Recognizing and Addressing Emotional Behavior in Dogs
- posted: Apr. 10, 2024
Recognizing and Addressing Emotional Behavior in Dogs
At Little Paws of Hope, located in Westbury NY, and serving Syosset, NY, and Plainview, NY, our dog training and puppy training team may be asked by clients about how their dogs' emotions can affect their behavior. While the jury is still out among scientists whether dogs experience emotions the same way humans do, if you ask any puppy owner or trainer the answer will be an unequivocal - “of course they do!”
Emotional Behavior in Our Canine Friends
Science does admit, however, that emotions do drive behavior in dogs, and they have the same basic hormones, serotonin, and dopamine as humans that drive them toward comfort and away from pain and danger. Dogs will have physical reactions to emotions like fear, joy, sadness, and excitement. Those reactions will just be different from humans'.
Negative Emotions
Take, for example, a thunderstorm. These events can be a great source of stress for dogs. As humans, we know what the booming is and there's no real threat as long as we are indoors. Unfortunately, dogs only know it’s loud and think there's a clear threat nearby. They may react by hiding, shaking, whimpering, or even urinating on the floor.
When a dog is feeling stressed or having anxiety, he may exhibit behaviors like howling, barking, aggressive behavior toward other pets, chewing inappropriately (shoes, furniture, etc.), even vomiting or inappropriate evacuation. When behaviors related to stress occur, it's important to find the source so you can properly address the situation.
Other Emotional Behaviors
Other behaviors related to emotion may not be harmful but you may want to reign them in as well. For example, if you come home from work and your dog is so happy to see you he jumps all over you, barks, and so on, you may want to train him to take it down a notch. This can usually be done with a few simple commands and treats.
With any emotional behavior, it's vital to determine the source. Then you can consult with our dog trainer near you to find the best course of action. In most cases, positive reinforcement, treats, exercise, and toys can be great ways to solve or at least control unwanted behavior and reinforce the good ones.
Get Puppy Training and Dog Training from Our Dog Trainer Near You
At Little Paws of Hope, our day care, boarding, and training facility is proud to serve the communities of Westbury, NY, Syosset, NY, and Plainview, NY. Please don't hesitate to give us a call. We're here to help. Call us at (917) 519-5708 for puppy training and dog training from our dog trainer near you.
- posted: Apr. 10, 2024
Recognizing and Addressing Emotional Behavior in Dogs
At Little Paws of Hope, located in Westbury NY, and serving Syosset, NY, and Plainview, NY, our dog training and puppy training team may be asked by clients about how their dogs' emotions can affect their behavior. While the jury is still out among scientists whether dogs experience emotions the same way humans do, if you ask any puppy owner or trainer the answer will be an unequivocal - “of course they do!”
Emotional Behavior in Our Canine Friends
Science does admit, however, that emotions do drive behavior in dogs, and they have the same basic hormones, serotonin, and dopamine as humans that drive them toward comfort and away from pain and danger. Dogs will have physical reactions to emotions like fear, joy, sadness, and excitement. Those reactions will just be different from humans'.
Negative Emotions
Take, for example, a thunderstorm. These events can be a great source of stress for dogs. As humans, we know what the booming is and there's no real threat as long as we are indoors. Unfortunately, dogs only know it’s loud and think there's a clear threat nearby. They may react by hiding, shaking, whimpering, or even urinating on the floor.
When a dog is feeling stressed or having anxiety, he may exhibit behaviors like howling, barking, aggressive behavior toward other pets, chewing inappropriately (shoes, furniture, etc.), even vomiting or inappropriate evacuation. When behaviors related to stress occur, it's important to find the source so you can properly address the situation.
Other Emotional Behaviors
Other behaviors related to emotion may not be harmful but you may want to reign them in as well. For example, if you come home from work and your dog is so happy to see you he jumps all over you, barks, and so on, you may want to train him to take it down a notch. This can usually be done with a few simple commands and treats.
With any emotional behavior, it's vital to determine the source. Then you can consult with our dog trainer near you to find the best course of action. In most cases, positive reinforcement, treats, exercise, and toys can be great ways to solve or at least control unwanted behavior and reinforce the good ones.
Get Puppy Training and Dog Training from Our Dog Trainer Near You
At Little Paws of Hope, our day care, boarding, and training facility is proud to serve the communities of Westbury, NY, Syosset, NY, and Plainview, NY. Please don't hesitate to give us a call. We're here to help. Call us at (917) 519-5708 for puppy training and dog training from our dog trainer near you.