Dog Behavior Archives | Page 5 of 21

Mouthy Mutt: Claiming An Object From A Possessive Dog

Many dogs can become possessive or even aggressive over a toy or other object. As a Pack Leader, you need the the ability to claim an object and make your dog give it up. This skill could someday be a lifesaver. So how do you get a large breed to give up possession? The same way you would any other dog! In this episode of “Chance Encounters with Cesar Millan,” Cesar helps an unsuspecting pair in the park learn how to get their German shepherd puppy to relinquish control of a favorite ball. Like 0

December 8, 2015 No Comments

Dog Behavior

Tracking Or Exploring?

Dogs are natural born hunters. It’s how the pack survives: by tracking and then attacking prey. But just because your dog is sniffing around, it doesn’t mean that she’s on the hunt. Of course, the way to tell the difference is entirely in body language and energy. Do you think you can spot the difference between tracking prey and just exploring territory? Give it a try, then watch below as Cesar shows you how you can tell if your dog has gone into predator mode. Learn more about canine instincts with Cesar’s DVD “The Language of Dogs.” Like 0

November 10, 2015 No Comments

Aggressive About Things or Places

How To Keep Your Dog From Raiding The Trash

You come home and your floor is scattered with empty tin cans, shredded up boxes, and food packages that have been ripped to shreds. The trash can is toppled over. Your dog sits in the middle of the mess, her eyes wide and apologetic. As a loving dog owner, you may be tempted to let the occasional secret trash feast slide. But when your dog breaks into your trash while you’re away, she’s not only making a mess, she’s endangering her health. Every year, far too many dogs die from eating an item from the trash they weren’t supposed to.

November 3, 2015 No Comments

Help! My Dog Won’t Stop Chewing On Himself

It’s perfectly natural and normal for dogs to occasionally chew on their legs, feet, ears, and tails. This behavior is no different than when you scratch an itch — it provides relief. However, if you notice that your dog is constantly chewing herself, it may indicate a deeper problem — particularly if the chewed area has become sore, red, inflamed, or furless. So what is going on? It may be because of one of the following problems: Dry skin Your dog may be biting himself in an attempt to relieve the itchiness of dry skin, which could be caused by

October 20, 2015 No Comments

All About Dogs

Why Dogs Run Away And How To Stop It

Maybe your dog bolts as soon as you open the front door — even if he was nowhere to be seen before you opened it. Or she won’t stop digging under the fence to escape your backyard. However they get out, dogs that run away are no laughing matter. They could get hit by a car, attacked by a dangerous animal, or placed in a shelter where their people never find them. Why do dogs engage in this dangerous behavior? Below, you’ll find several reasons as well as tips on what you can do to stop it. Trying to get

October 13, 2015 No Comments

All About Dogs

Weird Things Dogs Do

You’re just drifting off to sleep after a hard day at the office, when all of a sudden — WOOF! What the–? Probably just somebody walking by outside that caught your dog’s attention. You close your eyes again and — WOOF-WOOF-WOOF! Now a little concerned, you grab the nearest “weapon” — a plunger — and tiptoe down the stairs. Your dog is nowhere to be seen. Strange… You continue your intruder check, but as you pass by your dog’s bed, you notice that she’s sleeping soundly. Okay, what the heck is going on here? Then, as you’re standing there, it

September 14, 2015 No Comments

Rehabilitating A Dog That’s Been Bitten

It’s probably in every dog lover’s top five nightmare scenarios — your dog is attacked and bitten by another dog, possibly seriously enough to require veterinary care. It can be traumatic for everyone involved, human and dog. So what’s the best way to deal with the situation, when it happens and afterwards? If it hasn’t happened to you yet, the first thing to remember if it does is to stay calm and quiet. Yelling or otherwise panicking will just make it worse because it will fuel the aggression between the dogs. But do try to get the biting dog off

August 25, 2015 No Comments

All About Dogs

Why Is My Dog Staring At Me?

You’re sitting watching TV — but your dog only has eyes for you. You’re cooking dinner, and the pooch is laser-focused on your face. You head to the bathroom and… you get the idea. If there’s one thing almost all dogs do well, it’s stare at their owners. And stare. And stare. But why do they do it? There are four main reasons: attention, confusion, desire, and direction. Attention Your dog wants you to notice her. This one is often tied into desire because she wants you to do something for her, but it’s not necessarily as specific as “rub

August 17, 2015 No Comments

All About Dogs

How Dogs Have A Sixth Sense

Recently, we ran a story asking whether or not dogs can read our minds, and the conclusion is that apparent canine psychic ability is an illusion. What’s really going on is that dogs are so in tune to us that they learn to predict what we’re going to do before we realize we’re even giving any signs of our intentions. But there are other cases when dogs apparently know things well in advance that they could not possibly know — when an earthquake or storm is coming; when a human is going to have a seizure or has certain illnesses,

August 11, 2015 No Comments

Dog Behavior

To Cuddle Or Not To Cuddle…

Affectionate, warm, and covered in soft fur, your dog may seem like an attractive bedtime cuddle buddy. If you’ve ever welcomed your pet up onto your bed, you are not alone — not even close. An estimated 79 percent of pet owners share their beds with their pets. As reported by WebMD, a survey from the American Pet Products Association determined that 62 percent of small dogs, 41 percent of medium-sized dogs, and 32 percent of large dogs sleep in their human’s beds. While it is natural for a dog to sleep with his “pack,” that doesn’t mean that people

July 31, 2015 No Comments