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Behavior Problems

Many behaviors that dog owners perceive as “problems” are actually very normal behaviors for dogs. Things such as jumping, counter surfing, barking, chewing, etc are all part of a dog’s natural behavior repertoire and could even be viewed as needed for survival for wild canids.

Behavior Problems in Dogs

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When we ask pet dogs to live in our homes and be submersed within our culture, these ”normal” behaviors become frustrating, annoying, embarrassing, and sometimes inadvertently dangerous. For example, a dog could very easily pull a person down while walking on a leash or push a  person over while jumping and accidentally cause injury- even if there wasn’t ill intent from the dog to begin with. These cases are also regular occurrences for me.


Pet dogs can develop behavior problems when they didn’t grow up  learning sufficient rules and boundaries or when behaviors that were  easily tolerated in a young puppy become intolerable in an adult dog. They can also occur due to a lack of fulfillment for the dog’s basic biological needs such as exercise, social time, and mental stimulation. Therefore this need manifests into unwanted behaviors.

Behavior problems may look like anything that the dog owner perceives  as undesired and a challenge to live with on a daily basis. What bothers one dog owner may not bother another, that’s why these issues are mostly dependent on the owner’s goals.

These cases include but are not limited to:

  • Pulling on the leash

  • Jumping

  • Barking

  • Playbiting / Mouthing

  • Counter-surfing

  • Destructive chewing

  • Digging

  • Bolting out of the door

  • Hyperactivity

  • Navigating multi dog households

Having a dog who displays problem behaviors can be emotionally  draining and stressful. While obedience can play a large role, we also  have to treat the underlying issues that may be exacerbating them.

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Working through behavior problems with your dog, or dogs, can seem incredibly daunting, but with the right mindset shift and solid commitment we can greatly improve the relationship between you and your dog. Together, I can help you understand how to meet your dog’s needs in desirable ways, how to understand the function of these behaviors, how to prevent the undesired behaviors from occurring, and how to teach your dog what you want them to be doing instead.

PRO TIP

If you are currently experiencing situations where your dog is displaying problem behaviors, it is best advised to avoid putting your dog into these situations entirely until you have a professional plan set in place. However, if that is not entirely possible at the moment, it can never hurt to drastically increase your dog’s physical and mental exercise if they are healthy enough to do so. In addition, there are many great ways to control your dog’s environment so you can prevent the behavior from occurring, such as utilizing leashes, gates, crates, etc. until you have a better plan put in to action.

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Ready to Get Started?

Whether you think you have a RotNDog already or you want to prevent your dog from becoming a RotNDog, contact Jess today to see how she can help.

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