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We all think we know what punishment looks like when it comes to dogs. Ask most people, and they’ll say, “Oh yeah, that’s stuff like hitting, spanking, shock collars, jerking the leash, or prong collars.” And yes, those are all forms of punishment—but they’re not the whole story.
Aggression in dogs is a complex behavior that normally stems from fear rather than inherent hostility. Understanding the root cause of aggression is crucial for effective management and rehabilitation.
Fear is the primary driver of aggressive behavior in dogs. When a dog perceives a threat—be it a person, another dog, or an unfamiliar object—it may react aggressively to protect itself.
Dealing with the death of a dog is one of the hardest experiences we face in life. At least that’s how it has been for me. If you don’t love dogs, you might not understand. The grief is deep, but a poem titled The Rainbow Bridge has offered comfort for over 65 years to grieving dog owners worldwide.
There’s an unspoken reality in the dog world when it comes to treating dogs with aggression issues toward dogs or even humans. It’s the problem of unqualified dog trainers taking on aggression cases they’re just not equipped to safely and properly handle.
The dog training industry is kind of like the Wild West. In most parts of the world, including the United States, literally anyone can call themselves a “dog trainer” or “behaviorist” without a lick of formal education or experience. One day someone is managing a coffee shop, and the next they’re charging $150 an hour to “fix” aggressive dogs with a shock collar in hand and a YouTube certification.
If your dog suddenly starts staring at "nothing," growling at invisible objects, or acting aggressively out of nowhere, you might wonder, is my dog psychotic? While dogs can display behaviors that seem eerily similar to human psychosis, the truth is more complex—and is often tied to medical or environmental causes. Let’s break down what’s really going on when dogs act "crazy" and what you can do about it.
My daughter brought something to my attention recently that I was completely unaware of. If you have a fairly recent model of Apple’s iPhone (iOS 15 or later), you have an automatic dog breed identification tool! With 350 identified dog breeds in the world, this can be pretty handy.
I show you how to use this feature below.
Almost all dog owners have been there—you call your dog’s name, give a command, and… nothing. Your dog acts like they didn’t even hear you. It’s easy to assume they’re being stubborn and get mad at them, but in reality, dogs don’t ignore their owners out of spite. If your dog regularly “tunes you out,” there’s a reason behind it—and the good news is, you can address it.
First off, let me say this—if your dog has had an aggressive outburst to other dogs or even humans, you’re not alone. Dogs, just like humans, can have moments of fear, frustration, and overexcitement. In dogs, these moments can sometimes cause unexpected aggressive behaviors like growling, barking, and lunging. The good news? There are steps you can take to manage these situations and make your dog feel more secure in those moments.
Dogs are seen as our beloved companions—I know I see mine that way—but when a dog bites someone, the legal implications can be significant. I’ve been involved as an expert witness in many dog bite cases, and from that experience I can tell you that you want to do everything you can to, 1) keep your dog from ever biting someone, and, 2) understand your liability as a dog owner.
There are two things that are absolutely essential when looking for a competent and effective dog trainer or dog behaviorist. I’m going to tell you what those two things are in this article.
Why Choosing the Right Dog Trainer Matters
Exercising caution when selecting someone to help you with your dog’s behavior issues is more important than you may think. Why? Because dog trainers virtually worldwide are required to only have the following in order to train dogs and get paid for it (and even this requirement is optional): business cards.
After working with many thousands of dogs and their owners, here are the top 15 things I’ve learned about dogs and their owners. These are presented in no particular order.
Barking is not the problem; it’s a symptom of an issue.
This is best explained with an example: When dogs bark at people or dogs, they’re usually barking because they want to scare away the scary people or scary dogs (scary to them, that is). The real issue is they are fearful of these things, and the fear/arousal is what needs to be addressed.
About ScottScott Sheaffer, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA, is a dog behavior specialist. 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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Dogs jumping on people is the common cold of problematic dog behaviors. I describe it as a benign behavior problem - albeit a behavior problem nonetheless. Dogs who jump on you, your family and friends can really be annoying. Let’s quickly break down:
1) why your dog is doing this.
2) why all the things you’ve tried in the past don’t seem to help.
3) how to address the root cause of the behavior and stop it.
Dr. Ian Dunbar, who is the best-known dog behaviorist on the planet, said something that is 100% true about confident dogs at one of his seminars I attended. He said, "You will never be able to find the most confident dog on earth; it's really impossible."
What did he mean? Let me explain.
Read MoreThere are a lot of dog owners handing out bad dog behavior advice. Just because someone flies on Southwest Airlines doesn’t mean they’re qualified to jump in the cockpit of a Boeing 737 and pilot the plane. Likewise, getting anecdotal behavior advice from dog owners and the internet (i.e., Dr. Google) can get you and your dog headed in the wrong direction. Sometimes this advice can be funny because, like with most good humor, there is an element of truth in it sometimes.
Read MoreIf you have a dog-reactive-dog, your dog does one or more of the following as another dog passes by: forcefully pulls, whines, lunges, growls, barks, etc. This can be quite embarrassing for you. In an attempt to manage this behavior, you may force your dog to sit and watch as the other dog passes by.
Read MoreIf your dog grumbles, growls, barks or generally gets an “attitude” when humans or other dogs get near their food, toys, treats, favorite resting place, crate, etc. - they may have an issue with resource guarding. Resource guarding also goes by the name “possession aggression”.
Read MoreI first saw Archie about one year ago. At that time, Archie was a five-year-old Golden Retriever mix who was scared of his own shadow. When I first met Archie, he wouldn’t make eye contact with me, his tail was tucked and he urinated a little out of fear. I have to tell you that seeing dogs like this hurts my soul, even after all of these years.
Read MoreDo dogs have the capacity to love us like we love them? Unfortunately, we can't know what dogs are actually thinking, but we do understand the behavioral side of what motivates them. Dogs do things that either: a) bring them rewards, or, b) help them avoid pain.
Read MoreDog poop, it’s something you have to deal with every day if you own a dog. I like to tell people considering their first dog that if they can’t handle the idea of getting cozy with dog poop, they should consider a small aquarium instead. I’ve provided a list below of seven things to consider in the daily management of all things dog poop.
Read MoreEarlier this month I was walking one of my dogs and passed a lady walking her beautiful Border Collie. I would estimate this lady’s age to be in her mid-forties. She was wearing workout clothes and was walking at a fairly brisk pace with her dog.
Read MoreLiver. Seriously. Is there any person on planet earth who really likes liver? Covering it with an inch of gravy does not count as liking it either. There are only a few things that virtually every dog doesn’t care for either. As you read through the list I’ve prepared below, you’ll probably say “But my dog loves that!” to one of the items.
Read MoreAlmost every dog barks a little when someone rings the doorbell or knocks on the front door. My personal dogs usually give about three half-hearted barks and then immediately settle down; this is normal for most dogs and is usually nothing more than arousal. This article is not about normal front-door dog behavior. It’s about dogs with territorial aggression that typically exhibit the following when someone knocks or rings the doorbell.
Read MoreWhen Linda M. first came to see me in May of this year with her dog, I had no idea that the story behind her beautiful dog was so remarkable. Quite frankly, I didn’t believe her story at first - but it turned out to be true and moving.
Read MoreI enjoy taking my personal dogs to the dog park. Dog parks are great for most dogs, but not all. Many dog owners really like taking their dogs to the dog park. When I ask new clients what their primary behavior objective is with their dog, they frequently respond, “I want my dog to enjoy the dog park.” Truth be known, many owners enjoy dog parks more than their dogs do.
Read MoreDo dogs go through puberty and adolescence? Yes, just like humans. It is also associated with behavior changes as is true with humans. The adolescent period for dogs normally occurs around 6 to 24 months of age. This can vary by breed and size of dog but is normally in this range.
Read MoreIt’s official; AKC’s most popular breeds list is out for 2020. Dog breed popularity in the United States can be faddish depending on what celebrity owns what breed at the moment. Tracking breed popularity is almost like tracking the stock market and, like the stock market, you can frequently really overpay. I’ve listed the top 20 breeds for 2020 compared to their 2019 ranking below.
Read MoreIt’s common knowledge in the dog and animal behavior consulting profession: dog aggression of all types is increasing across America. Since almost all dog aggression is fear based, it makes me somewhat melancholy to think an increasing number of dogs are experiencing this. The most important question is, why?
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Cesar Millan, it’s time to apologize to dogs. For years, you’ve pushed these four myths, and now, science is calling for a reckoning.
If you’ve ever watched The Dog Whisperer, you’ve seen Cesar Millan in action, calmly walking a pack of dogs, correcting bad behavior with a sharp "tsst," and preaching about "dominance" and "being the pack leader." His methods look effective on TV, but here’s the problem: most of what he promotes isn’t backed by modern dog behavior science. In fact, some of it is downright harmful.