Dogs behaving badly

By Dr Julie Summerfield

To a dog, there is no such thing as poor behaviour- they just do what comes naturally to them! Sometimes these natural behaviours, like barking, chewing and digging don’t fit in very well with our lifestyles! The first part of dealing with any behavioural problem is to try and understand things from the dog’s point of view!

Most behaviour “problems” are in fact perfectly normal dog behaviours and instead of trying to stop the behaviour altogether, it is better to make a compromise and try to redirect the behaviour to something more acceptable -eg. rather than trying to stop a dog chewing anything, allow the dog his own toys and train him to chew them-make them more attractive by stuffing with food or rewarding every time he chews the right thing. It’s a lot easier than trying to stop a natural canine behaviour.

To understand so called “poor” behaviour, we need to be familiar with what makes a dog tick. Dogs are naturally very social animals and live in hierarchical packs. The social structure consists of a dominant alpha dog, and subordinates. By establishing yourself as the leader, and reinforcing this by eating first, being at a higher level, going through territories first, initiating, winning and ending games, possessing toys, this will be understood and respected. A lot of dominance problems will be avoided this way.

Obedience training certainly helps a lot to curb behavioural problems, by counter-conditioning with ignoring the unwanted behaviour and getting the dog to sit or drop, and rewarding for that- turning things into a positive situation.

Dogs are not people and do not have rational thoughts! They do not do things out of spite or knowingly try and annoy us. Nor can they speak English, so shouting a command is useless unless you teach the dog what you mean and use rewards, to let them know they are doing the right thing.

A lot of poor behaviour is caused by boredom and isolation. A dog needs both physical and mental stimulation to avoid excess energy turning into destructive behaviour. Lots of exercise, games and toys should help enrich their environment.

Destructiveness can also be a symptom of anxiety. A very anxious stressed out dog may cope by chewing, digging, howling and even self mutilation. These disorders need specific treatment, and sometimes bad cases may require anti-anxiety medication-talk to your vet if you think your dog is suffering from anxiety.

Behavioural problems form into habits and build up gradually, and hence are not quick to fix either. There is no pill that will instantly make everything better. Treatment involves identifying causes, and providing relevant training and stimulation, environmental enrichment. Specific problems need to be addressed to train the dog out of the behaviours.

We all know that prevention is better than cure and this no truer than for behavioural problems. As soon as you bring your dog home, you need to make it clear that you lead the pack, gain your dogs trust and respect. Begin obedience training, and make sure your dog has a full and varied life. Lots of walks, games, and toys should keep him busy and out of mischief!

Always have your dog checked by a vet to make sure there is no underlying medical problem. Discuss any training or behaviour issues with your vet, who can refer you to vets specialising in Animal Behaviour (or contact the AVA) or to many of the good books on the subject. You are not alone, and there is a lot of help out there!

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Please note: This article was written in 2001. Dog training methods and ideas change frequently, please consult your vet or trainer to discuss whether this article would help your dog.

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