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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My wife, Barbara, and I said goodbye two days ago to our sweet sweet boy, Reagan (pictured above). He was 11 years old and died of a rare liver disease. Words cannot express how immensely blessed we were to be his caretakers, nor can they express our level of sadness at this time. Godspeed sweet Reagan; thank you for all of your love and loyalty. You will be immensely missed and forever in our hearts.
Read More“Should I get a dog?” is a question that all prospective first-time dog owners ask themselves as well as those dog owners who are thinking of adding a dog. I’ve worked with thousands of dog owners in my behavior consulting career and have put together my list of things to consider before getting a first dog or adding another dog to your family.
Read MoreThe picture you see with this article is of my Great Pyrenees, Luke, relaxing in his crate. Luke frequently chooses to spend time in his crate voluntarily; I leave the door open so he is free to do this. Dog owners have mixed feelings about crating their dogs. Some feel it’s like putting their dogs in jail while others feel it’s a great “dog cave” or safe sanctuary for their dogs.
Read MoreDog breed is not the ultimate predictor of how well a specific dog will fit into your life, but breed types do have disposition tendencies that need to be considered. Picking the right breed, or breed mix, is especially important for first-time dog owners.
Read MoreOf all the creatures on earth, have you ever wondered why humans and dogs seem to really “get each other”? Dogs really enjoy being with us. They appear to read our moods and our motives. They are forgiving of our worst transgressions. Their love is…unconditional.
Read MoreWhen I was eight years old my mom asked me to take the groceries in from the car. Instead of taking a bag or two at a time, I loaded all five bags in my arms at once in order to make just one trip. Unfortunately, I dropped all of the bags on my way to the kitchen breaking many glass bottles and all of the eggs.
Read MoreThere are a number of key concepts that are extremely important when working with dogs that have behavior issues. I’ve included three of the most important of these below. While the things I detail below seem rather simple, they really aren’t in practice. These axioms are hard to implement when we are frustrated with our dog; furthermore, they can also feel counterintuitive.
Read MoreIf your dog has one of the following problem behaviors, you might be thinking about getting another dog in an attempt to fix the problem. There are seven common instances where I find dog owners considering this remedy. Read below to see why this may, or may not, work for your dog.
Read More“Let’s go visit the Smiths! We’re all good friends and all of us love dogs too! Wait! Let’s take Bella with us so their dog, Luna, and ours can be friends too!” Sounds like a good idea, but it probably isn’t.
Read MoreRescuing a dog, versus buying one from a breeder, is always a great idea for a number of reasons. Primarily you are keeping a potentially great dog from being euthanized. By rescuing a dog you may also take a sale away from a puppy mill since the majority of puppies come from puppy mills these days unfortunately.
Read MoreI’ve seen hundreds of dogs that are aggressive to humans. I feel the owner’s confusion, frustration, disappointment and anxiety as soon as I meet them. Unfortunately, some owners bring me their human aggressive dogs when it is realistically too late to modify the dog’s behavior in any significant way.
Read MoreCertified dog behavior consultants, like myself, are frequently asked to quantify and provide details about human dog bites. Aggressive human dog bites are required to be reported to animal control.
Read MoreDeciding to euthanize your dog is always filled with anxiety over whether you’re doing the right thing at the right time. I’ve had to euthanize some of my personal dogs for health problems and it was very difficult. Prepare Yourself for the Journey. Before you euthanize your dog, please read my article When should I euthanize my dog?
Read MoreDog adoptions are way up since the beginning of the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic. Adoptions are estimated to be up 200% over the same period last year. People are hungry for companionship as they find themselves locked in their residences for who knows how long.
Read MoreWe’re all hunkered down in our homes worried about how COVID-19 is going to impact our health and those around us. Many of us also worry about our jobs and the economy. But how about our dogs? How is all of this affecting them?
Read MoreAlmost everyone who owns a dog that is aggressive to people outside of the family asks me some form of the following question, “Why is my dog such a great and loving pet with our family but is so vicious and aggressive with people outside of our family?”
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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.