With so many to types of dogs to choose from, we empathize with anyone who’s having a hard time choosing a dog breed. That’s why we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the characteristics of as many breeds as you can. Exclusive research of just a few breeds isn’t sufficient – especially when there’s a significant chance that you might find your perfect dog within a breed that you hadn’t even considered.  read more »

If only everyone researched dog behavior before introducing them into a family full of children! Perhaps then, we wouldn’t hear so many horror stories about dogs attacking kids. In a significant number of these stories, we often find that the dog really isn’t at fault. The dog might have been provoked (as innocent as that provocation may have been), or perhaps the dog was abused by older family members who should have known better. In either case, chances are that the dog wasn’t an appropriate family choice in the first place!  read more »

Dogs generally bite when they feel threatened. The problem that we have as humans is that what dogs consider threatening doesn’t seem threatening to us at all. That’s why you’re strongly cautioned against making sudden changes around your dog. It doesn’t matter what breed it is, or how sociable it is, a threatened dog is a different beast altogether. Here’s what makes a dog bite, and how to avoid dog bites altogether.

Some example situations that a dog deems as threatening include:  read more »

Dogs jump when they’re excited. They’ll jump all over another dominant dog out of respect and they’ll jump all over you out of glee. But while dog jumping on people is generally a clear message of affection, it isn’t always appropriate. A large jumping dog can overwhelm and scare small children for instance, or it can make bringing in the groceries an even harder chore than what it already is. Here’s how to stop your dog from jumping without hurting its feelings.  read more »

Children are more prone to dog bites than adults. Their lack of full motor control, high pitch voices, and tendency to hit and bite things themselves make them a threatening group of species to contend with. Even their small sizes play a role since dogs can interpret small children as a different kind of dog or even prey! Here are some tips to prevent children from getting a dog bite.  read more »

Housetraining success varies among dogs. It can take as little as a few weeks for some dogs to understand your requirements or it can seem like a problem that has no solution for others. Not so surprisingly, the cause of most elimination problems is the owner. Failing to recognize important signs and create a schedule are two key mishaps owners make. Here's how to correct dog behavior problems related to elimination.  read more »

Controlling dog behavior problems is easier if you anticipate them and work to avoid them altogether. Much of the success is rooted in the dog’s environment and interaction with its owner. As long as the owner is willing to make some critical changes, and teach its dog what's allowed (and how to enjoy what's allowed), an amicable relationship and environment is indeed, quite possible. The following describes how to do just that.  read more »

Being creatures of nature, dogs are very sexual beings. It’s nothing to panic about, but it’s nothing to overlook either. Dogs don’t follow the same social graces that we follow, and as a result, can create some rather embarrassing moments for us. The following offers some advice on how you can curb these types of dog habits so that you can minimize the effect they have on your family’s relationship with the dog (specifically, your children’s relationship)!  read more »

Got chasing dogs? A dog that seemingly chases everything is satisfying its natural disposition toward chasing prey. It doesn’t really matter what the prey is (a rabbit, a bird, a car, leaf, or another person). If it moves, chasers chase it. That spells trouble when you consider dogs don’t understand safety precautions and can’t predict danger the way we can. Confining a chasing dog is one approach to solving the problem, but there are other solutions.  read more »

A key to understanding dog behavior is understanding dog temperaments. Dog temperament describes a canine’s natural disposition or tendencies. When we say that a particular dog has a ‘loyal’ temperament for example, we mean that it’s naturally inclined to remain loyal to its owner. Other types of temperament describe a dog’s independence, friendliness, or aggressiveness while additional kinds cover a wide range of behaviors. When buying or adopting a dog, temperament should play an important role in your decision since it can influence the one you pick.  read more »