#dog behavior problems

Written by: Anand Sen; Reviewed by: Dr. Yashica M

Things usually start small. Your flip-flop goes missing. You assumed that you misplaced them somewhere, but later find it remains on the balcony, looking like it went through a mixer-grinder.

Then, the stakes start getting higher. A sofa cushion explodes while you’re out buying milk. Your dog is standing in a cotton cloud, barking at a passing activist like it’s a sworn enemy of the state. You stare at him, he stares back with a wagging tail, looking as innocent as a Tollywood hero in the first half of a movie.

“Why does my dog do that?”

Every Indian pet parent has screamed this question at least once, usually while holding a piece of what used to be a very expensive Sheesham wood dining chair.

The "Mann Ki Baat" of Dogs

Here’s the truth that vets and expert behaviorists know, but your neighbour Sharma-ji (who hates your dog) probably doesn't: Your dog isn't "bad."

They aren't taking revenge for that bath you gave them last Sunday. Its their way of communicating.

According to behavioural research published in Frontiers of Veterinary Science, 72%-85% of pet dogs exhibit at least one significant behavioural issue during their lifetime. These problematic behaviours can range from excessive barking and chewing to anxiety-related behaviors.

Your dog is rarely the problem; It’s usually their unmet physical or mental needs, inconsistent training, or misunderstood canine instincts. The Good News is that most of these behaviors have clear, science-backed causes and solutions.

So, put down the rolled-up newspaper and cancel the "Dog Hostel" inquiry. We’re going to decode the 15 most common dog behaviors and give you practical fixes that actually work.

1. Excessive Barking - My Dog Won’t Stop Talking

The behaviour

Dogs bark. It’s their version of WhatsApp voice notes.

However, if your dog barks excessively and constantly at noises, people, or nothing at all, it usually signals one of four things:

Boredom

Territorial alerting

Anxiety

Attention-seeking

Veterinary literature shows that barking increases when dogs lack adequate mental stimulation and structured exercise.

In simple terms: a bored dog is a loud dog.

What to do

Increase daily exercise, both physical and mental.

Teach a “quiet” cue: reward silence after barking stops.

Identify and desensitise triggers, for example, doorbells, crowding and street noises.

Avoid yelling; dogs often interpret it as the owner joining the barking.

Pro tip:

Indian dogs living in high-rise apartments bark out of frustration. 30-minute walks twice a day can help you dramatically reduce nuisance barking.

2. Separation Anxiety - He Falls Apart When I Leave

The behaviour

When you grab your car keys. Your dog immediately knows, and within minutes of you leaving, neighbours report:

Nonstop barking

Scratching doors

Destruction

Whining

In addition, excessive drooling, house accidents, and food refusal are also signs your dog has separation anxiety.

According to research on canine behaviour, separation anxiety affects 20–40% of companion dogs. Dogs have co-evolved with humans as social animals for over 14000-30000+ years. Being alone can trigger genuine panic in some individuals.

What to do

Start gradual departure training, leave them for 1–2 minutes, and return calmly.

Always avoid dramatic goodbyes and reunions.

Provide long-lasting enrichment toys (like stuffed KONGs).

Use white noise or calming pheromone diffusers.

If your dog has severe separation anxiety, it may require behaviour therapy combined with veterinary-prescribed medication.

The key: teach independence slowly.

3. Destructive Chewing - Why Is Everything a Chew Toy?

The behaviour

Chewing is a completely normal behaviour in dogs as it allows them to explore the world with their mouths.

However, excessive chewing is not normal.

Your dog chooses the most expensive object in the house to chew. Shoes, furniture legs, cushions, and remote controls.

Destructive chewing often signals:

Teething (in puppies)

Boredom

Anxiety

Excess energy

Veterinary literature on dental research also confirms that chewing helps maintain oral health and stress relief in dogs.

What to do

Provide appropriate chew outlets (KONGs, nylon bones).

Try to rotate toys weekly to maintain novelty.

Increase daily physical activity

Use interactive pet toys like smart puzzle feeders and eco-rope tug toys to offer mental enrichment

Use taste deterrents like bitter apple spray on furniture to manage chewing

Proper management is key: don’t leave temptation within reach. A bored dog + unattended sofa = crime scene.

4. Leash Pulling & Leash Reactivity - Walking Him Is a Full-Body Workout

The behaviour

As soon as you start the walk, within seconds, you’re being dragged like a sledge. Leash pulling happens because your dog knows that pulling works. Dogs learn quickly that tension moves them forward.

Leash reactivity, lunging or barking at other dogs is often a result of frustration or fear.

Dogs living in urban areas experienced restricted socialisation, which intensifies these reactions.

What to do

Use a front-clip harness instead of a collar.

Practice the stop-and-go method: stop walking when pulling begins.

Reward loose leash walking so that your dog can positively associate it.

Maintain distance from triggers while walking.

Walking your dog should feel like a partnership, not a tug-of-war.

5. Dog Aggression - He Growls at Everyone

The behaviour

Aggression is one of the most misunderstood dog behaviours.

Growling, snapping, or lunging can arise from:

Fear

Pain

Territorial instincts

poor early socialisation

Veterinary literature emphasises that growling is communication, not bad behaviour.

A dog that growls is saying:

“I’m uncomfortable.”

Punishing your dog actually works in a negative way and removes the signal. However, it does not curb the emotion behind it.

What to do

First rule out medical causes with a veterinary exam.

Avoid punishment or force-based training.

Use counter-conditioning and controlled exposure.

Work with a certified behaviourist if aggression escalates.

Aggression is treatable in the most aggressive dog breeds. However, it requires structured training, consistency and a predictable routine.

6. Jumping Up on People - My Dog Has No Concept of Personal Space

The behaviour

Guests enter, and your dog greets them like a furry missile.

Jumping is a natural canine greeting behaviour. Dogs greet face-to-face, unfortunately our faces are higher up.

But the real reason jumping persists?

It works. People laugh, talk, or touch the dog, which reinforces such behaviour.

What to do

Always ignore jumping, don’t make eye contact, laugh or touch your dog.

Reward the dog only when all four paws are on the ground.

Teach an alternative greeting while sitting

Ask guests to participate in the training.

Dogs tend to repeat behaviours that earn attention. Change the reward, change the behaviour.

7. House Soiling - He Was Trained. I Thought.

The behaviour

Your dog was house-trained. But suddenly, accidents start appearing. Before terming it as bad behaviour, always rule out medical causes first.

Health conditions like urinary infections in dogs, diabetes, gastrointestinal illness, or kidney diseases can lead to sudden house soiling.

Consult a vet online through online vet consultations on the Conbun app to rule out these medical conditions.

If the vet gives a clean chit, then it's likely one of these:

Stress or change in routine

Incomplete house training

Urine marking

As stated earlier, dogs thrive on predictability. A disrupted schedule, a new pet, a new home, travel, all can trigger house accidents.

What to do

Reinstate a strict toilet schedule.

Take your dog out immediately after meals or naps.

Reward correct elimination outside.

Always clean indoor accidents with enzymatic cleaners to remove scent cues.

Punishing accidents only creates fear. House training is less about inculcating discipline and more about implementing consistent routines and enhancing communication.

8. Food Guarding & Resource Guarding - Touch His Bowl and Die

The behaviour

You reach toward your dog’s bowl. He stiffens, growls, and maybe even snaps.

This is a resource guarding behavior, deeply ingrained in survival instincts. If seen from an evolutionary perspective, animals that protected their food lived longer.

Dogs may guard:

Food bowls

Bones

Toys

Sleeping spots

Favourite human

Studies in veterinary behavioural science suggest that resource guarding is linked to early food insecurity or competition, especially during puppyhood. However, it can also appear in otherwise well-adjusted dogs.

What to do

Never punish your dog for guarding, as it can increase anxiety and escalate aggression.

Practice “trading games”, exchange the item for something better.

In multi-dog households, feed dogs separately.

Focus on building positive associations with human presence during feeding.

The goal is simple. Your dog must associate your presence with good things, not loss of resources.

9. Fear of Loud Noises - Diwali Is His Worst Nightmare

The behaviour

As soon as fireworks explode, your dog disappears like Dr Strange disappearing with a sling ring.

Noise phobias are extremely common in dogs. Research from the Applied Animal Behaviour Science estimates up to 50% of dogs show fear responses to loud sounds.

In India, traffic, industrial machinery and fireworks, etc., are common triggers.

Signs include:

Trembling

Pacing

Drooling

Hiding

Attempts to escape

As dogs hear frequencies nearly twice the range of humans, fireworks can feel overwhelming to them

What to do

Create a safe den space in the house where your dog can relax.

Close windows and play calming background noise or white noise.

Use pressure wraps like ThunderShirts.

Provide calming chewable toys

And most importantly: Stay calm yourself. Dogs read your emotional cues.

10. Digging - He’s Excavating the Garden Again

The behaviour

Your dog is not destroying your lawn to take revenge on you for not letting him eat your socks. He is recreating ancient canine instincts.

Digging originates from:

Prey hunting

Temperature regulation

Boredom

Nest building

Many dogs like digging simply because it’s fun.

What to do

Increase physical exercise and play sessions.

Offer a designated digging zone in the garden.

Bury toys in there to encourage appropriate digging.

Block access to areas you want protected.

11. Chasing - Vehicles, Cats, Squirrels, Feet

The behaviour

A scooter passes. Your dog turns into Orion Spacecraft and launches. This is predatory chasing, part of the natural canine hunting sequence (Predatory Motor Pattern).

Some breeds demonstrate a stronger prey drive, especially herding and hunting breeds.

Urban environments can amplify this instinct because:

Fast-moving vehicles mimic prey motion

Leash restrictions increase frustration

What to do

Train your dog for a strong recall command.

Use long-line training in open spaces.

Reward attention to you when distractions appear.

Provide controlled outlets like fetch or flirt pole games.

Remember: you cannot remove prey drive.

But you can teach impulse control.

12. Mounting Behaviour - This Is Embarrassing, Please Stop

The behaviour

Your dog humps another dog. Or a pillow. Or your visiting uncle. You’ve seen this many times, and now you feel extremely annoyed.

Mounting is often assumed to be sexual behaviour, but veterinary behavioural research shows it’s also commonly linked to excitement or stress.

Triggers include:

overstimulation

play escalation

lack of social boundaries

hormonal influence

What to do

Interrupt your dog calmly and redirect them to another activity.

Increase physical exercise to reduce excess energy.

Teach impulse control commands like “settle.”

Consider spaying/neutering if this bothers you to that extent.

Embarrassing? Yes. Uncommon? Not at all.

13. Excessive Licking - He Licks Everything, Including the Wall

The behaviour

Dogs have a tendency to lick things. But excessive licking signals deeper issues. Veterinary behavioural research links compulsive licking to various causes, such as:

Allergies, ticks, fleas or worms (most common in India due to diet and weather)

Anxiety or compulsive disorder

Nausea or gastrointestinal issues (floor/wall licking specifically)

Boredom

What to do

Schedule an online vet consultation to rule out any medical condition.

Skin allergies need a proper diet and treatment.

Increase enrichment and exercise to prevent boredom.

Provide structured licking outlets like LickiMats to help soothe their anxiety.

Licking can be soothing for dogs; the goal is healthy outlets, not harmful surfaces.

14. Begging at the Table - The Eyes, The Eyes

The behaviour

You sit down for dinner. Your dog appears with those eyes. But you say no.

Five minutes later, you give in. Begging works as it is intermittently rewarded. It is considered the strongest reinforcement pattern in behavioural psychology.

What to do

Never feed your pets from the table.

Train a “place” command where the dog must relax during meals.

Offer a chew toy or puzzle toy during dinner time.

Consistency matters more than discipline. One dropped roti can undo weeks of training.

15. Zoomies & Hyperactivity - He’s Running Laps at Midnight

The behaviour

Suddenly, your dog explodes into motion. Running circles or laps. These bursts are known as FRAPs (Frenetic Random Activity Periods), commonly called zoomies, and dogs do these to release pent-up energy or excitement.

Zoomies are normal, especially in young dogs.

What to do

Ensure that your dog is getting daily exercise.

Provide mental enrichment with training games and puzzles.

Maintain structured routines.

Avoid encouraging hyperactivity indoors.

A tired dog is a well-behaved dog.

Quick Reference: 15 Dog Behaviour Problems at a Glance

When Should You See a Vet or Behaviourist?

Seek professional help if:

aggression escalates suddenly

behaviour appears linked to pain

anxiety leads to self-injury

training attempts show no improvement

Many behavioural issues actually have underlying medical triggers, from thyroid imbalance to chronic pain.

A veterinary evaluation is always the safest first step.

Top Products to Help with Dog Behaviour Problems

These products are widely available on Amazon India, Heads Up For Tails, and Zigly.

The Bottom Line

Your dog isn’t trying to annoy you. He’s trying to communicate the only way he knows how. When you see behaviour problems appearing in your dog, they’re usually clues, clues about needs, stress, instincts, or health.

Decode the message, and the solution becomes clearer.

Your dog is doing his best.

Are you doing yours?

To do your best, you need to first understand the behavioural cues your dog gives. If you are still unsure about a specific behavioural trait, expert pet behaviourists are just a tap away with Conbun.

Download Conbun android and iOS to connect with certified veterinarians and pet care experts online to understand your dog the way he understands you.

FAQs: Your Dog Behaviour Questions, Answered

1. What are the most common dog behaviour problems in India?

Answer. Excessive barking, leash pulling, separation anxiety, destructive chewing and noise phobia are the most frequently reported dog behaviour problems in India.

2. Why is my dog suddenly aggressive?

Answer. Sudden aggression in dogs indicates fear, pain or a medical issue. An online veterinary exam should always be the first step.

3. Are calming products safe for dogs?

Answer. Most vet-approved products like pressure wraps and pheromone diffusers are safe for dogs if used correctly.

4. How do I help my dog with separation anxiety?

Answer. Enrichment toys, gradual independence training, calming aids and behavioural therapy (for severe cases) can be helpful for dogs with separation anxiety.

5. When should I see a behaviourist?

Answer. If you see severe anxiety, aggression or compulsive behaviours in your pets despite training efforts, you should consult a behaviourist.

Struggling with a dog that jumps on people as soon as they walk through the door? Dogs often jump to greet people, but this can be dangerous or annoying, especially with guests or small children.Here's how to stop dog jumping behavior before it becomes a real problem—especially if your dog jumps on guests or small kids.

1. 🛑 Ignore the Jumping

One of the simplest dog jumping training tips is to ignore them completely when they jump. Don’t talk, touch, or make eye contact until all four paws are on the ground. Dogs jump on guests for attention—removing that reward can reduce the behavior quickly.

2. 🪑 Teach a “Sit to Greet” Command

Instead of just telling your dog "no," redirect them with a solid "sit" command every time someone enters. Consistently asking your dog to sit teaches them an alternative greeting that’s calm and controlled. If you're wondering how to stop dog from jumping the moment the door opens, this command is your go-to fix. Photo credit Blue Bird Pexeels

3. 🚫 Use a Dog Gate or Leash at the Door           

Managing the greeting area prevents chaos when guests arrive. Using a leash or baby gate allows your dog to see and hear new people without having the chance to jump up. This is especially useful if your dog jumps on guests before you can intervene.

4. 🦴 Reward Calm Behavior

Catch your dog doing the right thing—standing or sitting calmly—and reward them with praise or a treat. Positive reinforcement helps the dog associate not jumping with getting attention. If your dog gets overexcited when people arrive, this method teaches impulse control.

5. 🚪 Practice Controlled Door Greetings

Stage practice greetings by having friends come to the door repeatedly. Each time, reinforce sitting or calm behavior before opening the door. This method is excellent for owners searching how to stop a dog from jumping on people when they come over.

6. 🧍‍♂️ Turn Your Back

When your dog jumps up, turn away without saying anything. This nonverbal response tells your dog that jumping ends all fun and engagement. It’s a clear way to communicate that jumping on people isn’t the way to get attention.

7. 💼 Train Guests to Help

Ask visitors to follow your rules by not petting or talking to your dog until they're calm. Often, dog jumps on guests because the guests unintentionally reinforce the behavior with squeals or laughter. Let your friends know they’re part of the training team!

8. 🧠 Provide Mental & Physical Stimulation

Dogs that have pent-up energy are more likely to jump out of excitement. Regular walks, play sessions, and puzzle toys can reduce overexcitement when people arrive. If you’ve been googling how to stop my dog from jumping and barking, start by burning off that extra energy.

9. 📦 Use Place Training

Teach your dog to go to a mat or “place” near the door when someone enters. Place training gives your dog a job and keeps them from charging guests. Many behaviorists recommend this for how to stop dog from jumping on people at the door. Photo by Aysun Kahraman Öktem

10. 🧑‍🏫 Consider Working with a Trainer

If your dog’s jumping is persistent or aggressive, it might be time to call in a professional. A dog trainer can tailor a behavior plan specific to your dog’s triggers and learning style. This is especially helpful if your dog jumps on people and won’t listen to basic commands.

📌 Save This List

Whether you have a puppy who’s learning boundaries or an older dog with ingrained habits, these techniques can help. Share this list with anyone wondering how to stop a dog from jumping on guests or kids. Consistency is key!

As a dog owner, it’s important to understand and meet your furry dogs basic needs to ensure they live a happy and healthy life. Just like humans, dogs have certain essential needs that must be met to thrive. In this post, we’ll explore the five essential needs of dogs and provide some tips on how you can meet these needs for your furry companion. By the end of this post, you’ll have a better…

Dog Behavior Problems