Archive for Dog Behaviour Problem
Adolescent dogs
Posted by: | CommentsYou attended puppy classes. You taught Sit, Down, Leave it, Come, 
and Heel. Your dog graduated at the top of her class and has been an angel ever since – until now.
Suddenly, your perfect puppy is a rebel without a clue! She is distracted and hyper, flighty and fearful. She’s barking, lunging and having accidents in the house. Worst of all, she seems to have forgotten every scrap of training.
Welcome to adolescence, that rocky passage from playful puppy to independent adult. It’s all part of growing up. And although it can be tempting to ignore your teenage dog’s bad behaviours, it’s best to face canine adolescence head-on. If left unaddressed, puppy-sized predicaments become grown-up grievances.
What’s going on?
Adolescence is a time of tremendous physical and psychological change for your dog. Although her body may seem full-grown, it isn’t. And her brain is anything but.
Signs of early adolescence usually emerge between seven and 10 months of age, but can appear as early as four months. Most behaviour problems appear between eight and 18 months. Your dog may exhibit uncharacteristic and unpredictable behaviours, such as aggression, fearfulness or reactivity. In addition, you may see regressions in chew-training and housetraining and, well, training in general.
Hormones rule
With hormones raging, body changing and brain disengaging, it’s no wonder your dog is acting strangely. As adolescent dogs become sexually aware, fluctuations in hormone levels can cause all sorts of disruptions in thinking. Your dog may become distracted outdoors, roaming widely and ignoring you completely. Adolescent dogs begin flirting with members of the opposite sex. They may also exhibit dog-to-dog aggression.
Males begin lifting their leg and marking their territory. Females mark, too, leaving their scent to attract suitors.
This is when accidents may occur in the house. Not only that, your well-behaved dog may begin mounting other dogs, furniture, stuffed animals or even your house guests’ legs! These symptoms can be more severe with intact dogs – particularly males – but even spayed or neutered dogs experience “brain-strain” as they cope with adolescence. Of course, un-spayed females will experience their first estrus (heat) cycle, and false (or real) pregnancies could follow.
Growing pains
Your adolescent dog’s body is getting bigger and stronger. She might have reached her full height, but she still has some filling out to do. She is gangly and uncoordinated. Growth spurts are still possi-ble, sometimes accompanied by growing pains, especially in larger breeds.
In severe cases, a visit to the vet may be in order. Your dog might be moody or seem uninterested in her favourite activities.
On the other hand, adolescent dogs often have more energy than they know what to do with. Plenty of exercise is necessary, preferably several times per day.
During adolescence, your dog will develop psychologically, too. She will become independent and may begin to question and challenge your authority. “Sit? You want me to sit? Why? What will you do if I don’t?” Remain calm and patient during such episodes. You may need to re-teach behaviours, making it easy and rewarding for your dog to be correct.
Your adolescent dog is also learning her limits with other people and dogs she meets. It is common for fears to arise during this period. Your dog may react with aggressive or submissive behaviours. In both cases, remain calm and unemotional. Resist the urge to punish or coddle, as either will reinforce the behaviour and make it more likely to recur. Ongoing socialization with dogs and people is critical!
Training and socialization
Hopefully, you’ve set a good foundation with your puppy training. Don’t stop now! Training and socialization are essential during adolescence. This is the perfect opportunity to forge a deep and lasting bond with your dog, just when she needs you most. Obedience and dog sport classes are great investments, and both of you will benefit. Employ reward-based training methods and you’ll earn the trust, love and loyalty of your best friend.
Socialization must be ongoing. Provide your dog with an ever-changing variety of friendly dogs and people to socialize with. Vary the route, destination and time of your walks. Be sure to socialize at home; invite people and their well-behaved dogs over to visit. It could be good for your social life, too!
Desensitize
Desensitize your dog to joggers, skateboarders, cyclists, rollerbladers and children running and squealing. Keep your dog leashed and stay well back at first. Reward your dog lavishly for calm behaviour. You must do this before she reacts. In fact, you want to prevent the reaction from happening at all. If you are consistent, you will find your dog becoming more attentive when distractions are present, because she anticipates reward. If your dog makes a mistake and reacts by barking or lunging, remain calm and quickly retreat from the situation. Next time, keep more distance between your dog and the distraction and get the reward in sooner. Remember, if you punish your dog, you will make the problem worse.
Basic training needs lots of review at this time. A rock-solid Recall or a quick Down could save your dog’s life. A Sit-Stay is an incredibly convenient thing. Do a few quick obedience exercises daily and remember to reward generously with praise, food or play. With consistent training, the memory loss and selective hearing of adolescence will recede and you and your furry friend will enjoy a rich and rewarding relationship.
Dog Chasing Cars, Cats, Joggers, Bicycles
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Chasing is an instinctive behavior in dogs. they just love to chase and be chased. Dogs love going after cats, joggers, bicycles, cars, other canines and almost anything that moves. Moving objects stimulate dogs to chase. If your dog is a herding breed, then your his nature to herd the moving object is even greater.
Until you have learned to control your pooch’s chasing instincts, do not let him off-leash. It’s dangerous for him and the person or animal he is targeting. Before exposing your furkid to a situation where he will do that, you must train him in a controlled setting. It is important that you set up a situation where your dog can concentrate and understand the behaviour you want.
Start the training sessions indoors in your own home. Put him on leash and stand with him at one end of a room or hallway. Wave a tennis ball in front of him but don’t allow him to touch it. Roll or toss it across the room or down the hall and tell him ‘OFF’. If he starts to go after it, command “OFF!” and give him a firm tug on the leash.
It’s extremely important that you do not allow him to touch the ball or he will think that the word ‘OFF’ means for him to chase and get the ball. Practice this several times a day until he gets the message that “OFF” means “Don’t chase”. When he gets it right, praise him profusely and give him a special treat.
When he learns this, repeat it in different rooms of your house. When it’s clear that he really understands the meaning of ‘OFF’, try it without holding onto his leash.
Leave his leash on, dragging on the floor so you can grab it or step on it quickly should he forget what ‘OFF’ means. When he has mastered this, try it completely off-leash, but still in your own home and yard.
Try to practice with a jogger. Enlist the help of a friend to pose as one. Stand with your dog on leash and have your friend jog by repeatedly while you repeat the “OFF”. Be sure your dog performs perfectly on leash before you try this off-leash.
If Fido is chasing cars, ask your friend to help you train you dog. Again, repeat the “OFF” exercise as your friend repeatedly drives by. Be sure your canine friend is perfect on-leash before you try it off-leash. It’s important that you practice this in a controlled situation. You must know that the driver is aware of the training so he can stop the car should you lose control.
Practice with him daily and with every opportunity that arises. Praise him profusely every time you say the command “OFF” and he obeys. If he disobeys, give a strong tug on the leash, command “OFF!” and give him more practice. If Fido has a strong predisposition to chase, it is your responsibility to be alert for his safety and others. If you feel you cannot pay attention to the environment around you when you’re with the him, simply do not let him off leash.
Separation Anxiety in Dogs
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Separation anxiety is diagnosed in around 15% of behavioural cases. When left alone, most dogs find a familiar spot and go to sleep. However, a dog when suffering from separation anxiety will become extremely anxious. Not understanding where you or your family have gone or if you will ever return. The dog could exhibit behaviour which may include chewing, barking, salivating, urinating, defecating, vomiting or escape behaviour, such as chewing through walls, scratching through doors, breaking out of cages or trying to dig their way out. In some cases, the dog can become ill, stop eating, or suffer from depression or even hurt itself in its frenzy to escape.
Possible Causes
Factors at the core of this problem include, genetics, early learning, lack of socialisation and owner behaviour. Your dog is a social, pack animal that relies on the others for individual protection by safety in numbers.
Dogs that lack confidence, due to over bonding, under socialisation, lack of communication and training or no knowledge of what is expected of them, mistreatment in the past, long confinement or even dogs that have been abandoned or rehomed are more likely to exhibit behaviour’s relating to separation anxiety.
Solution and Treatment
No long goodbyes. When it is time to leave, just leave. Do not say a big and drawn out “Good bye” to your dog. In fact, ignore your dog for five minutes before you go. Paying too much attention will make your dog feel more insecure when that attention is abruptly withdrawn.
Distractions are the key
Prepare a “Bye-Bye” bone. A hollow cheese or dried meat filled bone from the pet shop, or a Kong. Fill it with grated cheese, peanut butter, or other things your dog really likes. I have recently put together a recipe for Kongs and hollow bones you will need 4 or 5 of these bones which you can get from any pet shop. Make up the recipe then freeze in handy size dollops and give to the dog only when you leave, even if that absence initially is only minutes. Always give the bones frozen as it will last longer, and especially in young dogs will help to cool inflamed gums when teething. Teething can last until the dog is twelve to thirteen months old.
Put it away and only take it out when you leave each day. Place it near your dog just before you close the door. When you arrive home put the bone away. The bone only comes out when you leave. When it gets low then poke out the contents and refill. You are distracting your dog with something that he will find interesting enough to concentrate on and will ignore your leaving, he should appreciate the bone so much that he will look forward to it coming out instead of getting upset with your leaving.
Crate Train
Confining your dog during your times of absence has two positive results. First, a dog who is confined crate cannot do damage to your home. Secondly, a crate, when properly introduced, will act as a safe and comfortable den where the dog can relax. Limiting his movement also acts as an anxiety reducer for most dogs.
Exercise Your Dog
A dog that is lacking exercise is more likely to have stress and tension. Tiring a dog out with a long walk, run, or with play goes a long way in reducing stress.
Leave the Radio On
Tune a radio to a talk station; not music unless it is classical which most dogs fond soothing. Put it on in a room you are often in but not in the same room as the dog and close the door. The dog will hear the human voices from your room and may not feel so alone. Some clients tape record their own voices and play the recording rather than the radio program. Dogs know the sound of your voice. And remember, since the dog is most anxious just after you leave, therefore it need only be an hour long.
Build up a routine
The hardest time for dogs is immediately after you leave. Their anxious, frantic, and occasionally destructive behaviour generally happens inside the first hour. You need to modify your dog’s behaviour through reinforcement training and behaviour modification. Put your dog in his crate if you have crate trained, get ready to leave like normal then just leave. Come back after 2 minutes. Greet your dog calmly. If he is not showing anxiety reinforce this behaviour with a food treat he enjoys. Wait a few minutes and then repeat the exercise, this time remaining outside a few minutes longer. Continue practicing leaving and returning over the next couple of weeks, when you return, greet your dog after he has settled down before offering a cuddle or a treat.When you reach 30 minutes the length of time the dog is left can be increased by larger increments. Once the dog can be left alone for 1.5 hours, it can usually be left all day. Though I stress at this time the crate should be left open. No dog should be locked in a crate all day and no dog should be left alone all day every day
Leadership is Vital
When a dog has a strong consistent leader/controller of resources, it has a calming effect on him. He feels safe and taken care of. In the absence of a strong controller, your dog feels obligated to assume that position in the social hierarchy of the family pack. Since a leader must control all that goes on, his inability to control you leaving causes him stress and anxiety. They sometimes exhibit dominant behaviour to try to stop owners from leaving. Obedience training resource controlling and NILIF techniques are normally the best methods of establishing yourself as a beneficial and strong leader.
Consistency is the key.
You are responsible for providing food and shelter. You also have the responsibility of supplying an environment whereby the dog feels safe and secure. Leadership/Resource controlling plays a major part. Lack of consistency and over-bonding can be a cause and effect of separation anxiety. Though it must be said other factors may also play their part.
Sometimes you may need to get another dog for company and comfort for your pet, especially if the symptoms are very severe. Sometimes you may have to re-home the dog if your lifestyle and work commitments do not allow for a happy and contented pet.
Stop Dog from Chewing
Posted by: | CommentsHow to stop dog from chewing is sometimes difficult. Chewing is regarded as a perfectly natural dog trait, so the problem can be a little more difficult to control. Ironically, dogs often chew what they value the most.
Shoes, and other leather-based products, are often prime targets because they either contain the owners smell or scent, or they just taste really good. Adding to the mix, is the fact that they like to chew wood to help keep their teeth clean and strong, over complicating the solution of how to stop a dog from chewing.
The easiest solution is to puppy-proof or dog-proof your environment where possible. The trick to how to stop a dog from chewing is removing any shoes and items that will contain the owners scent, or that dogs would find interesting and entertaining to play with when left unsupervised.
The most obvious solution on how to stop a dog from chewing, is therefore, providing them with toys which they can chew on, usually with food treats inside to keep them occupied for hours upon end.
Always encourage the dog to chew on only the items you want them to chew on, and reward and praise this behavior with lots of fun attention. Conversely, when addressing how to stop a dog from chewing, you must chastise the negative behavior which you will not tolerate. When you finally realize that how to stop a dog from chewing is no different to other negative behaviors, it becomes easier to implement.
Another possible answer on how to stop a dog from chewing, could be boredom or simply lack of exercise. Every dog requires an extensive exercise routine, so exercise is often the cheapest way on how to stop a dog from chewing items inside the house. Always take the dog for long walks prior to leaving them for any extended period of time, and provide them with chew toys which are appropriate in size for the dog.
As this is an exercise in how to stop a dog chewing, always segregate dogs that chew away from dogs that do not chew. As this is a natural behavior which you are trying to de-train, they will copy the actions of other dogs faster than they will copy you. If you have several dogs, ensure that each dog has its own chew toys, otherwise chewing could escalate into nipping or biting aggression. Providing a companion to play with and distract this behavior, while seemingly a great idea, often doubles the troubles.
As a last resort in how to stop a dog from chewing, the use of a commercial spray applied to furniture, or other items you want to protect from chewing, will make it a distasteful deterrent. Applying a mix of six parts water to one part vinegar, and spraying this on to furniture, is often the most effective way to stop a dog from chewing items that are at their eye level or below.
Stop Dog from Jumping
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Usually a search for the solution on how to stop dog from jumping, results from either a family member or visitors have been shocked or fearful of a dogs excessive jumping behavior.
Luckily the answer in how to stop a dog from jumping it is not difficult, and with correct consistent training, and common sense, any dog owner can quickly learn how to stop a dog from jumping all over everything and everyone.
When learning how to stop a dog from jumping, you will find that the most common reason is that the dog is attempting to assert dominance as the Alpha pack leader.
Whether jumping on the couch, furniture, or other people, the dog believes it is the pack leader. Therefore an effective strategy as to how to stop a dog from jumping, is to discipline this behavior while it is occurring. Forcing the dog to sit, or lie down, and rewarding them once they have returned to a calm state, is the most effective way on how to stop a dog from jumping, or repeatedly jumping.
When developing your toolkit of tricks to stop your dog from jumping, you will discover it is one of their primordial instincts for greeting. Dogs identify other dogs by scent, excreted from glands on their faces, but because humans are taller, dogs will attempt to jump to identify the scent. Your procedure therefore, on how to stop a dog from jumping in these circumstances, would be to turn your back and ignore the dog until they have returned to the ground, and reward this behavior with a food treat.
How to stop a dog from jumping can quite often be very difficult, because it is a learned trait inadvertently taught by the owner. As this behavior may have been unknowingly rewarded in the past, the dog deems it to be an acceptable trait. Often owners unconsciously reward jumping dogs by either feeding or walking the dog immediately after the jumping behavior. A good way how to stop a dog from jumping is to not play with the dog when it shows this behavior. Even if you chastise the dog for incorrect behavior, the fact that you have previously rewarded this behavior with a walk, or a pat, or even feeding, has minimized your options on how to stop a dog from jumping.
If you are a family, a quick and effective technique to stop your dog from jumping, is to greet all your other family members before you greet the dog. Waiting up to 15 minutes after you have entered the house, and greeted all other family members, before you greet the dog, will quickly teach it its place in the family pack, and teach it that it is not the Alpha pack member. Once it has learnt that this behavior does not get rewarded, it will no longer jump for attention.
How to Stop Dog Whining
Posted by: | CommentsWhen you do not know how to stop dog whining, it can become exceptionally irritating for people around you. Whilst whining is a natural mechanism dogs use in communicating their wants or needs, if you do not know how to stop a dog whining, you risk other behavioral problems occurring as well.
Puppies will whine for their mother’s milk when she returns to the litter. Some adult dogs have learned that whining at humans also gets what they want. So from the dog’s perspective it is not about how to stop a dog whining, but how the dog can get the human to respond to its needs or wants.
In order to learn how to stop a dog whining, you must first be observant in what you are doing that starts the whining. More often than not, it is something as simple as the dog wants you. You are outside the house and the dog is locked inside the house, or you are inside the house and the dog is outside. To that end, how to stop a dog whining could even be as simple as you are eating something that the dog would like to eat also.
Because of their naturally heightened sense of smell, eating high aroma foods, before you have fed the dog, is not a good technique in how to stop a dog from whining – It wants what you have.
The only time that whining is acceptable, is for them to go outside to the toilet. When this occurs, you should reward this whining by immediately allowing the dog to go outside. Do not turn this into a play session. Remember that your goal here is how to stop a dog whining unnecessarily, not eliminating whining altogether. How to stop a dog whining quickly, is as easy as rewarding what is acceptable, and reprimanding what is unacceptable or excessive behavior. Always praise the dog for the desired acceptable behavior.
In certain respects, how to stop a dog from whining is very similar to how you would stop your child whining. Ignoring the dog while whining, and giving it attention when there is silence, is another effective way on how to stop a dog from whining.
Remember that during whining, the simple act of yelling at the dog, or telling it to stop, is seen by the dog as a successful attention getting technique which they will then constantly use to gain your attention. Completely ignore any whining that is not toilet orientated.
The most effective technique in how to stop a dog whining, is to implement specific times when the dog has your complete undivided attention. Utilize precious time to practice commands which will help control whining. Command like stay, down, come, and sit, all successfully completed one after the other by the dog, should be enthusiastically rewarded.
If whining only occurs once the dog is placed in the kennel, the easiest way how to stop a dog whining is to make the kennel a happy inviting place, with chew toys and treats. Never use the kennel as a punishment.
Stop Dog From Shedding
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the biggest challenges faced by pet owners is how to stop dog from shedding hair all over the place. You must realize that in finding the answer to how to stop a dog from shedding, you can never actually stop the shedding as this is a natural process of every breed.
So the best technique on how to stop a dog from shedding is to minimize the amount of loose hair so it does not become an issue.
Dogs shed their extra hair to get rid of any damaged or old hairs, to be replaced with rejuvenated once.
In your search for how to stop a dog from shedding, you will discover that they shed extra hair during summer months. Additionally, skin irritations and allergies will also create hair shedding. 
In developing an effective routine on how to stop a dog from shedding, you would need to address the following factors.
Effective brushing of the dog is a great way how to stop a dog from shedding excessive hairs. Light daily brushing is the most effective way to keep the house hair free, and how to stop a dog from shedding more hairs than necessary. Daily brushing will have the added effect of a softer coat, be cleaner, and less likely to smell.
Another effective way how to stop a dog from shedding is feeding the appropriate dog food. A dog’s coat and hair quality is quite often a direct reflection of the quality of the food they are eating. In order to pinpoint a way of how to stop a dog from shedding, feeding high quality dog food, with high levels of digestible proteins, will naturally decrease the shedding rate.
Whilst on the subject of using diet as an effective means of how to stop a dog from shedding, incorporating a fatty acid supplement will keep your dog and its hair coat healthy, preventing damaged or broken hair which would increase shedding.
Using a throw over furniture, couches, and car seats, is a great way how to stop a dog from shedding where human clothing contact may become an issue. Allowing dogs to jump on beds and furniture is not a good way how to stop a dog from shedding hair. This physical activity in itself will create extra shedding.
Controlling fleas and allergies is another great way how to stop a dog shedding unnecessary hair. If the dog is scratching excessively due to allergies or fleas, hairs will naturally be removed during this process. You should take the dog to a veterinarian to have their skin condition checked, to eliminate poor health conditioning from fleas and allergies.
Finally, bathing the dog during summer months is a good way how to stop a dog from shedding due to heat related issues. The dog will have a much healthier coat, hair quality, and shine. Using a gentle oatmeal shampoo at least once a week will clean and rejuvenate lackluster hair.
How to Stop dog from Digging
Posted by: | CommentsTrying to stop dog from digging on your own can be an incredibly frustrating and time consuming experience. Learning how to do it the right way, the first time can save you not only tons of time and energy but money as well.
After all, when you stop a dog digging problem, you are often saving your home and property a lot of damage – not to mention protecting your garden from your pooch’s digging ways.
The key to keep dogs from digging is to try to figure out exactly why they’re doing it in the first place.
Reasons Dogs Dig
Hide and Seek – Many dogs bury things, (such as bones, shoes, your cell phone, etc). So if you’ve caught your dog digging, check to see if they are trying to dig up something they have previously buried or perhaps bury something new.
Instinct – Certain breeds, such as terriers, have been selectively bred in order to hone their digging instincts. In fact, the word, “Terrier,” comes for the Latin word “terra” which means “earth.” They have been trained for generations to hunt out and control small animals such as rats and fox, so keep in mind that breaking them of their natural digging instinct can be quite a challenge.
Heat – When dogs feel too hot, they will often dig up a patch of earth to lie down on. The further down they dig, the cooler the earth is. If that is the case with your pooch, try to find another cool place for them to rest when it gets hot out.
Boredom – If your pup is left outside and especially if they are left alone for long periods of time, they may simply be bored. Especially the case with more intelligent breeds, boredom can cause a variety of behavioral issues other than dog digging as well. If you suspect boredom is the cause of your dog’s digging, the best way to stop your dog from digging is to provide them with something more appropriate to do with their time. Make sure they are getting plenty of exercise as well as mental stimulation on a daily basis.
Entertainment – This really goes hand-in-hand with the previous reason, (boredom). Many dogs will dig simply because it’s fun. Similar to the way small children will often enjoy playing in the mud on rainy days and at the sand at the beach, dogs entertain themselves by digging. Again, often the best way to stop a dog digging problem is to give them something more constructive to do with their time.
Once you have determined the cause of your dog digging problems, it will be a lot easier to keep dogs from digging in the future. Proactively address the situation. Make sure your pooch has a cool place to relax and plenty of water.
Also ensure that they are properly exercised for their breed type and that they receive plenty of mental stimulation as well. Dog obedience training and training your pet tricks are often great ways to keep them entertained and engaged which are sure ways to stop digging dogs from destroying your yard.
How to Stop Dog Barking
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The first thing you must understand about how to stop dog barking, is that all dogs make noise. Whether it is barking, whining, screaming, or yowling, this is a natural instinct that you must control and not eliminate.
When learning how to stop a dog barking, first identify what they are trying to communicate to you. Is it a potential intruder?
Are they trying to initiate playtime? Or are they alerting you to the presence of something unknown? Barking is the natural communication tool for dogs, and you do not want to learn how to stop a dog barking, just to merely minimize barking to what is absolutely necessary.
To stop Your dog from barking is easier than you think. Often excessive barking is due to pent-up energies and frustration. Because dogs are highly active animals which require vigorous exercise, you will require at least one hour of walking per day to decrease these energy levels. Theoretically, the best exercise regime for how to stop a dog barking would be to walk it three times per day, of which two of those walks should be very long.
An effective way how to stop a dog barking incessantly is the use of anti-bark collars. These collars spray a fine stream of citronella mist into the dog’s face whenever it barks. Dogs fine citronella extremely offensive, and sprayed at such close range, it immediately overpowers their highly sensitive noses.
In wanting to learn how to stop a dog barking, you may also want to address their environment. Dogs are highly visual animals, and can often see everything that is going on, or that walks past. If your fencing is such that it is a slatted wood, chain-link, or wire mesh, the dog will react to protect the boundaries it can see. Because your fence is partially transparent, the dog does not consider this to be a boundary. Learning how to stop a dog barking in this case would more than likely require blanking out the fence, or replacing it with a non-transparent option.
The first rule in learning how to stop Your dog from barking, is understand that the dog must do something for you before you do something for the dog. There is no point finding out how to stop a dog barking, if the dog is merely testing boundaries in making you do things for them.
A massive mistake that owners make is to unknowingly reward this unwanted behavior. In dealing with how to stop a dog from barking you need to ensure they are not barking for attention, toys, food, or any other acceptable behavior. If you allow the dog to dominate you, then you have no hope of finding how to stop a dog from barking. If you are an easy pushover, the dog will learn to exploit this fact through barking.
Try utilizing aversion therapy. Whenever your dog barks incessantly, spray him with a hand water pistol, after shaking a can half-filled with pebbles to create noise and their attention. You must do this as soon as the unwarranted barking commences. Make sure that the dog does not know you are the source of the noise.
Stop Dog Chasing
Posted by: | CommentsTired of your pet bolting after every little thing that moves? It’s very important that you stop dog chasing for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the real threat to your pooch’s safety. That cat, squirrel, or car they’re chasing may guide your pet into situations that may be very dangerous for their health. Not just that, but if you do not stop your pet from chasing after things, it may be very hard to take a nice, relaxing walk with them. Therefore, rather than just keeping poor Fido tied up constantly, you need to learn how to stop dog chasing before it escalates into a major problem.
The Basic Training Techniques to Stop Dog Chasing
In case your dog has a severe chasing issue, the very first thing you should do is to try some simple retraining. Oftentimes, if the fascination is not too intense, the training may help to stop dog chasing altogether.
Leash – In cases where your pooch just loves to pull on the leash, it may take a little a bit more time to get them back on track. To begin, whenever they pull, make them sit down next to you. Wait until they are calm before continuing on your walk. Quickly, they will connect the sensation associated with pulling the leash along with negative consequence of stopping.
Alpha Leadership – To start with, make certain your dog knows that it should always have its attention centered on you. You’ll need to establish yourself in the leadership role with your pet in order to stop dog chasing in this way.
Diversion – In order to stop dog chasing, you can also use a toy in order to distract your dog whenever you sense they are about to chase something else. Many times, when your dog is about to run off and chase something, you are able to quickly shift their attention to the toy or another object they are fond of like a favorite chew toy. Throw it, (somewhere safe, like in your own yard), and they will run after that rather than chasing whatever it was they were initially interested in.
Aversion – For this technique, it helps to have a friend assist you. Have them run, jog, or ride by on the bicycle in order to prompt your dog’s need to chase. Then, in order to stop dog chasing, have your friend stop, firmly state “no” and squirt them with the water bottle. For many dogs, this will help them learn that getting the thing they’re chasing results in the negative experience of being sprayed with water.
What to Avoid
Many people tend to turn to severe measures in order to stop dog chasing such as chaining the dog, making them wear shock collars, or utilizing electric fencing. Although these methods may work, they are not recommended. They are inhumane and can seriously harm your relationship with your pet as well as the dog’s emotional development and wellbeing. If your pooch truly won’t stop the chasing behavior, consider getting an expert trainer to assist you.
Keep in mind, if Fido chases cars, animals, or people, it may just be a bit annoying right now, but it can lead to serious injury and other problems for your pet. Stop dog chasing as quickly as possible in order to protect them in the future
