Dogs are usually the most lovable and easily understood pets. They’re generally lovable, affectionate and loyal to their human companions. However, the inherent boisterous nature of dogs means that they can also be a handful where behavior is concerned.
Putting aside normal doggy behaviors that humans may not be too pleased by (like humping), there are a load of canine patterns that can indicate a larger issue. Like humans, dogs often behave strangely when dealing with a problem — you just may not be able to pick up on what they’re trying to communicate.
So, here are three dog behavioral issues you should be able to address.
Aggression
Since dogs are predatorial by their nature, some aggression is understandable and natural. In fact, if they get aggressive with someone who tries to mistreat them, it’s a good thing! However, unwarranted aggression with friendly humans as well as to its owners is not an encouraging sign.
You may want to pay a little attention and figure out whether your canine is being defensively aggressive, fearful, possessive, protective, frustrated or something else entirely. The caveat with aggression is that your dog may be displaying aggression as a first reaction to something that’s bothering it.
Only after you identify what kind of aggression your dog is showing can you begin to take steps to address the core issue.
Chewing and Destruction
Dogs often get a bad rap for chewing up personal property to the point of collapse. From shoes, to belts to even the furniture — your dog’s chewing could be driving you up the walls. With proper obedience training, this problem should go away. Persistent disobedience and destruction could point to a larger issue.
It may be a hunger problem, if you’ve restricted your dog’s calorie intake or haven’t been leaving enough food out for it while you’re out of the house. Puppies may chew things because of their teething pain, which means you need to pay more attention and give them ice cubes or frozen dog toys for this exact purpose.
Sepration anxiety could also lead your dog to chew or destroy items around the house, which opens up another host of possibilities for action.
Improper Elimination
Last, but definitely not the least, your dog could be leaving unpleasant surprises for you to find around the house. Not only is dog poop a pain to clean, if you have kids around the house it’s downright unhygienic.
If your vet gives the all-clear that nothing physical is wrong, there may be a number of issues at play. New humans, or pets in the house could be making your dog feel territorial or anxious. Re-training can help adjust this issue.
In the meantime, if you’re tired of dealing with the mess every time you leave the dog alone you should consider entrusting it to us at our doggy daycare in Chappell Hill! We offer temperature-controlled dog kennels for the comfort of your canine as well as dog boarding and retriever training near Houston!