Dog Behavior Problems Solutions

By Kim L Smith

I know from experience that even the best dogs are not always well behaved and do have behavior issues. Just imagine trying to deal with two English Mastiffs, and a little Yorkie Poo. They are next to impossible to deal with when they are all together which is quite often. However, you can learn the tips that I did and how I found out how to control my dogs better than I have ever managed to before! Some of the things I am going to tell you about is training, positive reinforcement, and consulting with your vet to rule out possible health issues.

One of the first things that I had to do to help me out with my dogs was find a dog training course. My husband was not to keen on the idea, but after they were obedience trained he was quite happy because they were no longer dragging him through the backyard. So that little training helped out tremendously. I feel that training can help dogs of any age or size. They can even help with dog behavior issues.

The next thing that I did to help address my dogs behavior issues were to start with positive reinforcement. I know that is a simple psychological issue to deal with the issues, but it does work quite well. I found that when they misbehave if I ignore them and not show any affection of any sort towards the dog it manages to change their attitude quite quickly. Most dogs do love having attention given to them and without that attention then they typically will correct the bad behavior quickly. However, you must remember that when the dog does something good you have to give them affection right away. I usually give a pat on the chest which according to classes that I have went to makes them feel proud of what they did. I have used treats as a reward at certain times mainly when training them to come after I let them off of the leash.

While those solutions typically work for dealing with your dogs behavior you might have to consult with your vet to help address the issues. I have had to do that for my cat even because her behavior is so terrible. Sometimes as is the case with my cat he prescribed medication for her. That could be what your dog needs to correct any behavior issues that keep recurring. Remember that your sometimes your dogs behavior could be caused by health issues so be sure to check with your vet before trying anything else.

So if your dog is having behavior issues you can try a variety of things. Some of those things include consulting with your vet about possible health issues, positive reinforcement, and dog training. A combination of all those things maybe required which is what I had to do with my dogs. Mainly the training and positive reinforcement which seemed to help out the best since they were only puppies, but in your older dogs it maybe that they are experiencing health issues so you do have to take into account the age of your dog before taking any steps to correct the behavior.

I live in Ohio with my wonderful husband and two beautiful children. I have two English Mastiff puppies, a Lab-Retriever, and a Yorkie Poo. I also have two cats who came to us as strays. I love sewing, crocheting, and managing to take care of my zoo at the house. Since I have so many pets I have a strong interest in animal issues.