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An here is this month's featured article

How to Stop Ten Common Dog Behavior Problems

Peter Horjus Buy From Art.com

Ways to Stop Ten Common Dog Behavior Issues
By Sam Moores

Each dog owner has some dog obedience issues at certain times, and it is not difficult to believe you are alone with your dog behavior problems. Don't fret! Lots of other people will be having similar dog obedience problems and the good news is that these difficulties could be overcome with a little time and patience.

1. Toilet Training Problems

Dogs naturally prefer to go away from the den to potty. Even so, there is a problem when the dog does not understand that the entire house is their home and also when the dog is not allowed outside often enough to urinate. So, if you're not allowing your dog out often enough, the problem is not difficult to deal with! Though, once a dog has urinated inside, he might think that it's OK to do it over and over.

Develop a routine for the dog to potty at the same times every day, and praise them strongly. However, do not get annoyed if your dog does urinate inside. Rage and yelling do not help when you are training a dog. Make a sudden sound, such as clapping your hands, when the dog begins to relieve itself in the home, and then remove the dog outside at once so the dog starts connecting outside with urinating. This take constant vigilance and a lot of patience from you but is well worth the effort.

2. Canine Aggression

There are a number of reasons why a dog might become aggressive. If you adopted a mature dog, it is possible that he may have been poorly treated as a puppy. If you brought up the puppy without the correct training, the dog could be attempting to affirm his domination over you. When a dog is bored or has too much energy he could have developed anxiety issues and these will need to moderated this by your strong, alpha leadership.

Food Aggression is very common. If your dog shows indications of food aggression by snapping or biting if you go near his food bowl, then you must retrain them to think differently by establishing a feeding programme. Start feeding them just 2-3 times a day. By becoming the supply of the food, the dog looks to you as the source of the food, instead of trying to protect what he feel is his.

Aggression Directed at Children and Strangers. The training used to eradicate this aggression uses positive re-enforcement. Put your dog on a leash and place yourselves some distance from the cause of aggression (the children). Give your dog praise and treats and then move nearer to the source of aggression. The dog will eventually start to appreciate this as a supply of reward and pleasure, and get enthusiastic and not irate and aggressive.

Aggression Towards other Dogs in your Home. This could be a sign that your dog does not have a positive leader in the pack and that your dogs are fighting with each other for that role. If this arises, you need to taking the dominant leadership role. Very often, just by presenting clear leadership, you can stop any negative conduct by the dogs within your home. Also, when out and about with your dog, you should avoid making a fuss when a dog comes close. Your dog draws on your nervousness and will react correspondingly, especially if the dog is on a leash.

3. Unwanted Digging

If a dog digs, it is because of a deep-seated reason to do so. Frequently, they thoroughly enjoy it, although sometimes it could become obsessive. Regrettably, however much they are enjoying the digging, the dog is probably destroying your flower garden or your backyard in the process! In many cases, digging is a result of surplus energy and boredom, and the dog may use digging as a release for that excess energy. Make sure you exercise and play with your dog and don't leave him alone outside for long periods. Protect any parts in your garden you don't want dug up with fencing and netting, and use strong-smelling deterrents. Provide the dog with his own dedicated digging area and take the dog to it every time he starts to dig. Eventually he will get the point!

4. Barking

Every dog barks at times - either to show enthusiasm or to tell you that they are bored. The issue is that some dogs never stop barking. The goal is to reduce the obsessive barking and not to try stop all barking.

Never give your dog what it wants when it barks. If you have to wait the dog out and listen to the barking, then do it! Giving what the dog wants (especially your attention) when it barks at you, will just teach it to continue. Basic training could be particularly beneficial in reducing barking behaviour in your dog. Train the dog to sit, lie down, and be quiet. These basic commands leads the dog to switch their attention to you and away from whatever they are barking about. So when your dog barks excessively, use the sit command, until the barking ends, then reward and praise for the correct, quiet behavior. Again, this will take time and a strong will to succeed!

5. Chewing

Chewing begins when the dog is young and teething, however as your dog gets more mature, chewing can become a significant and unwanted issue. Owners that give their puppy old shoes or socks to chew are essentially saying that this is all right. If you did this when your dog was a puppy, then you will have to take some time to rectify the behavior pattern that you have created.

Make sure you have a substitute, like a rawhide chew, to hand when the dog starts chewing on a cushion or shoe, and immediately give them this to chew instead. There are also, aerosol sprays sold by most pet shops, that are unpleasant to a dog and these help to deter chewing of particular objects. Additionally, you ought to train your dog to "leave it". This command takes time to understand but will make a huge difference to the dog chewing issue as well as helping on other occasions when your dog picks up something unwanted when you are out and about!

6. Jumping

Dogs love to jump as it is a way of showing their enthusiasm. Nonetheless, it could be hazardous, particularly if your dog is large and there are small children around. Do not seize the dogs paws or thrust them away. While this is effective immediately, it will not work in the long-term as you are giving them the attention they want. Jumping is dealt with most effectively by just ignoring the dog. Turn away from them and ignore them. Don't make eye contact, communicate with, or touch your dog for the first few minutes when you come into the house or enter a room. Once they've given you their quiet attention, you can praise them softly and gently. Do not get them excited again, just give a little fuss and even a treat. This makes the dog understand that he will only get your attention when he is calm.

7. Bolting Out the Front Door

As that front door opens, your dog is aware no danger, just an exciting experience - one reminiscent of other animals, walks and lots of enjoyment. To prevent this you must initially make sure that no-one opens the door until they know where the dog is and that the dog is securely beyond range of getting out.

Start with the essential commands - sit, stay, and down. These basic dog training commands are incredibly important for obtaining and keeping your dog's attention so that they stay in place and do not dash out the door. It won't deal with the issue immediately, but to even start the training process, the dog needs to know these commands. As you progress, you will teach your dog that the door is your territory and that the dog can't go close without your distinct permission. Each time your dog gets close to the door use these commands to stop its progress until it never tries to get close to the door without you.

8. Pulling on the Lead

For lots of dog owners, a walk is one of the most nerve-racking events of the day, rather than one of the most agreeable! To start the training you must begin in the home.

When you start the walk routine in the house, always make your dog sit and stay first. You have to put the dog into a calm-submissive state, where their energy is directed into obeying your commands. By channeling that energy, you can eradicate the bouncing around that usually happens before you go out. What is important here, is that you remove the leash if the dog gets excited and noisy. Don't reward this behavior, wait until he is calm before proceeding. The moment the dog begins to tug on the lead, go back to the beginning and make him sit. It can take time to teach a dog that he can't pull excitedly, but if you return to the start over and over, the dog should understand in the end. Once you finally get to the sidewalk, it is really important that you carry on the procedure used in the home. If the dog tugs too hard or starts going ahead of you, just take a few steps back and make the dog sit and stay till you are ready to walk forward again. Your dog will find out that they do not get on with their walk until the leash is relaxed. Bring some treats with you (or a clicker if you're using that as a training method) and when your dog walks correctly at your side with a slack leash, give a reward.

9. Whining

If a dog whines because of separation, it is important to teach your dog how to accept your absence. Consider having a single room or a crate for the dog to stay in when you go out. By having their own space to go to, as a "safe haven", the dog will feel more relaxed when are away. Do not give a lot of fuss before going out and when coming home. To train your dog how to relax when you go out, you have to practice doing it whilst still in the home. Put the dog in a separate room or a crate. You will have to listen to him whining for a while, but it is vital that you do not return to the room until the dog stops whining.

Not all dog whining is anxiety connected though. In some cases, it could be simply to get recognition or a side effect of them having too much energy. Sometimes, it might be because of them trying to get extra attention. Bear in mind it is always best to ignore them than to reacting to their bad behavior and then the dog will soon learn not to cry for attention.

10. Separation Anxiety

A dog is a very social animal and when left alone if you go out, the dog grows frightened and worried that you may not come back. From whining and barking to chewing, digging, and tearing; a dog with separation anxiety is very hard to cope with.

When you go out and return home, it is vital that you do not give your dog too much fuss and ignore any excitable behavior. For moderate anxiety, simply taking no notice of your dog for a short time (leaving and entering) will diminish their anxiety greatly.

For more serious anxiety, begin by leaving your dog alone for quite brief periods of time. Do not give the dog attention when you come back. Simply keep calm and wait until your dog is calm. Then do it all over again. Over the course of days, or weeks, expand the time of these periods, till you can leave for a whole day.

Your dog is just a dog, and is not trying to distress you; despite how they are behaving at the moment. The dog must be given the help and guidance from you their owner to become well-behaved and free of dog obedience problems.

For further advice and information about dog potty training and to dog barking problems check out http://puppy-dog-obedience-training.com/

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Moores

https://EzineArticles.com/?Ways-to-Stop-Ten-Common-Dog-Behavior-Issues&id=6748608

I hope you enjoyed this issue of The Whippeteer.

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