Behavior

Early philosophers like Descartes to propose that dogs were nothing more than mindless automatons merely responding to instincts and physiological signals. We’ve come a long way since the 15th century though. Over the past two decades, more and more research has pointed to the fact that, contrary to that old notion that dogs are just “dumb animals,” they have an acute ability to think and reason.

Jealousy is normal. Dogs get jealous because you are a resource and the source of all good things in your dog’s life. It’s naturally ingrained in a dog to not want to share, and your dog may act aggressive. This also has been seen when a new baby arrives home! Your dog doesn’t want to share the attention. But, with dogs, if your dog already truly likes other dogs and enjoys their company, it’s not a difficult proposition to introduce the concept of sharing you to that dog.

An aggressive dog can be dangerous and a liability in the event she hurts a person or another animal. The good news is that aggressive behavior can be successfully modified using a combination of good management and humane behavior modification.

If your dog’s tail is down and he’s not acting like his normal self, something is likely bothering him either emotionally or physically—or both. Determining context can go a long way toward helping your pooch feel better. Is he afraid of something? If so, remove “the thing” or help him get away from the situation and see if he goes back to being his happy-go-lucky self.

Every one of us who has lived with and loved a dog knows the pain of grief when we lose them. But what about the other dogs in our home? Do they grieve the loss as well? Answering this question isn’t as simple as it sounds.

Every dog who barks has a reason for it. Every dog who barks has a reason for it. Determining the cause of barking though depends on the individual context.

When a dog successfully snags food (or other items) from atop the counter or table, trainers call this “counter surfing.” If it works for them—even once—you can bet they’re going to try it again, especially when the payoff was great—like a sandwich.

Idiopathic aggression in dogs is aggression that is explosive in nature, unprovoked, and appears suddenly, often without warning.

Dogs that are playing often exhibit loose, bouncy movements and relaxed facial expressions. Their ears might be perked up or floppy. However, things can turn aggressive quickly, which is why dog owners need to remain vigilant.

Most pet owners have undoubtedly witnessed the rather unsavory sight of a dog rolling in poop or dead things. But why do they do it? While there is not yet a scientific explanation for this behavior, there are theories.

When you think of whiskers, you probably picture cats, but dogs also possess a set of whiskers on their muzzle, cheeks, and above their eyes that serve important specific purposes.

Does your dog exhibit autism-like behavior? I have had several clients ask me if their dog could have autism and whether this could explain...