Despite thousands of years of domestication and generations of breeding, the instincts of the wolf still govern the behavior of dogs. This does not mean, however, that owners should expect to see wolf-like behaviors in their dogs. It simply means that much of a dog's behavior is instinctive and stems from its roots as a social hunter.
The fact that dogs naturally dig, for instance, should not exonerate a pet that has ruined a neighbor's garden. Indeed, there are countless examples of behaviors that are normal and instinctive, but antisocial and utterly unacceptable.
The good news is that even deeply rooted instinctive behaviors can be modified through learning. From incessant barking to destructive chewing, problem behaviors can be corrected through proper training.
Thanks to years of domestication and breeding, dog behaviors-- though sometimes problematic-- are enjoyed by millions of people around the world.
PACK BEHAVIOR
As pack animals by nature, dogs view themselves as part of a unit. Today, that unit-- or pack-- is the human family to which a dog belongs.
Like their wolf ancestors, dogs adhere to a specific social structure in which every member of the pack, or family, has a particular rank. The rank a dog assigns to itself and to its family members largely determines its role and behavior in the home. Generally, the higher a dog's position within the family, as seen from its own perspective, the greater its perceived responsibility and control.
Dogs usually view their owners as leaders of the pack, dominant figures who provide protection and maintain order. Other members of the family-- including pets-- are viewed as brothers and sisters, like members of the same litter.
Just as a pecking order develops among puppies as they vie for and win their mother's teat and attention, dogs classify their own position according to the privileges bestowed upon them. Whether an owner presents such privileges consciously or not is unimportant to the dog.
Once a dog has established its status and the rank of those around it, it will strive to maintain the household's social order-- particularly its own standing. If there is any threat to a dog's rank-- whether real or perceived-- the dog will likely react defensively. In cases where a dog perceives its rank to be high, it may act aggressively to challenge or defend its position. This behavior tends to occur when another animal or person, such as a baby or a visitor, is suddenly introduced into the home.
DOMINANCE
The extent to which a dog has a dominant or a submissive temperament largely determines how it relates to other dogs and to people.
While some dogs may exert dominance over other dogs, they may not be dominant toward people. Conversely, some dogs tend to dominate people, not dogs. A very dominant dog, for example, often will challenge both dogs and people and may respond to submissive behavior with increased aggression. Dogs that are neither particularly dominant or submissive, on the other hand, generally behave according to their perception of the animals they encounter.
Signaling dominance: Dogs signal their dominance or submission through body language, including postures and facial expressions, and through sounds.
Tell-tale signs of dominant behavior include standing as tall as possible, with head, ears and tail held high; wagging the tail stiffly; holding a stare; placing the head over another dog's head or placing forepaws on another dog's back; straddling another dog as it lies on its back; exposing the teeth, and; growling aggressively.
A dog signaling a subordinate position, on the other hand, generally will behave in the opposite way. Signs of submission include lowering the ears and body; tucking the tail between the legs; averting the eyes; licking a dog's or a person's face and chin; remaining motionless while being sniffed or touched; rolling over; lying on the back while being straddled by another dog; grinning timidly by pulling the lips back, and; leaking urine.
Size: While it may be tempting to associate a dog's physical size with its tendency toward dominant or submissive behavior, there is no direct correlation between the two. Many small dogs will dominate giant-sized dogs, and older dogs often dominate younger dogs regardless of size. Female dogs tend to be less dominant than male dogs even when they are larger than the males. Oftentimes, neutering a male dog reduces dominant behavior.
SIGNALING
Because dogs are social animals, they communicate through a series of signs and signals. Understanding dog signals-- whether intended for other dogs or humans-- is essential to understanding their behavior.
Signaling through scent: Not surprisingly, dogs' outstanding sense of smell plays an important role in how they convey and interpret different signals. Dogs often leave messages for other dogs through their odor. A common example involves marking territory by urinating frequently on a particular spot or scratching the ground vigorously to leave behind the scent of sweat from their paws. Similarly, by sniffing the ground around them, dogs can detect who or what has set foot in their territory.
Another commonly seen scent-signal is the sniffing that goes on between dogs when they meet. Just as humans tend to appraise each other through their handshakes, dogs learn about each other through smell. Because the anal glands are a potent source of odor, dogs often refer to the area underneath the tail for information about each other. Rolling on grass or other strong-smelling things is a dog's way of improving its scent for the benefit other dogs.
Signaling through body language: In addition to signaling through scent, dogs also send messages through their body language. Individually and in combination, a dog's posture (including the position of the ears and tail), facial expressions (particularly the position of the eyes) and tail movements can communicate a number of different messages to other dogs and to humans.
Friendly dogs have relaxed ears in the down position, flat tails with plenty of wagging and make eye contact without staring. Submissive dogs keep the ears down, eyes averted and the tail between the legs. They may roll over on their backs or urinate while lying down. Dominant dogs have erect ears and tail, staring eyes and tend to put their paws on other dogs' backs. Truly aggressive dogs will stare, hold the tail motionless, growl and put the ears forward.
Signaling through sound: Perhaps the most obvious signals are the sounds dogs make. From enthusiastic barking to sympathetic whining to hostile growling, a dog's verbal signals offer important clues to their behavior and often occur in conjunction with body language.
MARKING
Marking, which usually takes the form of urination, is a dog's way of laying claim to territory. By urinating on certain spots, whether rocks, flowers, sign posts or fire hydrants, dogs delineate an area they consider their own. The scent of urine sends a clear signal to other dogs that they are encroaching on another's turf. Dogs also mark terrain with feces or anal gland secretions or by scratching, since the paws emit an odor through their sweat glands. Unneutered males mark more than females.
Dogs' preference for marking vertical objects such as hydrants, trees and signposts is due to the fact that scent lasts longer when it is not left on the ground, where it can be diluted by the tread of feet. Dogs will mark the same spot repeatedly over time to keep the scent fresh. Marked areas can range in size from one bush to many square miles.
PLAY
While play is an important source of fun and exercise for dogs of all ages, it is especially vital in the life of a puppy.
The reason behind puppy play suggests a direct link to their wild ancestors, the hunters. For puppies, playing is an alternative to hunting that enables them to use all of their senses to discover, interact with and adapt to their surroundings. By playing games with other puppies, a puppy acts out and responds to behaviors it will later experience as an adult. This is a crucial stage in the development of a well-adjusted dog.
Occasionally, play turns painful. When this happens, a puppy will yelp to indicate that it has been bitten or cuffed too hard. Yelping like a puppy is an effective way for people to avoid receiving a puppy nip or bite.
When a puppy or an adult dog bows its chest to the ground, while keeping its rear and tail high in the air, it is sending a clear signal that is ready for fun.
Of course, play also contributes to a puppy's physical growth by providing a valuable form of exercise. Because play is essential to the physical and social health of any dog, owners should not only allow it, but provide ample space and time for it.
BARKING
Like many dog behaviors, barking is thought to be instinctive. The chief function of barking can be traced back to the wolf's howl as a warning signal, a call for the pack to come together because of emergency, or summons for help. For dogs, it usually means that they will be defending their territory against intruders, which is often accomplished with an aggressive bark.
Of course, dogs also bark for a variety of other reasons, including exuberance, excitement, attention seeking, loneliness or frustration. Many dogs in groups seem to howl simply for pleasure. While dogs sometimes bark for no apparent reason, one theory suggests that dogs inherit their propensity for barking.
By changing the tone and volume of their bark, dogs can communicate a variety of different emotions and messages. To understand a dog's bark and to react appropriately, it is important to first consider the circumstances under which the dog is barking.
BITING
In both puppies and adult dogs, biting is a natural behavior. While biting is acceptable in puppies as a part of learning to use their teeth, it is generally not permitted, and should not be tolerated, in adult dogs.
Owners have a responsibility to teach their puppies at an early age not to bite people. If the action is not discouraged and changed, it will likely develop into a dominant behavior-- with potentially harmful results. An effective way of discouraging puppy nips and bites is to yelp in a high pitched voice as puppies do when bitten or threatened with a bite.
While aggressive, dominant dogs are often pinpointed as possible biters, fearful and submissive dogs are very likely to bite when they feel threatened. Signs of this behavior include aggressive growling or snapping, combined with submissive postures such as crouching or flattened ears.
CHASING
Chasing is a highly developed instinct in dogs stemming from their ancestors' need to hunt for survival. Chasing prey for food, however, and chasing cars for fun are entirely different matters.
With the exception of hunting breeds for whom chasing is an important part of life, chasing generally should not be tolerated in dogs. Before attempting to correct the behavior, however, it is first important to determine the reason behind it. Whether a dog chases for simple pleasure or for serious pursuit will largely determine the best approach toward modifying the behavior.
In rare cases, a dog should be rewarded for chasing-- but only when the chase involves an intruder.
CHEWING
A dog's reasons for chewing are as varied as the objects it chooses to chew. While chewing can be an annoying and costly habit, it does serve a legitimate purpose in some instances.
As puppies develop their teeth and learn to use them, they experience a physiological and, to a lesser extent, a psychological need to chew. Even as young adults, when adult teeth begin to set in the jaw bone, teething often leads to chewing.
Lack of fiber in a dog's diet is another physiological reason behind chewing. Dogs with insufficient fiber in their food are likely to seek it from other sources, such as wooden posts, the legs of chairs, roots, toilet rolls and other seemingly unappetizing objects.
Lack of mental and physical stimulation-- commonly known as boredom-- is a major cause of most chewing (a sure sign that a dog needs attention and exercise).
Dogs with strong emotional attachments to their owners often will chew on an object, such as a slipper or shoe, that is imbued with the owner's comforting scent. Other dogs, experiencing anxiety about being left alone in the house, turn their frustration on an object-- and destroy it.
As with other behaviors that can become problematic, determining the underlying cause of chewing is the first step toward changing it.
DIGGING
Like barking and other instinctive behaviors, digging comes naturally to dogs. While certain dogs dig better than others, virtually all dogs dig for some reason. Digging a hole to bury or retrieve a bone is perhaps the best-known example of why dogs dig. Dogs are also likely to dig holes for cooling themselves in hot weather and for shelter in the cold.
Practical considerations aside, a dog may dig simply to satisfy its curiosity or indulge in a pleasing scent. As a result, burrowing insects and newly planted gardens often bear the brunt of a dog's digging.
Since thwarting a dog's desire to dig can be an arduous task, it is helpful to create a specific area, such as a sandbox or unused part of the yard, where the dog is allowed to dig. Burying toys or treats in that area will encourage the dog to dig there, not elsewhere.
Some breeds, such as Dachshunds and many Terriers, were bred to dig and exhibit a strong desire to do so. These breeds will dig on carpets and must be given an outlet for this natural instinct.
JUMPING
Dogs tend to greet people by jumping up to see them. While such an exuberant greeting may be a welcome sign of affection for some people, it can also be a frightening-- not to mention messy-- experience for others.
Considerate owners should train their dogs never to jump on people. With thorough obedience training, most dogs can learn to jump only on command.
While large dogs tend to place their paws on a person's shoulders as a friendly greeting, such behavior is sometimes used by dominant dogs to assert themselves. In such cases, it is important not to react aggressively, since the dog may respond in kind.
MOUNTING
Mounting is one of the primary behaviors involved in mating. When done without sexual intent, however, it is a clear sign of dominant behavior. By mounting-- whether another dog or a person's leg-- dogs signal their intention to dominate by jumping up and standing as tall as possible.
While non-sexual mounting may not bother other dogs, it can be a serious nuisance and embarrassment to people. This behavior should be strongly discouraged.
Owners whose dogs direct this behavior toward them should reconsider their own behavior toward their dogs. Consciously or not, owners may be conveying a message that they are not in charge. Sensing this, their dogs challenge their status as leaders by attempting to gain dominance through mounting.
