DOG TRAINING AND BEHAVIOR

In addition to the most common types of aggression - conflict and fear aggression - there are four other types of aggression that some dogs need to be coaxed away from. And it is important that owners recognize them. Aggression is the number one behavior problem among pet dogs, with most owners bringing their dogs to animal behavior clinics for help in solving the issue. Herein, the other types of aggression that make living with a loved dog difficult, and how to help a canine pal from feeling that he needs to be on the attack to create equilibrium for himself.

Want to add some spice to their life and intensify the bond between you and your dog? Consider one of these nine activities. Itll require some time commitment, driving your dog to and from class if nothing else. But oh, how enriched his life will become! And the added fun may even attenuate his tendency to [insert annoying habit here]. Like they say, a tired dog is a happy dog.

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The onset of aggression in dogs often starts at the age of physical maturity, somewhere between eight months and two years of age. And its not all aggression all the time. People say to me, 98 percent of the time my dog is great, Dr. Borns-Weil relates. Its only two percent of the time that he goes off. But that two percent can make life with an aggressive dog extremely difficult and unpleasant, if not downright miserable.

When it comes to owner-directed aggression, male dogs are more apt to have the problem than females. Thats especially true if theyre intact. Neutering decreases owner-directed aggression by 25 to 30 percent. Specific breeds that tend to be brought to the behavior clinic for aggression, at least in one study conducted at Tufts, include German shepherds, cocker spaniels, and mixed breeds.

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What can be more obnoxious than a dog who just wont shut up? Behavior modification is key to changing a dogs habits that you find unacceptable, including the habit of barking excessively. Training a pet is not difficult, the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association reminds dog owners. But it does require time, energy, consistency, and a commitment to long-term care...

The editor connects two Your Dog readers to help a dog who finds it hard to trust his human family.

Many times barking is not about territoriality or boredom but, rather, is a result of separation anxiety. A dog simply cannot bear for his owners to leave him alone in the house and vocalizes from distress. Unfortunately, separation anxiety is a difficult problem to treat - dogs who suffer from it suffer acutely. And theres often recidivism. Even once its dealt with successfully, theres a tendency to backslide, with a renewal of efforts required. But there are strategies that have been shown to be helpful.

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You're done playing fetch but with a toss of her head and a pointed snap into the air, your dog informs you that you will continue. It's a bit of bossiness that makes you laugh. Teeth clicking is another sign that play has become awfully boisterous, or even aggressive, and that a dog might have gotten carried away with her excitement. …

Wed put it more in the category of human interest than important scientific finding about dogs, but in an unlikely research project, German and Czechoslovakian researchers have discovered what they say is a correlation between how dogs position themselves when doing their business and the Earths magnetic field. That is, they appear to show a preference for aligning their bodies with the north-south axis when relieving themselves. …