Dog behavior: To understand your dog's behavior you first have to know some things that are normal within the canine world. Furthermore, some traits can vary between breeds. Some breeds are bred for abilities' to dig, so you have the Terriers with a strong ability to dig. We also have the Border collie with their watching and herding of sheep. These are desired skills that are wanted and used by us, the humans. You have to understand a small amount of how and why your dog does what it does in certain situations. In the dog world, how a dog fits into the social society is based on a few areas; these are within the social hierarchy, which is built around, age, health, dominance and submission. The age at which a puppy learns some of the skills needed is surprisingly young, this is also when it learns what is acceptable within their pack and not acceptable. This is where we, as humans, can get the balance wrong within our own homes. With a puppy under three weeks, they are very active within the attraction phase; this means the puppy is open to all discoveries. This changes at about the fifth week; here we see the puppy feeling fear for the first time, but still very active in looking at new things and situations. So we can see that the dog world is fast moving through areas we have not thought possible. The dog can be a teenager at fourteen months and have many of the same problems we see in are own teenagers, rebellion, disobedience, etc. Dogs are very sociable and so they see our 'pack', the family, as a desirable pack to fit into. They are also playful and willing to learn, this ability and willingness to learn does not stop, which enables training to take place. The dog needs to see you as trustworthy, after all in their mind you are their king, the leader of the pack. Like with all kingdoms, if it has strong fair leaders that look after all, peace will reign. If there is no trust and you think you can take over, battles and war can break out. So we can start to see why it is important for our dog to find us trustworthy. You need to be the Alpha dog, their leader. This gives security to the dog. The difference is you are human and in the dog world, well they're dogs. This does not mean you have to be physically strong, but you have to be wise, keeping the dog in their rightful place within your home through training and socializing your dog. Gaining understanding of your dog's personality, and any traits its breed may have, can help you solve any problems that may arise. An example of this can be the Terrier's love of digging. Rather than have a dog that digs holes all over the garden, wherever the dog feels like it, you can limit where they dig. Maybe have a sandy/ soil mix area for a quick dig that cleans up easier for you. This should be a treat that you control. Dogs love us, their pack; we love them so look into how you can keep a happy balance for harmony in the home.
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