A dog might be the ultimate man’s best friend.
However, just like any relationship, it’s not always rainbows and sunshine.
Your relationship with your buddy can come with annoyances and headaches.
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In actuality, we can always pull the “it’s just a part of life” card and play it off casually.
However, it’s always important to note that a dog’s overall behavior leans heavily on their type and how they were trained early in their lives.
It surely takes a lot of effort and energy to raise a good and well-behaved dog.
In this article, we will discuss the most common behavioral problems of dogs and how to address them.
How to Get a Grip on Typical Dog Behavior Problems?
Please understand that a dog may be well-trained, stable, and quiet, but still, accidents may and do occur.
This is why it always pays that we know these common dog behavior problems and how to solve them.
Let’s look closely at the most typical behavioral issues our four-legged friends might be having.
Does Your Dog Chew Your Stuff?
In general, chewing is a reasonable behavior for dogs.
This is because their ancestors were hunters, and they chew on the bones to get the fatty marrow inside it.
Because dogs have become our pets, they have a lot of access to things other than bones.
This conduct could be atrocious for you. Why?
You wouldn’t want to discover bite marks or chewed off portions on your newly purchased couch, right?
That’s why it is crucial to understand the root cause of why dogs chew on your stuff.
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Are they bored? Do they have more energy than they can spend? Are they anxious?
Just like barking, chewing on your stuff might be a signal that your buddy still has a lot of energy to spend.
If this is the case, as a pet owner or parent, you have to provide him or her some means to consume this unspent energy.
To resolve this behavioral issue, you can maybe take a walk outside or run with your dog.
Another cause for chewing could be boredom and anxiety.
Again, you have to provide a means to prevent your dog from growing bored or anxious.
To combat this behavior, ensure that you give your dog lots of toys that he or she can chew on.
At an early stage, it’s also critical to teach your dog not to chew on stuff that’s just not meant for chewing.
Train your dog to follow sharp and quick commands like “no.”
Through words or signals, this communication method will teach your dog what he or she is allowed to chew and the things that are just off-limits.
Is Your Dog Barking Too Much?
Dogs bark. It is their thing. That is their major job.
However, there are just times that your dog’s barking gets too annoying and bothersome that you pretty much can’t hear anything else.
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Again, you have to identify the root cause before you even try to fix this particular issue.
You have to determine why your dog keeps on barking. Maybe there’s someone at your doorstep.
Or it could be that he or she is trying to warn you about something.
Sometimes, it could also be that your dog needs your attention.
Moreover, he or she might be feeling anxious or bored.
Whatever the case may be, it is utterly essential to get a grip and understand why your dog is acting that way and then resolve the underlying cause whenever possible.
Take some time to go with your dog outdoors, or maybe give more toys.
If trying to resolve the underlying cause doesn’t help reduce the barking, you can visit your vet to identify the reason for your dog’s anxiety issue.
Additionally, it pays to train your dog to stay calm and quiet on order.
Remember, you have to pay attention to even the tiniest bit of details and be pried with your buddy.
Does Your Dog Always Beg You for Food?
I know it’s quite hard to resist when your buddy under the dining table keeps giving the puppy eyes while you’re trying to enjoy your meal.
It might seem cute at first.
However, it just gets irritating after a while, especially when it becomes a habit.
The thing about this common behavioral issue is that we give in sometimes.
Maybe you toss a piece of bacon to your buddy now and then.
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However, you have to understand that this is the wrong way of handling this problem.
Why? Begging is a bad habit, and if we keep on giving in to their demands, we are merely encouraging this bad behavior.
Remember this, your dog will have his or her meal, and you have yours. Just be firm and do not share.
It would help if you taught your dog that begging for food is not good early on.
At first, you can try to send your dog to his or her place.
You can even make your dog stay in another part of your home.
Eventually, you can teach your dog to stay put whenever you’re eating.
Does Your Dog Get Anxious Whenever You’re Not Around?
Some dog owners might not have experienced this issue.
However, they’re pretty much well aware of the disaster that comes with this behavior for the ones who already did.
When your dog has separation anxiety, be prepared to come home one day to a messed-up house all because your dog misses you.
It’s not a sight you’d want to see.
Separation anxiety on dogs entails heaps of misbehavior, which often leads to destruction whenever a dog doesn’t see his or her owner around.
Commonly, this happens during the first 15 to 30 minutes after you leave your dog.
So, how can you tell if having separation anxiety issues?
Well, if your dog can’t help but follow you wherever you go and grows more anxious as you try to exit the door, you can safely say that your buddy is dealing with this issue.
While I have to admit that dealing with this behavioral issue is not a walk in the park, getting rid of this habit is possible if you properly train your dog.
You can try exercises such as desensitization as well as behavioral modification.
For extreme cases, you can have your dog checked for medication prescription.
Conclusion
These are just the most common dog behavior problems.
As dog owners, we must know these issues so we’ll know how to deal with them.
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To better understand your dog, it is imperative to pay close attention to how they are behaving and always dig deeper to find the underlying cause of the issue.
Doing this will not only make you figure out how to attack the problem head-on, but it will also give your buddy a fuller life in the long run.
