Dog Behavior Problems?
Start Here.
We Can Work On This.
Barking. Jumping. Pulling. Peeing in the house. Digging up the yard. Acting like the Amazon driver is an axe murderer. A lot of everyday dog behavior problems are very fixable — once you know what to change.
Pick the problem. Start with the first 10 things I would do.
K9 Coach Top 10
Ten Common Dog Behavior Problems. Ten Places to Start.
Before you buy another gadget, yell “NO!” for the 47th time today, or decide your dog needs three more hours of exercise, take a look at what the dog is practicing, what is being rewarded, what you are asking them to do instead, and whether they actually understand the assignment.
Reactivity
Dogs, people, bikes, golf carts, squirrels... and suddenly you are hanging onto Cujo at the end of the leash.
House Training
Still finding accidents? Start with supervision, timing, tethering and a much clearer routine.
Crate Training
Is your dog frustrated, protesting or truly panicking? Those are not the same problem.
Barking at Everything
Neighbor. UPS truck. Leaf. Possibly a ghost. Your Neighborhood Watch Captain needs a new job.
Digging
If there is now a crater where your hydrangea used to be, filling the hole is not going to teach the dog much.
Jumping on People
It was adorable at nine weeks. It is considerably less adorable when Grandma comes over.
Leash Pulling
If your dog drags you for two miles every morning, they get two miles of practice pulling.
Chewing & Stealing
Socks. Shoes. Remotes. The expensive thing you swear was nowhere near the dog.
Charges the Door
The bell rings and suddenly nobody has a brain. Let's practice door manners before the guest is standing there.
Won't Come When Called
Calling the dog twelve times is not recall training. Build a recall you can actually count on.
Before You Train Harder
The Foundation of Almost Every Solution
Dog training gets complicated quickly when we start chasing every unwanted behavior as a completely separate problem.
I usually step back first and look at the setup. A lot of the everyday stuff improves when we stop giving the dog unlimited opportunities to make the same bad decision and start making the right decision clearer.
You'll See These Again and Again
The Tools Behind Better Everyday Behavior
No, every problem does not have the same solution. But these foundational skills show up across a surprising number of them.
Indoor Leash
Supervision, follow-through, house training and preventing the chase.
Impulse Control
Pause. Think. Wait for direction instead of launching first.
Place
A clear job that teaches stillness, calm and duration.
Duration
Being calm is a skill too. Dogs need practice doing nothing.
Clear Follow-Through
Say it once, help the dog succeed and reward what you want repeated.
One Important Exception: Reactivity Is Not Just Bad Manners
A dog who pulls on the leash is not the same as a dog who lunges, redirects, snaps or bites. The Top 10 reactivity page will help you improve management, reduce rehearsal and identify triggers, but serious fear, aggression, bite risk or redirected behavior deserves an individualized safety and behavior plan.
Need More Than a Blog Post?
Pick Your Next Step
You Don't Need a Perfect Dog. You Need a Clear Plan.
Start with the problem in front of you. Work the basics. Then we can decide whether we need to go deeper.