Dog Behavioral Training-Understanding dog behaviors makes your dog training easy

This is partially human training rather than pure dog behavioral training as it is about humans trying to understand dogs' behaviors, not vice versa.

You understand dog behaviors through observation.

Knowing a little dog history and dog psychology certainly facilitates this dog behavioral training process.

Dogs belong to a family of similar animals such as wolves, foxes, coyotes, and the African Wild Hunting Dog.

All of them share common characteristics or behaviors such as reproducing,, preying, associating, and fight and flight.

Understanding these dog behaviors helps make dog training easier.

Dog Preying Behavior

Dogs prey by seeing, hearing, smelling, chasing, biting, and killing. Once those are accomplished, digging and burying soon follow. They do this to hide their prey from other predators. You can see these dog behaviors when your dog is chasing a cat or barking in a high-pitched voice when spotting a cat up in a tree.

Despite most dogs today are considered domesticated, they can still be dangerous because of their scavenging and preying instincts. You would be unwise to hit your dog to control him. He might just return the favor by biting you or worse.

It is said that a dog can bite you five times before you can respond, so do think twice before even considering that alternative.

Dog Reproducing and Associating Behavior

Just like wolves, dogs instinctually like to run in packs. They like to be fit in. They adhere to a social hierarchy—leader and follower. That’s why dogs are such a good human companion because they can be compliant. Dogs are willing to work with us as part of a team. This dog behavior allows dogs to be around and playing with people, other dogs, and sometimes other animals.

Dogs associate their dog behaviors of liking with licking, mounting, washing ears, and courting gestures. Remember these dog behaviors? The next time when your dog licks you, he likes you. So don’t ignore your dog or admonish him for doing so. That type of response can sometimes lead to depression or even separation anxiety due to your dog’s need for socialization and fitting in.

Dog Fight and Flight Behaviors

Every living thing exhibits this set of behaviors in some way. For example, Octopi use their camouflage to fight and hunt for food. They then expel ink from their body to present or escape from danger. Like octopi, dogs have their own fight and flight behaviors.

Dog Fight Behavior—when dogs get aggressive, they:

Stand tall and stare at their opponent.
Growl at their enemies.
Get their hackles up (neck hairs above the shoulder).
Snap at or bite their opponent.
Don’t like to be petted, touched or groomed.

Dog Flight Behavior—when dogs are intimidated, they:

Lack confidence.
Hide.
Freeze. (just standing there firm without going forward or backward).
Run away from danger.
Don’t like to be touched.
Flatten or lower their bodies when strangers greet them.
Urinate when being greeted by a stranger or owners.
Use these dog training tips on dog behaviors and dog psychology to facilitate your dog training sessions.

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