Dog Training - Solving Common Dog Behavioral Problems
Dog lovers are often terrified to discover their pooch is hardly what they expected when they decided to take on the responsibility of ownership. Dog shows portray the various breeds and their unique traits in compelling ways. Grace, docility, and intelligence are all admirable qualities in a dog, but several breeds and individual dogs possess behavioral issues that must be checked. It is not uncommon to hear dog owners say, “I read everything about this dog breed, and my dog does not even closely behave like the way they said he would”. This is when dog training comes into part.
A common problem that often surfaces is a dog’s willingness to consume fecal matter — even their own or other dogs. This disturbing behavior is referred to as coprophagia. Coprophagy (the act of eating feces) can be attributed to hunger, pancreatitis, intestinal infections, and more. Some people even go as far as saying that the dog consumes its fecal matter because they are evolutionary advanced. The behavior can often be driven by a dog witnessing its owner picking up the stools. This is called Allelomimetic dog behavior. The canine is in actuality only mimicking its owner by disposing of the waste. Should this be the case, begin removing your dog’s stools while out of his presence.
Should your dog eat feces, make an appointment at your veterinarian’s office as soon as possible to discover why, although often times, there is not a major veterinarian reason for this. To solve this dog behavior problem you can add something distasteful to the fecal matter, like hot sauce or some product made of vegetable material that your vet could carry in his office. Keep in mind that this is a very difficult dog behavior modification to do once it starts. The best way to prevent him from eating fecal matter is to pick the feces immediately, to prevent your dog from having access to it.
Another problem owner’s experience with their dogs is repetitive or continuous barking. Some dogs simply bark excessively, while others are triggered into barking fits be the environment around them. I am sure that most of us are familiar with the phrase “this dog barks at everything”. Whatever the case may be, this attribute is a serious distraction and can become a nightmare for owner and neighbors alike, therefore it is imperative to apply some barking solutions to this matter.
A dog’s favored method of communication is the bark. Every new dog owner is familiar with a barking puppies at night or with barking puppies when left alone. Dog barking can be used to convey anger or to acknowledgment a person’s arrival. One common cause of excessive barking is genetics. Some breeds of dog just naturally bark more than others. External stimuli seem to be the main culprit though. This can be anything from a tampering child to a neighbors own dog. Keep all of this in mind when trying to resolve the issue, and start applying some dog training tips to solve your dog training barking behavior elimination techniques.
Should barking be your dog’s main problematic behavior, you should check to see if you are keeping your dog properly confined. This translates into many things. If you dog is left caged too often or confined inappropriately, don’t be surprised if it becomes stressed and barks incessantly. Lack of physical activity can also lead to non-stop barking. You must spend adequate playtime with your dog. If you wonder how to stop your dog from barking while crate training, a good way to do it is by exercising your dog prior to crating him. He will be tired and ready to take a nap.
If the source of your dog’s barking is temperamental, try some dog behavior modification training to alleviate the problem. Whenever the dog is off on one of its barking tangents, immediately punish it. A favored method for this is to wet the dog with the water hose as you would a cat, or if inside use a plant sprayer to spray water on your dog’s face and say “quiet”. This form of correction doesn’t harm the animal and is quite effective. Once the barking ceases, remember to reward your dog. Positive reinforcement or positive dog training with treats and kind words can go a long way toward correcting your dog’s issues.
Teaching appropriate canine behavior requires patience, time, and much hard work. Don’t be discouraged; the rewards of your labors will come and are very important if you plan on living together in peace with your dog.
Have a great “dog training” day,
Dr. Alfonso
