You also want to be sure that while you are gone, your dog is behaving in an appropriate manner. You do not want him, barking, digging, chewing or destroying things while you are gone. Many dogs exhibit these behaviours because they are bored, and not out of spite as many owners believe. They also might be nervous about being alone so it is up to you to teach or train your pet to understand that that alone time can be fun time.

The first thing to work on is leaving him alone in the spot you have chosen for a short period of time. Try not to leave him for more than five or ten minutes. As he becomes adjusted to your absence increase the length of time to half an hour.

Each time you go out there are certain things that you can do to make certain that puppy is happy while you are away. Try filling up a Kong with peanut butter. Give him a couple of chew toys that he does not get to play with unless you are gone. Try hiding a few things around the room, hide his Kong in a spot that is not right out in the open but will be easy for him to find. If you are putting him in his crate put it there for him to play with. You might also want to provide him with a special treat that he can chew while you are away. Pig’s ears or rawhide bones are great.

Take him for a walk before you go out to make certain that he does not have to go to the bathroom while you are gone. This will also help to tire him out so that he might sleep while you are away. And be sure that if he is going to go in his crate he has had a drink. You do not want him to be uncomfortable while you are not there. You might also consider turning a radio on so that he has some noise in the background, or leave the TV on so that he can hear it. Many dogs find the noise comforting.

By doing all these things your are training your puppy on how to be alone. And, you are teaching him that your being gone can be a fun time, if he has new things to chew on and does not feel uncomfortable. By gradually working up the length of time that you are gone, you are also letting him know , that you are coming back and there is no need to worry.

Some dog are just barkers.  It may seem like they live to bark.  Some people don’t mind a lot of dog barking, but it is annoying to many other people.  Try to remember that when dogs bark they are using vocal cues and signals to try to communicate with humans or other dogs.  Don’t try to stop your dog from barking completely, just try to narrow the barking down to when it is essential for their communication.  

One way to avoid excessive barking issues is by not choosing a dog that is known as a big barker.  A dog’s breed and purpose is often a huge factor in its barking habits.  Dogs bred to protect their owners will bark more than those bred as family pets.  Dogs bred for hunting may also tend to bark and even howl more than other breeds.  You cannot always predict a dog’s barking behavior by its breed, but knowing the tendency of a breed to bark is important before you choose a dog.  

Once you get a dog, don’t let it teach you to respond to incessant barking.  If you get up and do what your dog wants just because it doesn’t stop barking, you are only rewarding the problem.  Respond to your dog once she quiets down.  This will train your dog to understand which behaviors will get her rewarded. Consider this before you buy a citronella dog collar.  

When your dog starts to bark, give him a few seconds to get it out of his system.  If the barking persists clasp your hand firmly, but gently around your dog’s muzzle.  If the dog tries to escape your grasp and continue barking reach out with your other hand and hold her by the collar.  

You may be able to figure out why your dog is barking on your own, but sometimes it requires outside help to figure out why your dog will not stop barking.  Don’t feel awkward about asking for help.  I did and it worked.  My dog no longer barks all the time at every noise she hears.

Many owners find that their dog behaves really well at obedience class but the minute he goes out for a walk he turns into a demon. Maybe it is not the dog who changes but you. Is it possible that during training sessions you treat the animal one way and another when he is out for his daily walk? Or maybe you treat the animal one way and your partner or children treat him another. If so, your poor dog is receiving mixed signals.

Training is not going to involve just you and the dog but everyone who has to walk the dog. Consistency and patience are the keys to training any animal. And this means that all the people who walk the dog must follow the same procedures with the animal, all the time. And you must all use the same commands.

Once everybody has agreed to work together, you can start to look at the dog’s behaviour. If he likes to pull it is probably because he has learned that if he pulls he gets to go where he wants. Simply put, he is getting rewarded for pulling on his leash. You have to teach him immediately that dog leash pulling does not get rewarded.

The moment that your pet decides to pull on the leash STOP. Do not move. Do not pull on the leash. When your dog eases up on the leash take a step. If the pulling starts again stop. Once you have puppy focused on you, begin to move. Puppy will soon realise that if the leash is tight nobody goes anywhere.

As your puppy learns this concept, be sure to offer lots of praise and rewards. When the puppy turns to you to find out why there is no movement you might try backing up a step. Reward the puppy as he returns to you. A great way to get your dog to stay focused on you is to alter direction. Try not to walk in a straight line. Walk backwards; make sharp turns, both left and right. Be sure that at no time do you pull on the leash. Instead Stop. Remain frozen in place until the tension on the leash eases up.

You may not get far on your first few tries but if you are consistent you will see results. Remember that everyone who walks the dog must practice this technique, all the time. This is not always easy to do. There are times when you are in a hurry and taking the time to stop is annoying but remain unremitting.

These lessons are extremely important. You do not want to rely on choke collars or halties to get your dog to behave. You want the dog to stay close to you because it is the best place to be. Training collars are just that, for training. You want your dog to behave even when you are not doing a training session. You want to have control of your dog at all times.

If you remain persistent with your dog leash training exercises you will be surprised at how soon your walks become a joy instead of a chore.

There are a few different tactics that will correct this behavior:

• The first and easiest thing to try is using a bitter apple liquid. Liberally apply the bitter apple to the entire length of the leash. It may be a bit messy and will smell awful but it is worth it. Some dogs do actually like the taste of this product so as an alternative try using the hottest sauce that you can find. Neither of these methods will harm your dog, but most dogs only need try this a few times before they realize that it does not taste good.
• Another simple technique is the moment that your dog begins biting the leash, Stop. Give him a sharp “no” and remove the leash from the dog’s mouth with a quick pull. You may have to repeat this a few times before it works.
• If you have begun training your dog with the leave it command this is a great time to practice. If your dog drops the leash, give him a reward. However, be wary, you do not want the dog learning that he will be rewarded for taking the leash.
• You might also try the stop walking method during your dog leash training exercises. The moment the dog starts to bite his leash STOP and freeze. Do not move, this is the same technique that you can use to get your dog to stop pulling. Once your dog settles down, begin moving again. Your dog will get the idea that nobody goes anywhere when the leash is being bitten. You might even try putting the leash under your foot and ignoring your animal until he calms down. Once the dog is quiet and calm continue walking.
• If your dog is very playful, he may be biting the leash for more attention. You could try allowing the dog to carry a toy, ball or stick on your walk.
• Another idea is to try getting your dog to focus on other things while you are walking. Make the walk more challenging. Change your direction frequently; this will help to keep the dog’s attention off the leash. You might also try issuing other commands as well such as working on sit and stay. It may take a bit longer to get where you are going but it works.
• Take the dog somewhere new. Try walking your dog in different places. If a dog is entertained by new sights and sounds he is too busy to bite the leash.
• If need be, shorten the leash as much as possible. Keep the dog in almost, the heel position and begin walking. Walk at a very brisk pace. Do not talk to your dog, or pet him, keep moving.

With patience and practice you can get your dog to stop biting the leash. But you have to remain consistent. Whichever method you decide to use, be sure to give it time to work. None of these will work the first time out; they might not even work the second, but keep at it. You and your dog will reap the rewards.

Whenever you are trying to change a dog’s behaviour it is important to understand why he is behaving the way he is. Looking at things from the dog’s point of view will often save you a lot of time, money and headaches. There are many reason why dogs dig. Dogs dig out of boredom. They like to bury food, they like the smells. Dogs like to dig for shelter, either from the cold or from the heat. Some dogs dig in hopes of finding small animals and others just plain enjoy digging.

Once you feel you know why your dog is digging you can begin the process of changing his behaviour.

To stop dog digging first, make sure that your dog gets plenty of exercise. Play challenging games with him so that he also gets mental exercise each day. Make sure he has toys to play with to keep him occupied, but avoid buying things that he might want to bury. Don’t buy the big bone instead get him a kong. They last longer and can be filled with treats.

Buy a squirt gun. Every time your dog starts to dig, spray him. This works well, but of course you have to be around to catch him. You can also try this method using the sprinkler. Bury it just below the surface and turn it on the moment he starts digging.

Try burying some chicken wire in his favourite spots. Dogs do not like the feel and will stop.

Some dogs are attracted to something on the other side of the fence. Always make sure that there are no holes in the fence and no gaps at the bottom. If you have to, use chicken wire to fill in the spaces below the fence. It is a good idea to bury some of the wire at least a foot away from the fence

If your dog has a certain spot that he likes to dig, bury some of his own feces in the hole. There are very few dogs that want to dig through their own waste. This is a bit messy but is probably the most effective way of getting your dog to stop digging.

Another alternative is to provide your dog with his own digging area. Designate a spot where he is allowed to dig. To encourage him to dig in his own ‘spot’ try burying a toy filled with treats. Make it into a fun game for him. Reward him when he digs in his area. If he starts digging somewhere else, go to his spot and call him in an excited voice. Reward him for coming and praise him for digging in the right spot.

Once you know how to stop a dog from digging, like all unwanted behaviours, most can be altered with time, patience and consistency.

Dogs chew for a variety of reasons. If they are young they may be teething, which any owner will tell you can be a trying time. Some dogs chew out of boredom or loneliness.  Once you have figured out why your dog is chewing you can start to correct, or at least curb the behaviour.

Make sure that your dogs has chew toys. These are his toys that he is allowed to play with and abuse.

Remember that if you do not catch your dog chewing don’t bother scolding him.  Unfortunately, if you come home and discover your shoes in pieces it is too late to correct the dog. Any reprimand at this point is meaningless to the animal. Owner’s will claim that their dog knows that he has done something wrong when they come home and find something chewed to bits. The truth is, the dog knows that the owner is angry and upset, just by the tone of voice that the owner is using. Sadly, the dog has no actual clue as to why his owner is upset.

If you have a young dog try not to give him any opportunity to chew on things that he is not allowed to. If you have to be gone, put the dog in a crate or in a run where he can’t get into trouble. When you are home you can start monitoring his habits. Leave him in a different room and watch how he behaves. If he starts chewing immediately go in and correct the problem. Leave him in different rooms and vary the lengths of time that he is there.  This will also help to train the dog to get used to not having you around all the time.
 
If you do catch the dog chewing, give a sharp ‘no’ command, or use the ‘leave it’ command.  Then be sure to give the dog one of the toys that he is allowed to chew on. Praise the dog when he chews on the appropriate thing.

If your pet has taken a particular liking to a piece of furniture, you might try rubbing something on it that your dog finds distasteful. Many people like to use bitter apple, but if this does not work try hot sauce or something else you know your dog does not like.

Most of all be patient and consistent and in no time your dog chewing problems will be a thing of the past.

Dogs exhibit many behaviors that leave their owners scratching their heads in confusion. Whether it’s barking, digging, nipping, or a number of other annoying activities, canines do things that seem odd to us. However, by understanding why they do such things, owners can learn to modify such behaviors.

Below, we’ll discuss several behavioral problems that can frustrate owners, their guests, and their neighbors. I’ll explain why your pooch may be doing some of the things she’s doing so you can take steps to curb inappropriate behaviors.

Chewing

Dogs chew for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, they’re anxious. Other times – especially in the case of puppies – they chew because they’re teething. Still other times, they simply become bored or restless. They do it to work off excess energy.

If your canine limits her chewing to a chew toy, or Bully Sticks there’s little harm in it. If no chew toys are present, everything in the house is a potential chew toy, including shoes, furniture etc. When you notice her chewing on things she should not be, sharply tell her. Take away (or remove her from) the item on which she’s chewing and give her a Odorless Bully Stick in its place.

Excessive Barking

First, it’s important to realize that your dog barks as a way of communicating. While it can become frustrating if she does so excessively, owners should understand that there may be a valid reason for the behavior.

That said, canines often bark excessively for a number of reasons that are inappropriate. For example, they may be bored or excited. There barking may be because their are other pets in their surroundings. At times it’s just an attention grabbing issue.

To discourage inappropriate barking, make sure your pooch gets exercise each day. When bored, her pent-up energy can trigger the behavior. Also, avoid encouraging her barking by giving her attention when she does it. Instead a Loud clap from your hands will inform your dog that their actions and behavior is unacceptable.

Begging

Dogs love food, even if they’re not hungry. Given the opportunity, they’ll continue eating as long as someone gives them something to eat. The problem is that owners encourage begging each time they provide a taste from the dinner table. Remember, your pooch learns by repetition. When it comes to food, she learns quickly. If she receives something when she begs, she’ll naturally (and quickly) begin to believe that begging is appropriate.

You can discourage the begging behavior putting the dog into another part of the house during meal times.

The Value Of Obedience Classes

Most behavioral issues can be curbed by enrolling your dog into obedience classes. If you do so when she’s a puppy, the training is more likely to “stick.” If you enroll her as an adult, the training will be effective, but she’ll probably need periodic classes as a reminder of what constitutes appropriate conduct. In the end, a well-trained, well-behaved dog makes a more pleasant companion.