Dog Training
A Dog's Nature
By Jan Hoadley

Keeping these things in mind we must be clear in what we provide for the dog. Rawhide bones, dog toys and other goodies must be distinctly *dog*. Giving him your old worn out shoes to chew on and then reprimanding him for chewing on your new shoes is completely unfair...they smell the same and the dog doesn't recognize the difference between worn out shoes and the $30 pair you just bought. If there are children in the home make his toys different from theirs - a ball of theirs and one that belongs to the child looks the same to a puppy!

The dog's natural behavior didn't include dog houses and doggie doors. When it was hot they would dig to expose the cooler earth. Digging to get under a fence is the logical thing in a dog's mind to get past a barrier. Leaving a dog out in hot weather means you can expect holes in your yard, flower beds and landscaping. As a natural instinct it does no good to punish a dog after the fact - prevention is key!

Dogs are scavengers, and are not vegetarian. They will eat droppings, dead animals, grass, plant material and many other things we humans find less than pleasant!

Beyond the basic natural behavior of all common dogs the different breeds will have inherant characteristics that are predictable. One owner complained of a beagle that barked incessantly - on investigation it was learned that the dog was tied near their rabbit hutches. The beagle, developed for hunting rabbits, thought she'd found beagle heaven! She wanted to let everyone know about the bounty she'd found - which was not understood by the humans. Moved away from the rabbits she quieted down.

Dogs bred for hunting small furry things often can't be trusted with other pets such as cats, rabbits, ferrets or hamsters - the result ends badly for the other pet.