"Bad Dog" Behaviors

Your dog is funny, special, and the apple of your eye but you don’t have to love all your dog’s undesirable quirks. Whether you’ve adopted a dog, or your dog has developed some bad habits, understanding why negative behavior has arisen is the first step towards correcting it. Swifto has rounded up some sure fire training tips for five ubiquitous “bad dog’ behaviors.

 

1) Jumping on guests: It can be embarrassing when your dog nearly bowls over your friends before a get-together, but there are effective ways to correct this behavior. If your dog is very young, make it clear that jumping up on people isn’t endearing. Any time your dog jumps up to greet someone, make them “Sit” before you cuddle and greet your dog. If your dog is older, try teaching them the “Go to your spot” command. Your older dog will calm down in their dog bed away from your new guests as they settle in, this will help socialization begin in a relaxed and pleasant fashion.

 

2) Excessive barking: Your dog may be suffering from separation anxiety. The trick to calming your dog down can be as simple as leaving an old item of clothing in their dog bed and by the door. Dog owners may also want to try ignoring their dog for the first few minutes they leave home and after they arrive home. This will help the dog be calm while any person approaches the door and let the dog know that departures are normal, and not the end of the world. 

 

3) Destructive chewing: It’s best to take some time to fully understand why your dog is chewing before you attempt to correct their behavior. Dogs may be bored and see destruction as a project, they may not have appropriate chew toys, but they may have irritated teeth or gums. Try adding an additional walk to your dog’s schedule or lengthening an existing walk. Also, try buying various sized balls for your dog. You may think your small Corgi wants a small toy, but most Corgis love rolling large balls around with their noses. Your huge St. Bernard might only love tiny toys. If nothing seems to work, have your vet examine your dog’s gums. They may be irritated.

 

4) Digging: Dogs have an instinctive urge to create dens for themselves and their pack. If you notice your dog nervously digging at the carpet, he may be trying to signal that he feels hot and needs some shade, or that he needs a den to feel secure in. Try adding air conditioning or a fan to your dog’s environment or try adding a dog bed or crate to their life. 

 

5) Resource guarding; If your dog growls when you approach them when they have food, their favorite toy, or are on their favorite chair you may start feeling excessively nervous around your dog. Guarding behaviors are a normal part of dog-to-dog interaction. A dog may display dominant resource guarding behaviors because a human has recently been too permissive and is no longer seen as the pack leader. However, their dog may be guarding because they’re under stress from a shift in their environment such as a move or adjusting to their owner buying a second dog. Try adding bonding sessions to you and your dog’s schedule. Go over some old tricks and reinforce your dominance. Hand feeding or giving your dog treats after feeding time can also prove effective.  

SOURCE:https://www.google.com/search?q=bad+dog&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0a...