12 Common Behavioural Problems in Pets and How to Fix Them

Here is a Great Guide to Accomplish This…

Hein V 🌞🌈💖
Pet Talks
7 min readMay 29, 2022

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behavioural problems in pets
Photo by Andrew S on Unsplash

How to deal with dog behavior problems? As any pet owner knows, living with an animal comes with its share of challenges.

Even the most well-behaved pet can exhibit some undesirable behavioral problems in pets from time to time.

Fortunately, there are several ways to address common behavioral problems in pets. Chewing, for example, is a common issue among dogs and puppies.

It is often caused by boredom or anxiety. It can be remedied by providing your pet with plenty of chew toys and bones to keep them occupied.

If your dog is chewing furniture or other items in your home, you may need to provide more supervision or confine them to a crate when you cannot watch them. Another common behavioural problem is excessive barking.

This can be caused by excitement, fear, or boredom and can usually be corrected by training your pet and providing them with plenty of exercise.

No matter what the problem, there is almost always a solution. In this article, we will cover the ten most common behavioral problems in pets and provide tips on how to fix them.

Common Behavioural Problems in Pets — Here’s a list of dog behaviors

Excessive Barking

Barking is a natural way for dogs to communicate, but it can be very irritating when it becomes excessive.

Several things can cause a dog to bark excessively, including excitement, fear, and boredom.

The best way to deal with this problem is to identify the cause and address it head-on. If your dog is barking out of excitement, provide them with plenty of exercise and stimulation.

If they are barking out of fear, work on gradually exposing them to new situations positively. And if they are barking out of boredom, make sure they have plenty of toys and activities to keep them occupied.

This is one of the behavioral problems in pets.

Digging

Digging is another one of the common behavioral problems in pets that can be caused by a number of things, including boredom, anxiety, and curiosity.

If your dog is digging in your yard, you may need to provide them with more exercise and stimulation.

You can also try burying chew toys or treats in the yard to keep them occupied. If your dog is digging inside the house, you may need to confine them to a crate when you are not able to watch them.

Jumping on People

Jumping on people is one of the common behavioral problems in pets among dogs and puppies.

It can be very irritating for both the dog and the person being jumped on.

The best way to deal with this problem is to train your pet and provide them with plenty of positive reinforcement when they do not jump up. You may also need to put them in a sit-down position when people come over.

Chewing

Another common one of behavioral problems in pets is chewing.

Chewing is a natural behavior for dogs and puppies. Still, it can become a problem if they start chewing on furniture or other objects in the home.

The best way to deal with this problem is to provide your pet with plenty of chew toys and bones to keep them occupied.

If your dog is still chewing on furniture or other objects, you may need to provide more supervision or confine them to a crate when you are not able to watch them.

Running Away

Running away is a common problem among dogs and can be dangerous for dogs and the people around them.

The best way to deal with this problem is to keep your dog on a leash when they are outside and make sure they are wearing a collar with identification tags.

You may also want to consider enrolling them in obedience school. Behavioral problems in pets are common but can be controlled.

Destroying Property — Dog behavior problems anxiety

Destroying property is another common problem among the behavioral problems in pets that can be caused by boredom, anxiety, or curiosity.

If your dog is destroying property, you may need to provide them with more exercise and stimulation.

You can also try confining them to a crate when you cannot watch them or put them in a room where they cannot get to any objects they may want to destroy.

Whining and Howling

Whining and howling are common problems among behavioral problems in pets, especially dogs, and can be caused by several things, including excitement, boredom, and loneliness.

The best way to deal with this problem is to identify the cause and address it head-on.

If your dog is whining or howling out of excitement, provide them with plenty of exercise and stimulation.

If they are doing it out of boredom, make sure they have plenty of toys and activities to keep them occupied. And if they are doing it out of loneliness, consider adopting another dog to keep them company.

Scratching and Licking

Scratching and licking are two more common behavioral problems in pets and more so among dogs.

They can be caused by a number of things, including allergies, boredom, and anxiety.

The best way to deal with this problem is to identify the cause and address it head-on.

Suppose your dog is scratching or licking because of allergies.

In that case, you may need to switch them to a different food or treat them with allergy medication.

If they are doing it out of boredom, make sure they have plenty of toys and activities to keep them occupied. And suppose they are doing it out of anxiety.

In that case, you may need to provide them with more exercise and stimulation or consider using a ThunderShirt.

Peeing and Pooping in the House

Peeing and pooping in the house are also common behavioral problems in pets and mostly among dogs and can be caused by a number of things, including excitement, anxiety, and boredom.

The best way to deal with this problem is to identify the cause and address it head-on. If your dog is peeing or pooping in the house because of excitement, provide them with plenty of exercise and stimulation.

Suppose they are doing it out of anxiety.

In that case, you may need to provide them with more exercise and stimulation or consider using a ThunderShirt. And if they are doing it out of boredom, make sure they have plenty of toys and activities to keep them occupied.

Begging at the Table

Begging at the table is a common problem among dogs and can also be one of the behavioral problems in pets in general.

It can be caused by many things, including boredom, loneliness, and excitement.

If your dog is begging at the table because of boredom, provide them with plenty of toys and activities to keep them occupied.

If they are doing it out of loneliness, consider adopting another dog to keep them company. And if they are doing it out of excitement, make sure they are not allowed near the table when you are eating.

Biting and Nipping

Biting and nipping are common problems among dogs and some of the behavioral problems in pets overall and can be caused by several things.

The best way to deal with this problem is to identify the cause and address it head-on.

If your dog is biting or nipping because of excitement, provide them with plenty of exercise and stimulation.

If they are doing it out of anxiety, you may need to provide them with more exercise and stimulation or consider using a ThunderShirt. And if they are doing it out of boredom, make sure they have plenty of toys and activities to keep them occupied.

Chasing Cars and Other Animals — Dog behavior problems aggression

Chasing cars and other animals are common problems among dogs.

The best way to deal with this problem is to identify the cause and address it head-on.

If your dog is chasing cars or other animals because of excitement, provide them with plenty of exercise and stimulation. If they are doing it out of boredom, make sure they have plenty of toys and activities to keep them occupied. And suppose they are doing it out of anxiety.

In that case, you may need to provide them with more exercise and stimulation or consider using a ThunderShirt.

Conclusion:

These are just a few common behavioral problems in pets that especially dogs can experience.

However, most types of pets can experience these.

By identifying the cause and addressing it head-on, you can help your dog live a happy and healthy life. For more information, please consult your veterinarian. Visit one of my other articles to see How to take care of your kitten!

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Hein V 🌞🌈💖
Pet Talks

Content Creator - Earning Online, Self-improvement, Health & Wellness, Relationships - Subscribe to the trilogy: https://heinprofitcatalystsynergy.substack.com