Consider your puppy's brain as a computer with only minimal survival instincts programmed into it. You have to fill that memory with as many positive, or at the very least, not-destructive memories.
To start with, you have to consider the basic survival and inherited instincts programmed into the puppy's brain (computer). You must work in and around these. For example: The dog is a pack animal. So, he must feel content with his pack and know and understand his relationship with that pack in order to be happy. That is, he must know who his leaders are. If he doesn't, he will become anxious about it and continually seek to discover who his leaders are and what are the rules. This lack of understanding of where he belongs in the pack creates a great anxiety in the dog. This anxiety can be expressed in many ways.
1. Constant nervousness
2. Excessive barking
3. Chewing and biting
4. Countless other destructive behaviors
By far the most conmmon cause of the dog not understanding his role is excessive permissiveness by the owner. The dog then attempts to become the leader by growling, biting, barging through doors, knocking people over, jumping on people and almost any other obnoxious behavior imaginable.
Excessive permissiveness is caused by the owner in the following ways:
1. Excessive or inappropriate petting
2. Inconsistent commands and rules - remember, "sit" means "sit" every time it is asked of the pup.
3. allowing the pup to assume dominant positions.
4. Letting the pup "barge" through doors instead of waiting mannerly for the owner's O.K.
All of the above can be prevented with a little common sense and rules to live by. If this common sense and knowledge of needed rules are hard to come by, a good professional trainer can be of great assistance.
Watch for the next article: "How to Develop Your Pup's Intellect".
Dr. George D. Ihrke, a graduate of The University of Minnesota, has practiced Veterinary Medicine for over 40 years, most of which were in his own parctice in Homer Glen, Illinois. He practiced general veterinary medicine with special interests in behavior, orthopedic surgery and sporting dog injuries. He and his wife Ann currently reside in Buckley, Illinois with their 6 dogs and 6 horses.