We get it, sometimes you can feel like it’s only you that has issues with your dog. It’s not! nearly 90% of dog owners have behavioural issues with their beloved pooch at some point. In this short blog post we have outlined what we think are 3 very common issues, to show you that its not just your dog. We also want to show you that there are things you can do to help your dog behave in the way you would like them to.
The dreaded jumping up!
You will have seen the poor couple in the park desperately trying to get their dog to get down from a stranger or maybe even an old friend or this may be you with your dog, don’t worry! This is probably one of the most common issues in the dog world and there is good reason for it.
Now we are not saying that this behaviour should be condoned, it shouldn’t, however if you understand the reasons behind your dog doing it, it may become easier for you to manage.
When dogs greet each other, they will use 2 methods, greetings face-side or greetings back-side. Dogs get a huge amount of info from sniffing and can assess if the dog in question is friendly, furious, mental and so on, the desire is also there for dogs to work out humans in this way too. It just so happens that for dogs, we as humans are very inconveniently designed and our faces are all the way at the top of our bodies, hence the jumping up. Dogs that display this behaviour are quite litterally trying to say hello to your face!
It is also worth mentioning that this can be a display of dominance, however in most cases it is excitment at the prospect of meeting your beautiful face!
Cover your ears, it's time for excessive barking
Excessive barking is an issue many dog owners face and it’s worth noting that excessive barking is different to barking. After a long day at work, entering your home with a flurry of dog greetings and some beautiful, excited high pitch barking can be the perfect end to a not so perfect work day. This is pure excitement from your canine companion and they are very happy to see you have returned. This is more than acceptable, it’s like you winning at bingo or the lottery, you just can’t contain yourself.
The issues arise when your dog consistently barks and from what you can see, for no good reason. You may want your dog to bark if they see something that you may not have or detect someone that shouldn’t be in your home and this can be trained to make it manageable, as we say the issues come from dogs who just bark, all the time and with no good cause. The great part is, we can help with this, it is a very common issue that over 80% of dog owners have to deal with.
Predatory instincts mean the chase is on
Prey Drive, this is a term you may not be hugely familiar with, however it is the 1 fundemental instinct that dogs and trainers find the hardest to stamp out. Depending on your dogs Prey Drive will determine how bad your issue is. Many breeds of dog are specifically bred to be gun dogs or fetchers, this has ultimately lead to many family pets being very well behaved apart from when it comes to walking time, which in itself is an issue as it makes you think, I can’t keep doing this and the dogs excercise will deminish. Just for clarity, that is not the way to go with this issue.
Professional training and socialisation is key to this issue. If you can successfully socialise your dog with other dogs and even other animals, you stand a much better chance of getting rid of the issue. This method de-sensitises your dog to what’s going on around them and in turn will help in the cause to stop the chase every time you leave the house.
“Prevent what you can not control and control what you teach. .” — Duke Ferguson