Dog Behavior Problems And Disobedience

There’s a difference between disobedience and incomprehension. If your dog isn’t obeying a command because he doesn’t understand what it is you want him to do, that is not a dog behavior problem at all; it simply means that you need to spend some more time together in training.

True disobedience occurs when your dog deliberately does not obey a request or command, although he has full knowledge of what it is that you’re asking him to do (and you know this because he’s performed it reliably on several occasions beforehand).

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 Although this may seem like a relatively minor inconvenience, it’s actually a pretty serious thing – not only can it be dangerous for your dog (for example, if he’s heading towards a busy road and ignores your ‘come’ command), but it’s also detrimental to your relationship with your dog.

Disobedience is rooted in disrespect. When your dog deliberately does not obey you, he’s saying, “I don’t respect your authority enough to do what you want me to do”. If you allow him to get away with this, you are allowing him to form the habit of passive-aggression which if not taken care of could turn into a serious dog behavior problem. This is not something that can just be left to “fix itself” – the problem will worsen, not get better, if you leave it.

It’s very important that your dog recognizes that you outrank him in the social hierarchy of the household. The concept of alpha status is one that you need to be familiar with in order to maintain a healthy, functional relationship with your dog. It may sound cruel from a human perspective, but your dog is happier when he knows that someone else is in charge of making all the decisions – including his day-to-day behavior and obedience levels.

The place to go for fixing dog behavior problems

It is not possible to have a good owner/dog relationship if he does not understand that you are the clear-cut authority figure: he must know that he’s beneath you in the chain of command. Your first step in dealing with generalized disobedience is to reestablish your dominance. Here are some tips on doing so: – When leaving the house and the car, you must always leave before your dog. This is unmistakable alpha behavior: to a dog, only the alpha leaves first.

If you allow him to exit the house or the car ahead of you, you are saying to him, “You’re stronger than me; you should go first because you’re the decision-maker”. Inside doors aren’t so important, but every time you leave the house or the car to go outside, you must make him wait for you to go first, until you release him from the ‘wait’ with a release-word.

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- Make him wait for his food. Your family and you must always eat before him – if it means he has to wait an extra half hour or so for his meal, it won’t hurt him any. When you put his food down for him, make him sit and wait until you release him to eat. Keep his feeding schedule varied, so he’s always aware that you’re in charge of his food – don’t allow him to form expectations of when he should be fed.

 - Don’t allow him free, uninhibited access to the whole house. The house is your den: you’re allowing him to be inside. Remind him that you’re allowing him into your den – it’s a privilege for him to be there, not a right – by sometimes allowing him inside, and sometimes sending him outside for half an hour or so. Keep certain areas of the house strictly for your own, as well (such as your bed, certain pieces of furniture, or some rooms).

- Never allow your dog to initiate play. If he’s nudging you for attention or to start a game, you may think that it’s cute and affectionate; but what he’s really saying is, “I’m the boss and I’m telling you to play with me right now.” If he starts bothering you for attention, ignore him for a few moments: get up and do something else. Wait until he’s given up before initiating the play yourself. Playtime is a fantastic way to bond with your dog, but it should be done on your terms, not his.

- When you arrive home, don’t rush straight over to him and shower him in affection. That is not alpha behavior at all – an alpha dog, upon arriving home, doesn’t go over to the other dogs and throw himself at them, saying, “Here I am! I missed you guys! Let’s have a cuddle!” – he ignores everyone else, relaxes for a short while, maybe has something to eat, and only interacts with them when he’s good and ready. Even though you’re probably good and ready to interact with your dog as soon as you get home, it will make more sense to him – and underscore your authority – if you ignore him for just three to five minutes upon arriving home.

Another fantastic way of counteracting disobedience is to start – and maintain – a basic obedience training plan. You don’t have to do anything fancy or super-demanding; just ten minutes a day of learning and enforcing commands. This can drop to five minutes a day once your dog is completely reliable with the commands.

Here are some tips for a good training program: – Never give a command that you cannot reinforce immediately if he chooses to disobey you. Every time your dog takes the opportunity to ignore your command, he’s learning that it’s both easier and a lot more fun to ignore you.

 For example, if you call across the park for him to ‘come’ as he’s playing with some other dogs, the choices are clear-cut to him: he could cut his play-time short and come to you, or he could ignore you – which is easy, since you’re so far away – and continue to have fun. Until your dog is completely reliable with commands, he should be on a long line or retractable lead so that you can enforce them if necessary.

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- Remember to use your voice to the best effect. Praise should be in a light, cheery, happy tone of voice; if possible, smile at the same time. It makes a difference to your tone of voice, and most dogs will study your face to make sense of your expressions, too. Corrections should be uttered in a stern, brook-no-nonsense tone: you don’t need to shout, but your voice should be low and authoritative.

- When you’re verbally interrupting your dog, it’s more effective to shout, “OI!” or “Ah-ah-ah!” rather than saying, “No”. The sounds are more clear-cut, and you’ll get a better response. – Do not repeat a command. Remember, you should be training on a leash or a long line: if he ignores you, he gets a short, sharp tug (some call it a ‘flick’) on the lead to remind him that you’re present, and you’re in charge. Repeating yourself teaches him to wait for the command to be repeated at least once before he obeys you.

- Five to fifteen minutes per day is an adequate amount of time for training. Any more than this in one sitting, and your dog’s concentration will likely lapse: fifteen minutes of intense training, where your dog is concentrating hard on what you want, is enough to send even the most energetic dogs to their beds for a snooze afterwards.

- You can move on to more advanced training and ‘tricks’ if you feel like it, once your dog’s got the basics completely figured out; but it’s not something that you should feel like you have to do.

- Another great option is formal obedience training classes. They’re a great way of socializing your dog (he gets to interact with other dogs, and those dogs’ owners), and also teaches him to concentrate on what you want despite the manifold distractions taking place around him.

 It’s also very helpful to have face-to-face contact with a trained professional: they can pick up on any mistakes you might be making, and give you advice for tightening up your training techniques.

For more information For further information on typical doggie behavior, including a fantastic resource for training how-to’s and loads of detailed information on preventing and dealing with problem behaviors, check out Secrets to Dog Training. Written by a professional dog-trainer, it’s an absorbing guide that deals with all the subjects a responsible dog-owner could ever want to know about – well worth a look. Check it out right here >>dog behavior problems , You’ll be glad that you did.

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Training Aggressive Dogs

If you have an aggressive dog and don’t think that learning everything that you possibly can about training aggressive dogs is not of the utmost importance for both your dog AND for the people and other animals that he will will be coming into contact with then you are living in a fantasy world and need to snap out of it immediately.  I am sorry if that sounds mean and insensitive but it needed to be said.

Some owners realize that their dog is aggressive but think that the behavior will self-correct. This rarely, if ever, happens.

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Others put off dealing with the problem because they are afraid that the only choice will be getting rid of their pet or having him put down. The fact is that many aggressive dogs can be trained to the point that the owner will be able to keep him.

The Cause

Some pet owners may never be able to understand the reason for their dog’s aggression. If they can, however, that information can go a long way in helping to train the dog.

Possible causes of dog aggression include fear, dominance, an attempt to protect their territory or a medical condition.

If your dog has become aggressive suddenly, you should rule out a medical reason. Dogs that are sick or in pain may exhibit signs of aggression even if they never have been aggressive in the past.

If a medical cause is behind the aggression, taking care of that may be all that is required to eliminate this aggressive dog behavior.

The Training Of Aggressive Dogs

Unless you are a professional dog trainer, you should not attempt to train an aggressive dog on your own. Mistakes that you could make could do more harm than good and may actually make the situation worse.

Instead, enlist the help of a trainer who is experienced working with aggressive dogs. This is not the same as attending an obedience class.

Instead, when dealing with an aggressive dog, you must hire a trainer to come to your home and work one on one with you and your pet.

Aggression is not usually something that can be addressed in one meeting. Instead, you will probably need to work with the trainer over the course of several weeks, or even months.

This will be a bit expensive, but it may be the only way that you will be able to safely keep your pet. If cost is an issue, contact your local SPCA.

Many chapters have professional trainers that will work with people who are trying to keep their pets rather than having to turn them in. These trainers often offer their services at greatly reduced prices.

The Precautions With Training Aggressive Dogs

The very first time that your dog exhibits any signs of aggression, including growling, baring his teeth or snapping, you MUST immediately take precautions to ensure that the dog does not harm any person or animal.

Many pet owners live with regret because they ignored the initial signs of aggression and that resulted in their dog harming or killing another of their pets or biting a person.

These situations can almost always be avoided if proper precautions are taken. Below are some precautions you should take.

• Never leave your dog alone with another animal or a child.
• Muzzle your dog when you take him in public.
• Avoid taking your dog to places that will get him excited, such as a dog park.

The most important advice about training aggressive dogs is that you get the training started as soon as possible. Again, ignoring the problem will not make it go away.

The longer the aggression is left unchecked, the worse it may become and your chances of being able to train your dog and keep him in your family will be diminished. As I said at the outset of this article, it may be difficult but it is doable.

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Dog Behavior Training

Some first time pet owners might make the mistake of thinking that the only training that they need to do involves housebreaking their new furry friend. The truth is that dog behavior training is just as important, and it needs to start as soon as you bring your new pet home.

Below are some of the behaviors that you will want to train your dog to either abstain from or to stop doing entirely along with a few tips about each.

• Jumping

Some pet owners think it is just adorable when their new puppy jumps on everyone who comes through the door. It gets less adorable, however, when the dog grows up to be fifty or more pounds and is still jumping.

The truth is that no matter the size of the dog, jumping up on people is not acceptable behavior. Even if you do not mind, you are likely to have houseguests who will.

Allowing the dog to jump on people when he is a puppy will make it much harder to train that behavior out of him when he is older.  You should start this behavior training right away.

Any time the puppy or dog jumps on you, simply fold your arms across your chest and turn your body away from the dog. Do not speak other than to say “NO”.

When the dog gets down, say “good boy” and pet the dog on the head.

The dog will learn that the only way to get attention from you is NOT to jump and that when they do jump on people they will be completely ignored.

• Nipping/Biting

Nipping and biting is another of those behaviors that seem cute when the dog is a puppy. Again, allowing this behavior when the dog is young makes the dog think it is acceptable.

While it is normal for puppies to mouth everything they play with – including your hand – you cannot allow that behavior.

When the puppy nips or mouths your hand, all play stops. As with the training to stop dog  jumping, the dog will quickly learn that if he wants to play, he cannot bite the hand that feeds him.

Keep in mind, however, that the puppy does need something to bite. Be sure to provide plenty of chew toys on which the dog can cut his teeth.

• Walking on a Leash

Walking on a leash properly is one of the most important aspects of dog behavior training. Some pet owners make the mistake of thinking that leash training dogs is not important because they have a large yard and the dog’s outdoor time will take place there.

Still, there will be times that you will want your dog to be leash trained, such as when going to the vet or taking the dog to a beach or park.

The dog should be trained to walk beside you instead of running ahead. This can be accomplished in several ways. One of the easiest is described below.

Place your dog on a leash and start walking. Anytime the dog tries to pull on the leash, turn around. He will be unable to continue. When he is beside you again, turn back around and start walking again.

Keep doing this and the dog will eventually get the idea that if he wants to keep moving, he is going to have stay by your side.

• Begging at the Table

Yes, some owners consider their pets to be an important part of the family. Still, most stop short of giving the dog his own place at the table. Still, each night around millions of dinner tables are dogs, waiting expectantly for their portion of the dinner goodies.

This might not be such a big deal to some pet owners, but many guests will have a huge problem with it. To stop this behavior before it starts never – that means NEVER – feed your dog at the table. If you do it once, he will be beside your chair at every meal for the rest of your life.

If you want to give him a treat of some table scraps, do so away from the table. Just place the treats in his normal food bowl.

Dog behavior training is important so that you can have a pet that acts appropriately in a variety of settings. Start early and be consistent and training will be much easier for both you and your pet.

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How To Stop Dog Biting

Are you seeking the answer for how to stop dog biting? This article may be able to help you out.

Dogs that have nipping or biting problems can become very trying to the relationship between yourself and your dog. It goes without saying that dealing with any type of nipping or biting issues that your dog or pup may have should not be delayed. If allowed to go on for any length of time it can end up turning into a full blown problem that is that much more difficult to overcome, if it can be overcome at all.

>>:( How To Stop Dog Biting ):<<

One of the more common behavior issues in dogs is a problem with aggression (which in some instances is seconds away from biting). Dogs like to play around and roughhouse and as a result can learn to think that nipping is okay no matter what the situation. You do not want them to jump up on guests as they enter your home or be rough with children. Therefore, you need to teach them the difference between right and wrong.

To deal with biting in dogs, the first step is ensuring they know you are boss. It can be hard to be tough on your dog because you love them and think they are so adorable, but this is crucial to overcome any biting problems. Be stern with them and reprimand them verbally when they get too aggressive. Never hit your dog, as this is only going to worsen the problem and make them think that violence is okay.

Another option for curbing “aggression” in dogs is to take the dog to a vet. The aggression that you are noticing may be the sign of something far more serious. You have heard it said before and I am not afraid to say it again, it is always better to be safe than sorry. The veterinarian can perform a few tests and make sure the dog’s health is up to par. If they find there is a problem causing their aggression, they can find the proper treatment and get the dog healthy again.

Dealing with biting in dogs can be a challenge, but any owner can overcome it if they are only willing to put in the time and effort. If you find the problem is too much for you to handle and you are worried the dog is going to get into trouble with their aggressive behavior by biting or attacking another dog or person, you may want to hire a professional dog trainer.

The most important thing is that you deal with aggression in dogs as soon as you start to see a problem and never leave it and expect the problem to just go away. These are all effective ways of dealing with aggression in your dog and can work if you are willing to put in the time and effort.

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How To Stop Dog Aggression

We all know that living with dogs that are aggressive can be difficult. Moreover, pet owners are at risk. If the pet bites someone while outside, chances are the owner will be sued and the dog will be put to sleep. If the animal hurts a person or an animal, the owner is responsible. So we need to learn how to stop dog aggression or aggressive dog behavior.

Dog aggression is a common issue for some larger breeds, such as Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, and Pit Bulls. Some people play with their pets roughly believing it will not cause any harm, yet these larger dogs during rough play learn how to be aggressive. Even if you have trained your pet to be aggressive, it is possible to retrain your animal to be more calm.

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If your dog is naturally aggressive and is still a puppy, you can train your pet to be more relaxed by allowing him or her to socialize with other pets. Three months old is a good time to get your puppy socializing with other small animals. If he is allowed to become aggressive, it is often difficult to retrain the dog to socialize and change his behaviors.

Dogs tend to become aggressive during meal time. During or before feeding, train your pet to stay calm. During training, remain consistent. Letting up is not an option. For example, if you train your pet to not bark in one location, enforce this action to avoid confusion.

Some dogs are aggressive when they are in pain from some kind of illness or other issue. Dogs feel weak while they are in pain. You should visit your veterinarian to rule out any potential illnesses that cause pain. If the vet finds something wrong, they can treat the condition and the dog should feel more at ease.

Dogs tend to become aggressive around other dogs. When a dog passes by your pet, shout out the pet’s name if they become aggressive and move them out of the way. If your pet is obedient, offer it a reward. Rewards encourage pets to continue a behavior, knowing they will get a treat for their good deeds.

If your pet is very aggressive, and you are finding it hard to retrain the animal to stay calm on your own, you should think about calling a certified professional trainer who focuses on handling various breeds of dogs that are naturally aggressive.

The specialists know how to stop dog aggression or aggressive dog behavior by training them to respond to commands given by the owner. K9 Trainers are outstanding sources that offer you comprehensive dog training solutions. These people handle police dogs and other aggressive pets effectively. You can find other training services on the Web that will help train overly aggressive dogs that are difficult to manage.

I hope that you have found what you are looking for to help you stop dog aggression. STAY STRONG.

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Aggressive Dog Behavior Problems

Aggressive dog behavior problems can become a terrible ordeal for pet owners. It seems like reports of mauling come in everyday where adults, children and other animals get hurt or killed. Careful attention plus positive habits absolutely are vital in controlling aggressive dogs.

Some dog owners are very irresponsible, to say the least. They pen the creatures up, chain them like slaves, and neglect them to the point of death. Every year there are stories about dog owners and breeders that are found with starving and abused pets. Most state and local laws are weak and difficult to enforce. It begs the question, “Why have a dog or any pet if it is tied up to suffer?” That suffering can lead to violent, aggressive dogs that maim, kill and bite, sometimes without provocation.

However, there are wonderful people who love and cherish their dogs to a fault. Sometimes the animals display aggressive dog  behavior problems that is not necessarily caused by neglect. Some breeds are just rambunctious and hyperactive. How many times have you visited someone and the furry four-legger licks, jumps, and barks obnoxiously?

The owner talks, yells, hits or kicks the poor beast as if it really understands exactly what you want it to do. It is almost comical to watch a person speak to the pet when it really has no understanding because it has not been properly trained. The list of aggressive and rude behavior out of dogs can seem nearly endless, but as the old saying goes, “There is no such thing as a “bad dog”, just bad pet owners.”

There are solutions to aggressive dog behavior problems. First and most important, one must be a responsible pet owner. Do not tie your dog up to a tree and forget it! Get the dog the proper vaccinations, medical care, food and water. Exercise is extremely important for the health of your dog and the human. Love the dog and give it affection and make sure the children do so as well.

Some parents get their child a puppy knowing that the responsibility is far too much for the youngster. It can lead to a neglected pet that is stubborn, rude and aggressive. To summarize this point, be an attentive, caring pet owner! Take good care of the pet, consider dog behavior training, and make sure the pet is loved and gets an adequate amount of attention and exercise. In most cases, this is enough to make the dog manageable.

Beyond that, one of the best methods of dog management is crate training. Some folks think it is cruel but it is actually very humane and in tune with the natural instincts of the animal. Dogs are den creatures meaning that they give birth to young in a secluded environment that quickly becomes the safe zone.

This is where the dogs feel at home and will defend the den to the death, as will most creatures. The crate or cage is the same concept because the dog will feel at home as it adopts the pen as its safe refuge.

For example, when a visitor comes over, some dogs get hyper, jump, lick, bite and display other rude behavior. If the dog is trained to go into the crate, it will not feel punished or threatened, but exactly the opposite. The dog is probably afraid of visitors, particularly of strangers.

If the dog is ordered into the crate, it is a signal that the visitor is not aggressive and the situation is safe. The dog will take its place instead of jumping, barking, and being annoying. The crate serves as a very humane way to control, communicate and convey basic manners to the canine.

Many experts and trainers seem to agree that crate training is the most humane and effective way of curbing aggressive dog behavior problems. Remember that they (dogs) are very complex and intelligent creatures that have been instilled with “eons” of instinctive behaviors and the crate resembles an important part of the evolution.

Do your best to try and keep a responsible and loving attitude toward your “tail wagger”, and it will surely reciprocate with a kind and sweet disposition.

To learn more about how to fix aggressive dog behavior problems go here >> Dog Aggression Training <<

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