Destructive Dog Behaviors and How to overcome them?

Destructive Dog Behaviors: Adopting a dog seems all fun and games until it develops destructive habits and starts wreaking havoc everywhere it goes. Dogs are undoubtedly one of the most adorable pets one can have. However, when a canine starts exhibiting aggressive behaviors, controlling becomes quite challenging. Although troubling dog behaviors are-well troubling and hard to manage, you can deal with them effectively if you know the cause. Dog owners often mishandle destructive dog behaviors because they don’t know the reason behind their fur child’s aggressive deportment. Most disruptive dog behaviors stem from an underlying issue or distress. If you figure that out, you can easily help your four-legged companion and calm their nerves.

Since dogs cannot vocalize their needs, you need to pay close attention to a canine’s actions to decipher the meaning behind them. With that said, understanding your fluffy friend’s troubles is not easy. It may take you a while to figure out the trigger behind your fur child’s behavior. But don’t be disappointed because there are only so many causes of a dog’s aggressive behavior. So, until you learn to pinpoint one, you can try remedies for all of them. And if you are intuitive enough, then the chances are that you will begin to understand your dog’s behaviors in no time.

Now let’s look at the most common destructive dog behaviors, their possible causes, and solutions.

Excessive Barking

One of the most common unruly dog behaviors is excessive barking. Most dogs resort to incessant barking when trying to relay a message. Although different canines have different barking styles, the possible reason behind those is usually one of the following.

  • Warning- If your dog is howling, whining or barking continuously, maybe it is trying to warn you about something.
  • Attention seeking- one common trigger of relentless barking is asking for attention.
  • Playfulness or excitement- your fur child may want you to play with them
  • Anxiety- Fear or restlessness is pretty common in dogs. Consult your vet and figure out if your dog has an anxiety disorder. If it doesn’t have a disorder, then it could bark because of separation anxiety.
  • Boredom- Having nothing to do can make a dog anxious and destructive.
  • Responding to other dogs- Many dogs bark nonstop when they hear others doing that.

How to stop your dog from barking relentlessly?

Consider teaching your fur child speak-quiet commands. Train them to know when to bark and when to be quiet. Teaching a dog bark-silent commands isn’t easy, and it may take a while for your dog to understand your commands, but persistence is the key. Keep trying, and you will start getting results.

Spend time with your dog. Pet your four-legged companion or cuddle with them. Doing so will bring down their anxiety and satisfy their need for attention.

No matter how you decide to deal with your dog’s cries, make sure not to yell at your furry pal to stop them from barking. Your shouting will make your pet more anxious and lead to more barking.

Chewing

Chewing is a part of every dog’s personality. It is entirely natural; however, if it becomes too frequent, it may be a cry for help from your pup. Dogs typically start chewing excessively if they are

  • Bored
  • Having anxiety
  • Teething
  • Curious

How to deal with excessive dog chewing?

The most natural solution to extreme chewing is to get your dog plenty of chew toys, especially if your fur child is teething. You should also consider playing with your animal-friend when you see them gnawing on something. And if possible, remove any soft or chewable household items from their reach.

Biting and Aggression

Most puppies like to bite and nip at anything that comes their way. They generally do so to explore their environment and stop after getting assurance. If a dog becomes habitual of biting nonstop then the chances are that it has developed a troublesome behavior.

Although not all dogs bite and show aggression together, some may do so. The most common ways a dog shows aggression are growling, snarling, lunging, or baring teeth.

A dog usually behaves aggressively because of any one or more of the following reasons.

  • Fear
  • Defensiveness
  • Protection of property
  • Pain or sickness
  • Predatory instinct
  • History of abuse

How to deal with a dog’s aggression?

Training and socialization are an effective means of treating aggression in a dog. If you feel like you don’t have enough time to train your dog yourself, hire a sitter, or look up boarding. Don’t delay treatment for your dog’s aggression because the more time you waste, the more difficult it will get to change your fur friend’s behavior.

A dog with a history of abuse is most likely to exhibit aggression from the start. That is from the day you bring it home. If that’s the case with your canine companion, be sure to consult an expert trainer to help your dog. Overcoming trauma is difficult for dogs, and more often than not, they require professional help doing so. Therefore, dig out your fur child’s past, and if they were harassed, get them the help they need.

Untimely/Excessive Elimination

Inappropriate urination or defecation is a common dog behavior. Most pooches face trouble managing their elimination needs when they have a health problem. However, some may resort to excessive excretion because they:

  • Are excited
  • Are anxious
  • Are not properly potty-trained
  • Feel the need to mark their territory- which most commonly stems from separation anxiety

How to control inappropriate elimination in dogs?

Consult your vet to rule out any health concerns. If your fur baby doesn’t have a medical condition, then they need to be strictly trained. Potty-training, a dog, is time-consuming. You need to be persistent and patient when house-training your dog.

Although a dog develops disruptive habits for a bunch of reasons, you can manage them all by giving your fur baby a balanced combination of affection and training. You need to be strict while teaching them to behave but also shower them with love when they do well. If you stay consistent, you will see changes in your pup’s behavior.


by Maria A Davidson  || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™

Facts About Animal Homelessness:

  1. Only 1 out of every 10 dogs born will find a permanent home.
  2. The main reasons animals are in shelters: owners give them up, or animal control finds them on the street.
  3. Each year, approximately 2.7 million dogs and cats are killed every year because shelters are too full and there aren’t enough adoptive homes. Act as a publicist for your local shelter so pets can find homes. Sign up for Shelter Pet PR.
  4. Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats.
  5. According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), less than 2% of cats and only 15 to 20% of dogs are returned to their owners.
  6. 25% of dogs that enter local shelters are purebred.
  7. About twice as many animals enter shelters as strays compared to the number that are relinquished by their owners.
  8. It’s impossible to determine how many stray dogs and cats live in the United States. Estimates for cats alone range up to 70 million.
  9. Only 10% of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered. Overpopulation, due to owners letting their pets accidentally or intentionally reproduce, sees millions of these “excess” animals killed annually.
  10. Many strays are lost pets that were not kept properly indoors or provided with identification.
  11. According to The Humane Society, there are about 3,500 brick-and-mortar animal shelters in the US and 10,000 rescue groups and animal sanctuaries in North America.

Here are a some adoptions for consideration:  puccicafe.com/adoptions