Understanding Dog Behaviour

A dog’s natural behaviour is a simple mix of drinking, eating, sleeping and exploring the world around them with their human and doggy friends.

In general, dogs are a sociable breed that enjoys playing and exercising with other people and dogs. By giving plenty of opportunities to your dog to socialise it will keep them grounded and will keep boredom at bay. Plenty of supervised, off the lead freedom will allow them to run, play and get all of their pent energy out and should avoid any developmental issues.

Here are a list of some basic things you need to give your dog to promote normal dog behaviour:

• Plenty of dog enrichment to keep them entertained and minimise distress.
• Safe toys and chews.
• Quiet space to rest. Especially important for puppies.
• Daily exercise to keep your dog fit and active.
• Socialisation training to teach key social skills.
• Positive reward based training.
• A healthy diet 

Obviously all dogs are different and depending on the age, size and breed their natural behaviour will vary. Understanding what is normal for them is key as changes in behaviour can be an indication of a problem that needs to be addressed.

Dogs bark. It’s a form of communication and is a way they can express themselves when excited. However excessive barking is a common problem that can be easily solved.

Firstly you will need to understand why your dog is barking. Dogs often bark excessively when they are bored, fearful or anxious. Offering distractions and practising regular reward based training can help minimise barking episodes. Trying to desensitise your dog to the triggers that start them barking can also really help. Play these noises to them on a regular basis. Mixing this with treats when they don’t bark can really make a big difference.

Chewing is normal dog behaviour in puppies and adolescent dogs as they grow and explore the world.

However this behaviour can sometimes turn into an urge they can’t seem to control. Boredom, teething or poor diet can be some reasons why this happens.

To help with this, give your dog specific safe toys and chews they are allowed to play with. Make sure it is clear to them what is allowed and what is not. Keep them away from expensive or dangerous items if left unsupervised for a short period. Crate training is great for this. Playing with them often should keep them happy and ready for a nap. 

If you do have to leave them for longer periods and are worried about them chewing you can also consider a puppy preschool. Here they will be supervised and socialised giving you the time to go about your day worry free.

There are many reasons your dog may decide to take up digging.

• To keep themselves entertained
• To escape
• To keep cool
• To hunt prey

Regardless of their reasoning, digging up your best daisies is not an ideal behaviour in your garden. Make sure there is plenty of toys outside for them to play with as well as a bowl of water and shade for the warmer months. Trying to temporarily fence off the areas they dig and distract them with positive dog training could help.

If all else fails and your dog is a dedicated digger try to allocate a digging zone in your garden. Fill it with childrens play sand and hidden toys and redirect your dog here to show this is an ok zone.

A dog suffering from separation anxiety can be showing many unwanted behaviours including barking, chewing walls and furniture, messing in the home and self harm.

If your dog is showing signs of distress when you leave the home it is important you take time to show them that being left alone isn’t scary.

Some things to try include:

• Take your dog a walk before you leave.
• Feed them a small meal.
• Give a special toy or treat toy to play with.
• Closing the curtains to reduce what your dog can see.
• Leaving them in a quiet room.
• Leaving the radio on to muffle outside sounds.
• Leave for small amounts of time and build the length of time up

If you are finding it difficult to help your dog cope you can get help from the experts by either enrolling into a training course aimed at separation anxiety. Alternatively  consider enrolling your dog into doggy day care where they will have company all day.

Understanding your dog’s body language and how they think is a key way to quickly know when there is an issue. As they can’t speak with words, simple signs like licking their lips or yawning can be meaningful.

Leading dog behaviourist Kendal Shepherd built the idea of the Ladder of communication. 

Ladder Of Communication

• Bite
• Snap
• Growl
• Stiffening up, staring
• Lying down, exposed belly
• Standing crouched, tail tucked under
• Creeping, ears back
• Walking away
• Turning body away, sitting, pawing
• Looking away
• Yawning, blinking, nose licking

Starting at the bottom, every step represents a stage of stress in your dog and how their body language changes. Their body language will change the more they move up the ladder and behaviour will escalate. 

The quicker you can pick up on these early steps the easier it will be to take control of the situation. If your dog feels like you are not understanding the smaller signs they may jump to a higher level to get your attention so understanding is important.

There are many dog behavioural courses available to help owners train their dogs.

Whether your dog is already showing signs of unwanted behaviour or you have a puppy that you want to start training, Bruce’s can help.

We offer a variety of training courses and workshops including:

• Building Independence
• Dog Recall
• Learn To Speak Dog
• Dog Happiness & Enrichment
• Loose Lead Walking

If you would prefer to contact a dog expert and ask for advice before considering a course we have 1-2-1 consultations available as well as our online support club.

Doggy day care is an ideal solution for allowing your dog to be a dog and learn acceptable behaviours by learning from their peers.

Doggy day care provides facilities that reflect the average working day. By sending your dog to day care you can be assured they will keep your dog entertained through playtime, midday snoozes and socialising with other friendly dogs whilst you go about your normal day. 

The benefits of doggy day care include:

• Providing your dog with important social interactions.
• Letting them exercise in a safe and secure environment. 
• Helping, younger or more spirited dogs burn off excess energy.

By providing day care for your dogs, you can help enrich their days with new experiences and interactions they may have missed out on otherwise. Experienced staff will always be at hand to reign in any issues that may arise. Their weekly updates will also be shared and thoughts about additional training if they think it is needed.

Read about Mango and how doggy daycare helped her thrive.

With over 14 years of experience under our collars and a team of dog experts, Bruce’s continue to strive to learn about dogs and what makes them happy. We aim to unleash happiness and enrich the lives of dogs with our magical combination of passionate expertise and social fulfilment. Promoting natural dog behaviour.

Find your nearest centre on our website and discover what services are available in your area!