My Dog Keeps Misbehaving!

It is a very human habit to attribute human characteristics and feelings to our dogs, as if they behaved the way we do. A dog does not misbehave in order to provoke you. A dog is an opportunist that reacts to a trigger in order to reach a goal.

Making sense of your dog’s “mischief”

The situation

I open the door and find my dog eating my shoe.

My reaction: he has misbehaved, he is provoking me, he knows he is not allowed near my shoes.

In reality, my dog reacted to triggers:

– The shoe left lying around

– The fact that he was alone

– The fact that his teeth are coming through

– The fact that it is nearly dinner time

– The fact that he needs to burn off energy

And he did it for a specific goal:

– To get your attention

– To play

– To relieve the pain in his teeth

– To keep himself busy

Bear in mind that if a behaviour intensifies, it is because the dog is getting something out of it, so he will repeat it. Many owners fall into the pattern of telling the dog off for what they see as mischief, when ignoring it would produce a faster, more convincing result.

If you scold a dog who has just eaten a shoe, chances are he will not understand why he is being told off, and the behaviour will continue or even intensify, because he still has to find a way to express his emotions and meet his needs. If you want a behaviour to disappear, you first have to identify the triggers — why is my dog doing this? — so that you can remove them and offer him another way to reach his goal.

The behaviour: my dog chews shoes. The trigger: my dog saw my shoe in the middle of the living room.

=> Tidy up and set clear boundaries around the environment your puppy lives in. For his safety and his wellbeing, it is essential to secure the space and to leave within his reach only what he is allowed to touch and chew.

My dog was on his own

Teach him to be alone gradually — first five minutes, then ten, then fifteen — and praise him every time you come back, which should always be a happy moment.

My dog’s teeth hurt

Give him a stimulating environment with puzzle games and toys he is allowed to chew.

He needs to burn off energy

Spend time with your dog. Stimulate him physically and mentally. Show him new things and let him work off his energy.

In conclusion, it is very important to understand why your dog behaves as he does, so that you can remove the triggers and meet his needs.

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