Common Puppy Behavior Problems
Bringing home a new puppy can be a very exciting and joyful experience for the whole family. Puppies provide companionship and love. They also require a lot of time and patience. Most will have behavior problems and will need proper training to correct them quickly before they get out of control.
Puppy owners commonly have problems with:
Barking – Dogs naturally bark to alert their pack of danger. A few barks shouldn’t require special training, but too much barking should be corrected. The best way to correct barking is to give them another behavior that they can excel at, like obedience!
Digging – Smells, burying things, den creation, boredom and escape are all potential causes of digging. To prevent digging: Cedar helps deter smells, remove toys from the area where they bury, amend fencing to prevent your dog from escaping but above all KEEP YOUR DOG ENGAGED.
Chewing – Smells, boredom and separation anxiety can cause a dog’s destructive chewing habit. This can be expensive for dog owners who need to repair or replace chewed items—but also dangerous if your dog gets his teeth into something toxic. If you catch your dog chewing something they’re not supposed to, remove it immediately and replace it with a toy that’s okay to chew. Whenever you see your dog chewing an acceptable toy, shower them with rewards and praise. Do not be afraid to use that crate whenever we cant be keeping a good eye on our young pups, to praise for any good behavior, or correct for any bad behaviors.
Jumping Up – Dogs often jump to greet people, this is an initial reaction and generally settles itself after a few minutes when the fancy of new people wears off. They may also jump when food is involved. In both situations, behavior needs to be corrected by re-routing this behavior. Give them something else constructive to do as an alternative. Training your dog to sit and only reward them when they do. An “Off!” command and a correction that they understand enough to motivate them to change the behavior are the first steps to getting your dog to understand they will not be rewarded for jumping.
Puppy’s Bad Behaviors
Finding out what makes your dog misbehave requires patient detective skills. When did the behavior start and what time of day does it occur? Your puppy may be showing a separation anxiety response if you started a new work schedule, they might be adjusting to a new pet in your home, or there could be an environmental distraction like a delivery truck that triggers your dog’s bad behavior.
Enroll in Puppy Training in Raleigh
Contact the certified professional dog trainers at Topline K9 Obedience today to learn how to sign you and your puppy up for obedience and socialization classes!
