1. Snapping at the face

Many dog owners find it endearing when their dogs kiss their faces. Humans kiss to show affection, so when your dog does it, it feels like he or she really loves you!

However, most mouth licking between dogs is pesky behavior. The dog is really asking, “will you let me do this?”

If you teach your puppy that it’s okay to lick your face, you are training your puppy to target human faces. Fast forward a few years and now your dog is bigger, more hyper, and sometimes nervous. Out of the blue, your dog nips a house guest in the face. Ouch!

Dogs who like to lick should be taught the Go to Your Mat behavior instead. Targeting the mat gives your dog a job to do while you are doing chores, entertaining guests, answering the door, and more!

2. Dogs who want to escape

There are many different reasons that dogs want to run. Some dogs have separation anxiety and try to get out of the house while you are gone. Other dogs are explorers by nature and if you leave them unattended for too long, they may find a way out of the yard.

The problem arises when someone tries to help by catching them. Many of these dogs can get spooked once free in public. A good Samaritan trying to help could potentially get bit in the process of trying to catch someone else’s dog.

Never leave your dog unattended in the yard. If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, our Zen Dog class will give you the necessary training tools to help treat that issue.

3. Fear of children

Humans can be surprisingly tolerant of dogs trying to fight with other dogs or trying to bite their neighbors. Most of time, though, any issues with children are held to higher scrutiny.

Kids are more likely to be seriously injured by dog bites. One reason is that children’s faces are closer to dogs’ mouths.

Counter-conditioning is an important behavior rehab tool for puppies and adopted dogs to work through their fears. Dogs who are scared of children should not live with them, and any other contact with children would require the pet parents to learn defensive handling tools.

Online dog training can give busy owners the incentive to start their dogs’ behavior makeover. Training at home eliminates distractions and gives you flexibility.

If you need more help managing your dog’s behaviors, contact us for information about private lessons!