7 Possible Reasons Your Dog Is Misbehaving

People who assume their dogs will always listen to them are often wrong and confused when their dogs misbehave. Getting your dog to behave takes time, energy, and patience. It’s first important to understand your dog’s needs. Here are a few common reasons why your dog is misbehaving:

1. Lack of Training:

Every household has different house rules and your dog is not immediately aware of them. You have to train your dog to understand what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. Training can consume a lot of time and you have to be consistent as well as repetitive with what you teach. With time, your furry friends will start understanding what is expected of them

2. Lack of Exercise:

If your dog is  a high energy breed, then it is important for them to burn off excess  energy  during the day, or they may become destructive at home. If you want a calm dog at home, make sure they get enough exercise outside. Play fetch with them, go running, or take them to the dog park. The more active they are during the dday will  help them be a well-behaved dog at home.

3. Boredom:

At times when dogs get bored, they tend to showcase unacceptable behavior. It only indicated they need more engagement from you. Figure out how much time your dog needs to spend with you to feel satisfied and not bored. 

4. Anxiety:

If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, he may act up when you are not around by showcasing destructive behavior. Punishment is not a solution, as your dog wasn’t intentional. Help your dog ease the anxiety with techniques and tips from veterinarians.

5. Reinforcing Bad Behavior:

When a dog misbehaves, some pet parents give them attention or give them treats to stop their behavior. A dog misbehaves to grab your attention. If you pet or reward them, they will only find this as an acceptable behavior and continue doing the same. By not giving their bad behavior attention and also correcting them when needed, you will impose good habits on them.

6. Adolescence:

People may not understand that dogs also go through an adolescent phase, which is similar to teenage behavior. This phase happens somewhere between 5 to 18 months. This is the time when your dog can misbehave the most. You need to be patient and consistent with your training so that they do not get away with it. 

7. Breed Temperament:

Different dog breeds have different temperaments. You have to learn the characteristics of your breed to understand their behavior. The temperament of large sized dogs like German Shepherd or Great Dane differs from smaller breeds such as Pugs, Shih Tzu or Havapoo puppies. Learn about the breed of your dog to understand their general behavior.

The Bottom Line:

A misbehaving dog does not mean they are a bad dog.  It simply means that you should evaluate and change some of your behaviors as a pet parent. Understand the temperament of your dog and why your  dog is misbehaving.  This will help you care for  your dog better by working along with them  to achieve good dog  behavior.

Author:

Michael is a Freelance writer, dog lover and a father of two lovely daughters. He is passionate about helping people from all walks of life to get sufficient knowledge on the topics he write on.