Guide to Behavior Problems in Puppies

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Long before the days of veterinary behavioral medicine, people intuitively knew that rewarding dogs' desired behaviors and punishing unwanted behaviors would eventually lead the dog to conform more closely to their hopes and expectations. Learning about canine training and behavior can help you understand what underlies your dog's behavior and/or behavioral problem today, and should help you develop the patience and skill necessary to work with him.

Even with obedience training and lots of love, some dogs develop bad habits and unwanted, even unacceptable, behaviors. Learn about the potential problems that can arise, and find out how to stop these behaviors by educating yourself and re-training your pet. With proper know-how, your dog can once again become a loving, obedient, and enjoyable member of the family.

Inappropriate Elimination.

About 10 - 20 percent of all behavior problems in dogs fall into the category euphemistically known as "inappropriate elimination." This term refers to the unseemly practice of dogs either urinating, defecating, or both, on the floor or furniture inside the owner's house.

Urine Marking. If urine marking, usually by leg lifting in males and by squatting in females, if performed exclusively outdoors, it is not usually a problem for the owner, and is certainly not one for the dog. The real problem occurs when urine marking occurs within the home. As natural as leg lifting and other forms of urine marking may be, it's still not acceptable to have such signaling directed toward your sofa or best wingback armchair.

Submissive Urination. In order to display deference to a more dominant individual, a submissive dog uses gestures, such as averting her eyes, rolling on her back, and urinating. These signals demonstrate that the dog recognizes another individual's dominance. Although it can sometimes be a frustrating and embarrassing problem, submissive urination is easily corrected and, in any case, is usually self-limiting.

Digging. Some dogs just love to get down and dirty by digging and digging. Meanwhile their masters can do nothing but watch as the yard starts to resemble a minefield. What you should do about digging depends on why your dog is scooping up soil by the paw-full in the first place.

Chewing. Whether the culprit is a young puppy exploring her environment, an energetic juvenile displacing pent-up energies, or an adult dog acting out the distress caused by thunderstorm phobia or separation anxiety, a dog with a penchant for chewing can transform your valuable piano to splinters in a matter of hours.

Separation Anxiety. Most dogs adapt well to the typical daily separation from their owners. Unfortunately, problems can arise when an overly dependent dog develops an abnormally strong attachment to her owners. Separation anxiety may be manifested by destruction of the owner's property and other behaviors that may be dangerous for the dog or annoying for people sharing the dog's environment.

General Fear. It's heartbreaking to see an anxious dog respond to everyday events by trembling, cowering, balking on his leash – or even biting. If your dog seems generally uneasy or is frightened by specific places or events, you'll be happy to hear that he can learn to become more confident.

Fear of People. Although it is possible for a fearful dog to be frightened of his owners, this is rarely the case. Fearfulness is usually expressed toward strangers, toward unfamiliar people outside the family circle, and who are not frequent visitors to the household.

Fear of Other Dogs. Some dogs are aggressive toward other dogs because of fear or anxiety. In the wild, this behavior is adaptive and protects the dog from harm; however, fear can also be maladaptive when the response is out of proportion to any real threat. Fears can reach such proportions that they impair a dog's ability to function acceptably in our society. Typically, dogs that are fear-aggressive toward other dogs have been improperly socialized as pups.

Aggression. Aggression in dogs is defined as a threat of harmful behavior directed at a person. It includes snarling, growling, snapping, nipping, biting, and lunging. Treating aggressive behavior may involve a combination of behavior modification techniques, drug therapy, surgery, avoidance, and management. Each case is unique, and the success of treatment varies depending on the behavioral diagnosis and on the dog owner's capability, commitment, and conditions.

Nipping and Biting. When puppies play with you or when they are petted, they usually want to bite or "mouth." This is pre-aggressive behavior. It is easier to "nip" this problem in the bud by training the youngsters what is, and is not, acceptable behavior at this stage of the proceedings. Even if the behavior has been permitted to flourish, there are still corrective steps that you can take.

Predatory Aggression. All dogs have some level of prey drive (the motivation to chase, catch and kill small furry or feathered creatures) because hunting and killing was a way of life for their ancestors and the means for their survival. Predatory aggression by dogs does not reflect a psychological problem, and neither is the perpetrator vicious, vindictive, or malicious. Owners should supervise their dogs properly to prevent problems related to predatory behaviors, including taking measures such as using a leash when the dog is out in public or even a muzzle (in some cases). Owners of highly predatory dogs should also make sure the yard is fenced.