Dogs are great but like any other pets, living with them requires patience and consistency. At times, changes in the environment, some experiences, as well as any form of stress could see a deterioration in the behavior of a dog. While there are some you can quickly correct, the ones listed below require professional handling. Contact your trainer to help you correct them early enough.
1. Destructive Behavior
There are many reasons your dog may exhibit destructive behavior such as inappropriate chewing. Some dogs chew as a result of stress. This is more evident in those suffering from separation anxiety. If you notice your dog chewing on inappropriate things when they are left alone, this could be it. Additional symptoms will include pacing, restlessness, barking, and whining.
They could also tear and bite as a way of seeking attention or bored. When the destructive behavior is directed to parts of their body, the cause may be a health problem. Dogs on a diet, too, become destructive due to hunger. When dogs keep chewing furniture, clothes, shoes, or any other unwarranted item, contact professional dog trainers in Utah to address the cause and teach them what is okay to nibble on and what is not.
2. Aggression
Dogs show aggression by barking, howling, nipping, and even biting. Protective dogs will lash out at other pets and humans over territorial protection. On-leash aggression, on the other hand, occurs when a dog lunges out, barks, and pulls toward other dogs after you put a leash on them. Social aggression may also come in when there are multiple dogs in a household or when they are guarding their resources. When a dog is not well-socialized, fear could make them show aggression to other pets and humans, too. In these cases of dog aggression, training your dog once more will solve the problems and make your dog less aggressive as they learn how to deal with different circumstances calmly.
3. Hyperactivity
Hyperactivity in dogs may be as a result of learned behavior or some health condition. The high activity level causes lack of sleep, inability to relax, and endless repetitive movements among others. To know if it is something you can contain, see a vet as some cases may require the use of drugs.
If the high energy level is not emanating from a health condition such as hyperkinesis, establish a routine to contain it. Follow a consistent pattern when walking and feeding your pet to get rid of excitement from anticipating these things. Enrich their environment with appropriate toys to promote tranquility. Also, some basic training on obedience will help stimulate your dog, so you can contain their excitement both indoors and outdoors.
4. Digging
It can be frustrating when a dog digs endlessly. In addition to probably causing damage to fences, they also risk digging their way out of the compound. They could then get lost or hurt. At times, dogs will dig to bury things as well as to cool themselves off when the weather is hot. Training them regularly will quell their urge to dig.
Dogs learn their routine quite easily, and any change will affect them, which may result in inappropriate tendencies such as those mentioned above. If you can’t contain them on your own, involving a professional will go a long way in instilling positive behavior once more.
