your dog needs time to play with you every day. The playtime may happen while you're exercising, or it can be later, in the house. The key ingredient to play is laughter, and that's what makes it so special. When you play with your dog and laugh with him (with him, not at him!) you feel better, and the relationship with your dog?the bond you have with him?is strengthened. This is especially important when your dog has some behavior problems and you feel like he's always in trouble.

Play doesn't have to be structured. Give your dog a tummy rub and scratch him. Laugh while he wiggles around and kicks a back leg. Play hide and seek, hiding his favorite ball, and then encourage him to find it. Do some trick training and laugh as you help him succeed. You and your dog can make up your own games; after all, it doesn't matter what you do as long as you both are having fun.

Do NOT play tug or war games (which teach the dog to use the strength of his jaws against you) nor should you wrestle with the dog (which teaches him to fight you). Instead, play games that teach him to work WITH you rather than against you.

Nutrition

Nutrition can definitely affect your dog's behavior. If your dog is eating a food that he cannot digest well, or is eating a less-than-good-quality diet, his body may be missing some vital nutrients. Dogs needing something in their diet that is not present may chew on rocks, eat dirt, chew on wood, or even try to chew the stucco off the side of a house. Other dogs seem almost desperate and will chew on anything within reach, in a frenzy almost, to try to find that ingredient needed.

Other dogs may be eating the best commercial foods on the market, the super-premium foods, and will react with a type of hyperactivity. They can't sit still; can't control themselves; and certainly can't follow directions for training. In these situations, the food may be awesome but is too much for these dogs.

In many instances, a more natural food is needed; one that includes meats and fish, cheeses, tubers (potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams), and fruits. Avoid cereal grains as these can cause allergic reactions and hyperactivity in many dogs. You can put together a diet yourself or check into one of the dehydrated foods now available. See the section on nutrition is this website.

Training

Training can teach your dog what he is supposed to do.  It can provide him with guidelines for his behavior and can show him what behavior is acceptable to you. For example, a big dog that jumps on people is potentially dangerous, never mind annoying. If you just yell at him for jumping up, or you correct him constantly for jumping, he is still going to need to jump because greeting you face to face is natural for him. When he gets worried about all the corrections, he's going to be even more anxious and will jump any time he can. However, if you have him sit every time you greet him, bending over to pet him while he's sitting and giving him that opportunity to greet you face to face, you will remove his need to jump.

Although some dog owners think of training as simply teaching the dog some "tricks"?sit, down, stay, come, and heel?it is really much more than that. You are also providing alternative behaviors that he will be praised and rewarded for doing.

Keep your training as positive as possible, focusing on helping your dog do what you wish him to do. However, remember discipline is not a dirty word and when used correctly, can be a valuable aid to training. Withholding a potential reward is discipline. If you want Fido to sit nicely by your side when you're talking to your neighbor, have some training treats in hand (or pocket). If Fido sits nicely, doesn't bark, and waits patiently for you, he should get a treat every so often, depending upon his age and level of training. However, if he's pushing the envelope, is wiggling, whining, moaning, and other wise being disruptive, the treats stay in the pocket and you should have him lie down and stay.

Manage the Dog's Environment

One of the most important things you can do to help curb some behavior problems is to manage your dog's environment so that you can prevent the problem from occurring. By managing his environment, you can ensure that some behaviors simply do not happen at all, or you can limit other behaviors. For example, if your dog spends the day outside while you're at work but has been digging up your backyard, chewing on the trees, and ripping up your garden, build him a dog run.

Make it big enough so that he can play, relieve himself, and move around. Make sure there is shade and sun, and unspillable water. Let him do what he pleases here and then when you come home and can supervise him, let him out of the run to spend time with you. By managing his environment, you have stopped the behavior from occurring. Later, when he's grown up, well trained, and is on a good exercise schedule, you can then begin allowing him more freedom. But that may be months or even years from now.

Managing the environment may also mean using baby gates in the house to restrict your dog's access to parts of the house. It may mean taking the trashcans out before they are full, or closing bedroom doors. By managing the dog's environment, you are setting him up to succeed.

Interrupt Bad Behavior

When you catch your dog in the act of doing something you don't want to continue, interrupt him. Your voice, "Ack!" can be a good interruption. If he's too excited or doesn't listen well, use a squirt bottle as you use your voice. The leash can also be used as a back up to your voice. Once you have interrupted the behavior, give him some directions - what should he do instead?

For example, when someone comes to the door, he will run to the door barking hysterically when he hears the doorbell. Tell him, "Thank you, Fido, that's enough." (After all, his job is to tell you that someone is there.) Have a leash in hand and clip it on his collar and have him sit. Let your guest in. If your dog loses his mind, interrupt the behavior, "Ack! Quiet!" and enforce the sit, "Fido, sit! Good job!" When he behaves himself, don't ignore him by paying attention to your guest, but praise him, "Good boy to sit and be quiet! Yeah!"

Specific Problems

Listed in this section are some guidelines for some specific problem behaviors. Keep in mind, though, that every dog is an individual and although these guidelines do work, and have been tested on hundreds of dogs, you may need more help than is provided in a group class. If you follow these guidelines and find you're still having trouble, see Kate after class for information about private training right away.

Dogs and Kids

The television shows, movies and commercials make children and dogs look like the best of friends. After all, you never saw Lassie knocking Timmy to the ground to get his toast away from him! 

Although dogs and kids can be great friends, it doesn't happen all it once and your kids may need your help to develop a good relationship with their dog.

Dogs tend to look at kids as littermates rather than someone with some authority. Dogs wrestle with their littermates, roll around with them, steal toys and food from them, and bite each other. Obviously this can't happen with your kids or they will get hurt. Plus, if your dog is used to doing these things with your kids, and he does it with some of your kids' friends, they could get hurt, too, and their parents are not going to be happy about it.

Supervise all play with the puppy and the children in the family (and their friends). When the puppy gets too stimulated and wants to chase and mouth the kids, take the puppy away. Put him in his crate for a time out and let him relax a while.

It's important that your children NEVER roll around on the floor with the dog, wrestle with him, or play any games of strength. It's much to easy for your dog to win those games. Instead, help your kids play other games with the dog, like hide and seek, fetch, or other games that ask the dog to cooperate with the kids rather than fight them.

In the training section of this little book, you can also find information about leadership exercises. Help your kids do these with the dog, too. Just make sure you help the kids; you don't want them to do these things by themselves and have the dog win instead.

NEVER, ever leave young kids and the dog alone together. Although we think of dogs as members of the family, and we should, we should also remember that they are dogs, not people in a fuzzy dog suit. It's too easy for accidents to happen.

Mouthing

All puppies use their mouth to manipulate the world. They chew on toys, on their food, on their littermates, and when they can, on people. Puppies don't have hands and so their mouth becomes their tool to control things in their environment. Unfortunately, puppy teeth are very sharp and can draw blood, and dogs that grow up and continue to use their teeth on people will be in a great deal of trouble. A dog that bites for any reason can be taken from you, euthanized, and you could face criminal and civil procedures.

Puppies must learn when they are very young that biting is not allowed in any situation. If your puppy tries to bite during playtime, simply tell your puppy, "Ack! No bite!" and stand up and walk away. Stop the playtime immediately at the first attempt at mouthing. You must make this very clear to your puppy. If you allow some mouthing and stop other mouthing, your puppy will never be reliable. Instead, be very clear; it simply is not allowed.

If the puppy attempts to mouth or bite during grooming, hold the puppy by the scruff of the neck by one hand as you gently close his mouth with the other hand as you tell him, "Ack! No bite!" Don't be rough; don't be aggressive; simply convey what you want the puppy to learn.

If you have an older puppy or dog who tries to bite, either you, your family or other people, don't waste any time?call Kate for help. A biting dog is a major problem that must be dealt with right away.

Jumping on People

Dogs jump on people to greet them face to face. Young or subordinate dogs lick the muzzle of older more dominant dogs; it's a greeting and a sign of respect. Unfortunately, dogs don't realize that jumping on people can ruin clothes and that hard nails can scratch skin. In worst case scenarios, a jumping dog can knock down a person, potentially hurting that person.

If a dog is continually corrected for jumping, perhaps by being kneed in the chest, yelled at, or even by having his paws grabbed and held tightly, his anxiety about greeting this person or persons is going to increase. It's important to teach the dog how to greet people in an acceptable way where he can perform his greeting rituals and be greeted in return. When this happens, his need to jump up disappears.

If the dog is off leash, as he runs towards you, make sure your hands are empty (drop the purse or briefcase). As he begins to jump, grab the scruff of his neck; all that loose skin is a great handle and does not cause him any discomfort. Tell him, "Fido, no jump. Sit!" and using the scruff as a handle, shape him into a sitting position. Keeping one hand on his scruff so he doesn't jump up, pet him and praise him for sitting. "Good boy to sit! Yeah!" Keep a hand on him until he relaxes. Turn away as you let go of him (He'll be less likely to jump on your side.) Do not try to rush this, especially in the beginning. If the dog feels rushed or that he hasn't been able to greet you properly (in his mind), he will continue to jump.

When the dog jumps on other people, it's usually easier to have the dog on leash to teach him. That's easy when you're out for a walk but at home that means you need to leash the dog before people come in the house. You might want to post a sign, "Knock, please, don't walk in until I leash the dog." If your dog likes to jump on guests, they will be very happy to wait until he's leashed! With your dog on leash, have him sit as your guests walk in. Tell your guests not to pet him until he can sit without jumping. That might mean you have to hold his collar in the beginning to help him hold the sit position. Again, give him a chance to greet the people, too, as they pet him. Use the same technique when you're out on a walk; have the dog sit before he's allowed to greet people or people are allowed to pet him.

Excessive Barking

Dogs bark; that's how they communicate. Your dog may bark to let you know someone is approaching the house or that a family member has pulled into the driveway. Unfortunately, many dogs also bark when someone is walking down at the other end of the block, or when a neighbor sneezes. Dogs also bark when they are lonely, are bored, or hear another dog bark. Excessive barking, especially nonstop barking, causes more problems among neighbors than just about anything else.

The first step in controlling barking is to make sure that the dog is getting plenty of aerobic exercise every single day. A tired dog who is getting plenty of owner attention is less likely to be bored, even if left alone for several hours each day.

Then you need to take a look at your dog's environment; why is he barking? You might want to stay home from work one day and pay attention to the times and places where your dog barks. Does the school bus drop the kids off near your house? Do any of the kids tease your dog? Or does the neighbor's dog bark, causing yours to answer? When you know what triggers the barking, it's easier to try and prevent it.

Most barking can be stopped by interrupting the behavior. You can do so personally, "Fido, quiet!" or there are mechanisms available commercially that make a high pitched sound when the dog barks.

The dog must be praised when he stops barking, however, for the interruption to continue to work. You cannot ignore the quiet, you must praise him for it. "Good boy to be quiet! Yeah!" and then toss him a treat or throw the tennis ball for him.

Hard core barkers may need more help than this. If your neighbors are complaining, animal control or the police have been out to your house, and you've either been cited or threatened with a citation, then call Kate for extra help. There are lots of gadgets that are advertised as excellent for stopping barking, including citronella collars and electronic collars, but all should be used only under a trainer's supervision. These gadgets do not address the root of the problem; why is your dog barking in the first place? If you are able to stop the barking but do not solve the underlying problem, your dog will most likely misbehave in another way. For more help, call Kate about private training. Kate does all of Kindred Spirits' private training. Her email is akabbott@cox.net.

Destructive Chewing

Destructive chewing can be an expensive bad behavior. After all, the cable repair guy will charge you each time he has to come to the house to repair the cables your dog chewed! It can also be a dangerous behavior, should your dog chew live wires or if he swallows some of the stuff he's chewing up.

To curtail chewing, you need to first teach your dog what is appropriate for him to chew. Hand him a toy of his and praise him, "Here's your toy! Good!" Do this often and when he picks up his own toy, praise him even more! Make him wiggle with happiness!

You also need to limit your dog's access to places where he can chew stuff up. That means in the house, he should be in the room with you and no where else. If you go to another room, he goes with you. If he has access to the garage from the backyard, fence off areas where he can get into trouble.

Never, ever think that something is unchewable or unattractive to your dog?we simply cannotsecond guess what a dog will chew on.

Then, make sure your dog has vigorous aerobic activity every single day. A tired dog will be less likely to get into trouble than a dog who is full of energy.

The Landscape Artist

Some dogs can be incredibly destructive in the back yard: digging up the lawn, chewing on plants and trees, and uprooting the garden. These behaviors can have several different sources. First of all, if your dog likes to uproot plants, don't let him watch you dig holes and plant new plants. After all, if you can do it, why can't he? Also those new plants probably have good smelling dirt in their pots, most likely with some bone meal or manure. That's an invitation to a dog, "Come dig here!" Dogs dig for many reasons, from chasing that gopher in your yard to trying to bury a toy or bone. The things that we call problems in the yard are all very natural behaviors.

Have you heard the adage "Good fences make good neighbors"? Well, good fences also can protectyour garden. Put up some decorative fencing around your special gardens or plants. You may think they look out of place initially, but you'll get used to them, especially if they teach your dog to leave your garden alone.

The landscape artist also needs good, vigorous, aerobic activity every single day. If he's tired, good and tired, he's not going to have any energy left over to ruin your garden! He also needs training so you can teach him and he's used to being taught. Use that training in the backyard. When he approaches a garden fence, tell him to leave it alone, call him away and praise him.

If your landscape artist must be left alone for many hours each day, seriously consider building a dog run. It should be large enough for him to run back and forth, play and still have a spot to relieve himself. It should have shade and a source of unspillable water. The dog run will prevent him from getting into trouble so when you come home, you won't be mad at him and you can then let him out to spend enjoyable time with you.

Dashing through Open Doors and Gates

Dashing out the front door, garage door, gate or even out of an open car door can be very dangerous. If the dog takes off at a run, he could easily end up in the street where he could be hit by a car.

Luckily, this habit can be easy to break for most dogs.

Start with refreshing your dog's training. He needs to sit quickly on command, and on leash, hold his sit stays. Practice in the house and out side so he can do his stays with distractions.

At the same time you're refreshing these commands, begin giving your dog permission to go through any door in the house, as well as gates and car doors. So, if your dog wants to go outside, have him sit and hold his collar as you tell him, "Fido, wait." Open the door and have him hold his sit. Then tell him, "Fido, go ahead," as you release him. You must be consistent with this exercise; he needs to learn to control himself and wait for permission.

When he's had a couple of weeks of practice, put the leash on him, have him sit at the door he goes in and out of the most, and tell him to sit. Praise him for sitting. (Don't forget the basic training skills!) then tell him to stay and take a step away from him and open the door. If he dashes out, just hold on to the leash; he may hit the end of it. You can also tell him he made a mistake, "Ack!" and bring him back to the original position and have him sit stay again, closing the door. Repeat the exercise several times, stopping when he succeeds and holds his sit-stay.

Eventually move around the house to all doors, and then go outside to the garage door and gate. When he will do that well, train in the car, having him wait before he jumps into or out of the car doors.

If he makes it past you and is dashing around, don't chase and never ever correct him when you catch him. If you are, next time he'll make sure you never catch him! Instead, use your come command in a very positive tone of voice, make things look like great fun, and even shake a box of dog treats. Make your dog want to come to you. Then, look at where the mistake happened and begin training again.

Dogs Left Home Alone

Dogs are pack animals; unlike cats who often enjoy being alone, dogs do not. A dog left home alone too much will bark, will dig, may be destructive, and may even mutilate himself by licking and chewing too much. However, adding another dog may not solve the problem, either, because your dog wants to be with you, not another dog. Also, if you bring home another dog before yours is well trained, you could end up with two poorly behaved dogs!

So, to solve the dog left home alone problem, or to prevent problems from beginning, keep in mind a tired dog will take a nap instead of get into trouble.  Make sure your dog gets good, steady aerobic exercise morning and evening. A tired dog is a good dog!

Also, when you leave and come home, stay calm. Don't act guilty about leaving, if you're anxious, your dog will be, too. Just stay calm; the calmer you are - the better your dog will be.

When you leave, hand your dog one of the new food dispensing toys available at the pet store. You can put some kibble in a Buster Cube or fill a Kong with peanut butter. Both of these will keep your dog occupied until he's ready to take a nap.

Some dogs will develop separation anxiety when their owner leaves. Their anxiety is so acute their behavior becomes unpredictable. If you feel you have a problem with this, call Kate for more help.

Sexual Behaviors

Sexual behaviors are very normal; they are a part of reproduction. However, some dogs will perform them inappropriately?almost to the point of being obsessive about it?and others seem to feel the best time to perform is with an audience. Other behaviors are sexual in nature, but are used to assert dominance over other dogs, or worst case scenario, over people.

The most commonly seen behaviors include leg lifting, mounting, and masturbation. Leg lifting to urinate on vertical surfaces is called marking and although done primarily by male dogs, is sometimes also done by very dominant females. Mounting behaviors (humping, grasping with the front legs and moving the hips) is also primarily done by males but as with leg lifting, can sometimes be performed by dominant females. Masturbation is almost always done by male dogs; very rarely by females.

Spaying the female and neutering the male usually will decrease all these behaviors, though not overnight. It takes a few weeks before any noticeable change will be seen.

Unfortunately, these behaviors usually have a root in the relationship between the dog and owner, or dog and another family member. There may be a relationship where the dog is treated as a person rather than a dog. Sometimes a dog is the answer to the empty-nest syndrome or is providing company for someone who lost a spouse, child, or other family member. Although this is fine, the dog must still be treated as a dog rather than a person. When the dog is overly demanding, gets everything he wants, and is never asked to do anything, he can develop a greatly inflated ego. Invariably this leads to behavior problems.

Many dog owners also seem to feel that because leg lifting is natural?just something make dogs do?it should be allowed to continue. No! Male dogs can learn, with an owner's guidance, that they lift their leg to urinate and that's all. Marking every vertical surface on a walk, or every vertical surface in the backyard, is rude! If allowed to continue, it invariable gets worse and can eventually begin to happen inside . Eventually the dog cannot be trusted not to lift his leg anywhere and can no longer go to the pet store for a treat or to a friend's house.

To solve this problem, the dog should first be spayed or neutered, if that hasn't already been done. Then the dog and owner (or family) relationship should be evaluated by a neutral third party, a trainer or behaviorist, to make sure there are no underlying problems. The dog's training should be refreshed, with emphasis on the basic commands. Although the training should be fun, there must also be some emphasis on encouraging the dog to comply with the training.

The environment must also be managed. Any surfaces that have been urinated on should be removed or cleaned thoroughly with a cleaner made for removing urine. Carpet should be pulled up or cleaned professionally. If the dog is usually any cushions or toys for humping, those should be thrown away. And then the dog's access to the house should be limited to the room where you can supervise him. If he isn't with you, he's in his crate or outside.

Any instances of sexual behavior should be interrupted immediately. Any leg lifting, mounting, or masturbation should be stopped cold. The interruption can be verbal if the dog will listen, or it can be verbal backed up by a squirt from a spray bottle.

When You Need More Help

Asking for more help is not an acknowledgment of failure or a sign that you've given up on your dog. Nor should it be embarrassing. After all, you take your car to a professional mechanic when it's broken, and you go to the dentist when you have a toothache. We are here to help you with your dog.

There are some very specific times when you should call for more help:
      *    When your puppy or dog throws temper tantrums that worry you, and when they escalate in frequency.
      *    When you feel overwhelmed by your dog's behavior?when you feel you can't handle him and when you think he's smarter than you are.
      *    When your dog has been doing well but suddenly regresses and is doing several bad behaviors that have not been allowed in the past.
      *    When your dog guards his food, treats, or toys, growls, barks, or snaps at anyone who comes close.
      *    When your dog growls or snaps when you ask him to get off the sofa or bed.
      *    Whenever your dog acts aggressively toward any member of the family.
      *    When your dog acts aggressively toward unthreatening people while out on a walk or out in public.
      *    When your dog shows signs of being aggressive toward other friendly, nonthreatening dogs.
      *    When your dog bites you or any other person.

Far too many dogs are given up by their owners because of behavior problems. As mentioned at the start of this chapter, these problems are natural to the dog?they are not problems to him. Nor are they directed at you, personally. So before giving up, call for more help.