Behavioral issues of dogs are very upsetting for owners. Even well-trained dogs sometimes have some behaviors which are very hard to get rid of. Owners try their best, but unknowingly sometimes aggravate the bad behavior. If you are having behavioral problems with your dog too, don’t lose heart. It will be a little hard at first, but you can unlearn some behaviors. And you will need to know if you are accidentally encouraging the dog in his bad behavior. Here are some tips to curb your dog’s behavior, by getting to know which bad dog behaviors you are encouraging accidentally, and how to rectify them:
Which bad dog behaviors you are encouraging accidentally
Begging for table scraps
This is one behavior you need to curb right at the beginning. Yes, it is hard not to give in to those adorable eyes looking up at you with such hope, but stay firm. Not only you, but every family member has to be firm when it comes to denying your four legged family member scraps from your table. Begging for table scraps can deteriorate to other worse behavior, such as stealing food. It is important as an owner that you should feed healthy food to your dog; but there is a fine line between feeding and giving in.
How to deal with it:
Command your puppy or dog to go and sit on their mat or stay in their own place during your mealtime. Ignoring his pleas completely is one of the ways how to stop bad dog behavior, and after you have finished your meal, you can reward your dog with one of his treats, if he is still sitting on his mat. In this way, you will gradually help your dog become well-behaved in a few weeks’ time.
Biting
Nipping or biting is another bad dog behaviors you are encouraging accidentally. It starts out as a playful behavior when the puppy is young, and if it not controlled in time, it becomes something which can cause real harm.
Your dog can harm you, family members and guests with his playful biting. If you yell at your dog or pat him in order to stop the biting/nipping, it will make him think you are rewarding him for his nipping behavior. So how to stop bad dog behavior like this one?
How to deal with it:
When your puppy or dog bites your hands playfully, immediately take your hands away, and ignore him. If your pet is sitting with you on the bed or couch, gently push him away, or push them on the floor. Cut off all interaction with him at the first nip/bite, communicating to him that biting is an absolute no-no. You should consistently do this so that he knows that his biting/nipping behavior is not acceptable at all.
Barking/whining
One of the bad dog behaviors you are encouraging accidentally might be barking. A barking dog is a headache for all, you and your neighbors. Doorbell ringing, asking for food, other dogs, car rides, anything can set him off. People who do not know him may overreact out of fear, by screaming, shouting or running and this would make your dog madder and harder for you to control him. This is not only embarrassing, but sometimes can lead to serious problems.
You may be yelling at your dog ‘No’. This, you may think will calm him, but it never has the desired effect. Your dog will only think you are just barking back at him. Another common mistake that owners accidentally make is giving the dog what is he barking/whining for – food, play, attention etc. So the dog understands that to get something, he only has to bark till he gets it!
How to deal with it:
To put a stop to such dog behavior problems, you have to remove the stimulus for his barking. If he is at the window barking at the birds or the neighbor’s cat, bring him back inside the room. If he is whining or barking to play with you, go in the opposite direction, till he quiets down.
Barking could be one of the bad dog behaviors you are encouraging accidentally, and it is possible to teach him to be quiet, but you have to be firm. Don’t give in to his demands, and walk away.
Teach him to sit quietly for his food near his food bowl, or near his toy or near to the door if he wants to go out. One of the ways how to stop bad dog behavior like barking/whining, is pre-empting his needs and fulfilling them, whether it’s playing, going out or food.
Jumping at you
When your dog jumps at you to show affection, you may feel happy. Most owners like it when they’re greeted with an enthusiastic doggy welcome when they reach home. Owners think it is funny and adorable and laugh and pet their dogs in response, which is another bad dog behaviors you are encouraging accidentally. Jumping can turn out to be dangerous sometimes, if the dog jumps at elderly people or children.
How to deal with it:
Perhaps one of the best bad dog behavior solutions for this problem is to deter the dog by not reacting at all. You have to turn away and ignore the boisterous behavior to stop these kinds of dog behavior problems. Every time you it jumps, turn your back on the puppy/dog. Keep your dog on the leash when guests come, and allow them to meet after the excitement is over.
Pulling while walking
You may have seen countless dog owners being pulled by their dogs while walking. This is one of the bad dog behaviors you are encouraging accidentally. If you have a big dog which pulls, you may be dreading every walk as the dog almost pulls your arm out of the socket. Many people want bad dog behavior solutions to problems like pulling desperately.
How to deal with it:
Pulling is best stopped when the dog is small. Small puppies pull hard but owners cannot really give a strong pull back toward them, as the puppy could get hurt. But there is a very clever solution to pulling, which will help both a puppy and a big dog.
All you have to do is go near him, (so that the leash slackens) and saying ‘heel’, go in exactly the opposite direction. Reward him when he follows you. Or else, just stop walking when you feel even a little pull. Do not yank or pull the leash (or yell!) but lovingly call the dog toward you, and reward with a treat.
Something to think about
There are various reasons why you should have a pet in the house. To stop bad dog behaviors you are encouraging accidentally, you must inspect your reactions first. Once you realize your mistakes, you can correct both yours and dog’s behavior.
