Caring with clear leadership
This is just a selection of the most common problems:
Digging
Dogs love digging and at some time they might choose the wrong place to dig.
They dig for many reasons from hiding bones to being bored. I know one dog who dug up and chewed through a $4000 watering system in the garden.
Providing a special area in the garden where the dog is allowed to dig and not elsewhere can avoid grief later on.
Barking
Incessant barking can really upset your life and the neighbours. I try and look for why the dog is barking, after all they are just trying to connect with us. Once we know the cause then we can work out a plan to address the problem. Some common triggers include:
Anxiety
Attention Seeking
Breeding (Yes, some dogs are bred to bark!)
Boredom
Fear
Fun
Jumping Up
Often jumping up starts early when the dog is a small cute puppy. When the puppy turns into a 50 kg adult it does start to wear a little bit thin probably like your clothes are starting to feel. Even a small dog jumping up gets annoying if they do it enough. Not rewarding the jumping and replacing it with a good behaviour like sitting can make the dog more managable.
Toilet Training
Lack of toilet training has sent more dogs to the pound than anything else. It can be mastered in just a few days with the right approach.