How to Raise Your New Puppy in a Cat Family: The Complete Guide to a Happy, Pet-Filled Home by Jackie Sonnenberg

Author:Jackie Sonnenberg
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: new puppy, dog, cat, training, multi-pet home, teaching, cat family, choosing a puppy, pet relationships
Publisher: Atlantic Publishing Group
Published: 2012-05-07T00:00:00+00:00

Odd Puppy Behaviors

Obviously it will be nearly impossible for you to see any changes in your puppy’s behavior because you have just brought it home and have not even learned the full range of its personality quirks. Your puppy still needs time to learn and explore before it develops a set personality. However, there are some behavioral issues that raise concerns and will either need training or a trip to the vet to diagnose and correct.

Excessive aggression

Canine aggression is a common complaint of pet behavior, and can have very serious or harmful results. Aggression is a threat or harmful action directed toward a group or individual. There are many reasons a dog may exhibit aggressive behavior, but aggression toward a human is dangerous and unacceptable.

Dominance aggression

Dominance aggression is used by dogs to gain and maintain a valuable resource, such as food, a bone, or a toy. This type of aggression may also arise when a dog is disturbed when resting, or when the dog is being led by the collar, groomed, or disciplined. The dog may exhibit body behavior such as a snarl, growl, direct stare, a high tail with quick stiff movement, or piloerection (hair standing). As a dog grows into maturity, this behavior may become more common between 1 and 3 years of age.

Fear aggression

Fear aggression is a behavior that dogs tend to show to other people, stimuli, or unfamiliar dogs. This fear may arise due to inadequate socialization, a genetic predisposition, or an adverse experience the dog may have had. This behavior may be exhibited toward men, children, an unfamiliar dog or noise, or the veterinarian. Often these dogs may try to escape the situation before exhibiting aggressive behavior.

Pre datory aggr es sion

Dogs are natural-born hunters and chasers. Predation is an instinctual behavior and involves stalking, chasing, catching, biting, killing, and eating prey. This type of aggression is more prominent in certain breeds, and can often be a very hard habit to break. These dogs may stalk and chase cats, children, birds, small pets, deer, or horses. Predatory aggression toward children or other pets is very dangerous or even fatal. This type of aggression can be very difficult to change and often carries a poor prognosis.

Territorial aggression

This type of aggression often occurs when a dog responds aggressively to unfamiliar animals or people that come into its territory. This can occur in the home, yard, or vehicle. These dogs try to appear larger by standing stiff-legged, ears and tail up, and with piloerection. They may also growl, bark, lunge, snap, and bite. This behavior also usually develops after sexual maturity between 1 and 3 years of age. This type of dog who always barks and lunges at the mailman “wins” every time because he or she drove off the intruder — really, the mailman just left. Remove these opportunities from the dog and desensitize it by introducing a variety of visitors. The dog may be placed in social isolation for this behavior, and needs to be adequately confined to prevent injury to people.

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