I wanted to share with you in this small list some of the most common problems dog trainers like myself are hired for and to show that you are not alone. Common problems like this are treatable and fixable, you don’t have to go at this alone if you are struggling. If you found this helpful please contact me through this link and i can help walk you through the process of being problem free once again.
At one point or another your dog has exhibited unsavory behavior. Sometimes a simple “no” works and other times the issues progresses into something more extreme. You don’t always as an owner have the tools or experience to stop the unwanted behaviors. What most owners do is call a dog trainer like myself to provide assistance. If your dog out of the blue starts showing strange signs, using the bathroom in the house or having leash reactivity be sure to call your vet. Dogs can mask their pain extraordinarily well and will start to act out if they are in pain or sick.
Puppy Training
I wouldn’t call puppies a common problem because that sounds negative. But nonetheless problems can arise if you don’t start your training off on the right foot.
Getting a new addition to the family is a fun and exciting time in a dog owners life. Wether it is your first time or a grizzled veteran we all can use a lesson in basic structure, fundamentals, and obedience. My philosophy on puppies is its never too early to start training your young one once they are introduced to the home. They need to learn a whole host of things to become the dog they can be and the dog you desire. Starting with how to walk on leash, socialization, crate training, potty training, and their teething stage. It is common to hire a dog trainer to run you through all of these trials. Sometimes what seems obvious isn’t necessarily the right way to do things. Thats why its always best to hire an experienced professional with a strong knowledge base to guide your puppy properly into adulthood.
If i had to specifically point out a common problem is a puppy not getting the proper socialization to people, places, and other dogs. It can lead to adverse behavior in the future such as reactivity which is a problem in of in itself.
Resource Guarding
Another common problem is resource guarding. What is resource guarding you may ask? “Resource guarding occurs when dogs exhibit behaviors like growling, lunging, or biting over food or toys. This behavior is also known as “possessive aggression” and may occur in dogs of any breed. Training early and often can help discourage resource guarding before it becomes too problematic.” The best thing to do in the situation is to not yell or correct this behavior because they are warning you. When you stifle that behavior the next time you may not get a warning before they bite. Remain calm but also stand your ground. Do not engage in prolonged eye contact and once they stop growling calmly walk away. It is always best to call a professional to help you through this stressful process.
Leash pulling
Leash work is my top three favorites in dog training. Also, it is a very common problem for alot of my clients. Where does leash puling come from? Well that is a contested opinion in the dog training world. My humble opinion is a combination of a few things. First would be the tools you are using, the harness. The harness gives you no control in your walk. It allows your dog to forge forward and the dog believes they are guiding the walk when it should be the other way around.
Other times is the type of leash you are using like the retractable leash. I do not recommend using one for a few reasons. One example would be if your dog doesn’t have strong recall how are you going to successfully call your dog off foreign objects that you don’t want them to ingest or swallow. Another example is the same scenario but with another dog who is unfriendly? That is a recipe for disaster. I can help show you to easily fix what you use and how you use it.
Jumping Up
This can happen to any dog and to any owner. There are a few causes that can cause your dog to get up off all fours. One is uncorrected behavior from a young age. Puppies are undoubtedly cute and sweet when they jump to say hello or to initiate play. Its another story when they grow to 50-100 lbs. Nobody wants to be knocked down by their furry compatriot. Another could be from lack of exercise or over stimulation. Most dogs need to burn off their energy by walking, running and playing. When those needs are not met it can lead to forgetting their manners. It’s a fairly simple thing to reverse that i help a lot of owners with. Its all in the technique!
Reactivity
As an owner this can be a huge problem and even potentially scary without the right guidance. How does it happen? Well it can manifest in many different ways. First, what exactly is it? Well it can look like full on aggression to the untrained eye. Most of the time it is just your dog reacting because they are afraid or insecure. How do we solve it? There are ways and methods but to be honest it can sometimes be a case to case basis. Not one method works broadly so I as the trainer to need to get creative and tailor the right training plan for your dog.
Reactivity comes in many forms. For instance my dogs reactivity was strictly against other dogs. Another clients was humans and dogs. It really just depends to be honest. How do we fix it? Hire a trainer! What i do is identify they key issues and what to implement. Does the dog need more socialization? desensitization? How do they walk on lead? What is the home like? How does the human feel? A lot goes into it and it rarely is a fixable overnight issue. Dogs learn very different from their human counterparts. If your dog has these issues i would be happy to walk you through the steps.
Counter Surfing
Please don’t hate me when i say i find this hilarious at the thought of your dog sneaking a little nibble from your sandwich. Dogs can be such little sneakers. What isn’t funny though is the aggravation it causes to owners. This can be a very serious issue that could kill your dog. There are a lot of things your dog under no circumstances can eat. Chocolate is the most known but what about apples seeds or avocados? Im gonna post a list and after i will talk more about counter surfing.
- Alcohol
- Apple Seeds
- Avocado
- Candy, Chewing Gum, Toothpaste & Mouthwash
- Cat Food
- Chocolate
- Coffee, Tea & Other Caffeine
- Cooked Bones
- Corn On The Cob
- Fat Trimmings
- Garlic
- Grapes & Raisins
- Hops
- Human Vitamins
- Liver
- Macadamia Nuts
- Marijuana
- Milk & Dairy Products
- Onions & Chives
- Peppers
- Persimmon, Peaches & Plum Pits
- Raw Meat & Fish
- Rhubarb & Tomato Leaves
- Salt
- Sugar
- Tobacco
- Xylitol
- Yeast
So now that you’ve seen the laundry list of what your dogs cant have how do you solve the underlying issue. How i go about it is overall obedience, maintenance to compulsion, and deterrence. It’s easy to set the scene but not always getting them to go for the bait when you’re blatantly watching. If you’re having trouble in this area please call a trainer . It’s an easy fix for the most part and keeps danger and poison from your best friends belly.
Common Problems Not Mentioned
While these are the most common problems it doesn’t mean your problem at home is unique. There is a lot of other problems a dog trainer like myself can fix. Some people want overall obedience work and some want to work on their dog not barging through the door. Others would like to have their dog exude calmness and to stop alert barking. Thats why i love dog training, it’s very nuanced and can be quite vast. I get to flex my creativity and spread relief for my clients. If you didn’t see your problem listed here give me a call or fill out our form and we can work on anything from the perfect walk, leadership, aggression, or how to keep them off the couch!
I drew some of my inspiration for my list from this website here. While we differ on some of our philosophies i agreed with their list of most common problems people hire dog trainers for. Also this website here I used their list for harmful food for your dog!