10 Most Common Dog Behavior Problems (And How To Fix Them)
by dogtoyadvisor | Last updated on November 18, 2020
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Much like people, each dog has its quirks, its annoying little habits.
And, while we should accept our pets as they are and love them unconditionally, some behaviors can be bad for him or for the family dynamic.
And, as so, it is our job to do our very best to help our dog overcome it.
Understanding Dog Behavior Issues
The causes for problematic behaviors can be vast and complicated.
Before finding their forever families, some dogs suffer abuse and starvation.
Others may have been treated well but, for some reason, end up being surrendered to shelters or left on the street.
Pain and fear can cause aggression or protective behaviors that can be hard to handle.
At times, behavior issues can even be created by owners who, eager to do the best by their pets, are actually encouraging the behavior instead of solving them.
Preventing Dog Behavior Issues
Dog behavior problems are often misunderstood and mishandled by their owners.
The best way to prevent behavior issues from happening is to create a solid foundation based on obedience training.
Obedience training will not only strengthen the bond between you and your dog but also make your dog more open to understanding what you expect from him.
Why You Should NEVER Give Up On Your Dog
No behavior issue warrants abandonment.
You are the only chance your dog has to be happy, safe and balanced.
No matter how hard it gets and how desperate you may be by your dog’s behavior, believe us when we say there is a way to solve every issue that may occur.
Abandoning your pet will only traumatize him and increase his problems further.
He is a member of your family and worth the work of training him to solve every issue.
Never forget that.
10 Most Common Dog Behavior Problems
Here you’ll find the 10 most common dog behavior problems.
We’ll let you know more about these behavior issues and how to handle them.
1 – Pulling On the Leash
Walking a dog that pulls on the leash can be stressful and, depending on the size of the dog, dangerous.
For us, it even meant many hours in physical therapy due to shoulder pain.
First and foremost, know he’s not doing it to annoy you or to cause you pain.
He may be doing it because he’s just too excited and stimulated.
Also, dogs have a faster pace than humans, so a bit of an adjustment is always needed..
He can also be anxious and fearful, feeling exposed to danger with all the noises, smells and other dogs around.
How To Solve It
Train your dog to walk calmly beside you but never forget to exercise him first so he won’t have excess energy making it harder for him to remain calm.
Also, while you’re working with your dog, you’ll want to get a no pull harness to help you with your mission.
Learn everything you need to know about how to train your dog to walk on a leash with our step-by-step guide.
How to Stop a Dog That Pulls in 5 Minutes
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Put an end to pulling now.
2 – Barking
You should never expect your dog not to bark at all.
Barking is the way he can communicate what he’s feeling and not all barks are the same.
What we mean to control is excessive barking or barking at unwelcome times.
Barking can be caused by a number of reasons, from protection instincts to pure boredom and the first step is to identify the reasons before working to solve them.
How To Solve It
Controlling unwanted barking means you’ll have to teach your dog to be quiet on cue.
Luckily, we have prepared for you a comprehensive guide on how to get your dog to stop barking you’ll love.
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Read this if you have become desperate to figure out how to get a dog to stop barking.
3 – Begging
We’d say that begging is the number one behavior problem that owners are guilty of.
Yes, we like to share our meals with our pets and puppy eyes are hard to resist BUT you’re not doing your dog any favors.
Human food is not meant for dogs and having a dog trying to steal food off your plate, particularly when you have guests is not okay.
How To Solve It
Ignoring him is the best option, of course, but if he’s begging odds are you won’t be able to do that.
Work with your dog on obedience training to make sure he’ll sit calmly when commanded as well as work with him on keeping his focus on you at all times.
That way, you’ll be able to keep him well-behaved and enjoy your meal.
4 – Chewing
While chewing is a perfectly healthy behavior for dogs, it’s the destructive chewing that needs to be addressed.
Puppies are known to chew everything they catch due to teething or simple curiosity whereas adult dogs can chew furniture, belongings or whatever they can find due to boredom, frustration or even stress.
While there are also some medical reasons that can cause your dog to chew destructively, it’s less likely.
Be creative with the fillings and make sure you turn your dog’s boredom into fun, stimulating times.
Here are 10 healthy foods you can stuff in a KONG our dogs absolutely love.
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5 – Jumping
While it’s endearing to watch how happy and excited your dog is to see you, jumping up can become troublesome, depending on the dog’s size and weight.
Also, it can be very stressing for your guests to be greeted this way, particularly if they aren’t used to dogs.
It can also be dangerous because a dog can cause a person to trip or even fall when jumping on them.
How To Solve It
Again, the best way to handle it is to ignore your dog when he’s jumping up, even turning your back at him until he calms down.
Also, teaching him to sit on command can make a big difference.
Read how we taught our dogs not to jump up with a step-by-step guide so you can do the same.
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6 – Not Coming When Called
Getting your dog to come when called is very important for his safety and well being.
Not only does it keep the dog from running off and getting lost, but it also assures you can call him to you in difficult situations, like when you’re protecting him from an aggressive dog.
How To Solve It
Dogs are easily distracted and focusing on you can be hard at times, with so much to see and smell, but teaching him to come is easy enough.
First you need to work on your connection and make sure he pays attention to you at all times.
Only then will you teach him to come.
Read our simple step-by-step training routine to train a dog to come when called.
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7 – Aggression
Aggressive behavior that can sometimes lead to biting and serious attacks, is the most dangerous problematic behavior your dog can have.
Every dog can become aggressive, depending on the situation, but dogs that have experience violence are more likely to do it.
There are a lot of reasons for aggression, from dominance or protective instincts to fear or pain.
How To Solve It
Aside from a medical reason that’s causing your dog to become aggressive, the only way to curb your dog’s aggression is to work with him on his issues.
Identifying the causes is the first step, then desensitizing him to that cause is the next step.
We’ve assembled an easy step-by-step guide to help you stop your dog’s aggression you can use to work with your dog.
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8 – Running Away
There are a lot of reasons why dogs run away from their owners.
From over excitement to fear or hormones, your dog will run first and think later.
Unfortunately, this sudden impulse can lead your dog to getting lost, hurt or even killed.
How To Solve It
You can train your dog not to run away from you easily enough.
It starts by getting him to focus on you, regardless of what’s happening around him and then getting him to stop when he wants to flee.
Read this quick guide on how to train your dog not to run away and teach your dog to curb this unwanted behavior.
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9 – Inappropriate Peeing or Pooping
It’s most likely to happen if you’re dealing with a puppy or a senior dog, but adult dogs can do it too, for a number of reasons.
Aside from a health issue or lack of potty training, dogs can pee or poop outside the designated area due to territory marking but also because of anxiety, stress or frustration.
Ultimately, it can be as simple as him needing to do it and having nowhere to go.
How To Solve It
Inappropriate peeing and pooping can not only ruin your home but also make your dog an unwanted guest in other people’s homes or in public places.
But changing that behavior can be simple enough.
First and foremost, you need to create schedules for him and keep them religiously.
Then, you need to create appealing options for him, making sure that if he needs or wants to go, he’ll prefer going there than anywhere else.
For that, we got our dogs a grass pee pad that they love, mainly because it’s the closest thing to being outside.
Follow our easy guide to stopping your dog from peeing in the house.
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10 – Separation Anxiety
Having a dog that suffers from separation anxiety can be heartbreaking.
Watching him become anxious when he realizes you’re about to leave or seeing the state he’s in when you return is hard to handle.
Also, dogs with separation anxiety are known to cause big issues with your neighbors due to all the barking and whining.
Ultimately, a case with a severe case of separation anxiety can even hurt himself, destroy your home and pee and poop all over it.
How To Solve It
The best way to keep your dog calm in your absence is keeping him busy and feeling safe.
You keep him busy with toys and interactive puzzles that will keep him stimulated. Again, the KONG is a great ally for these.
To make him feel safe and calm, you may want to look into crate training your dog to give him a calm haven of his own.
Crates prevent most destructive and self-harming behaviors associated with separation anxiety, though it can only be used for small periods of time.
Also, we wrote an article on how to stop separation anxiety in dogs if you’re interested in learning more about it.
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