Dogs can and will behave badly from time to time. That is a fact but we can help them by Correcting Dog Behavior Problems as they occur.
The dogs that we have in our homes can generally fall into two categories, or canine cultures if you will.
On a daily basis, you will often see dogs that are quite well behaved, walking along with their owners and they possess that content look of calm and confidence that they are in the right place at the right time and everything is good in the world.
They happily meet other dogs, enjoy playing and enjoy meeting new people too.
Then, of course, there is the other group of dogs that for them life is a struggle.
They display aggression and anxiety, barking at other dogs and people, lunging and frantically snapping on the lead or indeed being so scared of everything that they shiver, freeze or find the whole experience of being out in the big wide world absolutely terrifying.
I have had the experience of both of these behaviors and it’s important to remember that all dogs are individuals and may well have similar traits as others you may have homed, but it’s crucial that you allow them to have their own personality too.
That said, having a calm and happy dog is where we want to get too and we can get there by adopting the correct kind of behavior training for our dog.
People are quick to judge you sometimes if you do have a dog that displays “negative” behavior and this can be especially traumatic for you and also your pet.
It can be viewed as a problem that you have caused too and you can find yourself feeling quite lonely and often omitted from dog walk groups and activities because of your dogs’ behavior.
Social Liability Dogs
Nobody wants a dog that has behavior issues and this can be one of the many reasons dogs end up in rescue shelters or worse as sometimes the owners simply can not cope anymore.
Dogs that exhibit poor behavior that goes uncorrected will only get worse.
It’s a sad fact and you run the very risk of their poor behavior turning on you and your loved ones too.
If we backtrack a bit to what I said earlier about all dogs being individuals, then we must also understand that our dogs all have differing levels of intellect also.
Not all Sheepdogs are really smart!
Some are just regular dogs and some are daft as a brush. That is the fact of the matter and we would be wise to understand this and not to generalize that all dogs of a certain breed are going to be a certain way.
They really won’t be!
Not all dogs are socially aware. Some dogs like to be alone or quiet as it is in their nature.
I have had 4 Greyhounds over the years and they have all had very different personalities and traits. One of them was petrified of fireworks, one of them loved fireworks and loved watching the sky light up….one loved cuddles a lot, another was very wary of people..for a really long time.
It’s good for us to remember this and as owners, we must first tune in to our dogs and try to understand where they are coming from.
Things We Must Consider
Whilst society can often portray a certain image of man and dog walking together in perfect harmony, it’s important for us to not to judge others when they are having problems with their dogs.
It doesn’t mean that they are a bad owner or indeed that they have a bad dog, it may be that there is a disconnect somewhere along the line and we have to try to find out what it is.
Some dogs do have a lower mental capacity than others. That is not being nasty or unkind, it is a fact.
Not all dogs are super smart and we would be well advised to remember that not all humans are super smart either. Most of us on the planet are about average and we should be grateful for that in some cases!
Some Factors To Consider In Our Dog
Our Dog May Have Lower mental Capacity
They May Not Know How To Play
They May Have Poor Social Skills
They May Feel Threatened
They May Have A Much Stronger Need To Protect Theme running through them
To Be Kinder
For many people who have owned or do indeed own dogs like these, it can often be extremely difficult for them to feel positive and upbeat in the face of what can seem like an unscalable mountain of desperation.
This can often be worsened by other dog owners being openly or more often, silently shunning them or condemning them because of their dog and it’s issues.
This can have a hugely significant effect on what they do next as owners and I have heard of people in the past giving up on their dogs just so they can fit in again.
I think this is absolutely tragic and again, another reason wh rescue homes and rescue shelters globally are full of dogs that have been marked as a “problem” by owners who maybe didn’t have the support they needed at the time.
Helping people with dogs is what this blog site is all about and within it, you will find articles written about the aspects of behavior that we want from our dogs and I urge you to share any help you can with people you may know that are struggling with their dog.
They may not know what to do and you as a responsible dog owner can help by guiding them to seek help via reputable trainer or indeed you may be able to help them yourself.
It’s too easy to give up on our dogs when they become difficult or have social problems and we need to understand them a lot better..
Fearful Dogs
Most aggressions that you see from a dog come down to fear. They are fearful of the unknown, a new visitor, a new dog..anything that is new and unknown can be a trigger for a dog that suffers from this form of social anxiety.
Some dogs will adopt the freeze or flight mode when scared and others will go all in and be aggressive and this is generally the worst kind of behavior you don’t want your dog to exhibit when out in public.
It scares others and can be very upsetting to you as an owner.
It is also vital that you do something about it.
You need to as the consequences for not dealing with this can be fatal.
It’s also important to remember, it doesn’t have to be this way.
It may be that you need to get professional help from a reputable dog trainer or dog behavior analyst.
These kinds of people really do exist and can easily be found if you do a local search near where you live.
I have used them before and also I have trained online using great guys like Doggy Dan and Dan Stevens again, all of this kind of training and help will make you understand your dog better.
