Edited by Debra F. Horwitz, DVM, DACVB and John Ciribassi, DVM, DACVB with Steve Dale

For dogs and humans alike, physical exercise is fundamental to good health. We all know the couch-potato lifestyle comes with a host of health problems. But in dogs, a lack of activity can also prompt nuisance behaviors. The majority of dogs were bred with a working purpose in mind—and that’s not just the herding and hunting breeds. For example, the seemingly dainty Yorkshire Terrier was originally meant for rat hunting. Providing dogs with vigorous, daily exercise has profound effects on their behavior. Tired dogs chew less, bark less, sleep more, and are more likely to relax when home alone.

A good daily workout and, if the dog is social, regular play sessions with other dogs are great ways to exercise a dog. So is time spent interacting with his owners, whether that’s playing hide-and-seek in the yard or coming along to the office.

If, like Anna’s rowdy, a dog gets hours of exercise every day and still tears through the trash or disembowels the bedroom pillows, it’s safe to assume he lacks mental stimulation. Much as people turn to crossword puzzles, books, chess games, and other brain-vitalizing activities for the fun of mental gymnastics, dogs need to solve doggie problems.

For one thing, dogs are meant to work for their food. When they were in the wild, nobody just handed them a bowl of kibble. Dogs are natural hunters and problem solvers so the more closely we can mimic this process, in many cases the less troublesome the dog will be to live with. Serving all the dog’s meals in a stuffed Kong or treat ball, in food dispensing devices, or through a game such as hide-and-seek or in food puzzle toys can relieve many nuisance behaviors.

Interesting edog toys are another great way to engage a dog’s brain. Dogs have distinct preferences when it comes to toys, so it’s worth doing a bit of sleuthing to figure out what hooks a particular dog. Some are never happier than when they get to dissect a stuffed toy; others can spend hours entertaining themselves with a rope toy. Get an assortment and switch them out each day so the dog doesn’t have time to get bored. Of course, you want to make sure you use safe toys so your dog does not ingest parts and pieces of his toys. There are especially tough toys available, including a variety of Kong toys, Jolly Balls, Buster Food-Cubes, and the Tug-a-Jug.

For additional advice on understanding your dog’s behavior, purchase Decoding Your Dog from Whole Dog Journal.

Edited by Debra F. Horwitz, DVM, DACVB and John Ciribassi, DVM, DACVB with Steve Dale

The trick with all nuisance behaviors is to train and reward an aopposite or competing behavior. For example, Rowdy can’t jump on Anna if he’s sitting to greet her. He can’t bark at visitors if he has a toy in his mouth, or beg at the dinner table if he is in a down-stay on his bed, or pull on his leash if he’s by Anna’s side making eye contact every five seconds. Whatever bothersome behavior the dog is engaging in, think of something that would preclude it, and train that behavior consistently.

When training any new behavior, especially to replace a well-established nuisance behavior, patience and consistency are key. It can take a while for the dog to give up strategies that have worked for him consistently, but if he is no longer rewarded for them and is instead consistently reinforced for an alternative behavior, he will soon choose that new response every time. Stick with it. Because the unwanted behavior worked in the past, your dog will most likely try it again, but harder, before he will give it up. This is called an “Extinction burst.” It’s a sudden display of a behavior that was diminishing after you stopped rewarding it. It’s sort of like your dog saying, “Was she really serious about that?” Don’t give up; stick with your plan and you will be rewarded.

Training Alternate Behaviors:

• To replace door dashing, train to sit or down before opening the door.
• To replace eating trash off the ground, train to carry a toy or keep eye contact with you.
• To replace barking at the doorbell, train to get a toy.
• To replace digging up the roses, train to fetch or hide-and-seek with dog toys.
• To replace pawing at you, train to put pawing on a cue—so he uses his paw for a “high five” or “wave” when asked.

For additional advice on understanding your dog’s behavior, purchase Decoding Your Dog from Whole Dog Journal.

Edited by Debra F. Horwitz, DVM, DACVB and John Ciribassi, DVM, DACVB with Steve Dale

Nuisance behaviors can be changed to polite manners or managed to a point where they don’t bother us, depending on our preference.

Here are four strategies:

• Management techniques
• Training consistent interactions
• Training solutions
• Physical and mental stimulation

Management Techniques

Many annoying behaviors can be prevented or managed to a point where they no longer present a problem. Keep in mind that management isn’t training. The dog isn’t learning how we would prefer him to behave; he is simply prevented from behaving in an unwanted way in a situation because we control the options and outcomes. But management is a great short-term measure for getting relief, especially for young animals with nuisance behaviors, and it often works well enough to satisfy many people in the long term too. Management also keeps the dog from practicing the problem behavior and thus learning bad habits by repeating the same behaviors over and over again. For example, keeping your dog out of the kitchen prevents him from jumping on the counter and being rewarded by finding leftover food. If he isn’t allowed in the kitchen, he never learns that jumping on the counter yields rewards. Remember, for a behavior to be ongoing, it must be reinforcing for the dog; that is why he repeats it.

Management techniques might include setting up barriers such as baby gates and exercise pens, using humane anti-pull devices such as head halters or harnesses, and simply dog-proofing the house, stowing away food, and placing desirable things out of reach.

Substitute sitting for jumping on you by rewarding your puppy only when he is sitting. No punishment is needed, because he learns very quickly that when he sits, he gets what he wants. This allows him to explore different behaviors and make the correct decision.

The puppy will very likely offer this sitting behavior again. If you are consistent in your reactions, soon he will default into a sit position for greetings.

Behavior Management Techniques

To Prevent This, Do This

• Jumping on visitors to the home: Put the dog in another room when the doorbell rings
• Jumping on you when you come home: Throw treats on the ground or a ball to retrieve
• Barking at passerby outside: Draw the curtains or restrict the dog’s access to the windows
• Pulling on the leash: Use an anti-pull head halter or harness
• Attacking the water hose: Put the dog inside while you are watering
• Chewing on the furniture: Don’t allow access; use a baby gate or crate

For additional advice on understanding your dog’s behavior, purchase Decoding Your Dog from Whole Dog Journal.

Edited by Debra F. Horwitz, DVM, DACVB and John Ciribassi, DVM, DACVB with Steve Dale

This means using everyday situations to train and continually strengthen good manners—without spending a lot of time on dedicated dog training sessions. It boils down to this: Whatever the dog wants, don’t give it away for free. Don’t open the door just because the dog paws at it; don’t throw the ball just because he barks at you. For those and countless other privileges, ask the dog to say “please” first by doing something like sitting quietly.

The benefits of this approach are many. For one thing, good manners become part of everyday routines rather than something the dog is asked to do only in special training situations. Your dog also learns a degree of impulse control. He realizes that not immediately acting on impulse, but rather stopping to consider alternative options, can be rewarding. Training also becomes linked in the dog’s mind to all his favorite activities: he will sit for having his leash put on for a walk, he will comply with a request before being invited onto the couch, he will have to look a t you before getting his breakfast or a chew toy, and he will release the ball before tossing it again, and playing fetch with you. When all good things must be preceded by responding to a cue that you give, your dog quickly learns to behave politely.

The goal isn’t to seek the perfect obedient response to “sit” or “stay”; it simply teaches your dog to say “please.” If the dog puts his bottom to the floor, the item or attention will be provided. Soon it becomes second nature, and your dog might default into a “sit” behavior instead of jumping or pawing at you. You can then decide whether to ask for an additional behavior, such as a “down” or “look.” This is also a safety precaution: if your dog defaults into a sit position everytime you get ready to open the car door, he will not bolt out and possibly get hurt. IF he sits to have his leash put on, he will not run around and you will not have to chase him. This makes taking the dog out a pleasure instead of a struggle. Use a “please” action before:

• Throwing a ball, Frisbee, etc.;
• Handing over a toy;
• Putting the food bowl down;
• Giving a treat or chew toy;
• Opening a door;
• Clipping on a leash to go for a walk;
• Taking off a leash at the park or beach;
• Delivering a belly rub or a good ear scratch;
• Allowing the dog into or out of the car.

For additional advice on understanding your dog’s behavior, purchase Decoding Your Dog from Whole Dog Journal.