First Coast Pet

Posts Tagged ‘dog growling’

It would be hard to believe that the adorable puppy you welcomed into your house could become a dog that is a single problem away from being given up. Aggressive dogs do not just happen over night. Dogs are not born aggressive or menacing towards people. Dogs that are properly trained and well cared for rarely become aggressive. If you adopted your dog as an adult you will need to be particularly cautious and be sure that your dog has proper dog obedience training.

Showing your dog right away who is the boss and who is the pet is important to make sure that housebreaking is an easy job for the both of you. Dog and puppy training are important for more things than just making sure that your dog no longer chews on your shoes. You must ensure that you do not let your dog turn into one of the multitude of aggressive dogs loose in the world. Dog growling and dog biting can lead to very bad situations. These situations can arise without proper dog training.

The Terrible Aftermath Left From Aggressive Dogs

* May cause injuries to family, friends, or neighbors
* Emotional damage to youngsters
* Destroyed personal items
* Previous situations that create lawsuits
* The dog being one of the many that are euthanized every year

If you are truly a loving and caring pet owner, you must take responsibility and ensure that your beloved animal does not join the legions of aggressive dogs. You should seek outside help from a professional if you feel that you are unable to fix and control the problem on your own. There are numerous professionally-trained dog trainers out there who specialize in aggressive dogs.

It’s advisable to do as much reading and research as you can on aggressive dogs. Learn the correct ways to punish a dog besides striking it. Violence only leads to violence, so be sure you aren’t contributing to the creation of aggressive dogs. You may have luck with the books and videos out there but you will have a much better chance at solving the problem, or preventing one from ever happening, by bringing an expert into your home.

Bringing In The Extra Help

Whether it is a free trainer or one you pay for you have to realize that there is nothing more important than making sure that you are taking responsibility for your dog and its actions. The owners are always the ones that are accountable for the behavior of their aggressive dog, so be sure to avoid the potential legal or moral situations.

If your dog hasn’t exhibited signs of being or becoming one of those aggressive dogs, then there is still time to get it completely under control. It is best to start immediately, especially if your dog has aggressive or rough tendencies.

Now that you have brought your new dog home it is time to start the housebreaking. While some people like to give their new dog a little time to get to know the family and the house before laying down the law, this can only lead to confusion for the dog later down the road. Your dog will be confused if you have allowed it to run free with no discipline, then all of a sudden expect it to be well-behaved.

It Is Never Too Late

You are still able to fix the situation even if you have let your dog run free with no rules. It is never too late to start dog training your puppy, unlike the common belief out there. Whether your pet is a young pup or several years old, you can still incorporate housebreaking into their daily routine. Whether it is dog chewing, dog biting, or dog growling that you are dealing with, it is important to pick out the behavior that concerns you the most. After housebreaking them on the first behavior, then you can move on to the next.

You should start housebreaking your dog as soon as possible to ensure that your pet does not become aggressive. If your biggest problem at the moment, especially if you have a puppy, is where the dog is and is not allowed to go potty then you will need to start with that.

Housebreaking Tips

* Only give food and water at meal times
* If you are using pee pads then select one area and keep the pads there
* Praise the dog when good behavior is shown
* Don’t hit the dog if he misses the pee pad
* Take the puppy to the pee pad within fifteen to twenty minutes of drinking or eating

Many people will leave the food and water out all the time for their dog. While this is an okay routine for older dogs that can hold their bladder, it is not advisable for puppies. Young puppies do not have the ability to hold their bladder for long periods of time. This will result in a lot of accidents around the house for which you really cannot blame the puppy. So leaving food and water out all of the time is counterproductive to your goals in housebreaking.

If the puppy goes to the bathroom in some other place in the house, the pee pad should be put there. Housebreaking at this stage just simply means that you are getting the puppy adjusted to going to the bathroom on top of the pad. You can then proceed with housebreaking by slowing moving the pee pad every couple of days towards the spot where you eventually want the pads to be.

While this housebreaking process may seem like it takes forever, it is extremely important. You certainly do not want your puppy or dog going to the bathroom everywhere. Your puppy can get discouraged if the housebreaking process is not easy to learn. House puppy training is very important.  If you need help doing this, you should seek it. No matter who is in charge of doing it, just know that housebreaking takes time.

Dog training can without a doubt be something that can test a person’s patience. But keep in mind that the tough part does not last long. After a bit, your dog will be able to run about and play without you having to worry about accidents or misfortunes taking place. You will be able to relax and enjoy time with your dog after its obedience training is complete. It can be a bit stressful to complete the initial phase of dog training no matter how long it takes. This is why it is important to make sure that you get all of the help that you can.

Teaching your puppy housebreaking is just one thing that you absolutely need to do, although sometimes it may seem like a never ending process. If you give up on the training you will find that there could be a lot of serious consequences to face such as:

• Destroyed furniture
• Accidents all over the house
• Biting
• Aggressive behavior

Keep control of the situation by establishing yourself in the parent role, which will lead to a better adjusted dog. You have to teach the dog right from wrong with dog training. Unfortunately, many people incorrectly believe that dogs innately know how to tell right from wrong. The problem with that assumption is that dogs only know what their instincts are and this is why we as the owners have to take advantage of dog training. The human rules and the dogs insticts are not the same concerning being the furniture.

We, as the owners and the teachers of the pets, have to slowly and patiently walk our pets through dog training in order to teach them the way we live. Your dog lives to make you happy you need only to show him how as he will be pressed to figure it out for himself. Your dog will learn proper behavior through dog training. This will teach your dog the proper way to receive treats and affection.

Some sources for dog and puppy training advice include classes, DVDs, magazines, and books. Although there are many great dog training classes available that teach about dog biting and housebreaking, it is crucial to realize that these classes are for information. You will not get overnight success by attending any class. The real work will take place once you are at home with your dog. Whatever you may learn or pick up at dog training school always remember to enforce this at home because this is where it all begins.

When you are dog training it is best to get a hold of any book, DVD, etc. Make sure that you are taking in all of the advice and putting it to good use. Some breeds of dogs are easier to train than others so it is difficult to put a universal time frame for successful completion of dog training. It could take from a few weeks to several months depending on what breed you are dog training. Stick with it and never slack off and the dog training will pay off in no time at all.

When a dog growls, this is a clear warning which should be taken seriously. All too frequently, humans fail to comprehend these warning signals; dogs use growling to get their message across to humans and other animals.

Normally, a dog only shows aggression when he feels under attack or in a dangerous situation.  Dogs will only attack when their numerous warning gestures have been ignored.

For an excellent dog training guide which will show you how to handle a growling dog, I recommend that you look at: Dog Growling.

Sometimes, dogs growl to communicate their needs. When dogs find out that this works, they are likely to try it again. It is hardly unexpected that growling in dogs is a common issue because some people mistakenly think that this is a sign that their dog will safeguard them. It is more likely that the dog will take care of himself and his stuff.

Some legal definitions classify a growling dog as dangerous so there may be a need for him to be restricted. This may include placing your dog in a crate, in a separate room or confining him to your back yard.

If your dog growls and he ends up getting what he wants, he will rapidly come to the conclusion that this is a very useful tool to get his own way. Understanding your dog’s wants is a huge help in fixing this behavior.

Just a reminder, if you are looking for a great free site to help you handle your dog’s growling behavior, you should check out: Growling Dogs.

A dog will growl for the following reasons:

1. He wants to be fed. This is an excellent opportunity to teach a dog how to communicate his requirements. In order for the food dish to be placed in front of the dog, he would need to behave correctly.
2. He needs to go potty. Some dog owners are delighted that their pooch asks to be let outside to eliminate, however this is an unlikely expectation for an old or sick dog or a puppy. So a dog dosn’t have to worry about getting his owner’s attention to let him outside, it is much better if regular outings for elimination are scheduled.
3. He is guarding his food. A dog may practice resource or food guarding to protect his food from a perceived threat (namely you!). Children must be told not to play with the dog’s food while he is eating. The same goes for adults; it is important that a dog sees humans as giving food not taking it away. Additional food should only be added to the dog’s food bowl when it is safe to do so.
4. As with food guarding, dogs may also defend their toys. Growling when someone approaches is frequently the first indication that a dog will bite if the warning is ignored. In this instance, the simplest thing to do is take the toy away from the dog permanently or only give it to him when he’s in his crate.
5. He has taken something and wishes to keep hold of it. Never chase your dog if he has taken something that belongs to you. Instead, you should make sure that he receives good obedience training where he will learn the joys of retrieving and will come to you on command.
6. Frequently, dogs growl when they feel afraid of having their nails trimmed or being groomed. Dog grooming is a skill and you should not try to use clippers on your dog without the appropriate training.
7. Dog growling also occurs when the dog feels the need to protect himself from abuse or pain. Maybe a child has hit or tormented your dog when you weren’t looking so he may growl when a child approaches. Unfortunately, the dog will most likely be blamed for growling under these circumstances.
8. When a dog growls and his owner jumps backwards, this can be great sport for the dog. If he is allowed to get used to this behavior, he may become aggressive if the owner stops jumping when he growls. This growling behavior must be stopped before it escalates into aggression.

To discover more about what to do when dogs growl at you, I recommend that you check out the best selling dog training guide, Secrets to Dog Training.

Growling is normal for a puppy or dog, especially if you are playing tug of war with him. However, it’s also a sign of aggression and can be a sign the dog may attack – so be careful!

You should know if the growling is appropriate or inappropriate. If your puppy or dog is at a meal or has his favorite chew toy and growls when you come near, that isn’t acceptable behavior. It’s the sign of an aggressive dog.

If the growling begins unexpectedly with no obvious trigger, you should take the puppy or dog to the vet to to ascertain if there is a medical reason.

Growling can be a signal that your dog is trying to position himself as the alpha dog or pack leader. So, the next thing you need to make sure of is that you are positioning yourself as the pack leader in your home. This is the foundation of solving many dog behavior problems.

To set yourself as the alpha dog, you should adopt the approach of NILIF (Nothing In Life Is Free). This means that before you give your dog anything, he must obey a command. This includes that you must not allow your dog to demand your attention. If you allow him to demand attention, he has exerted dominance over you again. Just ignore him when he demands attention. You choose when to offer him attention. If he presses you even more you must not give in or all is lost.

With NILIF all in the house need to be consistent.

So, for example, you should ask your dog to sit quietly before you lay his food down or before take him out for a walk. Don’t allow your dog to pre-empt you by offering the behavior before you request it.

Make sure that when leaving the house, you walk through the door first. Eat a small biscuit before you set your dog’s meal down, so that he sees you eating first. You are only required to do this for two weeks to position  yourself as the leader of the pack.

All members of your family need to engage in this activity to set them higher in the hierarchy than your puppy or dog.

The leader of the pack makes his bed on higher ground, so do not permit your dog to rest on your bed if you want to be more dominant.

You should do consistent obedience training with your puppy or dog. Each training session should be short and fun. This will help in making your dog better behaved in general.

Read more about how to stop your dog growling and other aggressive dog behavior.