Descended from and related to the wolf, the dog is at once an alien creature and a highly adapted human playmate and friend. Thousands of years ago, dogs gave up their wild ways to live among people, and we got the better of the deal. In exchange for food, shelter and nurturing, the dog became a working partner: a hunter, guardian, herder and dispatcher of vermin. He powered sleds and carts, accompanied herds and flocks to market, and, when people gained leisure time, provided entertainment and opportunities for owners to prove their abilities in breeding and their prowess in training. Today, the presence of nearly 60 million dogs in family households pays tribute to the special bond that exists between our two species. Today, more than anything else, dogs are human companions.

Unfortunately, dog-and-people relationships are not all peaches and cream. Dog bites are a major problem, dog owners often misunderstand dog behaviour, and communities are often in an uproar over loose dogs, destructive dogs, noisy dogs and inconsiderate owners of bratty dogs. As a result, city councils pass laws restricting or banning breeds or limiting the number of dogs per household; insurance companies decline to insure some breeds; and people become afraid of certain breeds or of medium-to-large dogs in general. Research shows that 1 in 8 dogs will end up in a shelter or a rescue because their owners did not know what to expect when they acquired the puppy or young adult dog and were unable to find the help they needed to resolve the problems that followed.

Normal dog behaviour

It’s no big revelation that dog behaviour is what makes Fido act like a dog. The eye-opener is that there are gaps between dog behaviour and people’s expectations, and this can have serious consequences. A knowledge of canine behaviour can help relieve the problems that can plague a dog-rich society. Dog bites can be prevented, dogs can be kept out of shelters, and more dogs can find new homes or stay in the homes they already have if owners understand what makes Fido tick. Following are the most common puppy and young dog blunders: natural behaviours gone awry. If these mistakes can be prevented or corrected, Fido and his family have a better chance at living happily ever after.

Punishment

For punishment to be effective, it must be given at the time the offence is committed. Physical punishment of a puppy is rarely necessary. Startling a puppy with a stern “NO” or rattling a can containing pebbles or coins is usually enough. A remote correction is used so the puppy doesn’t associate you with the correction. This can be done with a hand-held air horn. An example of a remote correction would be if your puppy is digging a hole or barking and you blast the air horn without letting him know you made the noise. This way he won’t associate the punishment with you.

Never punish your puppy after the fact. He will have no idea why you are correcting him, because the offence he committed happened too long ago. Whenever you correct your puppy, always have him sit and then praise the good behaviour of sitting.

Barking

Barking is a normal response for all dogs to some things in their environment. When outdoors, your puppy may see other dogs, strangers, kids, a cat or any number of things to bark at. As a good neighbour, you should never leave your dog outdoors unattended if he is a barker. Always monitor his activity and bring him indoors if his barking might bother a neighbour. If your puppy barks for attention, give him a stern “NO BARK,” have him sit, and praise him for sitting. If he continues to bark, isolate him in a room where he is left alone, so he will learn that barking gets him banished from family activities.

Biting hands and mouthing

Puppies must be taught to be gentle when their mouths and teeth come in contact with a human. If your puppy gently puts his mouth on your hand, that’s okay for now. As he gets older, around 12 to 16 weeks of age, you should discourage him from putting his mouth on your hands. If he bites down on your hand a little too hard, “yelp” very loudly, then turn and walk away. Your puppy will learn that if he bites a human too hard, he will lose his playmate. Be sure to give him plenty of items he is allowed to chew on.

Destructive chewing

A puppy can’t use his paws to pick up items, so he chews on them instead. Chewing is a very natural behaviour for a puppy, so it is important to direct him to chew on items you provide for him. Until your puppy is older and you can trust him not to be destructive, you should never leave him unattended. If you leave him unattended, eventually he will destroy something important.

To prevent destructive chewing:

Confine Fido whenever you cannot watch him.
Provide plenty of appropriate items to chew.
Give Fido a chew toy to distract him from the furnishings when he’s in a chewing mood.
Use a repellent such as bitter apple or bitter lime on furniture, rugs, baseboards and anything else Fido tries to chew.
Always praise Fido for chewing the right stuff.

Providing a supply of items to chew on is the key to preventing destructive behaviour. Praise him when he chews on the items you provide. It is a good idea to give him something to chew on when he is left unattended in his crate. Buy several different items and rotate them to keep him interested.

Digging

Digging is a normal canine activity. Your puppy may smell a mole or chipmunk in the flowerbed and try to dig it out. He may want to bury and hide a favourite bone. He may make a game out of tugging on a shrub or plant root. If it is too hot, he may dig a hole under a bush or shrub to stay cool.

Unless you are outside to stop the behaviour, digging is a very difficult problem to solve. If you can work out why your puppy is digging, you can usually correct the behaviour. If there is a chipmunk in the flowerbed, expect your puppy to keep digging until you get rid of it. If he is too hot, consider a plastic child’s wading pool to cool him, as well as some kind of shaded area. If he is bored, provide plenty of chew items.

You can build a digging pit by digging up a three-foot by three-foot (about one metre square) area of soil and mixing a lot of sand into it to make digging easier. Next, bury items for him to dig up, such as a large, non-splintering, tasty bone or rawhide. Start by partially burying the item so it is easy to find. After he gets the idea, bury things deeper. His reward will be chewing on the item he digs up, and this good behaviour will hopefully keep him from digging up the parts of the yard you care about.

If you catch him digging, a stern “NO DIG” may be enough. If not, try startling him with a loud noise such as an air horn. If you go outside and find a new hole, do not scold him. You have to catch him in the act of digging for the correction to work.

Handling

Eventually all dogs will need to have their toenails trimmed, their ears cleaned, their hair combed or their teeth brushed. If you try to trim a dog’s nails for the first time when he weighs 80 pounds (36 kg), good luck. You will most likely have a wrestling match on your hands, with both you and your dog becoming very unhappy.

How do you get a dog used to these kinds of procedures? Start doing nail trims and ear cleanings when your puppy is eight weeks old. Get him used to having just the tips of his nails trimmed. Do one or two nails at a time and trim just the sharp tips, so you don’t cut too close and make them bleed. You don’t want to hurt your puppy and have him become fearful. After trimming a few nails, reward him with a food treat or play his favourite game. Help him associate the event with something he really enjoys: you want him to know that every time he gets his nails trimmed, you are going to play fetch with him. Do the same thing when you clean his ears or brush his teeth. When your puppy is near you, handle his feet, look in his ears and open his mouth. If you do this every time he is around, he will become desensitized to it.

Anything you will ever have to do with your dog when he is older, you must first get him used to between 8 and 16 weeks of age. Repeating these things often and making a game out of them will make these chores much more pleasant when he is older. Start now and get him desensitized to potentially unpleasant procedures.

Mounting behaviour

Mounting is not always sexually motivated. Dogs mount other dogs to show control or dominance. If small children are the target and they cannot defend themselves, you will have to step in. If your puppy is mounting a small child, say “OFF” to the puppy in a stern voice. If adults or older children are involved, tell them to turn and walk away without saying anything when the puppy first tries to mount. Your puppy will soon get the message.

Jumping and pawing

When your puppy jumps up and puts his paws on you, he is seeking your attention. If you allow him to jump up when he is a puppy, he will want to do the same thing as an adult. If you push him down or “knee” him in the chest, he is still getting your attention, even if it is negative attention. The best response is to turn and walk away without saying anything. When your pup next approaches you, have him sit before he has the chance to jump up, then reward and praise him for sitting. Your puppy must always sit for everything he receives, and when he sits, you must reward him for his good behaviour.

Rough play

When you play physical games with your puppy, you are teaching him that hands and arms are fun things to grab. Younger children in the family pay the price for rough play started by older children or adults. It is better to use toys as play objects and have your puppy learn to fetch them when thrown.

Karen Overall, DVM, of the behaviour clinic at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, has said that “rough play is appropriate only if the owner can recognize the difference between a playful and a non-playful growl; can interpret canine facial signs, and always in a tug-of-war, is able to win with the puppy releasing the toy.”

If your puppy steals an item such as a sock or piece of clothing and you chase him, he will soon learn that stealing things is a good way to get your attention. Some people enjoy interacting with their puppy this way. If you don’t enjoy this game, the next time your puppy steals something and runs from you, turn and walk in the opposite direction.

Aggression

Prevention is easier than cure. Puppies that are taught good manners from the start are far less likely to become aggressive than dogs that are allowed to climb the dominance ladder or dogs that are teased into fearful behaviour patterns. Owners of potentially aggressive dogs must be vigilant; many of these dogs do not like children in general, or a few children in particular. Some of them love the children in the family but are quirky with visiting friends.

To avoid behaviours that can lead to aggression, make sure the puppy learns from day one that the humans in the family are in charge of his destiny. Feed him every meal (don’t leave his bowl on the floor for leisure dining) and pick up the dish after 15 minutes, whether it’s empty or not. Take him out; don’t give him free access to the outdoors. Require him to sit, lie down, walk on a leash, and stay behind a gate or in a crate; don’t give him carte blanche to do his own thing.

Although recent research indicates that rough play may not cause aggression, it is wise to avoid such play because it can encourage aggression in some dogs. It is especially important that children not take part in rough-and-tumble play or tug-of-war with a pushy dog. Supervise all contact between the puppy and children! Teach children how to care for and love dogs, so they understand that dogs respond to kindness but dislike teasing and rough treatment. Among the lessons: dogs feel threatened by hugging, squeezing or grabbing of their body parts, and often respond by snapping, nipping or with full-fledged bites. Running, screaming and squealing can trigger prey drive in certain dogs and result in injury to a child.

Running away

Once again, prevention is far easier to manage than a cure. The tools for teaching dogs to stay home are a leash, a fence, and enrolment in an obedience class.

Unless he is in an enclosed area, Fido should be walked on a leash so he doesn’t get the chance to take off.
Sturdy fences will keep Fido home and provide a barrier to temptation. Visible fences also keep wandering dogs and neighbourhood cats and kids from entering the yard.
Obedience classes teach techniques for canine management, such as teaching Fido to sit before going outside so he’s less likely to dive through an open door.

A dog that already indulges his wanderlust by digging under or climbing over the fence should never be allowed outside without supervision. If Fido keeps digging or climbing even when supervised, installing a hot wire (a wire charged by an electric fence battery) at the top of the fence for climbers, or the bottom of the fence for diggers, may be the answer to keeping the dog at home.

This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. Talk to your veterinarian about your own dog.

Dealing with common problems in puppy's first year