Get Rid of Your Dog’s Destructive Behavior
Dogs are naturally playful and fun to be with, however, they have the tendency to be destructive. A lot of people have this wrong notion that the destructive dog behavior is the result of leaving them alone at home when you are out for work. This is not true and in fact most dog behaviorists and dog trainers will testify to that.
Dogs do have a lot of energy and energy levels vary for every dog breed. The higher the energy level of the breed, the more exercise is needed to incorporate to your dog. If the over-excitation and hyperactivity of the dog is the result of insufficient exercise, the same goes for a destructive dog behavior.
The best dog behavior modification is to add more exercise routines for your dog training. Ball-chasing and walks are the best exercise and these are daily requirements. You can also out the dog on a 30 minute treadmill. If this is a good exercise for people, it goes well also with dogs. This is good for the cardio-vascular health, muscle toning, stress release and weight control. Psychological challenge is also a critical aspect in controlling the dogs aggressive and destructive behavior. The common challenges that can be experienced on walks may vary from attractive nuisances as the passing cyclists, inevitable close encounters with other dogs and humans, and squirrel taunting. All these could excite your dog and they will have the tendency to forget her leash training. They have the tendency to incite their territorial, protective and dominance instincts. To avoid these, do not allow your dogs to greet humans when they are in the state of over-excitement. Also greeting unfamiliar dogs in this state is rude.
The meeting of two over-excited dogs may end up in a fight. It may not happen all the time, but there is a great tendency that it might just happen. You never know when, that is why it is best to separate two dogs who are over-excited to avoid possible fights. If then aggression is very evident in two dogs who meet for the first time, it is good to walk them together while a person is between them to control and separate them. This can also be effective for one calm dog and one over-excited dog but never for two excited dogs. Have them walk on a regular basis until they get acclimate to each other.
Energy bursts most likely cause destructive dog behavior for mature dogs. Dog obsessive behavior is manifested by running, jumping and fixation on balls. The best solution for this is exercise. Aggressive dogs are the one who need exercise the most. However, it is also important to take note that getting rid of the energy of the dog through exercise does not thoroughly eliminates the underlying problem but it sure helps lessen the impact. Dog owners must be sensitive to the exercise requirement of their dog. Giving dogs proper exercise is not an option, it is a necessity.
Have a great "dog training" day,
Dr. Alfonso
