3 Common Behavioral Issues In Dogs That Can Be Corrected with Dog Training

Dow owners often misunderstand or misinterpret dog behavioral problems. Understanding a problem with dog behavior is one of the first steps to solving it. This article will be useful for both new dog owners and those who just consider getting a canine. Here are the three most common dog behavioral issues that can be solved with the help of dog training.

1. Barking or whining

Most dogs bark, whine or howl to vocalize themselves. However, excessive barking might be a serious problem and should be considered a behavioral issue. Before correcting excessive barking, it is important to understand why the dog is doing that. The most common reasons for excessive barking are the following: a warning to alert, boredom, anxiety, attention-seeking, excitement and playfulness, and responding to other canines. 

The first thing that any dog owner should remember if barking or whining aggravates him is not to whine or “bark” back. If a dog owner starts yelling at or pleading with a dog when he is barking or whining, a pooch considers it as “barking back” and might start vocalizing even louder. Instead, it is recommended to teach a dog to bark on command using such words as “bark” or “speak”. 

A dog owner can encourage a canine by saying “Good speak” and then give him a delicious treat that will necessitate that a dog stop barking in order to chew and swallow. When a pooch is quiet, it is worth saying something like “Good shush” and reward a four-legged friend with a small treat again.

Separation anxiety

Veterinarians and dog trainers use this term to refer to canines who go crazy when they are left alone. They might start destroying surroundings, howling, and barking. In order to combat this issue, it is important to acclimate a dog with comings and leaves by starting to make positive experiences. Experts recommend the following experiment: before leaving, a dog owner should place a dog in his crate, give him his favorite chew toy, turn on music (rock or classic), and leave the house without saying anything.

 A couple of minutes of the owner’s absence should be enough for a dog to settle down. If a dog starts crying or barking once an owner leaves, it might be helpful to replace a chew toy with something more appealing. After being out for about 5 minutes, an owner should come back and act as if nothing has happened. Then it is recommended to put a dog on a leash and go for a walk. It is good to keep doing this training at least a couple times a week by increasing the amount of time an owner is gone from the house.

3. Chewing

First of all, it is important to know that chewing is a natural action for canines. In fact, it is also a very important activity: chewing is a part of the way dogs are wired. However, excessive chewing might become a serious problem, especially if a dog starts destroying things. The most common reasons for excessive chewing might include puppy teething, anxiety, curiosity (especially for puppies), excess energy, or boredom. 

The best strategy to address this problem is to provide a dog with plenty of appealing chew toys. If a dog owner finds his dogs chewing something, he should quickly distract a canine with a sharp noise and replace the item he was chewing with a chew toy. Also, it is also important to make sure that a dog gets plenty of physical activity and exercise, which allows him to wear off energy.

Dog behavioral issues are among the most common problems of dog ownership. The good thing is that most of the issues can be correct with special god training. For those who live in Texas, Houston dog training is ready to help. 

Expert trainers of Houston dog training with years of professional experience take a thoughtful and compassionate approach to helping dog owners with their troubled dogs.