dog behavior – Pet Butler

4 Dog Behavioral Issues and How to Correct Them

Dog Behavior

We are so attached to our beloved canine companions, sharing everything from ice cream cones to our pillows it can be hard to remember that they aren’t just tiny humans. However, watch them welcome each other nose to rear at the dog park or keep busy digging a 4-foot hole in your flower bed. You’ll soon be reminded that some behaviors are specific to the canine species.

Many actions, such as greeting owners at the door carrying a soft toy, are endearing. Others, like digging, barking, counter-surfing or destructive chewing can be a nuisance. We need to understand the origin of these behaviors and how to channel all that furry cuteness into good!

Barking

Understanding Why Your Dog Barks

Dogs vocalize in many ways, from incessant barking to a soft whine. How they “speak” communicate everything from “I’m hurt and scared” to “don’t come in my house.” Hounds are particularly vocal; they were bred to hunt, chase, and keep prey in one place or “at bay” until the hunter arrived. When normal vocalizing behavior becomes an incessant habit, it can wake a sleeping baby, trigger a migraine, or even evict apartment dwellers. It’s important to unearth the cause and motivation for continued barking.

Remedies for Nuisance Barking

• Boredom can trigger nuisance barking; exercise and enrichment are critical to keeping dogs from developing this unwanted behavior.
• Don’t unintentionally reward barking by drawing attention to the undesirable vocalization. Even negative attention (yelling by you) is SOME attention, and dogs seeking human interaction hit the jackpot!
• Dogs triggered by the Amazon delivery person may also have their loud yapping reinforced. As the driver approaches the home, the dog barks, telling the human to “back off my property.” Guess what? The driver gets back in their truck and drives away! The barking worked! A better option is to close the blinds or crate your dog, so barking is never provoked.

Chewing

Understanding Normal vs. Destructive Chewing

Remember the pup who greeted us at the door with a squeaky plush toy? Cute, right? Some breeds, such as the Flat-Coated Retriever, were bred to carry downed game in their mouths. It also makes them desirable service dogs since they can carry a bag of groceries or retrieve a set of fallen keys.

Dogs have a normal and healthy desire to chew and explore things with their mouths, especially during teething. Crossing into the destructive chewing zone is a definite no-no.

Remedies for Destructive Chewing

• The line between encouraged behavior and undesirable behavior is pretty blurry for your pet! As in other unwanted behaviors, don’t set your dog up to fail by leaving precious items within reach.
• Offer many safe chew toys like Nylabones or Kongs stuffed with treats.
• Durable puzzle-type toys can be mentally stimulating if dogs can uncover hidden snacks or other plush toys inside; your dog must use all his senses to extract the treats or concealed squeakers.

Digging

Understanding Why Your Dog Digs

Some dog behaviors, such as digging, may have been bred into a species. For example, Rat Terriers have been genetically selected over the years to eradicate vermin with tenacity. Left to their own devices, they dig holes under fences, deep into fresh, perennial plantings, and just about anywhere else they can put their paws.

Remedies for Digging

• If your dog has a propensity for digging, provide opportunities to dig in appropriate zones and offer positive reinforcement when your pet complies.
• Some owners have plastic sandboxes full of dirt or sand with hidden bones, treats, or soft toy treasures that can be “found” when their pets dig in the right spot.
• Make sure they have plenty of mental and physical stimulation through hide and seek games, walks, and “sniffaris,” and digging options that won’t ruin your yard.

Counter Surfing

Understanding Why Your Dog Counter Surfs

Counter-surfing is one troublesome and unsafe behavior that can be difficult to reverse. Dogs of a certain height, or those with a high vertical jump, learn that yummy things live on kitchen counters and dining tables. How many of us have come home to a torn-up pizza box or cupcake wrappers strewn about the house? A dog’s keen sense of smell can lead them to trouble. In some cases, an upset stomach or even toxic ingestion of items not meant for canine consumption can result.

Remedies for Counter Surfing

• Keep all unattended food off the counter or inaccessible to your pet, and always feed them from their bowl.
• Train your dog to go to their place (a bed or crate) during mealtimes. This alternate behavior is incompatible with counter-surfing.
• Given enough positive reinforcement and eliminating temptation, your dog will eventually stop scouring the kitchen for food.

To remedy unwanted behavior, supervise your pet, offer training on alternate, acceptable behaviors, and reward them for doing the right thing. If the behaviors persist, ask your veterinarian for advice and consider the help of a professional trainer.

At Pet Butler, we want you and your pet to live your best and healthiest lives, which is why we offer pet waste removal and other services year-round. We offer weekly, bi-weekly, monthly and one-time clean-up services to work with your schedule and needs.

How Do I Keep My Pets Calm While I am Away?

Dog Behavior

When traveling for the holidays, it can get complicated when you have limited space and furry pets. While some accommodations and adventures are suitable for bringing a pet, it is not always recommended. A sense of displacement and disruption can be hard on a dog. Not to mentions the new sounds, smells, and sights that can be stressful for both an owner and a pup. Sometimes leaving your pet at home with a sitter or in a boarding facility is the best solution to ensuring they are comfortable and content. However, this option takes proper training and preparation for your pets. Pet Butler has what you need to keep your pets happy while you’re away.

How do I prepare my pup for my absence?

Mix Up Your Return Time

Before you decide to book flights, understand how your pet reacts to your absence. Some dogs and especially puppies require more attention. Dogs that suffer from separation anxiety can be especially sensitive to time alone. If this is the case, practice leaving your dog for varying periods of time and don’t encourage excitability upon your return. Mix up your departure routine so dogs don’t hop on the crazy train each time the car keys start to jangle. For those of us who have are home-bound, it is beneficial for a pet owner to give pets time alone. It ensures their confidence and comfort when you finally take that much needed break.

Give Them A Comfort Token

Certain objects with special significance to your pet can help them cope with your absence – giving them a sense of familiarity is both calming and reassuring. Toys, treats, blankets, and other items can all serve this purpose. Your scent on clothes or blankets can similarly provide a sense of normalcy. Tools like Thundershirts, music playlists, and Adaptil diffusers can be utilized to manage stress. Test out what works best for your pet and don’t be afraid to experiment with different options.

Leave Them With Someone They Trust

Once you trust your dog will behave, it’s time to introduce them to the dog sitter. When choosing someone to watch over your pet, opt for people who you know well. Ideal that would be family, friends, or a neighbor that is likely familiar with your dog and home already. If that isn’t an option, make sure to set up a meeting prior to leaving. Let the sitter introduce themselves to your pet and offer a treat; both dog and sitter will feel more relaxed and a positive association will develop between the two. Then, explain all your dog’s needs to the sitter and write them down on a list. This should include a schedule for feeding, bathroom breaks, walks/playtimes, any medication given, and a list of emergency contacts. It’s important for dogs to get adequate playtime. The more often they’re kept in the kennel or just stuck inside, the more likely they are to misbehave, become anxious, and potentially destructive.

Take Them To The Dog Hotel

If you’re going to be away from home for weeks at a time, consider using a boarding facility. These kennels are built to take care of pets for an extended stay. Your dog will receive plenty of attention, interaction with other pooches, and top-notch dog care. Research what the best care centers are near you and get in touch with them personally before you make any decisions.

How do I say goodbye to my pet without making us both sad?

Before you leave, there are a few things you need to double–check. Check your pup’s collar to make sure the information is current. Leave plenty of food, treats, and a supply of medications and medical records. Check again with the sitter to make sure they’re prepared and understand what your dog needs. After you’ve set up care for your dog, the only thing you have left to do is say goodbye – but do it the right way. A nice hug and maybe a small treat is fine, but don’t overdo it. Dogs understand human emotions to a degree and often reflect our state of mind. If you make a scene out of leaving, they might become upset or worried. If you act anxious or stressed, they will too. It’s better to slip out relatively quietly and let them go on with their day. Pretending everything is normal is sometimes the best way to go.

At Pet Butler, we understand that leaving your pet behind is hard. We know you want to give them the best care you can. That is why we specialize in caring for your pet’s special area by scooping up their waste. So, call 1-800-PET-BUTLER to learn how we can make your pet’s life happier, healthier, and cleaner.

Why Is My Dog Eating Grass?

Pet Safety

One of the more peculiar behaviors some dogs exhibit is called pica – a psychological disorder characterized by the desire to consume largely non-nutritive substances. For dogs, while they may also target leaves and sticks, pica is most commonly represented in the tendency to eat grass. Dogs that eat grass do so for a variety of reasons, ranging from sickness relief to boredom, and it usually manifests either in regular cycles or as spontaneous bursts.

How Will This Impact My Dog?

Physical Implications

The majority of pica cases have either negative physical or psychological implications. Common physical causes of pica include: gastric reflux, inflammatory bowel disease, and pancreatitis; pica can result in symptoms of lethargy, diarrhea, constipation, or weight loss in these instances. If your dog is exhibiting these symptoms, see a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Psychological Implications

Psychological implications of of pica can be harmful in a home environment. The negative behaviors associated with pica include:

Boredom – Owners aren’t giving their dogs enough attention.
Separation Anxiety – Dogs are having a hard time coping with loneliness
Obsession – Your dog has a more serious mental disorder.

Way To Alleviate Negative Behaviors

Boredom – Simply give your dog more attention! Give them more playtime and toys to chew on during quiet hours.
Separation Anxiety – Try and surround your dogs with personal clothes or blankets to keep your scent around when you leave or try using a doggie daycare system so they feel more at ease.
Obsessions – Talk to your veterinarian about what options are best to help your dog.

How Can I Treat Pica At Home?

If your dog exhibits pica, but it seems to be under control, consider working in natural herbs or roasted vegetables into their diets. These substitutions may provide a sense of hunger fulfillment for the do. Even in monitored environments, pica can lead to some unhealthy complications. Teething puppies, specifically, tend to gnaw on and consume as many objects as possible, and they usually love munching on nature’s chew toys. Sticks, leaves, grass, and rocks can end up in their digestive system, which can cause blockages and backups. Give them plenty of attention and toys designed to keep their attention during these phases.

The Evolution Of Dogs

Dog Behavior

Man’s best friend, the dog, has been our greatest companion for generations. Our mutualistic relationship is unrivaled in the natural world, and it’s something that humans should continue to cherish for as long as we can. But where did they come from, and how did we domesticate them? How are there so many breeds and how did history complicate our relationship? These are just a few questions about the evolution of dogs.

What Is the Origin of Man’s Best Friend?

Based on various discovered fossils, most researchers believe that the evolution of dogs began as puppies diverged from the gray wolf’s genetic makeup. Over the process of several thousand years, one species of wolf grew more splotchy coats, curly tails, and floppy ears to become a generic, wild version of the pooches we recognize today. Because of their less threatening demeanor and attitude, we instinctively started domesticating them – or, in a way, they started domesticating themselves. Instead of competing against humans for similar prey, the kindest, softest, and cutest wolfdogs survived by roaming alongside us. In a transformation that has been described as the “survival of the friendliest,” humans unwittingly began caring for and feeding them. By around 8,000 B.C.E., it became common for canines to travel among packs of hunter-gatherers and nomadic tribes.

When Did Dogs Start Becoming Pets?

The next big step in the dog evolution was taken far closer to the present. In the early 1800s, once civilization progressed beyond the industrial revolution, high society in Victorian Britain introduced household pets to the mainstream. While dogs had been enjoyed by royalty in the past, pets had never been so available to the masses. Normalizing ownership of puppies had a large impact around the globe, but this practice was most strongly felt in Europe, where it immediately evolved into a competition. A prize-winning mutt symbolized both wealth and power, so pride-driven aristocrats created breeding techniques to standardize dog attributes. Yes, humans are the ones responsible for the modern breeds we see today. Some features for molding dogs was based on color, size, and physical conditions.

Why Where Specific Dog Breeds Made?

Dogs were bred for certain activities inducing:

High-class owners preferred fashionable and luxurious breeds.
Lower class opted for cheaper dogs like bulldogs, whippets, and terriers.
Fighting dogs were bred for hunting or for being “Gun dogs”.
Sprinter dogs were created for hunting, herding, and racing.

This idealistic standardization was taken so seriously that countries would even argue over a breed’s origin/evolution – claiming the Newfoundlands, Great Danes, and basset hounds, among its various other dogs, was a source of national pride for Great Britain. However, they didn’t exist there naturally – that’s just where their breeds were created. At the end of the day, over the last couple of centuries, 23 clades have been developed into over 400 breeds of dog.

What Are Some Fun Facts About Dog Evolution & Development?

Since joining human tribes’ dogs have lost some of their more primitive tendencies. Unlike wolves, dogs fare far worse in the pack lifestyle, as opposed to before in nature. To these ends, they usually look for their owner’s assistance to guide the way.
George Augustus Graham brought the legendary Irish wolfhound, a formally extinct dog breed, back to life in the 1800s. By crossing the Scottish deerhound with the greyhound, he made the Irish wolfhound as we know it today.
Our interspecies connection has grown so strong that, when our gaze meets eye to eye, both humans and dogs’ brains secrete oxytocin – a hormone indicating maternal bonding and trust. This is the only interspecies example of this kind of bonding that we know of!

Tips for Socializing My Dog

Dog Behavior

Why Socialization is Critical for Pets

Canines need to be good citizens of the world in which we live.

Dogs that aren’t socialized are often relinquished to shelters for preventable behavior problems such as resource guarding and territorial or fear-based aggression. Pet “problems” account for approximately 47% of surrendered dogs; many are re-homed multiple times, and some are euthanized. (1)

New owners must realize that once released from the confines of home, our pets need to function confidently and thrive in an environment populated with small children, other animals, cars and bicyclists, and all varieties of noises and distractions.

What a Socialized Dog Looks Like

Socialized pets can happily accompany their owners on vacation, exercise amongst other animals at dog parks and daycares, experience the physical contact of other people, and mental stimulation of group agility classes or pet assisted therapy work. They experience less anxiety, stress, and loneliness. And they are more physically fit.

What Exactly is Pet Socialization?

How can we accomplish the integration and socialization of our furry friends when hampered by current conditions? According to the AVMA:

“Socialization is the process of preparing a dog or cat to enjoy interactions and be comfortable with other animals, people, places and activities. Ideally, socialization should begin during the sensitive period between 3 and 14 weeks of age for puppies, and 3 and 9 weeks of age for kittens”. (2)

While this window of time is optimal, progress can be made acclimating a previously unsocialized pet if the process is adjusted at a pace suitable to the pet’s temperament.

When Should I Start Socializing My Dog?

Younger pups are typically more inquisitive and relaxed than an adolescent or adult dog who already associates certain experiences with negative outcomes such as a nail trim that resulted in cutting the quick.

Ideally, your new puppy has spent the first 8 weeks of life surrounded by littermates and has already been practicing play and learning bite inhibition. The breeder, foster family, or shelter worker has been extensively handling the animal since birth. Touching ears, toes, and exploring the mouth and muzzle in a gentle way is important to learn that contact is safe and enjoyable. If not, these tasks fall to the new owner.

Develop a Plan for Socializing My Dog

To prepare to socialize a pet, it’s best to develop a plan. Ask yourself…

How Old is Your Dog?

3-14 weeks old – the malleable window
4-12 months old – may more cautiously test the waters
1 year old and over – inherently confident, assertive, or shy.

The speed with which you can introduce new experiences may be slower with an older, more behaviorally mature or timid pet.

What Environment Do I Want My Dog In?

Decide what items or scenarios you’d like to introduce, depending on your living environment and what future experiences in which your pet may engage.

Are There Other Pets in The House or Will a Pet Sitter Be Needed at Some Point?

Engage them with a FaceTime introduction and regular virtual visits with your pet.

What Will Be a Part of Your Dog’s Daily Life?

Treats and positive reinforcement
A crate or safe space for your pet to retreat to when they need alone time and minimize separation anxiety
Nail trimmers or clippers you’ll want to desensitize your pet to
Noises like chirping birds, fireworks, fast-moving children, babies crying, or other pets in the house

How to Socialize My Dog

Walks – Frequent walks outside in a variety of environments and on a multitude of surfaces such as the sidewalk, wooded path, grassy park, near water, or on a deck ensure your pet is comfortable in different settings.

Meeting Nearby Pets/People – Encourage your neighbors and their dogs to greet and engage your pet from a safe distance while you ply your pooch with delectable treats.

Play Dress Up – Animals should be exposed to humans in hoods, hats, wearing sunglasses, carrying umbrellas or pushing a vacuum cleaner or stroller.

Leash – Have your puppy on a leash, happily distracted by kibble when you ride your bicycle or skateboard nearby.

Car Rides – They introduce new experiences. Drive by a noisy airport or construction site.

Noise Familiarity – YouTube videos or phone apps, mechanical noisemakers, and remote-controlled, interactive toys featuring daily noises such as baby cries, birds chirping, and fireworks can be used to introduce the idea of other animals and sounds to your dog.

Doorbells – Ringing the doorbell while your dog practices being calm in their crate.

Eating – Handling your pet while they’re eating to discourage food guarding.

Therapy Work – If you want to do therapy work with your pet, borrow a walker, wheelchair, and a beeping timer, and practice walking through a gate or down a stairwell.

If you have healthy adults and children in the house, allow them all to engage in socialization activities with the new pet.

Plan for 1-5 new experiences a day for varying periods of time, but no longer than the period in which your pet is relaxed and happy. Realize your pet may have some limitations and adjust your socialization periods and expectations accordingly.

Never punish a pet who is fearful, but gently remove them from the situation and expose them again to the stimulus when they are calm; do so for a decreased duration and intensity or from an increased distance. If your pet remains happy and content during socialization exercises, continue positively reinforcing them with food, praise, or petting as you extend the duration of training sessions.