If You See These 15 Behaviors, Your Dog Needs Extra Training | Pupford

As you can imagine, we get a lot of questions about dog training. One we get frequently is “how do I know if I’m training my dog enough?”

Well, that’s a tricky one to answer because there are always new things we can teach our dogs and opportunities to reinforce good behavior.

So I think a better question would be: How do I know if I’m not training my dog enough?

There are a few ways to tell if your dog would benefit from additional training sessions. If you see any of these 15 behaviors, your dog may need extra training:

1. RESOURCE GUARDING

Snarling or growling when someone gets close to a dog’s food or toy is called resource guarding. If not corrected, this can lead to a dangerous situation like your dog biting someone.

What training would benefit a dog who resource guards? “Leave it,” socialization.

2. EXCESSIVE BARKING

If your dog barks all the time, or at seemingly nothing, you might want to look more closely. This may be their way of trying to protect you from a visitor or something outside. You can use training sessions to teach them that there’s no threat, and barking isn’t necessary for everything!

What training would benefit a dog who barks excessively? Mental engagement games, teaching a designated spot for waiting when visitors come.

3. LEASH PULLING

Pulling, chasing, and running all over the place while on the leash may seem harmless, but not having good leash etiquette can be dangerous if it gets too severe. Good leash behavior keeps your dog, and you, safe in a variety of scenarios.

What training would benefit a dog who pulls on their leash? Leash training.

4. CHEWING AND DESTRUCTION

Does your dog destroy things every time they’re left alone? Training can definitely help that. They may be suffering from separation anxiety or just boredom -- both of which can be helped with some extra training sessions.

What training would benefit a dog who acts destructively? Separation anxiety, engagement, any training that tires them out physically and mentally!

5. AGGRESSION TOWARDS OTHER DOGS

Some dogs naturally get along with others better, but if you’re finding your dog snarling, growling, or lunging towards other dogs and showing aggressive body language, it may be cause for concern. Additional training may be necessary to teach your dog that they don’t need to be on guard around other pets.

What training would benefit a dog who acts aggressively around other dogs? Reactivity training.

6. SEPARATION ANXIETY

If your dog isn’t handling your post-quarantine return to work well, or just is anxious about you leaving in general, we know it can be hard. But there are training methods that can help your dog become calmer and happier during their alone time. This will save you a lot of guilt, and save your dog a lot of stress (and possibly save your household items from destruction).

What training would benefit a dog who struggles being home alone? A separation anxiety course, crate training.

7. NOT LISTENING IN DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS

Some dogs ace their training sessions at home, but don’t seem to listen to commands outside that environment. It’s important that our dogs learn to listen to us in every environment with differing levels of distractions.

What training would benefit a dog who struggles being home alone? “Look at me,” reactivity training, recall mastery, training in different environments.

8. FEAR OF NEW PLACES

Does your dog show nervous body language in new places? They may not have confidence in their ability to navigate their environment. Training sessions can boost confidence and make your dog feel more secure in new environments.

What training would benefit a dog that gets nervous in new environments? Any! They all build confidence and strengthen the bond between you and your dog.

9. ACCIDENTS IN THE HOUSE

Potty training can be a long and frustrating (and messy) process for a lot of pup parents. Some dogs are still young and need to be taught the right place to go potty, while others just need periodic refreshers. If you can rule out medical reasons for incontinence, training will be your answer.

What training would benefit a dog that has accidents in the house? Potty training.

10. JUMPING ON GUESTS

It’s normal for your pup to get excited or curious when new people come into the house. But if they are jumping up onto people as they come in the house, that can be dangerous and is definitely an unwanted behavior. With some additional training, you can help your dog learn to sit calmly when visitors come in.

What training would benefit a dog that jumps on guests? Impulse control, basic commands.

11. BITING

If you’ve ever spent more than one minute with a puppy, you’ll know they don’t have teeth -- they have tiny razors that seek hands and feet. Puppy biting is an unfortunate part of the teething phase and puppy development, but training can help them learn what’s appropriate to bite and what’s not.

What training would benefit a dog that bites? Enrichment activities

12. GROWLING AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR

If your dog is showing signs of aggression, it does not mean they are a bad dog! Especially if you rescued a dog, you may not know their background -- they may need to unlearn fear or anxiety from a previous situation. Or, they may just need a little more help understanding that their surroundings are not a threat. Either way, you’ll want to address this ASAP with training.

What training would benefit a dog that growls? Impulse training, or any training that builds a bond between you and your dog.

Related Reading: Does playing tug make a dog aggressive?

13. NOT ADJUSTING IN NEW ENVIRONMENTS

If you’ve recently brought your dog home, moved to a new house, or welcomed a new family member, a significant change in your dog’s environment can impact them. If you notice a change in behavior after an environment change, you’ll want to refresh your dog’s training in that new situation.

What training would benefit a dog that’s adjusting to a new environment? Review of all basic training.

14. COUNTER SURFING AND STEALING FOOD

If you can’t take your eyes off your dog in the kitchen without them swiping your dinner or getting on the counters, you’ll want to correct that immediately. Not only is it good manners, it can prevent them from eating something that can be poisonous to them.

What training would benefit a dog that’s stealing food? Impulse control

15. DIGGING

While digging is instinctual for dogs, too much can be a sign of anxiety or behavioral problems. Plus, it can be really destructive in your house or yard so it’s important to teach your dog not to do it. If you find them digging a lot, they may need more training and engagement.

What training would benefit a dog that’s digging? Enrichment activities and impulse control.

If that sounds like a lot, and you’re not really sure how to train your dog to address those behaviors, don’t worry!

We’ve created The Pupford Academy specifically to help pup parents like you train your dog to be happy and well-behaved. With comprehensive, easy to follow videos led by certified trainers, cheat sheets, and supporting material, the variety of courses gives you everything you need to bring our science-based training methods into your home.

The Pupford Academy has courses like:

• Crate Training
• Separation Anxiety
• Reactive Dog Course
• Leash Walking
• Potty Training
• Barking Solutions

And more! To read more about our courses and trainers, view The Pupford Academy here!