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.
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.
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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Some dog owners think a doggie peephole could be a gift to their dog while others just don’t want the ugly hole in their fence. Are they good or bad for dogs? What’s the real story?
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Housetraining can be an issue for puppies as well as adult dogs. I frequently find adult dogs who have never been properly housetrained - this article applies to these dogs too. If you have a properly housetrained adult dog who abruptly develops housetraining problems, there may be more going on.
Read MoreAverage Reading Time: 3 minutes, 10 seconds
“My dog is a picky eater – What can I do?” is a common question for many dog owners. It’s actually a much easier behavior problem to address than most dog owners realize. Money motivates people, but food is the monetary system of dogs. Food is an important variable in a dog’s behavior and needs to be controlled by the dog’s owner and not by the dog. I’ve provided five ideas below to help you get a handle on this.
Read MoreAverage Reading Time: 1 minute, 6 seconds
Dog Behavior FAQ #74: Why do veterinary employees take my dog to the back to take blood, etc.?
Read MoreAverage Reading Time: 1 minute, 56 seconds
"Why do some people have such a problem with punishment styles of behavior modification in dogs? I'm specifically talking about some of those used by Cesar Millan in his controversial TV shows. Seems like he has fixed the dog by the end of the episode and the owners are happy. What’s the problem?"
Read MoreA dog owner submitted this question to me last week: “My dog is afraid of men. Why are so many dogs afraid of men?” I get this question in one form or another all the time.
Read MoreDogs 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.
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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.