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Why do dogs chase their own tails

28 Feb 2011

Dogs are truly man’s best friend as these animals have been the loyal companions of man for untold number of years. It can be safely said that dogs have the uncanny ability to understand humans because these animals are highly attuned to the emotions of their human friends. However, humans are at times perplexed with the weird behavior of dogs. Chasing their own tail is one of the canine behaviors that humans find inexplicable.

All dogs chase their own tails but this behavior is most common in puppies. Puppies are adorable but a tail-chasing one would certainly be the apple of the eye of the family. Normal tail chasing that is shown when the dog is playing should not be a cause for concern. Dogs love to run and to chase because they are natural hunters. On the other hand, if the tail chasing behavior of the dog becomes excessive it will become a problem especially when the dog is injured because it can no longer be stopped from chasing its tail. For sure dog owners would not laugh if the tail chasing pet falls down from the stairs and seriously injured.

Tail chasing or the constant and repetitive whirling movement can be due to behavioral or medical causes. No specific cause was given for the dog’s tail chasing behavior but it is commonly believed that boredom and anxiety triggers this bizarre behavior. Being social creatures, dogs would crave for attention. Dogs are intelligent animals and it seems that they know that tail chasing is a no-fail method of gaining the family’s attention. Whirling around to chase the tail would bring forth laughter from the family. Realizing that it has gained the family’s attention, the dog would continue to chase its own tail.

Another reason for the dog’s bizarre behavior is boredom and anxiety. Dogs that are cooped inside the house for the better part of the day with no toys and no other dogs to play with will find any kind of activity to while away the time. For lack of something better to do, a dog will chase its tail to combat boredom. Anxious people waiting in line for a job interview or a dental appointment would either twirl a lock of hair or bite a nail. The dog’s tail chasing behavior is also attributed to anxiety.

A medical condition can be the reason for the dog’s odd behavior. The dog may be infested with intestinal and external parasites or may have an impacted anal gland. Flea bites on the dog’s tail will be extremely itchy. The discomfort can be caused by an impacted anal gland or worms in the dog’s rear end. A dog trying to ease the discomfort arising from these conditions will chase its tail.

Sarah’s Dogs provides more information on why dogs chase their own tails as well as why dogs wag their tails.

Category: Miscellaneous Dog Info Tags: animal, dog, dog behavior, pet, why do dogs chase their tails Comments off

Mistakes to Avoid When Training a Jack Russell Puppy

12 Nov 2010

While you’re training a Jack Russell puppy for the first time, it’s easy to make mistakes. At first, puppy care seems simple – feed the pup on time, give it a place to sleep, and things will be fine. Then you definately begin to discover things aren’t so simple. Little accidents start showing in your carpet. Your pup starts nipping your arms with these sharp little teeth. You find chewed up socks and footwear mendacity across the house. Immediately that cute little ball of fluff starts turning into a little bit terror. It’s time to be sure to avoid the major errors concerned in Jack Russell puppy training to make this time go as easily as possible.

Housetraining Jack Russell Puppies

While you start out with housetraining, avoid punishing your pup for making a mistake by going to the bathroom in the improper place. That is the number one mistake new house owners make. Do not yell on the puppy or rub his nose in his mess – that is complicated and frightening for a pup, and doesn’t educate him what you really want him to do. Instead of punishing him, you want to give him regular possibilities to do the right thing – in other phrases, take him exterior many instances throughout the day, particularly after drinking and eating, and earlier than and after sleeping times. Then, when he does go in the right place, give him a reward in the form of a meals treat and some praise and a cuddle.

Nipping and Biting

The widespread reaction most house owners have when a puppy bites it, again, to punish the pup. Again, this will cause more problems than it solves. Nipping is a natural conduct for puppies – they must study from other members of their pack not to bite. Now your family is your puppy’s pack – so you have to educate the pup not to bite hard. Being an excellent pack chief is a large part of Jack Russell puppy training. To do that, be sure to break off any play or games every time the puppy will get too excited and bites. You don’t wish to affiliate good things with biting. This way the puppy will study that biting leads to the tip of the game, which is a nasty thing.

You may also use a technique referred to as the muzzle grip. That is where you gently maintain the puppy’s jaws shut for a couple of seconds when he bites. That is based on the natural conduct of untamed dogs. In the wild, mom’s use their jaws to hold a puppy’s mouth shut to teach them once they get out of line. Just watch out not to squeeze exhausting or cowl the puppy’s nostrils – it is not meant to be disagreeable for the pup. Coaching a Jack Russell puppy needs to be a positive development experience for you and your pup.

Destroying Clothes and Furniture

Understand that it’s fully natural for a puppy to chew up and destroy things in his atmosphere, and again, punishing the pup by yelling or hitting him is a nasty idea. Instead you want to provide the pup with plenty of toys and chewable meals treats to maintain him occupied. Train also helps to relieve boredom – most harmful chewing occurs as a result of the pup is left alone for a protracted time period with nothing to do.

Coaching a Jack Russell puppy takes time and endurance – and there are various errors that an proprietor can make if they don’t have the right data from the start.

Taylor is a canine lover and couldn’t imagine herself with out canine. He provides more useful data on dog obedience training, dog behavior problem and dog training book opinions that you may study in the comfort of your property on his website. You are welcome to reprint this text in case you maintain the content material and dwell hyperlink intact.

Category: Miscellaneous Dog Info Tags: dog behavior, dog obedience training, dog training Comments off

How do dogs communicate?

17 Sep 2010

Nature may not have gifted dogs with the ability to speak but the human-dog association that spanned thousands of years have allowed humans to understand the dog’s form of communication. How do dogs communicate? Dogs are intelligent animals and using body language and some forms of vocalizations, dogs can very well communicate with other dogs, with other animals and with humans. Dog owners would attest to the fact that man’s best friend really do have the ability to show their feelings and to convey what they mean to their human friends.

A dog’s method of communicating will be very apparent in a household with 2 or more dogs as one dog will grab the rank of being the leader of the pack. Dogs have a unique form of communicating with other dogs. The leader of the pack can easily stop unruly play between pack members. All the alpha male has to do is to assume an intimidating position, bare the teeth and growl and dogs lower in rank will show signs of being submissive by lowering the eyes and holding the tail between the legs.

The bared teeth and the threatening growl of the pack leader will be enough to warn other dogs in the pack. Butt sniffing is a form of communication distinct to dogs. Dogs that allow its rear end to be sniffed is communicating its desire to be friends with the other dog.

The language the dogs used as well as the body movements are obviously different from ours but through years of association, the barks, the whines and whimpers as well as the wagging tail, the erect ears and the bared teeth will allow a dog to convey feelings as well as report information to the master. Dogs are believed to be highly attuned to the feeling of their master so that understanding humans would be easy for our canine friends but humans have a higher level of intelligence than dogs so that in spite of the communication barrier, humans can understand dogs by observing its body movements and facial expression. A dog that is alerting the owners to possible territory intrusion would bark in a different manner than when it barks with joy at the sight of the master.

Dogs are not only man’s best friends they are also man’s faithful companions. Dogs cannot talk but these are intelligent animals and they would know how to get their message across and humans have come to understand the pet by learning the meaning of the dog’s vocalization and body movements.

Category: Miscellaneous Dog Info Tags: animals, dog behavior, dog communication, dogs, how do dogs communicate, pets Comments off

Separation Anxiety in Canines

29 Apr 2010

Most canines hate to see their owners leave them. They would rather know their owners are nearby and able to address their needs (i.e. for food, attention, etc.) whenever necessary. In certain cases, canines will become extremely nervous and worried when left alone or seperated from the people they know. This is called separation anxiety (SA).

The behavior can manifest in various ways, which often makes it difficult to recognize. If this behavior is not clearly identified, it can be difficult to shape or modify. Sadly, separation anxiety is one of the most common reasons people abandon their canines.

Here, we’ll describe a number of signs that can allow you determine if your pooch is having trouble dealing with being left alone. We’ll also explore the reasons behind the behavior and provide a few tips for modifying it.

Identifying The Signs

Every canine is different and the extent to which they suffer from SA will vary. Your pooch might become increasingly agitated the longer he is left alone. Once you leave him, he may begin pacing back and forth, drooling, barking, and even howling. If he grows more anxious, he might start chewing your furniture, or destroying things around your house. In severe cases, your dog might begin to urinate or defecate in your home.

There are a few telltale signs that imply your canine is becoming anxious when he is separated from you. For example, you might notice him following you around the house. This is his method of ensuring you are still close. He may periodically check whether you’re home before returning to his toys or food. Another indication is that your pooch becomes frantic when you prepare to leave him.

What Triggers Separation Anxiety?

There are several possible reasons why a dog may become especially anxious when his owner leaves him. For instance, if he’s been mistreated by a previous owner, or has been adopted by numerous people, he may feel insecure in his position. That is, because he has been abandoned in the past, a canine might fear his owner will fail to return for him.

Separation anxiety can also manifest itself if your pup has never been exposed to other people. Left alone, he may become worried that he has lost your companionship.

Tips For Modifying The Behavior

It’s important to emphasize that what your pooch does as the result fo his anxiety is not meant to “get even” with your for leaving him. Don’t punish him. Instead, take positive steps to gradually shape his behavior.

For example, give him a treat when he is calm. If he shows too much excitement when you return home, say “relax” and provide a treat when he calms himself. You can also desensitize your canine to the routine you normally go through before leaving your house. For instance, put on your shoes a half hour before departing. You should also downplay your leaving; ignore your dog 10 to 20 minutes before departing.

The key thing to remember is that the signs associated with separation anxiety (i.e. barking, urinating, etc.) are not done in anger or aggression. Take a supportive, positive approach to slowly eliminate your canine’s concern.

Category: Uncategorized Tags: dog, dog behavior, dog chews, seperation anxiety Comments off

Dealing With the “Bad Dog” That Isn’r Really Bad

14 Apr 2010

Owning a dog is one of the most rewarding experiences a person can enjoy. The bond between owner and pet grows over the course of years, and strengthens with time. Many owners consider their dogs a part of their own family. And those who remain single find a lasting companionship with their pooch that is irreplaceable.

That being said, canines can develop bad habits that drive their owners crazy. It’s worth noting that nearly all such issues can be resolved through desensitization training and positive reinforcement of acceptable behaviors. In this article, we’ll provide an overview of 4 common canine problems that can leave you growling in frustration.

Tip 1 – Digging

Your pooch might start digging for many reasons. Boredom can lead to trouble when he begins looking for ways to entertain himself. The bugs and roots he can discover by digging up the dirt will provide him with a distraction. He might also dig if the weather is making him hot and he lacks shade. The uncovered soil feels cool and relaxing to him. And of course, he might dig in order to hide bones and other possessions.

Tip 2 – Soiling

Puppies will urinate and defecate in inappropriate places until they are properly housebroken. That is expected. However, older dogs will occasionally do the same, even after having been successfully housebroken in the past. Sometimes, they do it as a result of feeling anxious. Other times, it’s done to mark territory (acceptable when done outdoors). Still other times, adult canines do it as a submissive trait.

Tip3 – Jumping On People

Jumping is often misinterpreted by owners as an excited greeting their dogs give them. In truth, it can also be seen as an act of dominance.

When your dog was a little puppy, he likely jumped on siblings and mother until he learned from experience that doing so was no longer tolarated. If you adopt your dog a few weeks after he is born and fail to curb the behavior, it can become problematic. If you do not take steps to modify his behavior, he might gradually infer that his place in the pack (i.e. your household) is the same as your own. That makes curbing his jumping even more difficult.

Tip 4 – Excessive Barking

All dogs bark. Aside from whining or howling, it’s the only way they can audibly express their emotions to those surrounding them. However, if barking becomes excessive, it can turn into a problem – for you and your neighbors.

It’s important to understand the reasons your canine barks. He might do it to warn intruders away from his territory. He might do it to get your attention. He might also bark out of sheer boredom, barking give him something to do. While it can be nerve-wracking, excessive barking can be resolved with training and patience.

The companionship you enjoy from your dog will last throughout his life. Even though he may develop behavioral issues that can drive you crazy, those behaviors can be modified with the right approach. And that keeps the friendship you share with one another alive.

Category: Uncategorized Tags: digging, dog behavior, dog ownership, dog training, dog treats, dogs, positive reinforcement Comments off