Are you having trouble with the new puppy you brought home? Is the cute pet is misbehaving and showing aggression toward you? Then this blog is for you as we are going to discuss how you can stop the bad behavior of your puppies.
To stop bad behavior in puppies, use positive reinforcement, consistent training, and a calm, patient approach to correct and redirect unwanted actions. Whether you have a 3-month-old puppy misbehaving or a 5-month-old showing signs of aggression, understanding how to correct these behaviors is crucial.
Let’s discuss.
What Behavior Do You Notice in Your Pet?
Abnormal behavior of puppies can vary widely, but common issues include biting, chewing, barking, jumping, and aggression.
Depending on your dog’s breed, you may notice some unique temperaments and energy levels. Understanding your puppy’s breed’s specific needs and tendencies can help tailor your approach to correcting bad behavior.
How You Correct Aggressive Dog Behavior?
When you are taking measures to correct your dog’s aggressive behavior, keep in mind that it is just a new pet. Rather than punishing it, use positive reinforcement as a reward for calm behavior.
In extreme cases, you may need to ask for help from professional trainers to develop a customized behavior modification plan.
Consistency and patience are key to helping your dog learn new, non-aggressive responses. Here are our 11 tips you can follow:
1. Identify the Dog’s Behavioral Issues
The first step in correcting bad behavior is to identify the specific issues. Observe your puppy to understand what triggers their aggressive or unwanted behavior.
In general, unfamiliar persons, scents, or sounds can stress a puppy, triggering its abnormal behavior. Once you identify the issues, you can start taking steps to remove such triggers to calm down your pup.
2. Change Your Behavior
An interesting thing about puppies is that they often mirror their owners’ behavior. So, if you react aggressively or yell in different situations, your dog may pick them up and project aggression.
In such cases, you will need to practice staying calm and assertive in distressing situations. This will initiate your puppy’s training process.
3. Refresh the Dog’s Environment
Dogs are usually energetic and playful animals despite their sizes and breeds. Therefore, they need stimulating environments to release their energy. When they do not get such environment, they will act restless, misbehave, and show aggression.
Provide plenty of toys, and ensure your puppy has a safe, comfortable space to relax. This helps prevent boredom and the resulting misbehavior.
4. Change Its Diet Plan
Lack of proper nutrition is another reason puppies become aggressive. To show their discomfort, they may kick their food bowl or bite you, which can be interpreted as food aggression. You can try giving them other types of food to see if they repeat such behavior.
Consult with your vet to ensure your puppy is getting the right nutrition, and avoid foods that may cause hyperactivity or aggression.
5. Do Not Become Aggressive to Your Dog for Punishment
When you punish your puppy for bad behavior, it will be more fearful and will try to find ways to flee from home which leads to more aggressive behavior.
Instead of punishments, use positive reinforcement to encourage good behavior and redirect negative actions. This works better in the long run and helps build a strong bond between you and your furry pet.
6. Remove Physical Stimulants and Give Toys
Chewing and biting are common traits for puppies while teething. During this period, they become more curious and try to give everything a taste. As a result, they may bite you, other family members, or anything around your house.
Provide appropriate chew toys to satisfy this need. You can also remove objects that might tempt them to misbehave.
7. Train with a Clicker
Clicker training is an effective method for teaching obedience and correcting bad behavior. Here, you click the clicker whenever your dog does something appropriate and give them a treat.
For example, if you tell your teething puppy to stop biting your pillow, and it stops, you make a clicking sound and give it a treat. The sound of the clicker, followed by a reward, helps reinforce positive actions.
You can also use a whistle in a similar way to whistle-train your dog.
8. Reward for Good Behavior
Positive reinforcement is key. This helps build a good bond along with sweet memories with your pet. Reward your puppy with treats, praise, or playtime when they exhibit good behavior.
This encourages them to repeat those actions while punishing them for bad behavior, which only makes them more fearful and aggressive.
9. Call Puppies with Soft Tones
Dogs are very intelligent and can understand the tone of your voice. If you scold them for bad behavior, they may retaliate and show more aggression.
Using a soft, calm tone when calling or correcting your puppy can help build trust and reduce anxiety. This significantly helps in reducing the bad behavior and aggression of your puppy.
10. Build Trust and Have Patience
Every puppy is different and has its own personality. They learn to take cues at their own pace. Therefore, it is crucial to be patient and celebrate small victories.
Building a trusting relationship with your puppy takes time. Be consistent with your training, and understand that progress may be gradual.
11. Understand the Dog’s Psychology
Dogs experience emotions similar to humans, including love, trust, happiness, and sadness. Recognizing your puppy’s individual personality and emotions significantly helps in building a healthy bond.
As a canine, dogs inherit some natural instincts, such as hunting, territoriality, pack behavior, guarding, and communication. Understanding these behaviors and providing accurate mental stimulation allows you to train your dog to behave appropriately.
Final Words
Correcting bad behavior in puppies requires patience, consistency, and a positive approach. By identifying the specific issues, adjusting your behavior, and creating a supportive environment, you can help your puppy develop into a well-behaved and happy dog.
Remember, the key is to build trust and understanding with your puppy while using positive reinforcement to guide them toward good behavior.
