Dog Behavior

Dealing with Dog Fears -- Dog fears are pretty much the same as human fears. Dogs can be afraid of almost anything, even their shadows. Dogs develop fears for all sorts of reasons but the most common fear is of loud noises. They fear loud noises and thunder because they don't know what to expect of them.

What Those Growls Mean -- Soft, low-pitched growling: "Back off!" This is usually used as a threat.

What Those Barks Mean -- Continuous rapid barking, midrange pitch: "Gather everyone together! Someone may be coming into our territory."

Getting to Know Your Dog -- Why does Spot bark at every sound? Why can't you get Fido to listen to you? What's with these "accidents" Rover keeps having?

Down boy, Down! -- When I talk to people who are thinking about getting a dog, puppy or not, one of the first topics I like to cover is obedience. Right from the start, you need to show your dog who is boss.

Dog Training: How To Understand Your Dog's Mood -- Make your puppy training easier and more fun by understanding that your puppy is trying to communicate with you in other ways than barking or wagging his tail. Remember, your puppy also communicates with his ears, tail, paws, mouth and more and your puppy training and everyday life with your dog will be much more fun.

Dog Training: How to "Lick" Your Dog's Incessant Licking Habit -- Does your dog seem to spend an infinite amount of time licking himself? Why is he doing it? And how do you, as a dog owner, correct that annoying licking habit? Here are five of the most common reasons why your dog might be incessantly licking himself and the solutions to correcting the habit.

Animal Behavior: What is My Dog Saying? -- Dogs are quite amiable creatures. Much like our human counterparts, their speech is often amplified by their body movements and facial expressions.

Why Dogs Bark -- Barking, in addition to whining, howling and growling, is a dog's natural means of communication. Barking is characterized by a series of short, sharp sounds, that tend to vary little in tone or pitch. A dog's bark can signify territorial protection, exertion of dominance, or expression of some need. Typically, barking is "a means of communication triggered by a state of excitement." Being a natural trait, barking is not considered a behavioral problem, until it is produced in excess.