It is not always recognized that dogs are complex creatures
There are a huge number of dogs in the world and many different breeds. In western countries alone official estimates put the figure at 800 different types of dogs. People go to extreme lengths in their attempt to make the distinction between one breed and another, even so, there is an astonishing number of different breeds when compared to humanity which has perhaps a dozen 'breeds'.
The fact that dogs are descended from wolves complicates things even further, but have been domesticated, at least to some extent, for more than 10,000 years. Certain behaviors develop, largely as a result of this domestication and some of these behaviors are as unique as the behavior of the human who lives with a dog. Despite their domestication there are still some observable traits that dogs have in common.
Simply put, dogs are predators
While most dogs will not, as a rule, hunt and attack every passing cat or rodent, this predatory tendency remains. Dogs can distinguish a wide range of sounds and locate their source very quickly - this is largely due to the fact that they have acute hearing and head muscles that are designed to ensure the exact orientation of their ears.
A dog's field of vision has been estimated at 180-270 degrees. This means that their capacity for seeing into the distance is much greater than that of human beings whose range is estimated at around 100-150 degrees. A dog's range of vision adds to their capacity to track events.
In addition to their acute hearing and field of vision dogs also have an astonishing sense of smell.
Their sense of smell is confirmed by studies which show that dogs have 25 times as many scent-receptor cells as human beings and are able to sense concentrations 100 million times smaller.
Dog's abilities are further confirmed by their behavior, Golden Retrievers, for example, can smell gophers through two feet of packed snow and a foot of frozen earth. What is more, once the dog has located the gopher they will begin to dig them out. This is typical of predatory behavior.
Dogs are also social animals
It is common knowledge that dogs are social beings, however this fact is often disregarded. This is typified by people who will lock a dog in a garage or pen or keep it tied to a rope in the yard and left alone. When a dog is isolated in this way and has little contact with human beings or other animals, the result is often fear and aggression or other forms of inappropriate behavior. In order to develop the right kind of habits and behavior dogs need companionship.
Restricting the amount of contact a dog has for short periods is sometimes used as a training technique. Overly assertive dogs who see themselves as pack leaders can often be brought into line with the trainer's desires through their fear of being expelled from the pack. In any relationship that a person has with a dog the human must be the alpha or leader. Failure to achieve this can result in destroyed property, frustrated owners and unsafe conditions for them and their dog.
However, excessive restriction of social interaction with humans and other animals is detrimental to the dog's psychology and results in inappropriate behavior. The ability to distinguish between its own pack and an external threat is vital, even when the dog is a guard dog.
Be very careful when using any techniques that could directly affect the social behaviors of your pet. To end up with a pet that excludes himself due to extended exclusion on your part in attempts to teach them would be an adverse and undesired effect that could take more extensive training to rectify.
As with any technique, if you lack assurance in your own ability to treat a particular issue, always consult a trained professional.
Dogs are exploratory animals:
Dogs, just like two year old children at the same mental level, enjoy exploring their environment, and just like children can engage in destructive behavior. Dogs have no respect for property. In order to achieve behavior that is acceptable to the person and beneficial for the dog, training which uses appropriate articles in a given area is needed.
Raw hide bones and other toys designed for dogs should be provided as they are distinguishable from other items of property leads to less confusion and misbehavior. Sometimes destructive behavior can be changed by scent as the dog's toys not only look different to a child's, they smell different.
Try to pay attention and buy toys distinguishable to each other. If you are buying a red bouncy ball for your child, do not purchase a similar sized ball or color for you dog. If items are similar keep them in separate areas. Then be consistent - don't let your child play with their ball in the same areas where the dog is allowed to play with his and vice versus.
It may be hard to avoid some digging in the garden as part of the dog's need to explore - so if the dog is unsupervised for a long while you should be prepared to patch holes in the lawn. You can use cayenne pepper paste, bitter apple and other preparations to protect any plants.
Dogs are scavengers.
No matter how good a diet your dog has they will tend to eat things like deer droppings. They will chew on dead rats, eat grass and ingest a wide variety of things that their own experience shows causes upset stomachs - yet they will repeat the behavior on a daily basis.
In order to keep a dog healthy and safe it is vital that its owner acknowledges the dog's limited ability to connect cause and effect when there is a time lag.
Recognizing a dog's nature, and working within in it rather than against it leads to less frustration for both human and dog. Enjoying the beneficial aspects, such as spontaneous dog hugs (leaning into a leg), paw offering and a head laid on the lap are just a few of the rewards. Learn to appreciate these signs of your dog's affection to you rather than accepting jumping or licking excessively even thought they are more playful. They are perceived by your dog as acceptable domineering.
