Behavior

If your dog is barking when left alone, you may be wondering what is going on in his mind. There is barking and then there is barking in the dog world, and distinguishing one form of barking from another isn't always easy. Discover several reasons why dogs bark when left alone.

Knowing the signs of separation anxiety in dogs can be helpful so that you know whether your dog is exhibiting them. Many dogs are misdiagnosed as having separation anxiety, when they are instead bored or not fully housetrained.

If you're wondering why your dog is misbehaving, most likely you're wondering what is going on in your dog's mind, and most of all, what can be done about it. Discover 14 reasons dogs misbehave.

When a dog is dealing with any aggression problem, some treatments have been proven to work and others have not. Find out which can help your dog.

If your dog nips people's legs, you are surely frustrated by this behavior. It can sure get embarrassing, especially when you have guests over and when the nipping hurts. Discover why dogs do this along with several solutions.

There are many long-lasting chews and treats you can give your dog to chew on or lick to keep him busy. This can be helpful if you have a high-energy, anxious or nervous canine and are looking for ways to calm him or keep him occupied.

Herding dog behaviors are important to be aware about before considering adopting a dog belonging to the herding group. These dogs have several characteristics that makes them desirable, but can turn problematic in homes that don't fully understand their needs.

Several years ago, I adopted a high-energy dog that seemed unable to relax. Here's what has worked to calm him down and to keep me from going bananas.

If your dog attacked your pet bird, you are likely feeling very upset. You have trusted your dog around your pet bird for quite some time, and now you got this scary wake-up call. What was going on in your dog's mind?

Your dog's barking when you're working from home can really put a dent in your ability to concentrate and carry out tasks. If you must do conferences or video calls, your dog's barking may be very disruptive to the point of not being able to hear others. Fortunately, there are options to reduce it.

The honeymoon period in dogs is a phenomenon to be aware of if you have recently adopted a new dog. It may also be helpful if you foster dogs for a shelter or are a pet sitter and board dogs in your home.

The way mother dogs discipline their puppies is something dog owners often wonder about. However, as tempting as it may be to want to mimic what mothers do, consider that dogs know that we aren't dogs and any form of physical discipline can backfire.

If your dog hates having his harness put on, you are likely wondering what you can do to ameliorate the situation. To better help your dog, it helps to carefully analyze what part of wearing the harness he struggles the most with. Once you have this piece of information, you can tackle the problem.

The pure joy of adopting a young puppy is the best! Some worry though about how their adult dogs will welcome a new, energetic, playful pet. The introduction and acclamation of a puppy and adult dog can be frustrating if not done correctly. Here are some tips and hints to help with the process.

Pets, especially dogs develop strong emotional connections with their human parents. A sudden change in routine, inability to satisfy their canine needs or separation even for a few hours can make them anxious. Simple steps by pet parents can ensure protection from anxiety and depression in pets.

A dog playing the fun police role can be annoying when you own several dogs or if you take your dog to the dog park and your dog acts too "controlling." Understanding this behavior and its implications can help guide you through the behavior-changing process.

The reason your dog is lashing out might not be what you think. Here are five common reasons for canine aggression.

To stop a dog from destroying the couch, you will need to find strategic ways to make the couch less accessible and tempting. However, at the same time, you also want to listen to your dog's plead for help and take steps to ameliorate the situation.

The explanation behind leash-pulling is simple, but the seemingly simple fix of pulling harder than your dog is only going to reinforce their bad habits.

Whether dogs know when they are dying is something that has been crossing the minds of many dog lovers. Until dogs can talk, we may never know the real answer, but we can come to a reasoned conclusion based on observed behavior changes in dying dogs and some research.

Whether dogs understand death is something many dog owners have been wondering about. We may never really know the exact answer, but we can make some educated assumptions based on what we know about dogs. Here are some insights and what experts in the field say.

Wondering how your dog shows they love you? Here are some unexpected signs. In addition, here are some simple ways to show them love in a way they will understand.

Dogs love balls so much they may become addicted to playing fetch, but what makes dogs go so crazy? And most of all, what can you do if your dog happens to develop a ball obsession? Let's see what science has to say.

If your puppy won't go back to sleep after going potty, you are likely exhausted and don't know what to do about it. Here's why your puppy has a hard time sleeping after going potty along with some tips to get your puppy back to sleep.

If your dog is aggressive after being neutered, you are likely wondering what could have caused this change. Before blaming the procedure and regretting your choice, consider that there are several potential factors at play and some behavior changes can be temporary.

Territorial aggression is fairly common and takes place when a dog shows signs of aggression targeted towards other dogs who happen to come too close to the dog's "perceived territory." This is a contextual type of aggression, and there can be components of fear at play.

Did you know that while aggression is a common behavioural problem among dogs, it is also often poorly understood? Learn more about dog-to-dog aggression, the many causes for the behaviour, and how it can be a complicated issue to resolve.

To stop a dog from squeezing through the bars of a gate, you need to outsmart them and find solutions that make going through the gate close to impossible. After all, the risks are high when dogs escape their properties.

If your dog stops walking on leash and won't move, you've likely wondered what may be going on. There are several underlying causes for a dog stopping mid-walk, so solving the issue will depend on what's going on.

Whether yelling stresses out dogs is something you may be wondering about. Perhaps you recently yelled at your dog and feel bad about it, or maybe your family has had some loud discussions and you wonder whether your dog is impacted by it.

Resource guarding in dogs is something many dog owners fear and one of the many potential causes for dogs being relinquished to shelters. Research on resource guarding in dogs reveals some interesting findings.

You will need to take a multi-faceted approach to stop a dog from jumping on the couch. It's important to understand that many dogs are attracted to the couch because they want to be closer to us, and of course, because it's comfy, too!

If your dog barks when you sit on the couch, you may find this behavior annoying. Perhaps you had a long day at work, and your favorite TV show is on, but all you hear is barking. Tackling this behavior may require a multi-modal approach.

To stop a dog from nipping when excited, you will need to take a multi-pronged approach to tackle the problem from different angles. Dogs who nip when excited are usually overstimulated dogs who need to learn how to better cope with their emotions.

To stop a dog from jumping when greeting someone, you will need to take a multi-pronged approach. A good plan entails managing the environment, limiting certain types of exposures and gradually introducing distractions. It also helps train the dog how to control its impulses better.

Wondering why your puppy goes crazy when your husband arrives home? Trying to figure out how to keep your new dog calm at the arrival of his father? Here are some reasons why your husband's arrival drives your dog insane, and how to manage your dog accordingly.

Wondering if your puppy is cranky because he's tired? Just like children, it is possible for puppies to get moody when tired, but what causes them to get like this in the first place, and what are the signs? And most of all, what can be done to help them out?

If your dog is suddenly attacking your cats? What has caused such a change of heart? Why are good friends now suddenly enemies? This is surely a heartbreaking situation, but in such cases, keeping your cats safe is your top priority.

If your puppy keeps biting you aggressively, you are likely very concerned about the behavior. Those small teeth are like needles that pierce your skin. Deal with the issue before pup grows up to his full potential.

Dogs pawing and scratching at people may look cute, but a dog's nails can easily cause scratches and injuries. It's important to stop this behavior before someone gets seriously injured.

Many dogs won't share with other dogs, and this can be upsetting to dog owners. Is sharing something possible in the world of dogs? Would it be asking too much to have two dogs eat together, and possibly, even munch on a bone together?

A dog that is sensitive to touch may be particularly problematic considering that dogs need to be touched for various reasons, such as during veterinary examinations or when putting on a collar or harness. Dealing with a dog sensitive to touch is a delicate issue.

To stop a dog from sleeping on your bed, you may need to get creative. You'll need to take some baby steps to gradually wean it off your bed while also offering some amenities to make its new bed look wonderful in comparison. This two-tiered approach can help you succeed.

Is your dog destroying your plants? To stop a dog from destroying plants, it may help to understand why they are so interested in your plants in the first place. While dogs don't have a green thumb in the same way humans do, they can surely find plants entertaining in their own ways.

When dogs move their ears back, they are communicating something, and of course, it would be helpful to know precisely what they are trying to say. So what do ears back really mean? To better understand this behavior, it helps to take a look at the context and the accompanying body language.

Find out why dogs sniff everything and how you can prevent them from taking an interest in stinky things you wish they would avoid.

Dogs hump for a variety of reasons, some of which are pretty benign but others may indicate deeper problems. Find out how you can get the embarrassing behavior to stop.

If your puppy barks at dogs or people on walks, you are most likely very frustrated and wondering what you can do to stop this behavior. In general, puppies who bark at everything on walks do so as a way to manifest their internal emotions. Identifying such emotions and tackling them is important.

If your dog likes to lick you or other objects, find out why. Dogs do like to lick many different things, but there are various reasons for doing so.

Find out what causes a dog to act aggressively towards another dog and how to get this behavior to stop. Here are 12 reasons why your dog is acting out.