Is your dog bored or anxious? Learn why 'giving your dog a job' is the key to channeling natural instincts, stopping bad behavior, and creating a happier, more fulfilled canine companion. Practical tips inside.
Bringing home a new dog is exciting, but first-time owners often discover the learning curve is steeper than they expected. After working with hundreds of families, I’ve noticed I approach first-time owners very differently than experienced ones — not because they aren’t intelligent, lack commitment or care, but because they’re working from assumptions that just don’t match how dogs actually learn.
We’ve all seen them—the modern “training” collars that promise a quick fix for all kinds of dog behavior problems. These collars are really just old-school shock collars (also called e-collars) with a built-in buzzer. While the electric shock function is increasingly recognized as aversive and inhumane, many well-intentioned dog owners are drawn to the “buzzer” or “vibration-only” mode. It seems like such a harmless beep or gentle nudge, a simple way to get your dog’s attention.
Barking is one of the most natural things a dog can do—but when it becomes constant in the backyard, it can strain relationships with neighbors and even cause stress for the dog. The key is to understand why your dog is barking and then take steps to make things quieter and calmer for everyone.
Here are eight ways to stop your dog’s backyard barking:
You’ve seen it a hundred times: one minute, your dog is a perfect angel. The next, they’re a blur of fur, tearing laps around the coffee table, skidding across the floor with a wild look in their eyes. It’s a scene of pure, unbridled chaos… and it’s completely normal.
Aggression is the number-one reason dog owners reach out to me. It’s also one of the most emotionally charged and misunderstood behavior problems. When someone says, “My dog bit me,” or “My dog bit someone,” fear and frustration often take over—and myths quickly fill the gaps where knowledge is missing.
People often ask me, “Scott, what’s the number one thing I should pay attention to in my dog’s behavior?” It’s a fair question. As dog owners, we’re told to keep up with diet, exercise, training, socialization, enrichment, vet visits, and the list goes on and on. All of that matters.
When people ask me, “Who makes the best dog owner?” they usually expect me to name a type of person. Maybe someone who works from home or someone with a big fenced yard. Maybe they’re thinking about people who had dogs as kids and grew up knowing all the basics.
But the truth is, none of those things guarantee success. I’ve seen dogs thrive in apartments and struggle in sprawling houses with massive backyards. I’ve met first-time dog owners who completely turned a difficult case around, and I’ve seen seasoned dog people miss the mark.
When a dog shows aggression, it’s natural to want the problem solved quickly. Many owners, hoping for a fresh start, turn to “board and train” programs—where a dog lives at a training facility for days or weeks, receiving daily sessions with a trainer.
It sounds ideal: the trainer “fixes” the problem while you go about life, and you get your dog back transformed. Unfortunately, for aggression cases, the reality can be far more complicated—and in some cases, harmful.
I want to talk about something a lot of dog owners overlook, but it can make a huge difference in housetraining and behavior issues—properly cleaning up dog accidents. Whether you're dealing with a young puppy or a dog who’s marking in the house, the way you clean up after them matters more than most people realize.
Why Scent Matters More Than the Mess
When dogs eliminate inside, it’s not just an accident; it’s communication. Dogs use scent the way we use text messages. Whether urine or feces, it leaves a calling card: “Hey, this is a place where I go.” And if that message doesn’t get fully erased, your dog might keep going back and “resending” that message.
Deciding to euthanize a dog for behavior reasons is one of the most painful choices a dog owner can face. Unlike terminal illness, where the outcome is clear, behavioral euthanasia involves weighing quality of life, safety risks, and ethical responsibility.
As a dog behavior expert, I’ve seen cases where euthanasia was the last—but kindest—option. Let’s discuss when it might be appropriate and how to navigate this emotional and difficult decision.
About ScottScott Sheaffer, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA, is a certified dog behaviorist. Scott specializes in the assessment and treatment of fear, anxiety, aggression and phobias in dogs six months and older. Learn More |
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Five years ago I had an extremely challenging canine behavior case that I will never forget. Of the thousands of dog cases I’ve been involved in, this one rises above all others. Not because of the dog, but because of the people involved. It was an amazing learning experience for everyone…me included.
Read MoreDogs fall into one of three groups when making a visit to the veterinarian’s office: 1. Despite the pokes and prods, this group doesn’t mind veterinarian visits and actually enjoys all the attention. 2. This group doesn’t enjoy it but puts up with all of the unwanted fuss. 3. This group of dogs simply panics at the vet; they act aggressively, tremble, or shut down.
Read MoreThere’s not a day that goes by without someone asking me what the best dog breed is. My smart-aleck answer is usually, “whatever breeds of dogs I currently own as my personal pets.” The real answer is not so simple, however. I’m going to challenge you in this short article to think differently about what kind of dog breed you might consider for your next dog.
Read MoreSales of CBD oil products for pets are up 400% in the last couple of years and continue to grow. Many dog owners are using these products in an attempt to address behavior issues in their dogs. But, is CBD oil an effective way to treat behavior issues in dogs? Let’s explore this question further.
Read MoreWhat do I mean when I say a dog is “losing it”? I’m talking about when dogs go over threshold. “Threshold” is a term that defines the start of panic in a dog. Dogs go over threshold when they bark or show other aggressive behaviors to: unfamiliar humans or dogs, sudden loud noises, visitors at the front door, moving vehicles, etc.
Read MoreIn July of 2018 the FDA released a report that appeared to show a correlation between grain-free dog foods (also called limited ingredient diet dog foods) and the canine heart disease known as DCM (Dilated Cardiomyopathy). One of the theories is that these foods are deficient in taurine, an amino acid that is necessary for heart health.
Read MoreDoes your dog have behavior issues you want to address but don’t know where to start? Should you seek the assistance of a dog trainer or a certified behavior consultant? Do you know the difference between the two and how to determine which is right for you?
Read MoreYour dog is constantly talking to you through his body language. His canine body language communication is quite sophisticated and we, as humans, are getting better at understanding it. But, if he could talk to you in the same way that you talk to humans, what would he tell you?
Read MoreThere are many frequently repeated falsehoods about dog behavior that most people assume are true. Below are 10 of those myths I hear regularly.
Read MoreHaley (not her real name) was brought to me with escalating human aggression issues. She was a 1-1/2 year-old gorgeous black Labrador retriever when I first met with the owners. She was a great family pet according to the owners and they loved her like a family member. Haley started showing signs of aggression toward humans around eight months of age and things were getting progressively worse - especially lately.
Read MoreYou have two eyelids per eye and I have two eyelids per eye - an upper eyelid and a lower eyelid. Your dog, like all dogs, has three eyelids per eye. You may not have known this because normally we don’t observe these eyelids in action. This third eyelid is called the nictitating membrane; it’s also called a haw. It’s found in birds, reptiles and some other mammals (e.g., camels) too.
Read MoreThe title of this article is a question I am asked in one form or another almost every day. “Can my anxiety make my dog more nervous?” The short answer to this question is an undeniable “yes”.
Read MoreAs much as we love dogs, they do sometimes bite humans. I really hate when that happens because it hurts a lot, even when small dogs bite. Know that most dog bites can be avoided, but not all. Here are some quick general tips to help you reduce the chance of being a casualty of the business end of an angry dog.
Read MoreNo one likes to talk about it, but dogs are routinely and intentionally abused. Who does this? How are these dogs abused? How can you tell if a dog is abused?
Read MoreIn an earlier article, 3 Words I Wish Dog Owners and Dog Trainers Wouldn’t Use, I identified 3 words that make me cringe a little bit when I hear them: “alpha, pack and dominant”. As a postscript to that article, I identify 6 more cringe-worthy words below that need to be removed from the world’s canine vocabulary.
Read MoreGreyhound dogs, a breed that can be polarizing. Almost all of the Greyhounds that you see as pets came from the racetrack. They ended up at a Greyhound rescue organization because they either retired from racing at four to six years of age or because they never made the cut and therefore can be very young.
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Standard dog training often worsens fear and anxiety in sensitive dogs. Learn why obedience-based methods fail anxious dogs—and what actually helps.