A fearful dog is a challenge to own and train. In familiar surroundings, he is a sweet, wonderful family pet, but in new places where there are strange sounds and people, he turns into a mess of jittery shaking nerves. If you own a dog like this, it is important to educate yourself and learn …
Living with a shy or fearful dog requires patience, commitment, and realistic expectations. If your dog is genetically shy, you’re not going to change who she is, no matter how much training you do. You can, however, help her become more comfortable in her own skin, more reliable in her behavior, and more confident in …
It is always something of a challenge to integrate a completely foreign species into a human household successfully. Because dogs have been living with us in our homes for so long — at least tens of thousands of years — it’s almost as though we expect them to become human, forgetting that they are a …
Some breeds of dogs have reputations, although not necessarily deservedly so, as being dangerous. It’s not that they necessarily bite more often than other breeds, but due to their physical nature — their size, strength, and bite force — when they do bite, the resulting injury tends to be much more serious (and newsworthy) than …
Whether you only have one dog, two, or a whole pack, each scenario has its own unique set of benefits, drawbacks, challenges, and realities. Living with a Single Dog Living with only one dog is, for the most part, a little easier, or at least less labor-intensive than living with multiple dogs. However, only dogs …
Thunderstorm and fireworks or noise phobia are similar, but slightly different disorders. The treatments, however, are virtually the same. Some dogs suffer from fear of thunder or other loud noises. This fear seems to get worse with age, and the dog doesn’t get over it. Lightning storms are not the only time for loud noises, …
True separation anxiety is fortunately relatively rare, but when it is diagnosed, it can be extremely difficult, and in some cases, impossible, to treat successfully. Separation anxiety often has a genetic component, but can also be caused or encouraged by poor handling, usually by babying the dog and having constant contact with him. Preventing Separation …
Barking is a normal part of being a dog, and some barking is to be expected. Dogs that bark excessively, however, aren’t just a nuisance to their owners, but also to their neighbors. What’s All the Racket About? There are as many reasons for excessive barking as there are barkers. Some dogs bark to warn …
Garbage digging, trash raiding, or dumpster diving — whatever you call it, it’s both annoying and dangerous. If you’re lucky, you’ll clean up the mess and your dog will just have a mild case of diarrhea from his dietary indiscretions, but the consequences of this behavior are potentially much more serious, even fatal, if your …
Even the best dogs make occasional mistakes, or have momentary lapses in judgment. Sometimes their mistakes stem from following their natural instincts, but just as often, misbehavior has been reinforced in some way. Nature or Nurture? Dogs are naturally curious and thoroughly explore their surroundings, usually with their noses first, but also by sight. When …
