There is nothing worse as a dog owner then a dog who continually behaves badly. From barking all day and night, chewing up everything in sight, to biting nothing can strain the owner/dog relationship more than bad behavior. If this is your dog then some form a obedience or behavior training is in order. It will more then pay for itself when you consider the cost of the damage he may have done in the past and the future.
Probably one of the most annoying dog behaviors is continuous barking. The thing to remember is yelling at your dog is not the answer to barking problems. Many dogs will just bark louder because they think you are having a shouting match. The first thing you need to do is figure out why he is barking. Is something scaring him or is there someone or another dog prowling around your yard?
A dog barking because of these types of things isn't necessarily a problem if he doesn't bark very often. It's when it becomes constant and for no reason that some sort of intervention is needed. Dog behavior training can help with this type of situation. There are a variety of products on the market that are designed specifically to help control dogs who bark to much. There are specialized collars that are triggered when a dog starts barking and either emits a small electric shock or sprays citronella around the dogs face and muzzle. The citronella collars are harmless and work amazingly well if you like the smell.
The most serious behavior problem for any dog is biting. Most communities have enacted new laws that deal with biting dogs much more aggressively. In some cases any dog that bites will be euthanized after the first offense, even if the bite was accidental. This is why teaching your dog not to bite is so important because most dogs use their mouth and teeth even when playing.
If you start stressing the importance of not biting when your dog is still a puppy you will nip any future biting problems in the bud. When puppies play they will use their mouth to nip and gnaw on whatever they are playing with, including peoples hands. This is the time to teach them that they are not to behave in this fashion and biting and chewing on your body parts is not allowed, no matter how cute or fun it may be.
One of the best ways to change the behavior of a misbehaving dog is going to a dog obedience class. This can be especially helpful to the first time dog owner who may be at a loss as to how to fix a behavior problem. Every dog is going to have certain behavioral issue, that's just the nature of being a dog. That doesn't mean whatever your dog is doing can't be fixed either. Someone somewhere has dealt with the same issues and found a way to resolve them.
Puppies get new teeth until they are six months old. From four to six months of age teething is a primary concern. That's important to understand because when puppies are teething, their gums are sore and chewing makes them feel better.
Later on, dogs chew because it's fun. Occasionally dogs chew to relieve anxiety (separation anxiety or boredom. The most common medical cause of chewing in older dogs is gum disease (gingivitis).
CHEWING
The solution with puppies is to provide appropriate toys to chew on. Several products are available commercially, including safe edible bones and cotton "flossing" knots.
You can also make chew toys out of frozen washcloths, frozen green beans, kool-aid cubes, and fruit squares.
Avoid rawhide, it's soaked in formaldehyde, which is carcinogenic, and avoid all real meat bones because they can splinter into sharp pieces which can damage the stomach and intestines.
Don't give your puppy your old shoes to chew on. He doesn't know the difference between old shoes and new ones and most people don't appreciate their new shoes being chewed up.
Older dogs that chew excessively may have either a medical or behavioral problem. First check with your vet: have a complete physical and dental examination.
Eighty-five percent of dogs over eight years old have gum disease, which is painful and is also a leading cause of heart disease. A professional dental cleaning generally solves the problem.
TIP: Get your puppy out into the world and introduce him to as many new sights, sounds, smells and tastes as you can. Take him for a brisk walk before you leave him alone at home. Chances are he'll be inclined to relax and take a nap while your gone and leave your house intact.
FACT: Old shoes are not appropriate chew toys.
PUPPY-PROOFING YOUR HOME
When you bring home a new puppy, you will need to adjust your lifestyle. Expect inconvenience and plan to spend a lot of time together.
Puppy proof your home: make your house and your yard as safe as possible. Puppies are just like toddlers: everything they see goes into their mouth. So look at your house from a puppy's perspective.
Crawl around on your hands and knees if you need to. Look for temptations that could be dangerous like electric cords, small toys they can chew up and swallow, aw well as plants that might be toxic such as holly, ivy, and azaleas.
Outside be careful where you place pesticides like ant baits, rat poison and antifreeze containers. Also be sure your trashcan is off limits and has a secure lid.
If you see your puppy doing something dangerous, use negative reinforcement to stop him right away so he does not hurt himself. So, for example, if you see him chewing on an electric cord, make a sudden loud noise with a shake can. To make a shake can, just taken an empty soda can and fill it with a handful of pennies (they fit right through the slot) and start shaking.
TIP: A selection of age appropriate toys will occupy your puppy's time constructively.
KEEP YOUR PUPPY BUSY
Toys help keep puppies from becoming bored and chewing on household items like your furniture. Toys also stimulate your puppy mentally and encourage problem solving. Some toys are not only educational they are also instant boredom busters.
Other toys can be stuffed with treats like peanut butter and cheese. Certain cube-type toys are divided up into compartments so you can load them up with dry food and other goodies. As the puppy pushes the cube the treats are released to keep his interest and reward his efforts.
Both Andrew Bicknell & Carol Osborne are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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