Common Behavior Problems and Solutions

[soccbydo]

I think this is a fine piece of advice and I hope many can use it, I know I can. I wonder if they will make this a sticky?


Common Behavior Problems and Solutions
© 2001 Jennifer Jones
All rights reserved.

Jumping on Owner

If your dog jumps up on you and will not leave you alone the instant you walk through the door, most owners would probably admit that this is a significant behavior problem. In general, many dogs have learned to greet their owners in such a manner because they are excited and desire attention. To solve this problem, when you arrive home from work it is a good idea not to pay any attention, good or bad, to your dog for 5-15 minutes, depending upon your dog's level of arousal. This will give your dog time to calm down, and also reinforce the idea that he or she does not get your attention until they settle down and stop jumping. When your dog jumps up on you during other situations, an effective way of combating this problem is to simply turn and walk the opposite direction, and then return and ask for a sit before they have a chance to jump again. Please do not knee them in the chest, as this can cause injury to the dog and does not work with most dogs.

Jumping on Strangers, Guests and Others

Most dog owners would agree that jumping on strangers, guests and others is one of the most prevalent dog behavior problems. This behavior occurs for the same reason as mentioned above — the dogs have learned through experience that this is the correct way to greet others, just as shaking hands is used between humans. The process for combating jumping involves teaching your puppy or adult dog a new way to greet people. This can be accomplished through repeated on-leash exercises, where you ask a familiar person to approach you and your dog, and have the dog sit and stay just as the person approaches. If your dog stays in a sitting position, they are allowed attention from the approaching person. If your dog does not stay sitting, simply take two steps backward, and begin the process again. Thus, your dog only gets attention from the person if they stay in a sitting position. This gives the dog a new, more appropriate, greeting behavior to perform, and over time the sitting behavior will replace the jumping behavior. When your dog is comfortable with familiar people, you can begin introducing strangers by following the same procedure.

Separation Anxiety

If, when you leave your dog at home for the day, he exhibits many different problem behaviors, he could be suffering from separation anxiety. Another important component of this problem is a very stressed disposition, where the dog becomes hyper aroused and anxious when you leave, come home, and while you are away. This is often a problem because most of us lead busy lives and cannot be home to take care of our dogs at all times. Stress becomes an issue for these dogs and they learn to relieve this stress by being destructive. For mild separation anxiety, there are three ways of combating the problem: (1) give the dog many items to chew on and play with while you are away, (2) change your leaving and arriving routine — do not make a big deal about either of these times, and, (3) give your dog a safe place to relax — provide a dog house or a dog bed in a quiet area. Visit Petsmart.com for two great interactive toys, the Buster Cube and Kong Toys, to keep your dog's mind occupied while you are away. For more severe separation anxiety, please contact a behavior counselor or behaviorist in your area for specific advice, and if you live in the Seattle area contact the author, Jennifer Jones.

Buster Cube

Fill this large treat cube with your dog's favorite hard snack or kibble and she will play for hours. The design releases small amounts of food at a time to keep dogs coming back.

Kong Dog Toy

Kong uses solid high-grade rubber for legendary strength, quality and performance. Exercises gums and can be stuffed with numerous items, including cheese, canned food, dry dog food, and even peanut butter.

Chewing

Chewing, much to our dismay, is natural phenomenon for puppies. During the first six months of life, a puppy is constantly losing old teeth and growing in new ones. This inevitably causes pain for the dog, just as it would in a teething child. Dogs often relieve this pain by chewing on any item that is available to them. The problem occurs when the puppy begins to chew on items that are inappropriate, such as shoes and clothing. The solution to puppy chewing is simple: provide the puppy with appropriate objects to chew on, and discourage them from chewing on inappropriate objects. This can be done by having an ample supply of dog chew items, such as pig ears, fuzzy toys, and Kongs available at all times. Stuffed kongs, rope toys, and ice cubes can be placed in the freezer as a great treat. When the dog attempts to chew on something he should not, you then distract them with a more interesting, but appropriate, item. You then praise the dog as he drops the inappropriate item and grabs the appropriate one. This process will need to be repeated regularly until the dog no longer attempts to chew inappropriate objects, which often occurs as the teething pain lessons.

Mouthing/Play Biting

In general, puppies are very mouthy creatures, because they find this to be a very rewarding way to learn about the world. The problem with mouthiness is that it has the possibility of developing into a biting problem if not dealt with at an early age. It is recommended that every puppy owner teach what is referred to as "bite inhibition". This does not require or mean that you have an aggressive dog, it is only a preventative for future problems. Bite inhibition can be taught in four simple steps. First, say "ouch" very loudly whenever your puppy attempts to bite at your hands or other body parts. Dogs tend to respond well to this, as they seem innately familiar with this type of vocal reaction. Second, give them an appropriate object to chew on instead, and third, reward them when they respond correctly. Fourth, dogs should also be rewarded for any sort of licking behavior. For very mouthy puppies a product called bitter apple or any similar foul tasting substance can be applied to your hands and arms which provides a very obvious taste deterrent for this behavior. In addition, if your puppy becomes too overly aroused, simply get up and walk away from the situation and return only when your dog calms down.

Barking

A barking dog can be an extreme nuisance in a neighborhood or apartment setting, as everyone around is subjected to the behavior problem. Dogs bark for one of three reasons. The first is territorial barking, where the dog is using its voice to protect its owners property. This is usually the most difficult to combat once it has been developed as the dog is relying on instinct, but a few things can be done that will improve the situation. For example, place your dog's sleeping and living quarters as far away from the front of the house or yard as possible to provide security, reinforce your dog for barking only once or twice at strangers, and reward any other type of appropriate behavior that your dog exhibits instead of barking. Another cause of barking is the nature of the behavior as a vocal greeting to other dogs and people. This problem can be solved in the same manner as with territorial barking. The third cause of nuisance barking is related to its use a stress and/or boredom reliever. In this case, one would follow the advice given above under the section titled "separation anxiety". For severe barking problems, please visit Animal Behavior Systems' website to purchase a Citronella Bark Collar, a humane product that will eliminate excessive barking if used under the supervision of a dog behavior professional!

Basic Aggression

The first thing that I would like to point out about aggression is that it is a very complex topic with many components. Having said this, I would recommend that you scan through the following information and then contact a behaviorist or behavior counselor in your area for a more in-depth explanation. In regards to basic canine aggression, there are two main types, the majority of dogs fitting into the first category, fear aggression. The best way to diagnosis fear aggression is to watch the dog's body language when approaching the feared situation. A fear aggressive dog will tend to have its ears back, be growling and barking excessively, and be slouching backwards and low to the ground. In contrast with fear aggression, dominance aggression is another type of canine aggression that is quite different in appearance. A dominant aggressive dog will be lunging forward, with his ears and posture erect. This type of aggression is quite rare, but also quite dangerous, as these dogs tend to react quickly and without warning. Both fear and dominance aggression can be related to instinctual behaviors such as maternal and protective behaviors. Please contact a behavior counselor or behaviorist in your area for specific advice, and if you live in the Seattle area contact the author (see website address below) if your dog shows any of these symptoms or if you are concerned about their personality.

[soccbydo]

The rest of the article


Excitability

Excitability is a common problem for dogs and puppies under two years of age. The two main ideas for combating this problem involve teaching commands that encourage correct behavior. The first command to teach would be "relax". The command should be spoken in a quiet, relaxed tone, preferably at your dogs eye level, whenever the dog seems to be becoming overly excited. This command can be paired with a bit of light massage. The second command is most effective for dogs that tend to become overly excited when company comes over to the house. In this case, the command "go to your place" would be appropriate. This entails creating a specified place, usually a bed or blanket, where your dog should relax and sit or lie down quietly when you ask him to. This command is taught in four steps: (1) begin by throwing a piece of food or a toy onto the specified area from about six feet away while repeating the command, (2) gradually increase the distance from the specified area, (3) begin asking for your dog to do a down once they have reached the specified area, (4) now, ask for a down-stay and gradually increase the duration of the stay, and last (5) eliminate the food or toy item. After following this step by step process, your dog should reliably run to the specified area in response to the command and perform a down stay until you release them from position.

Housebreaking Your Adult Dog

Housebreaking in an adult dog often involves retraining the dog to only eliminate outdoors. Often, the dog was not properly trained as a puppy in regards to appropriate elimination. Inappropriate elimination is the result of one of three things: marking, attention, or inadequate training. The best advice to solve the problem of inappropriate elimination, is to first analyze what original housebreaking methods were used and if they were comprehensive enough. If you do not feel that the methods were adequate, you will need to start from scratch and either focus on paper training or crate training. Please visit the author's uppyhood page (no longer available) and take a look at the information on housebreaking your puppy. If this is not the case, the behavior is instead most likely a result of marking tendencies or an attention getting behavior. Marking often occurs in unneutered males and can be easily solved by neutering your dog. If you feel that the behavior is a means of getting your attention, I would suggest that you give your dog that undivided attention that they are so intent on getting in undesirable ways. This could involve attending a group dog training or agility class, or setting aside specific time and undivided attention during each day to interact and play with your dog.




http://www.extendedyears.com/behavior/50007.php

[Yorkiekids]

Thanks for all the good information. I found it very helpful.

[dani23d]

awesome. thanks for posting this!!!

[vainchick5]

Great info, thanks.

[soccbydo]

You ladies are welcome, I know I can use it as it has some great tips from a behaviorist

[shurweee]

thank you! i'll definitely be coming back here to read up on advice.