Most “bad behavior” is normal dog behavior happening at the wrong time or place. This section helps you work out what’s driving barking, jumping, chewing and restlessness, and how to give your dog better ways to meet those needs.
Excessive barking
Barking is communication, so the first step is working out what your dog is saying. Common types include alert barking (at sounds, people passing the window), demand barking (for food, attention or play), boredom barking (too little to do), fear or reactive barking (at other dogs or strangers), and barking or howling that happens only when your dog is left alone, which can be a sign of separation-related distress.
Each needs a different plan. Blocking the view can quickly reduce window barking; demand barking fades when it stops working and calm behavior is rewarded instead; boredom barking responds to more exercise and enrichment. Fear-based and separation-related barking are best approached with professional support.
Our guide to working out why your dog barks, and what to do about each type, is being written now.
Enrichment and mental stimulation
Enrichment means giving dogs regular chances to do the things dogs are built to do: sniff, forage, chew, lick, dig, chase and solve problems. A long sniffy walk or ten minutes searching for scattered kibble can tire many dogs more than a fast walk, and meeting these needs often reduces barking, chewing and restlessness at home. Plenty of good enrichment costs nothing: cardboard boxes, rolled towels and simple “find it” games.
Free and low-cost enrichment ideas, and honest notes on puzzle toys and snuffle mats, are in progress.
Jumping and chewing
Dogs jump up to greet faces and chew because chewing feels good, relieves boredom and, in puppies, soothes teething. Telling them “no” rarely helps on its own. What works is teaching an alternative that earns the same reward, like four paws on the floor for attention or an approved chew instead of the couch, and managing the environment while that habit forms.
Guides to polite greetings and destructive chewing are coming soon.
When to get professional help
Some behavior problems need more than an article. Please don’t try to work through these alone:
- Growling, snapping or biting at people or other animals, especially if someone has been hurt.
- Panic when left alone: destruction at exits, injuries, constant howling, or soiling only when alone.
- Intense fear of people, noises or places.
- Any sudden change in behavior, which can be a sign of pain or illness.
Start with your veterinarian. They can rule out medical causes and refer you to a board-certified veterinary behaviorist (find one through the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists) or a certified trainer or behavior consultant who uses reward-based methods (see the CCPDT and IAABC directories).