There are some things every person should think about before getting a puppy. One of them is the puppy behavior problems that come along with getting a new puppy. Yes, puppies are cute, sweet and adorable but there will be behavior issues that will come up that won’t seem anything but cute.
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Got a New Puppy? Prevent Future Problems and Train Your Puppy Good Behaviors
Here are some puppy behavior problems to expect as a new dog owner:
Establishing Alpha Status
Every dog owner should understand and know that being the alpha in the family is CRUCIAL. If you haven’t established who’s alpha dog status yet, your dog is headed for trouble. Your dog is going to struggle with dominance which can lead to all sorts of behavioral issues. That’s why it’s so important to teach your dog that your the alpha at a young age.
Nipping and Mouthing
Nipping and mouthing is a common occurrence when it comes to puppies. That’s what they do to explore and learn about the world. This issue will have to be addressed before it worsens.
Dogs who haven’t learned to control their bite inhibition by a certain age may become one of those “ankle biters” and make people uneasy to be around.
Separation Anxiety
We know how much you wish you could just stay at home with your puppy, but how realistic is that? Your dog may or may not go through separation anxiety but it’s important for you to be prepared for it in case he does.
Separation anxiety is the number one reason for puppy behavior problems and can be caused by many reasons. 1. Alpha has left the house-your dog may not know what to do when the alpha leaves the house. 2-Your poor pup may be worried that you’ll never come back and is worried about you. A number of reason why it happens. Separation Anxiety is one of the number one causes for behavioral issues.
There are also other issues that as a dog owner you probably will have to deal with. Training is crucial if you want to raise puppy to be a well behaved and mannered dog.
Do you avoid having company over because of the fear of your dog pestering your guest? Are you afraid that one of these days your dog may seriously hurt someone? Or may even have to pay the awful price of losing your dog for this puppy behavior problem that could have been avoided.
You can get professional help to train your dog or you can take matters into your own hands and train your dog yourself.. Either way it’s important for your dog to get training. Training your dog should not be difficult. It won’t be easy, it will take a lot of practice, consistency and a firm hand to fix and prevent puppy behavior problems.
Want to Know How to Become Alpha Dog?
You should know how important it is for you to be the Alpha when it comes to having a dog. By being the alpha you set the rules, you set all the boundaries, you make the rules, and you make all the decisions. You need to learn how to become alpha dog.
Train Your Dog to Obey You Fast and Effectively!
If your dog is the alpha dog, then there is going to big HUGE problems if there hasn’t been any already. If you haven’t establish alpha status yet then your dog is going to struggle for dominance meaning major behavioral issues to come like biting and aggressiveness. Here are the following tips you can use to become the alpha dog in the house.
Become Alpha Dog: Stare Down
In pack animals, the alpha dog will stare into the eyes of other dogs to remind them who’s boss. Making eye contact for several seconds will help your dog understand who’s the pack leader of the family. Make this a fun exercise.
Use the “watch me” cue to establish eye contact with your dog. When your dog makes eye contact with you, praise him. Do not let be the first one to break the stare. If your dog is struggling to become alpha, you and your dog may end up in a staring contest. Whatever you do, don’t look away otherwise you’ll only confirm to your dog that your not the alpha dog.
Become Alpha Dog: Daily Alpha Exercises
Simple commands like “sit and stay” will help remind your dog that you are the alpha dog. Try using the command “sit” everyday with your dog. Before you feed your dog, let him out to go outside and before playtime tell your dog to “sit”. By doing this everyday into your dog’s daily routine, you will remind your dog that he must wait for your approval before he dives right into to what he wants to do.
This is a simple way to become the alpha dog in your family.
Become Alpha Dog: Using an Air of Authority
Keep in mind that dogs are very observant animals. If act shy, timid, or insecure around your dog, you are not giving your dog the air of authority. In order to be the alpha you need to do more than “talk the talk” you also need to “walk the walk”. This means you will need to have the attitude of an alpha.
Alphas are confident. If you have the mindset of an Alpha, you need to follow through with the actions. You need to speak with confidence, project your voice and stand tall. Be gentle but firm, you don’t need to be a bully to be an alpha. Don’t ask your dog to do something, make sure you tell your dog what you want.
People who are naturally confident people don’t need to become alpha dog because they ARE the alpha dog. Your dog won’t have to struggle trying to be dominant one because with these simple tips, you’ll show your dog who’s the alpha dog.
Imagine… a Way to Stop Dog Nipping!
Ok, Dog owners, understand the difference between dog nipping and aggressive biting. Nipping is when a dog playfully bites and mouths you. Aggressive dog biting is when a dog feels threaten, is on the defense mode and will bite to protect themselves. It is really important to stop dog nipping. Imagine a full grown dog that never was taught to learn the nipping wasn’t acceptable. A little frightening right?
Stop Dog Nipping : Why Do Dogs Nip?
Nipping is most common with puppies but can also occur with older dogs who haven’t learned biting inhibition properly. Dog nipping is a form of communication and how dogs explore the world. Very similar to when a toddler puts everything in site in their mouth, they are exploring the world with their mouths, they just haven’t learned proper etiquette yet.
Just as your hands are very important to you, our mouths are very important to us. Since birth, we’ve used our mouths to explore everything-our environment, mother, and brothers and sisters.
Dogs who are older and that tend to nip usually have owners that like to roughhouse with them, this encourages nipping. Another reason why dogs nip is because they were taken from their litter to early.
Stop Dog Nipping : What is Bite Inhibition?
When puppies play with their siblings, they learn bite inhibition. Bite inhibition is when we learn that if we bite too hard, our siblings will not want to play with us anymore, socially isolating us. When another puppy bites us too hard, then we learn to feel pain associated with dog nipping.
When we are nursing and we bite too hard, our mother would stop stand up and walk away. This is another way we learn bite inhibition. This is why puppies who are taken from their siblings and mother to early miss out on this important lesson.
Even if your puppy has learned bite inhibition, as a dog owner, reinforcement bite inhibition is crucial, especially when bringing home a new puppy to prevent dog nipping in the future. As puppies, nipping won’t do much damage, but imagine the harm that a larger and full grown dog can do.
Stop Dog Nipping: How to Teach Bite Inhibition With Older and Younger Dogs
Playing with your puppy will require you to adjust and pick the level of mouthing you want to accept. Whether you are prepared to accept your puppy gently touch with their teeth to you hands as long as they don’t hurt you or choose the no teeth contact, whatever you decide to choose, either one is acceptable.
Once you’ve figured out your tolerance level with your new puppy,if you dog nips you, firmly say “NO” and walk away. Ignore your dog for not more then 20-30 seconds because he may forget what lesson he is learning. This is really important to stop dog nipping.
Younger dogs, along with some older dogs have the tendency to chew. They will chew on anything they can get their mouths on. If your playing with your dog, to keep your dog from chewing on your fingers, provide something else they can chew on, like a milk bone, rawhide or anything that will help satisfy his need to chew.
When your dog stops nipping you make sure you praise your dog for this behavior.
Stop Dog Nipping : Establish a Way to Prevent Dog Nipping Without Corporal Punishments
Always avoid any form of physical force to stop your dog from nipping or mouthing. This will only encourage more nipping and mouthing. The most effective way to curb this behavior is the cease all play technique mentioned above. Dogs are smart, he will eventually figure out what not to do if he wants to playing or interact with you.
Teaching and reinforcing dog biting inhibition is crucial to prevent further problems that may occur with dog nipping.
3 Simple Ways to Deal With Puppy Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is the number one reason for behavior issues. Many dog owners don’t connect their dog’s behavior to separation anxiety. So many dogs are put to sleep or homeless because their owner’s couldn’t deal with their behaviors anymore. If they only knew that their dog was dealing with separation anxiety, more dogs would have a place to call home right now.
Is Your Dog Suffering From Separation Anxiety?
Separation anxiety is common with dogs. Dogs are pack animals. They get very stressed out when someone in their pack leaves, mainly you.
Here are some things you should know about puppy separation anxiety. First things first, as a dog owner, you should be able to recognize the symptoms of your puppy separation anxiety.
What are the symptoms of puppy separation anxiety?
Destruction (Chewing and Scratching) – Are you coming home to a place that looks like a war-zone because you dog chewed on everything, including your most favorite items? This is a big sign that your dog has a separation anxiety. They usually chew on objects that have your scent. That’s why so many people come home to their favorite items all chewed up, like their shoes.
Whining & Barking – When your dog barks and whines while your away is a big sign of distress that your dog may be suffering from separation anxiety.
Clingy and Demanding – Your dog turns into your shadow or constantly following your when you return home . They become very demanding for attention. Encouraging this behavior by lavishing them with attention does not help the situation.
Anxiousness – If your dog becomes anxious or whiny while your getting ready to leave the house is a big sign of puppy separation anxiety. They know you are about to leave and that’s when their separation anxiety begins.
Eliminating In the House – A very common sign of separation anxiety is when your dog eliminates in your house. It’s common to find “accidents” when your training a new puppy, but if your dog is already potty trained than this is a sign your poor puppy has separation anxiety.
Very Excitable When Your Return – Does your dog gets so excited upon your return that their doing laps around the house? This is a big sign of puppy separation anxiety.
What You Can Do to Prevent Puppy Separation Anxiety
An effective way to deal with puppy separation anxiety is crate training. Having a special place for your dog to feel secure while your away is important to prevent destructive behaviors. When your dog feels vulnerable, he will have a place to go to feel secure and safe while your away.
Reduce your puppy’s separation anxiety by getting them used to your “getting ready to go out” cues. For example, put your shoes and jacket on off and on throughout the day and grab your keys now and then. This will help prevent your puppy’s separation anxiety from kicking in when you actually prepare to go out.
A good way to prevent behavior issues from occurring is making sure your dog gets enough exercise. I don’t mean sticking your dog in the backyard while your inside watching TV. Making sure your dog gets enough exercise requires you walk your dog several times a day. A tired dog is a happy and well behaved dog!
Don’t forget mental stimulation as well as physical exercise. Socialize your dog with other dogs, play fetch, explore new places together, and invest in buying a kong toys (a great mental stimulation and babysitter while your away).
Remember, your dog isn’t trashing your belongings to “get back at you” for leaving. Puppy separation anxiety is fear that your poor dog gets when a member of their pack leaves. Reducing puppy separation anxiety will reduce bad behavior.
