Dogs Behavior Articles

Dog behavior issues are common in puppies and can quickly be fixed through proper training at a young age. Providing positive reinforcement and setting boundaries for your dog will lead to a happy relationship between you and your pet. Dogs feel more comfortable when boundaries are set and they know what is expected of them. If you are dealing with a current behavior issue, there are ways to change your dog's behavior, regardless of age. Options include hiring a professional dog trainer, doing your own behavior modification, or changing your dog's environment to solicit a positive, wanted behavior. Learn to recognize triggers, get tips and advice below.

• Why Experts Advise Against Dogs Sleeping on Human Beds

  Dogs sleeping on their owner's bed can result in some problems. Your dogs wanting to sleep with you isn't itself a bad thing.

• Why Dog Snoring May Require Allergy Testing

  It's common to hear your dog snoring in his sleep. Dogs snore when something is obstructing their upper airway passage.

• Why Does a Dog Nap Throughout the Day?

  It's very normal, and even expected, for a dog to frequently nap throughout the day. If he is not eating, being walked, chasing things around, being-on-guard or simply watching you, he's probably napping.

• Why Do Dogs Eat Feces?

  A mother dog eating feces is a natural behavior. They eat the feces while cleaning their nursing puppies.

• When Should Dog Behavior Training Begin?

  While the perfect age to begin dog behavior training is up for debate, it is believed that the earlier your dog takes obedience classes, the better.

• What Breed of Dog Is the Most Low-Maintenance?

  Learning what breed of dog is low maintenance helps you choose a dog that fits your busy lifestyle. Some pets require hours of exercise and grooming every day causing people to feel owning a dog is not necessarily for them.

• Vestibular Disease

  Geriatric vestibular syndrome, which is also called peripheral vestibular syndrome and idiopathic vestibular syndrome, occurs for unknown reasons. It can be really frightening, especially in dogs that can't even lay still because they just roll over and over until something stops the movement. However, like your experience, it usually clears up within a few days and most dogs never have another recurrence.

• Using Training to Stop Dog Digging

  Digging is a natural instinct for your dog. It relieves stress and reduces pent up energy. So, to stop a digging dog, you must teach him an alternative behavior.

• Urination, submissive and excitement

  Puppies that have very submissive personalities tend to urinate small amounts when greeting people or when someone makes sudden movements or assumes a dominant position, even inadvertently.

• Urination Behavior Problems

  Ingesting its own urine is very unlikely to cause any significant problems in a dog, since any organisms in the urine are already present in the dog's system. As long as another water source is freely available there should be no problem.

• Understanding the Dog-Master Relationship

  The dog master relationship is often misunderstood because of outdated dominance theories. Many trainers say that to be a true alpha, you must eat before your dog, walk out doors before them and keep them off the furniture.

• Understanding Dog Sleep Patterns

  The dog sleep behavior depends on the age, breed and personality of the dog. However, on average, dogs sleep 14 hours a day.

• Understanding Dog Memory

  Scientific research on dog memory has lead to many questions as well as some answers. As a dog owner, you can make educated guesses about your dog's memory span including...

• Understanding Canine Dementia

  Canine Dementia or Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome is common in older dogs, occurring sooner in larger breeds. Similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans, dog dementia causes disorientation, confusion, memory loss and personality changes.

• Two Dog Behavior Questions Frequently Asked By New Owners

  New dog owners are bound to have a lot of dog behavior questions. Oftentimes, the fear of doing the wrong thing keeps a new dog owner from correcting or understanding bad behavior.

• Treating Dogs With Separation Anxiety

  Separation anxiety may be at the root of many of your dog's behavior problems. Here's how you can recognize and deal with your dog's separation anxiety.

• Treating Dog Snoring Through Diet

  Excess weight and obesity are two of the top causes of dog snoring. The Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine estimates that of the 62 million dogs living in America today, 3.1 million (5%) are considered obese.

• Treating Dog Behavior Problems: Training vs. Medication

  Dog training behavior problems can usually be resolved with time, patience and consistency. If possible, a drug free solution is best, because drugs carry side effects that can last long-term.

• Treating Canine Behavior Issues With Prozac for Dogs

  As more people accept dogs as a member of their families, they are more willing to seek medical treatments for emotional issues, prozac for dogs.

• Tips for Keeping Dogs Off Furniture

  Dogs relish in an opportunity to be close to their human companion but oftentimes we do not want them with us on the furniture. Here are a few tips and techniques for keeping dogs off furniture.

• Tips for Dog Stress Reduction

  Dog stress can be a serious issue that may lead to behavior problems.

• Thunderstorm Anxiety

  It is hard to recreate the entire effect of a thunderstorm in order to pursue desensitization. Some dogs control their fear by hiding. This is actually a reasonable response and if it occurs, it is best to provide a safe spot to hide rather than to get dismayed and discourage the behavior or to interfere by trying to be with the dog and comfort it. 

• The Top Ten Questions about your Pet

  The questions our clients most often ask about their pets.

• The Side Effects of Fluoxetine for Dog Behavior Treatment

  Fluoxetine, the generic anti-anxiety drug better known as Prozac, is increasingly being prescribed for behavior problems in dogs such as fear aggression and separation anxiety.

• The Chewing Dog: Behavior Modification Solutions

  Chewing is one of the most common dog behavior complaints made by owners. Dogs chew for a variety of reasons.

• Symptoms of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS)

  Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS) or canine dementia is commonly found in older dogs, occurring sooner in the larger breeds. Also known as canine cognitive disorder, it is similar to Alzheimer's disease in humans, causing confusion, disorientation, personality changes and memory loss.

• Stop Your Dog From Snoring

  If you want to stop dog snoring, you have to start by addressing the underlying issues. For starters, one of the main reasons dogs snore is obesity.

• Severe Aggression in Dogs

  Behaviorists feel that there is a difference in this behavior since many of the incidences have a specific pattern in which the dog really appears to be in an altered state of consciousness at the time of attacks and that there may be a genetic factor influencing a specific syndrome that is different than dominance aggression.

• Separation Anxiety

  Separation anxiety may be the most common behavioral problem in dogs. Dogs can not ask you where you are going and when you will be home.

• Separation and Other Anxiety Disorders In Dogs

  Separation anxiety may be the most common behavioral problem in dogs. It is very likely that your husky is experiencing this problem. Dogs can not ask you where you are going and when you will be home. They can’t be comforted by leaving a phone number where you can be reached.

• Selecting and Applying a Dog Muzzle

  Using a dog muzzle can be a helpful and safe way to bring your dog to the vet or new social area, for training or to prevent biting. A muzzle should never be used as a punishment, to deal with aggression problems, or prevent a dog from breathing, especially in hot weather.

• Seizure Activity

  Dogs definitely have a wide variation in seizure activity but it is hard to say whether seizures which might not cause recognizable clinical signs occur because it is so hard to judge the mental state of the dog. I assume that almost any type of seizure possible in a human probably occurs in dogs as well, though.

• Removing Dog Drool From Upholstery

  Dog drool leaves stains on all sofa fabrics. Follow the directions below on how to remove dog drool from upholstery:

• Reducing Puppy Aggression Through Socalization

  Puppy aggression is a serious problem that can often be easily prevented. Once your puppy has shown aggression, it can take months or years to cure, but it can take only weeks to prevent.

• Reducing Dog Behavior Problems Through Proper Diet

  Providing your dog with a combination of fresh, clean water, unprocessed foods, and exercise will help his overall well-being. Along with that, you can reduce those tell-tale dog behavior problems with the following tips.

• Recognizing Canine Mental Problems

  The key to treating canine mental problems is recognizing the different types of canine problems, symptoms of each, and possible causes.

• Rapid Solutions to Stop Puppy Biting

  Puppy biting is extremely common because it's an instinct. Puppies use their mouths to learn about the world.

• Puppy Stuff

  Sometimes puppies do seem to cause pharyngeal inflammation by chewing on stuff. Most puppies have a pretty good idea about what is expected of them after a week or two of training to urinate and defecate outside. Some puppies can not control urination when they are very excited.

• Prozac and Your Dog

  At the present time the majority opinion seems to be that there are no well defined side effects from fluoxetine (Prozac Rx) in dogs. However, it is important to consider that the types of side effects seen in people would be really hard for a dog to communicate about--

• Photo Gallery Index

  An index of the VetInfo.com Photo Gallery pages; Pet Photo Archives

• Phenylpropanolamine and Your Dog

  There is a veterinary phenylpropanolamine product available called Proin (Rx), for the treatment of incontinence in dogs. This is not a new drug but was previously a human drug now removed from the market . The side effects phenylpropanolamine like high blood pressure problems reported in humans that caused the human product recall have not been shown to occur in pets. Phenylpropanolamine has been used for many years to successfully treat incontinence in dogs.

• Options for Treating a Clinically Depressed Dog

  If your dog shows changes in his behavior, sleeps more, becomes less active and sometimes refuses to eat, he might be suffering from depression. Treating a clinically depressed dog is possible and your pet can turn into the friendly and active pet you used to know.

• Nail Trim Aversion

  There is usually no major problem associated with removing the dewclaws but must be done with general anesthetic since the dewclaws are a well developed toe in most adults.

• Medications for Dog Depression Treatment

  Dog depression may be caused by an event, physical illness or chemical imbalance. The depression may be temporary or last for an extended period of time...

• Medication - Amitriptyline (Elavil Rx)

  The most common side effect of amitriptylline (Elavil Rx) is sedation. Some dogs also experience "dry mouth" effects from a decrease in salivation and sometimes increase their drinking, which may be an effort to combat this effect. Low blood pressure (hypotension) is possible when using amitriptylline, as well.

• Medication - Acepromazine

  Acepromazine is one of the most commonly used tranquilizers in veterinary medicine. It is a phenothiazine compound. Its mode of action is only partially understood but it involves blockage of dopamine nerve receptors in the brain.

• Medical Causes of Canine Anxiety

  There are many reasons why your dog may present signs of canine anxiety like compulsive behavior, pacing or destructive behavior.

• Medical Causes of Aggressive Behavior in Dogs

  Aggressive behavior in dogs can be traced to many causes. Frightened or frustrated dogs and dogs in significant pain can all exhibit aggressive tendencies.

• Managing and Minimizing Puppy Separation Anxiety

  Puppy separation anxiety can be a severe problem that worsens with age. In order to prevent this devastating behavior problem, begin to teach your dog independence early in life.

• Licking Behavior

  Lots of dogs lick floors, walls, concrete, metal, etc. There are a lot of things that might cause these problems in a particular patient, though. Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease), hypoadrenocorticism, liver failure, obsessive-compulsive disorders, seizures, hydrocephalus and other neurologic disease and probably a number of other conditions have occasionally been linked with this behavior.

• Lameness in Dogs

  In a dog this young it is best to confirm arthritis, especially when it is not responsive to medications. I strongly suspect a cruciate ligament injury or possibly even a luxating patella based on your description of the lameness but those things can only be confirmed on examination.

• Interpreting A Dog Behavior Change: Canine Stress Indicators

  Recognizing and understanding a change in dog behavior can help avoid a stressful situation. While the following behaviors are typical of a stressed dog, they must be looked at in context to know whether they're stress-related or caused by some other stimulus.

• Identifying Separation Anxiety in Dogs

  Many cases of separation anxiety in dogs go untreated. Sadly, pet owners become frustrated with their pet and release them to a shelter, find a new home or keep them kenneled for long hours because of the dog's destructive behavior.

• How to Stop Dog Wound Licking

  Looking after a dog wound can be problematic, because dogs tend to lick their wounds to relieve pain and remove any irritants.

• How to Stop Dog Digging Caused by Separation Anxiety

  Owners wonder how to stop dog digging caused by separation anxiety. To do so, you have to treat the separation anxiety first.

• How to Speak Dog: A Guide to Dog Language

  Anyone who spends a lot of time with dogs should understand dog language. Dogs don't communicate with words, just body language.

• How Does Dog Separation Anxiety Medication Help?

  Sometimes a dog has separation anxiety so severe that training goes nowhere without the use of medication. The anxiety level of some of these dogs is so high that it can literally make them feel sick-causing vomiting and diarrhea.

• How Does Dog Separation Anxiety Develop?

  Dog separation anxiety occurs when your dog overrreacts to being left alone. It causes your dog to misbehave when you leave.

• Housebreaking and Changes in Trained Behavior

  It is very hard in many cases to control urine marking behaviors in dogs and I do not know of a consistently effective way to do this. It is important to remember that there are medical causes for some urinary problems and to be sure that you have eliminated kidney disease, diseases that make dogs produce more urine, such as diabetes and Cushing's disease, bladder infection, bladder stones and anatomical defects.

• Hiring a Dog Behavior Specialist to Control Aggression

  When your efforts to correct your dog's aggressive behavior haven't worked, consider a dog behavior specialist. Your dog should first be examined for any underlying health issues that could be causing the behavior, notably arthritis or other pain sources.

• Handling Dogs With Sleeping Problems

  The most common dogs sleeping problems include insomnia or dog snoring. In any of these cases, the problem may indicate a health issue that needs to be handled.

• Grief in Dogs

  I think that dogs experience grief, personally, but some behaviorists view this problem as more of an anxiety problem associated with loss of social structure. Since that seemed somewhat reasonable, we have tried anti-anxiety medications, both diazepam (Valium Rx) and buspirone (Buspar Rx).

• Getting Your Dog to Stop Sleeping In Your Bed

  Many problems can result from your dog sleeping in your bed. If you haven't allowed this, it's best not to start; once you start allowing your dog to sleep in the bed with you, the habit will be a hard one to break.

• Female Dogs Problems

  Some dogs have very subtle signs of estrus, or the so-called "silent heat" in which the dog goes into estrus but doesn't show signs of it. This is a variation that is considered to be normal. Male dogs are sometimes really good at detecting estrus periods that are not outwardly apparent, so paying attention to the male's behavior can be helpful.

• Excessive Dog Jumping Explained

  A dog jumping up on his owner is actually expressing dominance. It is not a cute, friendly behavior as it is often mistaken to be.

• Environmental and Emotional Causes of Dog Anxiety

  Dog anxiety is a serious issue. The way you deal with it depends on the causes of the anxiety and the severity of the condition. There are breed and genetic factors...

• Ensuring the Your Puppy is Sleeping Sufficiently

  So you finally purchased a new puppy and it's time to bring him home, but you don't have the slightest idea about how to make sure your puppy is sleeping sufficiently. Without your help, your puppy may whine through the night, and toss and turn which, will cause him to lose a significant amount of sleep.

• Dog Training for Separation Anxiety - 8 Simple Steps

  Dogs of any age and breed may develop separation anxiety, but with proper dog training, separation anxiety symptoms can be minimized or completely eradicated by following the right steps. Dedication, repetition and consistency are needed when training your dog, so be patient when trying these tips.

• Dog Training for Behavior Modification in 8 Steps

  Dog training behavior modification is based on changing your dog's attitude and responses. It's different from standard obedience training, which has a stronger focus on specific commands and teaching tricks.

• Dog Obedience Problems: How Other Dogs Can Help

  Dog obedience problems can be overwhelming. Here are some ways in which other dogs can help you solve your dog obedience problems.

• Dog Humping Explained

  Dog humping behavior can be one of the most embarrassing behavior issues pet owners face. Dog humping can be a sexual behavior, but dogs also display this behavior when they want to assert their rank.

• Dog depression: what to look for and how to relieve symptoms

  Dog depression symptoms can be brought on by a number of factors, and once these symptoms start, it is important to act right away to prevent further depression.

• Dog Depression Symptoms: 8 Tell-tale Signs

  Any dog is susceptible to depression, but it seems dogs showing symptoms also faced a life-changing event such as a move to a new home, change of owners, new addition to the family or another pet recently died.

• Dog Depression Demystified

  Dog depression is remarkably similar to human depression: an overwhelming feeling of sadness, helplessness or hopelessness. Though a debate ensues about the merits of dog depression, most veterinarians agree that is real and can have many causes.

• Dog Communication: How Dogs Talk to Humans and Each Other

  Dog communication is made through body signals and sounds. Both body signals and sounds are complex and dogs use these to communicate with other dogs, pets and humans. Understanding dog talk can bring you closer to your pet and give benefits to your relationship.

• Dog Bites: Facts and myths about the types of dog’s that bite and why

  Because dog bites are a common occurrence, it is best to understand the basics of dog bites in order to take the necessary steps to avoid them.

• Dog Behavioral Problems

  There are several possible causes for the behavior that you are seeing. Some dogs do this when they are having anal sac inflammation and the anal sacs are leaking small quantities of exudates when the dog sits somewhere. This leads to the dog investigating the odor and the digging behavior at times.

• Dog Behavior: What’s Normal What’s Not

  It's perfectly normal for puppies to be rambunctious and wildly curious, but this same dog behavior in a pet that's way past the puppy stage is cause for concern.

• Dog Behavior Modification with Over the Counter Medication

  Never use over-the-counter medications for dog behavior modification without thoroughly discussing the benefits and downfalls with your vet.

• Dog Behavior in Context: Ruling Out Physical Problems First

  Problem behavior in your dog may be caused by a physical problem or a health issue that you could be overlooking. If training and behavior modification techniques don't seem to be improving your dog's behavior, consider a trip to the veterinarian's office for a physical exam to rule out any physical problems first.

• Dog and Puppy Behavior Differences in Canine Aging

  Older dog and puppy behavior can be quite difference, depending on the breed and how old a dog is. Though extreme changes of behavior over a very short amount of time may be a sign of a medical condition, a gradual mellowness in temperament is to be expected at a certain point in a dog's life.

• Dog and Cat Behavior Modification: A Short Guide

  Owner's should understand their dog or cat behavior problem before attempting to modify them. There are a number of avenues that a pet owner can go down to correct problems and to provide a more calm, relaxing environment for everyone in the household.

• Does Crate Training a Puppy Create Separation Anxiety?

  Many dog owners use puppy crate training as part of a housebreaking routine, as the crate satisfies the dog's desire for a closed-in space, like a den. Crate training may be associated with separation anxiety, but the crate does not necessarily cause your animal's anxiety.

• Deafness in Dogs and Associated Problems

  Hearing loss is extremely hard to evaluate in dogs. Some dogs with allergies that affect the middle ear and close off the eustachian tube are reported to have diminished hearing that improves with the use of corticosteroids or antihistamines to control the ear inflammation. It is possible, in many instances, with extreme dedication, to provide behavioral and/or medical therapy that helps control the aggression.

• Crate Training Your Dog

  Crate training your dog will help him control his bladder and bowel movements. It will also introduce him to the concept of having his own private space.

• Correcting Dog Behavior Incorrectly: Three Mistakes Owners Make

  Everyone wants a well-behaved dog and correcting dog behavior incorrectly can often make matters worse or create problems in addition to those that already exist. Here are three common mistakes people make when it comes to training their dog.

• Coprophagia: What exactly is coprophagia and how is it treated?

  In simple terms, coprophagia is an odd condition that causes animals to eat their own feces. There are a number of reasons why coprophagia occurs. In puppies, it may just be the result of intense curiosity.

• Coprophagia (eating feces) and other Feces Problems

  Coprophagia is the technical term for eating feces. This has been studied in dogs by several people with no definitive answer for "why" being found. Nutritional deficiencies may be present in some dogs, but not very many.

• Coprophagia

  Coprohagia is the technical term for eating feces. This has been studied in dogs by several people with no definitive answer for “why” being found. 

• Controlling an Alpha Dog Through Training

  In the wild, dogs live in packs lead by an alpha dog-- the dog that is in charge of the pack. Dog behavior in the family home mimics dog behavior in the wild.

• Controlling Aggressive Dog Behavior

  Dealing with an aggressive dog can seem like a daunting task. However, it simply requires an understanding of the problem and mastering some basic tasks.

• Controlling a Digging Dog Through Behavior Modification

  Many dog owners struggle with their digging dog. The first step to stop dogs from digging involves understanding why the behavior started and why it persists.

• Controlling a Barking Problem

  There are several ways to control a dog's barking problem. Some dogs respond to training by a professional while others need a more proactive approach.

• Control Your Barking Dog: Behavior Modification In a Nutshell

  Barking dog behavior is part and parcel of dog ownership. Here are some tips to help you control your dog's barking behavior.

• Common Dog Problems: Post-Traumatic Disorder in Rescue Dogs

  Common dog problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder occur when dogs experience traumatic events.

• Classic Dog Behavior Advice From the Experts

  Most of the classic dog behavior advice from the experts centers on the idea of positive reinforcement as the best training technique for your dog. Positive reinforcement training consists of praising your dog and giving him a reward for desired or good behavior.

• Choosing a Pet

  I think that the choice of a dog vs. a cat boils down to personal preference and am not aware of much research done on why people chose one over the other. There are more families with dogs but there are more cats kept as pets.

• Causes of Excessive Barking

  Excessive barking can be a very irritating and distracting occurrence. Not only can it disturb your sleep, but also it can put you at odds with your neighbors and cause legal issues.

• Car sickness

  Dogs generally become sick in the car because they are frightened, not because they have real motion sickness.

• Canine Dementia: Seven Visible Symptoms

  If you believe your dog may have canine dementia, compare your dog's behaviors with the following symptoms associated with this disease.

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