Dog Misbehavior - Proper Ways To Correct Common Problems

You want everyone to like your dog as much as you do and you dog's behavior is going to determine if this is possible. Dog misbehavior problems such as excessive barking, destructive chewing, feces eating, food guarding, jumping up, mouthing or nipping, object guarding, problem digging and urine marking are all things that will not endear your dog to others. These misbehaviors must be corrected so that you dog will be likeable.

Excessive barking happens frequently because dogs love to bark. They bark for all kinds of reasons. They bark to say hello, or because they are alarmed or startled, or when they are defending their territory or feel there is a threatening person or animal near. Dogs also bark when they are frustrated, or when they hear other dogs barking. It is no wonder dogs bark so much with all these reasons for barking! And it also no wonder this one dog misbehavior problem is a constant annoyance to dog owners.

Most owners can recognize their dog by the bark they make. Any dog though, can have an irritating bark when it is an excessive bark. To reduce your dog's barking, it is important to know WHY the dog is barking. Remember that some dog breeds bark more than others and are just known as "barkers", check with your breeder or shelter before buying a dog if you wish to avoid these types of dogs.

Usually dogs will bark when protecting, are distressed such as when fearful or dealing with separation anxiety, when they are excited or greeting their owner, during play, to gain your attention, or to make requests, when they are frustrated, when they are being social with other dogs, or when it is a compulsive behavior.

Do NOT encourage a dog to bark at passers by or people coming to the door by getting up and looking out the window or by saying, "who's there?" Try not to punish your dog for barking at sounds such as car doors, or people at the door. Never muzzle a dog for barking for long periods, as the dog won't be able to drink water.

Ask your vet or a pet behaviorist for ideas on reducing your dog's barking and for how to determine why your dog is barking.

Chewing is a natural behavior for a dog to do for stimulation and exercise and also to relieve anxiety. Dogs should be given plenty of appropriate items to chew on such as dog toys and appropriate dog bones so that they will be able to meet their need for chewing without using items that you do not want them to chew on.

Food guarding or aggressive behavior around treats or food is all signs of canine possession aggression (CPA), and your vet can help you to learn how to cope with this serious behavior. When the dog is young is the best time to get the dog used to you and food being together. Give your dog extra treats while he is eating such as a scoop of scrambled egg or a tasty morsel of hotdog or a scoop of blueberries.

Mouthing and nipping are playtime behavior that puppies love to play with people. Chewing on fingers and toes allows them to explore the human body. Usually this behavior disappears around 4 or five months of age. The best thing to do when nipping or mouthing behavior is happening is to substitute a chew toy immediately each time it happens. Soon your dog will get the message and chew and mouth on appropriate objects instead of you.

There are a number of ways to correct your dog misbehavior problems, and of course they differ depending on the activity you are trying to curtail. If you want the best information on training your pet we highly recommend one of two sources.

Dog trainer Daniel Stevens has put together what we feel is the most comprehensive dog training guide available. It's called SitStayFetch  and you can find out more by clicking here . It's the got all the information you need to correct any dog misbehavior problem.

If you prefer your dog training on video exclusively, then be sure to check out Dove Cresswell's Dog Training Online. You can even view a free sample video. It's available here.