Who doesn’t love a pet! Pets are adorable, especially if it is a furry four-legged creature wagging its tail and showering your love. Yes, dogs are cute munchkins and sometimes can be inseparable from humans. Since they cannot talk like humans, you need to learn to understand them by their behaviors.
Often, you will find owners training dogs. This training is crucial for all pet dogs to teach them not to be destructive. The better the training, the easier it will be for the owner to handle and live with the dog. Here, you will find some behavioral problems of pets and how to deal with them.
Pet behavior problems
The two most commonly found dog behavioral problems are scavenging and aggression. There are other harmful activities of the dog. But these two are the most dangerous ones both for your doggo and the people around them.
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If you notice these problems at an early chance, do not hesitate to take your pet dog to a vet, so that related other consequences do not appear further. Also, this issue needs to be addressed that the behavior that may appear aggressive and unusual to one may not be a problem to the other owner.
For example, you may be comfortable with your dog sleeping right beside you at the bed, while somebody else may strongly oppose it. Therefore, if a dog’s behavior is a problem to you or not is entirely up to you and your pet.
Common dog behaviors and symptoms
The reasons behind why your dog is behaving aggressively or destroying things in the house can range from malnutrition to boredom or illness and injury. As owners, sometimes you must have sent your dog the wrong signal while you thought it to be correct. For example, if you notice your dog growling at another dog, immediately you pick them from there and pet them. This is how your dog gets the signal that such an aggressive activity is desirable and regularly done.
Below are some common dog behaviors that can be spotted easily but may be challenging to get rid of.
- Instinctive behavior
The instinctive behaviors of a dog include chewing, digging, rolling in the dirt, and chasing. These are all-natural dog behaviors, and as a pet owner, there’s nothing to be worried about. Although it might be a little uncomfortable for you, your dog loves all of these. However, you can train your dog to lessen or stop these behaviors. But that is impossible.
- Bad habits
People encourage dogs to get into destructive behaviors. Some of the destructive behaviors you will notice in your dogs are begging for food, jumping on people, resource guarding, climbing on furniture, and acquiring the greatest portion of your bed. If you do not want to allow your pet in some areas of your house, you must show him the boundaries and be strict about it. At the same time, you need to provide your pet dog the safety, comfort, and the right kind of food so that they don’t have to complain about it later.
- Health issues
If your dog is not in good health condition, he may act aggressively or bite or growl. Some owners face the problem of separation anxiety. When dogs are left alone in the house, they mess up everything and destroy belongings unnecessarily. However, some lousy health signs can be licking poop excessively, defecating, eating poop, and urinating.
- First things first
Just like humans, dogs too get bored. So, when you are training your dog, he may act out differently sometimes. Before hating your pet and throwing him away, make sure your dog is in a healthy condition and does enough exercise daily. Try not to misdiagnose your dog’s behavior as attention-seeking or to act out as this can lead you to the wrong conclusion.
- Training options
If you see some persistent dog behaviors for quite a long time, the best that you can do for your pet is to consult with a dog specialist. Most of the time, you will find dog owners running to specialists to help their dogs with resource guarding, aggression, and separation anxiety. These professionals can help you and your pet dog, irrespective of the intensity of the situation.
List of dog behaviors
Here is a compiled list of dog behaviors that owners feel are annoying or harmful sometimes. Let’s take a look at them.
- Barking and howling
You and your neighbors can get very irritated due to excessive barking and howling of your dog. So, it is better to stop this kind of behavior as soon as you can.
- Digging
Some dog breeds have the habit of digging in their genes. Think about your pet dog digging the carpet or your beautifully decorated garden. Well, that would not be a good sight. It is time that you train your dog not to destroy things. Make your pet understand how important they are for you.
- Chewing
One of the most common problems that almost all dog owners face is when your dog chews your most precious shoes, clothes, or anything you like. Train him to restrict destruction.
- Play biting
Play biting is a common phenomenon found generally in puppies. It is a form of rough play that puppies like to engage in. Since your pet dog does not know which behavior is rough and which one’s not, it is your responsibility to teach him.
- Separation anxiety
Dogs that suffer from separation anxiety tend to get nervous and destroy your household items. Sometimes, they can be destructive and rough with you too. Being the owner, you have to find out a suitable way to help your furball.
- Urinating and defecating inside
If you have trained your dog about releasing waste from its body, you don’t need to worry about it. But, if you see anything unnatural in this behavior, know that it is time to take him to the vet and get him treated under special care.
- Growling and biting
Biting and growling are all forms of aggression. If your dog pounces on other dogs or people, find out the cause of such behavior and then look for your pet’s training. Before you get anyone severely injured, it is essential to stop your dog from hurting somebody.
- Resource guarding
Sometimes your dog may think that you haven’t given him enough food, so he will try to protect it with all his life. This rule is applicable for their toys and particular places on the couch. Although it may sometimes be playful, the fun element vanishes when you notice possessive aggression on your dog.
- Begging for food
If you notice your dog behaving greedily for a piece of cake, you need to train him more. Take precautions from the very first day so that your dog does not steal food or destroy others’ food at the dinner table.
Conclusion
What if you find your dog to be a munchkin when you are at home but turns a beast as soon as you leave home? Such problems can result from various issues like boredom, separation anxiety, and lack of exercise. Ensure that you do not make your dog feel lonely and take special care of him when he is unwell.