Annoying Habits
From Lucky Dog University Wiki
Barking Barking is perfectly normal doggy behavior Certain breeds are bred to bark Dachshunds, hounds, guard dogs What is causing your dog to bark? Boredom, lonely, attention seeking, protecting, scared… Solutions - Desensitizing your dog to the source of barking Allowing the dog places and times to bark Teaching a “quiet” cue, rewarding quiet moments and ignoring the barking. Bring your dog inside the home where there are less distractions, turn the TV or radio on to drown out outside noise Exercise your dog both physically and mentally, a tired dog is less likely to bark Other Methods Bark collars – They usually shut down the dog and do not solve the underlying problem, only suppress it. Can of pennies – Scares the dog into not barking Problem with these methods – IF they work, the dog is only conditioned to not bark when the collar is on or the can of pennies is around. Lose the collar or can of pennies and the dog will still bark.
Digging What is causing your dog to dig? Boredom, hunting, its fun, they like bury their possessions, to escape the backyard, they dig holes when its cold to warm up and when its hot to cool down. Solutions Create a dig site for your dog, hide his toys in it for him to find. Don’t leave him outside for extended periods of time Be sure he has shade and a way to keep cool in the hot summer months (kiddie pool, sprinkler) Be sure he has a dog house with blankets to keep warm during the cold winter months Exercise your dong both mentally and physically. A tired dog does not have the energy to dig. Destructive Chewing What is causing your dog to chew? Boredom, it is self-rewarding, anxiety, its fun, teething Redirect your dogs chewing to proper chew toys Teach the trade game Proper chew toys Kongs, buster balls, bones (different rawhides, which bone is best) Prevention Do not leave an unreliable dog in the home to wreak havoc. Use a crate or a safe room until you can safely leave your dog in the house alone Other Solutions Exercise your dog both mentally and physically, and tired dog does not have the energy to chew. Reward your dog when he is chewing on proper toys Verbal corrections Give them while the dog is chewing on an inappropriate item, not after the fact. Reward when they choose items you like.
Coprophagia (Eating Feces) What causes coprophagia? Copying the behavior of a mother keep her dam clean Self-rewarding – they like the taste Boredom Attention-seeking Disease and illness Inadequate diet The truth is, no one is 100 percent sure why dogs do this. Veterinary Check up – especially if your dog is showing other symptoms (diarrhea, vomiting, etc.) Diet Feed your dog a premium dog food twice a day Feeding at set times a day will allow your dog to follow a schedule and know when his next meal is coming. Prevention Pick up your dogs feces immediately after he goes. Do not allow your dog off leash outside where there are feces on the ground for a few months while he loses this habit. Some people report adding raw pineapple, raw garlic, or store brand supplements will stop the coprophagia. This takes time and consistency. Do not give up after 2 weeks. It does not work with all dogs. Scientific evidence is lacking in this study because most owners give up.
