You love your dog, but sometimes he can be a real pain! If you know what
might be causing his annoying behavior, though, you might be able to do
something about it.
Digging
Some dogs just love to dig holes! Their reasons for doing so, however, will vary
depending on the breed and the situation. Your dog might be digging holes out of
sheer boredom. If you suspect this might be the case, simply exercise your dog
more frequently. Hell be too tired to dig. Maybe your male dog is digging in
order to get to the female dog that is in heat next door. In this case, having
your dog neutered will solve the problem. If your dog is digging holes to bury
items or just for the sake of digging, then set aside one area in which he can
engage in that behavior. Protect the rest of your yard by spraying a non-toxic
dog repellant in and around the off-limit areas.
Barking
A dog that barks all the time, for no apparent reason, is not only a nuisance to
the owner, but can be a nuisance to an entire neighborhood as well. The most
common reason for consistent barking is boredom and loneliness. Have your
neighbors told you that your dog barks all day long while youre at work? If so,
then you should consider enrolling your dog in doggie day care. There will be
plenty of activities to keep him busy all day long and hell have lots of other
dogs to play with. If day care isnt an option, make sure that your dog has
plenty of toys to keep him occupied while youre away from home. You might also
try leaving the radio or television on while youre gone hearing human voices
might help your dog feel less lonely.
Destructive Chewing
Most dogs engage in destructive chewing for one of three reasons: teething,
attention or boredom. If your puppy is chewing up everything he can sink his
little teeth into, theres a good chance that he is simply teething. Make sure
to provide the teething puppy with lots of chewable toys so that he wont go
after your shoes or other household objects. If your dog isnt teething, then
perhaps hes engaging in this destructive behavior in order to get your
attention. If you dont spend a lot of time with your dog, but will chase him
around for hours if he has your favorite shoe in his mouth, then your dog will
understand very quickly that this is an effective way to get you to play with
him. Spend more time with your dog and you may get him to stop chewing up things
around the house. Bored dogs are also inclined to become chewers. If theres
nothing or no one to play with, theyll make their own fun at the expense of
your furniture and clothing. Provide your dog with plenty of toys and activities
to keep him occupied.
Jumping
You might think its adorable when your big dog greets you at the door by jumping
up on you and licking your face, but most of your guests probably wont get the
same kick out of this behavior. When a small puppy jumps on you its cute
because you can control him and hes not heavy enough to knock you over. Not so
with adult dogs. Having a large dog hurl himself at you is not an experience
that most people, even dog lovers, enjoy. So, how do you get your dog to stop
jumping as a way of greeting you and your guests? Consistent training is really
the only way. Ideally, you should begin discouraging this behavior when the dog
is still a puppy. If you are unable to get your dog to stop jumping up onto
people, then a stint at obedience school is highly recommended.
Disobedience
Most of the time, dogs disobey their owners because theyre not sure what is
expected of them. In order to get your dog to be consistently obedient, you have
to spend lot of time training him. Obedience training should start when the dog
is still a puppy and be reinforced throughout the years. Some owners can train
their dogs without any outside assistance; however, most will need to enroll
themselves and their dog in a local obedience school. You and your dog will
enjoy your time together much more once you can communicate effectively with
each other.
