The Early Signs of Dog Behavior Problems

If you have a dog, then you know how it can be sometimes difficult to train your pet. Regardless of the breed, dogs have different personalities and all exhibit different behaviors. However, there are some common behavioral problems that, if spotted early, you as an owner can completely reverse the problems. Let's take a look at the different behavioral problems exhibited by dogs.

The first behavioral problem one would notice is that dogs like to dig. If you're one of the few people that do not mind your dog digging up your lawn, then disregard this, but good owners should train their dogs to stop digging. To train a dog to not dig successfully, you will need to catch your pet in the act of digging and stop it. It is important to stop your dog in the middle as this will help them learn that digging is sometimes not correct.

The second behavioral problem is chewing. Dogs and puppies like to discover the world they inhabit by utilizing their mouth. Whether its for exploration or calming, they need to understand that they should not be eating things that is not food for them. Its utmost important to stop this habit as it can have health consequences. One way to do this is to give your dog chew toys.

Begging is another behavioral problem in dogs. Dogs will often beg for food especially if they see the whole family eating together at the dinner table. You can reduce this behavior by never giving your food from the dinner table to your dog. This may seem cruel, but you can always take the dog to a different room, or even the same room, and put food in the dog's food bowl. This way the dog will understand that it has a special bowl and a special spot to eat.

Aggression is also a very common behavioral problem seen in dogs. This behavior is actually the prime reason why dogs seem such violent creatures, but in reality it is the training they receive that makes them so. If a trainer can control the dog's aggression and potentially reduce it, then it is a safer pet than before.

Sometimes dogs like to pull on the leash when you take them for a walk. Never let the dog pull the leash because if you let them, then the dog will wrongfully understand that pulling on the leash is a good and allowed behavior. Always make sure that if need be, you pull the leash and eventually your dog will learn to walk calmly and carefully beside you.

Lastly attention is also a behavioral problem in dogs. However this is a controversial topic as some people like to give a lot of attention to their dog. But be careful, as this may make your dog spoiled.

In conclusion, behavioral problems in dogs is a large list because of the varying behaviors of dogs. If these behaviors are sighted early, it is easier to reduce them.

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Why Does My Dog Want To Attack Other Dogs?

This is a very common question that a lot of dog owners ask when their dogs start showing aggression as they reach maturity. One thing that is important is to spay or neuter your pets at a young age. Not only does this help keep them from developing aggression as they mature but it also does wonders for protecting your dog from different types of cancer as they age.

Let's talk about some of the reasons your dog wants to attack other dogs.

1. Lack of socialization

This is a very common reason for aggression. All puppies need to be socialized with other dogs during the period of socialization that is from birth to 20 weeks of age. If you want your pet to be around other dogs when it gets older then you better get them socialized early.

If you don't socialize your puppy before 20 weeks of age you are going to end up with a dog aggressive dog when it gets somewhere between 12 and 24 months old.

2. No Training

The second cause of a dog aggressive dog could be a lack of training. Yes, you read that right. If you don't obedience train your dog you are going to end up with a dog that doesn't know what is right and what is wrong. Training your dog will teach it where it is in the pack and of course you are at the top. If the dog has respect for you then it will not act like a crazy dog whenever other dogs are around.

3. Feeling a need to protect

The third reason is that your dog may be feeling that it needs to protect you from other dogs. Why does it act that way? Well part of it goes back to the lack of training. If you don't train your dog it feels that it must be the alpha and because of that it needs to take care of the lower members of the pack, you.

Aggression may also develop because as a pup it growled at a strange dog and you thought it was cute so over a period of time it simply grew and got worse. Your dog just assumed that it was supposed to act that way.

So now the big question, how do we fix it? Start by locating a great trainer or a behavior specialist that has a bunch of experience working with this type of problem. I will say that not every dog can be cured but with diligence and determination I think it will work to make your dog better.

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7 Different Causes Of Dog Aggression

Unfortunately dog aggression is a very common behavior issue that dog owners have to deal with. The aggression can be caused by several different things however and not receiving proper socialization before the age of 20 weeks is one of the most common causes. Here are several different causes of dog aggression.

1. Lack of proper socialization 

This is probably the most common problem when it comes to dog aggression. Puppies should always be properly socialized by the time they are 20 weeks old. 

2. Being isolated from human contact 

Believe it or not there are people that mistakenly believe that by isolating their dog from other human contact will be best for the dog and will create loyalty to the owner. This thinking is very wrong in fact what it does do is create a fearful aggressive dog. 

3. Excessive physical punishment 

People that are heavy handed with corrections and hit their young pups are very likely to find a dog that that is afraid of people and that actually may attack the owner as it gets older and is able to protect itself. 

4. Owner that does not provide proper training 

This is a very common problem. A new owner says we will train the dog later only to find that later never comes but the dog is still untrained and is now showing aggression. Obedience training is very important and creates the master dog relationship where the dog realizes that the master is the alpha of the pack, not the dog. 

5. Teasing from kids and people 

We have all seen this. Where kids coming home from school just can pass up the opportunity to tease your dog and really get it into defense mode. It could even be a nasty neighbor as well that just doesn't like dogs. 

6. Chaining 

OK this one is actually against the law in many locations around the country. You can visit http://www.unchainyourdog.org/Laws.htm to see if your city or state is included. Chaining creates aggression so don't do it. 

7. Attack from a dog 

If your dog was attacked by another dog then it may have some fear when it comes to other dogs. If that is the case you may see your dog showing aggression when another dog gets too close. Your dog is simply trying to act nasty and tough so that other dogs will stay away. 

If your dog is showing aggression you may have found the reason for that aggression right here in this article. Of course there are more reasons for aggression so this is not the complete list. 

If your dog is suffering from aggression be sure to contact a trainer or a canine behavior specialists to help you solve the problem as soon as possible. Aggression can be a serious problem and of course can create liability for you the dog owner.

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5 Types Of Dog Aggression

Aggression in dogs can be a very serious problem that can create a tremendous amount of liability for you and your family. This article deals with five of the most common types of aggression however there are many more. If your dog has aggression and you would like help to resolve it you should contact a qualified trainer or behavior specialist for help. 

1. Dominance Aggression. Quite often this type of aggression is directed toward the owner. It can manifest itself when the owner tries to dominate the dog are while making it do something that it does not want to do. Some examples would be waking the dog or making it get off furniture or a bed. This is the type of aggression that happens in what I refer to as aggression in the home where the dog feels that it is the "Alpha". 

2. Fear Aggression is very common in the shy fearful dog. Actually the fearful dog is sometimes referred to as the most dangerous dog because you never know when fear will cause aggression to raise its ugly head with this type of dog. A rule to remember and to teach your children is to never try to approach a dog that appears fearful. Cornering a shy, fearful dog can be dangerous since it can't flee so it must fight. 

3. Territorial Aggression. We have all seen this dog before. You know the dog that is behind the fence that will not let you are anybody else through the gate. It is guarding its territory no matter where that is. This is the type of dog that is used to guard a business or property. 

4. Dog on Dog Aggression is another type of aggression that you just might see in the family dog. This could be the dog that was never socialized properly during the period of socialization that is from birth to 20 weeks of age. If you dog is not socialized with dogs during that period you just may end up with this type of aggression in your dog. 

5. Food Aggression is another type of aggression that you may encounter with your dog. The easiest way to avoid this type of aggression is to teach your puppy from the very beginning that the food is yours and you can give it or take it. Start working with your puppy from the very beginning and teaching it that you can put your hands in the food bowl, you can even take the bowl if you want. Do the same thing with treats and bones. If you will teach your pup from the beginning then this should not be a problem in the future. 

These are just some of the different types of aggression that you may see in your dog. Socializing your pup before 20 weeks of age will help with some and conditioning your dog to different situations will help with other types of aggression. 

If you have an adult dog and it develops aggression be sure and seek the help of a trainer or behavior specialist that is qualified to help with the problem. Trying to resolve aggression on your own can be very dangerous.

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6 Tips To Minimize Dog Aggression

Dog aggression is a serious and unfortunately very common problem. While extreme cases should be handled by a professional, dog owners can try these six tips to begin to address their dog's aggression towards other dogs.

1. Training is a must

Having a trained dog is very important. In fact usually when a dog has been trained well we don't see dog aggression, because the dog has been taught that showing aggression is not allowed.

2. Re-socialize your dog to other dogs

Hopefully your dog was socialized between birth and 20 weeks of age. The proper socialization during this period is very important. If your puppy was not socialized with other dogs during this period it is possible that it will never be able to be around other dogs.

3. Keep your dog distracted with a command

With a trained dog this is easy to do simply by giving a "heel" command. A nicely trained dog will ignore the distraction and do what it was commanded.

4. Neuter or spay to prevent sexually-based aggression

Yes, it's true neutering or spaying at an early age can help with aggression. However after the age of 3 -4 years neutering may not help because the aggression has been doing is now learned and does not rely on testosterone.

5. Put your dog in a down-stay when he needs a moment to calm down

The down and down stay commands or the most important and powerful exercises you have for gaining control of your dog. When you need control simply put it in the down position. With dogs that show aggression this exercise is a must.

6. Make sure you do not give the wrong body language

As a dog owner your body language is very important as well to maintain your position as the master and alpha of your pack. As trainers we talk about the fact that your thoughts go up and down the leash so make sure you are having positive thoughts.

As you can see, dog aggression can be handled many different ways. By learning to work through aggression problems, you can begin to help your pet learn new ways of handling himself around other dogs.

If your pet is going to show dog aggression it will usually happen sometime around 12-24 month of age. Keep in mind that this type of aggression usually doesn't get better by itself so be sure to look for help from a canine behavior specialist or a trainer with experience with dog aggression.

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5 Things To Avoid When Adopting A Dog

Adopting a dog from a shelter or a breed rescue is an excellent way to get a dog and in the process you're saving a life. However there are a few things that you should avoid when adopting that new dog for your family. This article is going to touch base on some of the things that you should avoid and watch out for.

Aggression With People

If the dog shows any type of aggression no matter what its age pass on the dog. I will probably find some people who would like to argue with me on that subject but this is from decades of experience that I'm giving this advice. There are just too many sweetheart dogs out there that need good homes without taking on the burden of a dog that you already know is aggressive.

The Fearful Dog

Quite often I find new dog owners that have adopted a dog that appeared to be fearful. Perhaps it's even a puppy. I've had clients tell me they went to look at a litter of puppies and seven of them ran up to them and wanted to play and be with them. However there was that one little scared puppy sitting in the corner that didn't interact with the other puppies or with them. You'd be amazed how many people take that puppy.

Again this is a dog that I would pass on. Can you bring this dog around to be a normal dog, it's possible. However it's more unlikely. So my suggestion is to pick one of those happy outgoing puppies so that you can have a happy home for the rest of its life.

Dog Aggression

If you already have a dog at home and want to add this new dog to your pack then adopting a dog that is not dog aggressive is a must. It's always a good idea to introduce your new dog to your existing dog in a strange environment not at your home. So keep in mind that the first meeting should be at the local park or out for a walk. Make sure that the adoption agency is willing to take back the new dog if he shows any aggression with your existing dog at home.

Sick Dog

Needless to say you do not want to accept a sick or unhealthy dog especially if you already have a dog at home. I do realize that there are those of you who are real rescuers and nurturers that will accept this sick dog and nurse it back to health. However for the average pet owner that may be more of a task than they want to take on.

The Unsocialized Dog

When adopting your dog keep in mind that the period of socialization is from birth to 20 weeks old. If you are adopting a puppy you have to accomplish that before the five-month mark. If you are considering a puppy that has been at a shelter its entire life and has not been properly socialized that could be a mistake that you will have to live with for years unless there is still time to do it before the 20 week mark..

On the other hand if you're choosing an older dog you'll be able to tell if he's been socialized properly by his attitude around people and dogs.

Adopting a dog can be a fantastic way to select a new best friend. Just take your time and find the right dog that suits your lifestyle and your expectations. If you'll follow this simple information you'll both have a happy life together.

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6 Reasons You Should Neuter Your Dog

It's a common well-known fact that neutered dogs make better pets. What I'd like to do is discuss some of the reasons you should neuter your dog. Hopefully this article will give you the information that you need to have your dog neutered.

Here are some of the reasons that a neutered dog makes a better pet:

1. Let's start off with the fact that it neutered dog will be less likely to mark in your home as a mature adult. Keep in mind that the number one reason dogs and up in shelters is because there are marking are under house trained.

2. Another reason to have a neutered male dog is because of aggression. Depending on the breed some dogs are much more aggressive when they are left intact with all that testosterone.

3. Of course ask any vet and he'll tell you that one thing that can happen to an unneutered male is testicular cancer. Of course with no testicles that isn't going to happen to your dog.

4. I think most trainers will tell you that unneutered dog seems to be much easier to train. If you're considering ever sending your dog to a doggie daycare keep in mind that most daycare's will not accept unneutered males.

5. Another good reason to neuter your dog is to avoid having unwanted litters with the neighbors female. A neutered dog can't add to the unwanted pet population.

6. One of the main reasons to have your dog neutered is to keep him from wandering the neighborhood in search of a girlfriend. Neutering removes that desire and that's a good thing for everybody.

Have I convinced you? If not why don't you talk to your veterinarian and ask him about reasons he feels that you should neuter your dog.

Having a discussion with your vet about neutering is very important. You can ask him about the pros and the cons as well as any health ramifications dealing with neutering. While you're at it discuss what the proper age is to neuter your particular dog.

One last comment, here are three reasons you may not want to neuter.

1. If you intend to show your dog in AKC confirmation keep in mind that your dog must be intact, no neutering.

2. If you intend to be involved in the sport of Schutzhund you want the dog intact for the testosterone needed for the protection part of the sport.

3. And of course last but not least if your dog will be used for breeding.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?6-Reasons-You-Should-Neuter-Your-Dog&id=8159216

How to stop Dog Aggression quickly And easily - In a few steps!

Some quite simple steps to take to stop dog aggression.