Common Dog Problems

Below are articles and information relating to common dog problems such as Jumping Up, Barking, Digging, Separation Axiety, Aggression, Fearfulness etc. Please check back often as new articles are added frequently.

• Avoiding Separation Anxiety In Puppies Once established, Separation Anxiety is quite possibly the worst canine behavioural disorder and certainly one of the hardest to fix, requiring relentless commitment and extraordinary effort on the part of the owner to rehabilitate the dog involved.New puppy owners often unwittingly encourage an unhealthy dependency which leads to Separation Anxiety as the puppy ages. Puppies are naturally dependant and will likely protest at being left alone with loud vocalisations, disruptive behaviour,...
• Barking There are several reasons dogs bark. This article addresses the most common issues and examines how to overcome them. Whether your dog is barking for attention, out of boredom, to alert you (and possibly the entire neighbourhood!), or through fear of being alone - you are sure to find some easy to apply suggestions in this article. ...
• But Ive Tried Everything - Really As a Behavioural Dog Trainer I am often called in as a last resort, when all else has failed. Then clients tell me the dog needs to ‘be fixed' or else it's going to be surrendered or worse still, put to sleep. Talk about pressure! They tell me that they've ‘tried everything' and that the dog is stubborn, un-trainable, naughty, dominant or downright evil. ...
• Common Issues with Toilet Training a Puppy While most puppies are easily toilet trained some people encounter great difficulties when house training their puppy. This is frustrating for puppy owners and can lead to abuse of the puppy if the owner feels that the puppy if exacting ‘revenge’, being ‘spiteful’ or downright ‘disobedient’. Puppies are incapable of seeking revenge, being spiteful and are not disobedient. They are simply just not toilet trained. ...
• Controlling Undesirable Behaviour in Dogs Dogs often exhibit behaviours that are perfectly normal for dogs but undesirable when living among humans. It is perfectly normal for dogs to chew, dig, chase cats, bark etc. Unfortunately, these behaviours do not rank highly with humans. We need a way to teach dogs how to live with humans. In order to control undesirable behaviour exhibited by a dog I use two cues (commands)..........
• Destructive Chewing Destructiveness is one of the most common behavioural problems for dogs. Often this destructiveness takes the form of chewing the owner's possessions instead of the dog's toys....
• Do You Mishandle A Lead? If you want your dog to walk nicely then the first thing you must learn is how to properly handle a leash. Many people constantly mishandle their dogs leash and actually cause the dog to pull or act up on the lead. Leads are there purely as a last resort safety device - just in case a cat runs past you while you're out walking. You must not control your dog with the lead. Many people try to ‘steer' their dog with a lead. Use training and communication to control your dog's...
• Do you REALLY know what you want from your dog? Often people are so busy focusing on behaviour that they don't like that they have never even considered the alternative - much less trained an alternative. In our questionnaire for new clients we ask the following question:What would you most like to get out of training classes?The response to this question is almost always:"‘An Obedient Dog" or "To stop my dog Jumping Up" (or Barking, Digging, Escaping etc)...
• Does Your Dog Pull On Lead Pulling on lead is the number one complaint among dog owners who attend our classes! Unfortunately most owners have contributed to, if not directly caused, this problem by allowing our dogs to pull in the first place. Most dogs are rewarded for pulling on a lead!...
• Does Your Dog REALLY Know What He Did Wrong? Despite what many humans think, dogs do not lay awake at night plotting revenge - nor are they consumed with feelings of guilt after chewing up your favourite pair of shoes. Dissecting your shoes or landscaping your yard is not an act of retribution; it was simply something fun to do at the time! Dogs live in the moment and have no concept of consequences beyond what is occurring at the time. Getting angry with your dog and punishing him when you arrive home to find your couch redesigned is an...
• He's Only Playing, Or Is He We've all seen it, Buster, the 18 month old Labrador. He's on his way to the park dragging his owner who can barely keep up, behind him on a lead. He's so excited that when he reaches the gate his owner can hardly get the lead off him. The second the lead is removed he races off, breaking a land speed record, straight into a group of dogs bowling them and their owners over. ...
• How to Stop Your Dog Jumping Up Why do dogs jump up? Many dogs are compulsive greetersDogs that know each other often greet one-another with a ‘high ten'Often jumping up has been reinforced by owners as a puppyTo get attention To lick at your face in appeasement To invade your space.How NOT to fix this problemKneeing the dog in the chest Not only does this method not work, it is downright dangerous and could crack a rib or otherwise injure or even kill your dog....... ...
• Introducing A New Baby And A Dog The arrival of a new baby to the home signals change for all members of the family, including the family dog. If introduced correctly, dogs and babies can quickly become best of friends. When badly handled the family dog may end up surrendered or worse, the baby hurt. Below are some tips for successfully introducing babies and dogs....
• Introducing Dogs and Cats Bringing a new animal into your home can create many problems -- especially if one of the animals is a dog and the other is a cat! Always remember that dogs are predators and they look on a small animal, such as a cat or rodent, as prey. Dogs are very attuned to quick movement, and nothing is as irresistible to them as a small, running animal. ...
• Is Your Dog Stressed We often label our dog words such as hyperactive, disobedient, spiteful and fearful when in actual fact they are stressed! Stress is one of the most common mis-diagnosed ailments affecting dogs today. Just as a human acts uncharacteristically when stressed, so to do our dogs. ...
• Jumping Up The biggest stumbling block for training a dog to sit instead of jump is consistency. If your dog is not a terrible jumper or if you feel you can be consistent, go ahead and simply ignore all jumping. However, if you feel the task is too much, break it down into more manageable increments....
• The Outdoor Dog Has a Place to Live Not a Home It never ceases to amaze me why people want a dog and then sentence it to a lifetime of social isolation, banished to the backyard without little or no human attention for the rest of its life. I often receive telephone calls from clients wanting advice on what to do with their dog that is: a) Barking all day and night b) Escaping regularly c) Destroying the yard d) Threatening people at the fence e) Digging etc. When I question these people about the dog's living conditions I often find...
• Top 10 Leadership Qualities for Dog Owners Leadership is one of the most often misunderstood aspects of dog ownership. Often people think in terms of ‘dominance', ‘alpha' or ‘top dog' status. I profess that if you need to dominate something or someone in order to establish control then you ultimately had no control in the first place. The hallmark of a great leader is the ability to control without force. Great leaders inspire people to follow them rather than menace people into obeying them. In this...
• Top 10 Mistakes Dog Owners Make Many pet owners make dire mistakes with their dogs that affect their lives and that of their dogs. Many of these mistakes are unintended and can be easily avoided. ...
• Using Time Out Correctly When used correctly this method of punishment is far more effective than any other method. Time Out is very effective method to suppress undesirable behaviour in dogs. Studies have shown that, when used correctly, Time Out is as effective as electric shock in suppressing behaviour in dogs. This is due to a number of factors:...
• What Is Behavioural Wellness In Dogs When we talk about behavioural wellness many people struggle to understand exactly what it is. A dog that is behaviourally well is a pleasure to have around. They can be trusted to act appropriately in any given situation and are given more freedom as a result of this. In this article we have outlined exactly what constitutes behavioural wellness for dogs....
• What Is Normal Dog Behaviour? Many people are horrified when their dog exhibits behaviour that is normal for a dog. I have often witnessed people chastising their dogs in class for sniffing the bum of another dog, claiming it is disgusting. For a dog, sniffing bum is not only polite, it is required as part of the greeting ritual. It is the human equivalent of a hand shake! Consider the following examples of normal dog behaviour:...
• What To Do When Dogs Eat Non Food Items Pica is condition where dogs ingest non-food items. Commonly, dogs with pica may ingest things such as fabric, plastics, sticks, rubber, carpet and rocks. Dogs can become obsessive about eating non-food items and this is not normal and can become so intense that the dog disregards other activities. In order to diagnose pica the dog must have a history of ingesting non-food items. Typically dogs with pica become obsessive with ingesting these items.......
• Why Dogs Are Destructive Destructive behaviour in dogs is a frustrating and maddening problem. Many owners surrender their dogs over this issue. The reasons for destructive behaviour can be difficult to diagnose and therefore remedy. The treatment of destructive conditions varies greatly depending on the cause of the behaviour. In this article we have outlined some of the more common reasons for destructive behaviour. Some of the common causes of destructive behaviour in dogs are:Separation AnxietyAttention Seeking...
• Why Dogs Bark Barking is an infuriating problem. Many dogs are surrendered over this issue. Barking can be so frustrating that many owners are willing to fit their dogs with painful devices such as electric shock collars. The reasons for barking can be difficult to diagnose and therefore remedy. The treatment for barking issues varies greatly depending on the cause of the behaviour. In this article we have outlined some of the more common reasons for barking.Some of the common causes of barking in dogs...
• Why Dogs Dig Digging is natural for dogs but can be very annoying for owners. Many dogs are severely punished for digging and some are even surrendered over this issue. Some owners use cruel and unusual punishments for digging such as filling holes with water and holding the dog's head under. Dogs dig for different reasons and the treatment for digging varies greatly depending on the cause of the behaviour. In this article we have outlined some of the more common reasons for digging. Below we have...
• Why Dogs Pull On Lead Pulling on lead is the number one complaint by dog owners everywhere! Recently, in a survey conducted by Urban Dog Training the number one problem that people feel they need help with most is teaching their dog to walk nicely on lead. The same is also true for our group classes and private consultations.Apart from making taking your dog for a walk extremely uncomfortable, dogs that pull on lead are a safety hazard. They can pull you into oncoming cyclists, skateboarders, aggressive dogs...
• Why Your Dog Won't Come When Called Imagine calling your dog to ‘Come' and having your dog respond first time, no matter where he is or what he's doing! It CAN happen, using positive reinforcement methods. During the initial stages of training it is important to set your dog up for success, help him to make the right decision! ...