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Common Puppy Behavior Problems
Bringing a new puppy home and making them part of your family can be exciting! Puppies are adorable, cuddly, playful and all-around lovable. However, it's not all fun and games if and when that puppy starts showing unwanted behaviors like chewing, begging, or getting onto furniture.
Start off on the right paw with Dog Training Elite puppy obedience training to quickly address behavior problems. Beginning obedience training early will help you create a lifelong bond with your new puppy and get rid of those unwanted behaviors. Find a trainer near you today!
Behavior Problems
Many of the problems listed below are normal behavior for puppies and come with the "puppy stage." However, these behaviors are problematic, and it's not too early to start addressing and correcting them.
More than just addressing the behavior, it's important to try and understand the cause behind it. The trainers of Dog Training Elite can help you determine why a behavior is happening, so you're better equipped to train your dog out of it.
Chewing is a natural part of a dog's physiology and comes built-in. It needs to be addressed if your puppy's chewing is destructive because they're chewing on shoes or furniture. Puppies chew because they are curious, teething, bored, or anxious. Working with a Dog Training Elite trainer will help your pup to learn to chew on toys instead of your slippers!
Puppies will bite or nip to explore their environment and test boundaries. Though your dog may not be play-biting out of aggression, you should address it so that it does not become a pattern in the future. Dogs and puppies may bite or nip because they are afraid, in pain, defending property, or from predatory instinct. Avoid wagging your fingers in front of your pup’s face, as it tempts them to bite, and get help from a professional dog trainer.
Dogs learn to jump from a young age to meet and greet their mother. Jumping in puppies or dogs can happen when greeting you or guests, jumping up to reach or steal food, or when they get excited. It is not an inherently dangerous behavior but can cause injury to your dog if overdone. Depending on how big your dog will get, it can potentially hurt someone else, too. It may seem counterintuitive, but don't respond. This will help them learn that they won't be rewarded for jumping.
Barking comes naturally for dogs; some pups may vocalize by whining or howling. If it starts becoming excessive or done at inappropriate times, puppy obedience training will help you immensely. Barking might happen because your puppy is playing, seeking attention, giving a warning, responding to other dogs, or has anxiety. As with jumping, try to ignore your pup when they are barking demandingly and reward them for being "polite."
Like many other behaviors, digging comes naturally. The instinct to dig may be more intense in some breeds. Most dogs will dig if given a chance, and this can happen because they have excess energy, are trying to escape or access an area, or trying to bury a possession. Try including more enrichment for your dog during the day or longer walks to burn off excess energy.
Separation anxiety can cause significant problems for an owner if not addressed. Signs of separation anxiety in dogs include following their owner around, becoming anxious as their owner prepares to leave, and misbehaving in the first 15-45 minutes after the owner leaves the house. Dog Training Elite are experts at dealing with separation anxiety in dogs.
Every puppy needs to be correctly potty trained; if done incorrectly, it can lead to problems with inappropriate urination and defecation problems. If a puppy or dog is having difficulties with potty training, it can be because of anxiety, territorial marking, and submissive or territorial marking. It's important to never punish your dog for having an accident in the house. At Dog Training Elite, we use positive reinforcement to develop desired behaviors.
Dogs and puppies beg because they love food. Giving your dog table scraps can be fun but lead to further begging and can even be dangerous for your dog's digestive system and health. Don’t give in when your puppy begs for food, no matter how cute they are.
Another instinct for dogs is chasing. Some breeds may have a stronger instinct than others, but in any case, it should be kept in check. Playing chase with your dog can be fun and good exercise for you both. However, chasing at unwanted times can be dangerous for your pup and may have disastrous consequences. A puppy or dog may chase because of their instincts, a desire to play, or out of aggression. The trainers at Dog Training Elite will work with you to train your dog not to chase, so you can help your pup keep up the good behavior even without a trainer there.
Our Balanced Theory
We base our training around the "Classical Conditioning" model (a.k.a. "Pavlovian" or "respondent conditioning"). This includes developing conditioned or automatic reflexes to commands. In its simplest form (after proper conditioning), when the owner says "sit," the dog automatically sits without thinking about it. Our unique techniques ensure our program is a success no matter what behavior we encounter.
Empowering Owners
We empower owners to train so their dog knows who to obey at all times.
Personalized
We deal with problem behaviors on a personal basis.
Environment Specific
We train wherever issues tend to arise (i.e. jogging, park, home).
Supportive
We support owners in the off-hours (when training is "not in session").
Involved
We work with all members of the household.
Simplified & Customized
We plan training around the owner's schedule and require only 20 min/day follow-up practice.
Continued Training
Additional programs / group sessions offered after in-home training.
Lifetime Investment
We follow up & are invested in the owner's success long-term.
Satisfaction Ratings
Our high client satisfaction rating sets us apart from competitors.
clas·si·cal con·di·tion·ing PSYCHOLOGY noun A learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired; a response that is at first elicited by the second stimulus and is eventually elicited by the first stimulus alone.
We help your dog become a valued companion and beloved member of the family. Read what our customers have to say and then give us a call!
Love the process my dog has made! Deidre has been a great teacher to both me and my dog, have noticed a huge difference in her personality since starting training! Would recommend elite dog training to anyone looking for consistent progress in their pup!— Mariana Hincapie
Posted May 8th 2024
Simply amazing!!! My dog had been in other trainings and mild change, one day and she has learned more than she did in one month at other places ! Day one !! Simply WOW!— Cynthia Ramos
Posted May 6th 2024
I can't say enough positive things about Dog Training Elite. My puppy is only 12 weeks and she is already starting to understand sit, wait, heel, place, break, lets go, and come. After the 3rd day my puppy new exactly where we were walking into Dog Training Elite facility and her tail would start wagging fast. The trainers are awesome and it's great giving your dog the ability to interact with other dogs in a controlled environment. I highly recommend you bring your dogs here for training!— Justin Morales
Posted May 4th 2024
Elite dog training is the absolute best of the best!!! We have a service dog for my 9 year old, and between Evan, and Kaycee I couldn’t ask for better people to work with! They have gone absolutely above and beyond to help our pup do any, and everything possible to help our daughter live the most independent life despite her chronic health problems. The amount of time, and work they have put into Reggie these last two years is astounding. Because of them Reggie is able to spend countless weeks in the hospital with my 9 year old, he goes to school with her everyday, and goes everywhere she goes. He is by far the best dog ever because of the incredible people at Elite. You can absolutely tell the people at Elite love what they do! 5 stars is not enough to describe what an incredible company this is!! We LOVE Utah County Elite dog trainers!!— Karissa Illu
Posted April 1st 2024
We have two small dogs with lots of energy, fear of larger dogs and people, and barkiness! The trainers at Dog Training Elite were so knowledgeable about how to approach their individual issues. After two weeks of training, we were amazed at the transformation. Our pups are much more confident, obedient, and willing to learn new skills. They are still young and have more to learn, so we are grateful for the continuing group classes and in home sessions. Thank you to Jake, McCall, Jeff and Dallin for all their help and patience with us and our pups!— Jonathan and Marisa Schwartz
Posted May 2nd 2024
From the very first day I expressed interest in training my goldie, Ry, to be a service dog, this wonderful team has made the process nothing but positive. I can’t recommend them enough. I am wholeheartedly SO grateful for this training center and what they do. Ry has already made immense progress and I can’t wait to continue his training with DTENU :)— Dresden Chamberlain
Posted May 1st 2024
I had an extremely positive experience with Dog Training Elite and Jeff. My dog is able to comfortably go on hikes off leash and is happier than ever.— Zachary Kriesberg
Posted May 1st 2024
We have our new 3 month golden retriever training to be our service dog with them and they have been very professional ! He is learning very fast with all there training .i would recommend them .— Sharlene Thum
Posted April 16th 2024
A knowledgable, well-maintained, and established dog trainer run by consummate professionals. We work closely with the trainer Deidre with our two-year-old german shepherd and could not recommend both her and the business more.— Kimball McIntire
Posted April 12th 2024
I have nothing but great things to say about Dog Training Elite. Professional, knowledgeable, and they offer a wide variety of training options and classes. I am very happy I found this program for my dog. Addakias is awesome and always makes classes meaningful and fun. I highly recommend this business to anyone looking for general training to service dog training.— Jordan Marie Diggs
Posted April 11th 2024
I have nothing but great things to say about Dog Training Elite. Professional, knowledgeable, and they offer a wide variety of training options and classes. I am very happy I found this program for my dog. Adakias is awesome and always makes classes meaningful and fun. I highly recommend this business to anyone looking for general training to service dog training.— Jordan Diggs
Posted April 11th 2024
I love Dobermans my 10 year old passed away so I just got a rescue, she was mistreated and very reactive ,my standard training practices were not working.Jeff the trainer has rescued us. Don’t fear the e collar this has been the easiest fastest safest way I have ever trained a dog Thank u so much Jeff— Lori Barker
Posted April 11th 2024
We have been working with them to train our very high energy and sometimes anxious Husky/Doberman 1yr old dog, and after just the first session he's been a totally different dog! Daidre has been amazing with him and very thorough with each session making sure our dog and we as his owners know what to do! They've been great to work with and I am so glad we chose them to help train our dog (and us) so we can give him his best life! Highly recommend!— Rebekah Hunt
Posted April 8th 2024
Tyler was/is amazing! Our 4yr old mix breed dog was usually terrified of any man that walked into our house. Binny and Tyler became friends after the second training session. We learned SO much and it is very refreshing to have a properly trained dog. Our lives are changed as well as Binny’s. He is now able to just chill and be a dog in his place instead of barking and being scared. We can go to our camper by the river and not worry about him bolting out of the door as soon as someone opens it and he likes to sit outside with us now. We practice everyday and he’s still learning but we were given the proper direction to be able to make Binny more comfortable and our lives less stressful. Thank you so much Tyler we appreciate you and also enjoyed getting to know you as well. 10/10 recommend!— Crystal Buss
Posted April 3rd 2024
The trainers at Dog Training Elite are absolutely fabulous! They are training my dog, a Serbian Rottweiler, currently, eight months, old, to be my Service Dog. They have done a fantastic job up to this point! In addition to training at their facility, they have training at my home and in public areas. They explain the training thoroughly as they are not just training the dog, they are training me. I couldn’t be more pleased, and I strongly recommend them as trainers for. Service dogs, and general training for pets. They are worth every penny.— Cestmoimoi
Posted February 28th 2024
We live in Palm City FL to they are based next to us in Fort Pierce and the area. Shelly was amazing !! We just completed training for our 1 year old Bull Mastiff and our 2 year old French Mastiff (Dogue) and will start attending some group trainings/meetings. Our dogs are no longer pulling and jumping up on people and she taught us the techniques that WE need to be the best dog parents for them. We highly recommend Dog Training Elite - be sure not to mistake them from other companies with similar names. It was worth every penny and knowing also that going forward Dog Training Elite (and Shelly) are there for us and our pups.— suzy messina
Posted April 2nd 2024
My 3-year-old Bernedoodle, Millie, was very reactive to practically any person, dog or thing that moved before training began. After even the first couple sessions with Cameron, she was already showing signs of improvement. Today was her last one-on-one (her eighth session) and we went to the park, which I haven't been to for a walk since getting Millie six months ago. I now have the confidence to walk in the park with her beside me and know that I have everything under control. She's miles from where she was in the beginning, and I'm so proud of her. I could never thank Dog Training Elite enough to see how reactive she was in the beginning and have the confidence to say it could be turned around. I'm also grateful for Cameron's patience with Millie and ME. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect trainer for us. I'm eternally grateful.— Valeri Pearon
Posted March 29th 2024
DTE has been absolutely fantastic over the past couple years. Their staff is responsive, friendly, and professional. They are prompt to address any questions or concerns and always put in their full effort to help in any way they can. I've trained three dogs with them, and every time it's a wonderful experience!— Bryce Magera
Posted March 25th 2024
Deidre is wonderful. She genuinely cares, pays attention, gets to know you and your dog, and then makes sure to focus on the areas that will make a difference with the lifestyle you want with your dog. We were in a hard position with our cute puppy and were having increasing problems with some fear based aggression that we didn’t know how to handle. She showed us what to do and things have improved enormously. He’s becoming better all the time and has gained so much confidence. Our lives are much less stressful than before. Thanks Deidre!!— Jourden Satterfield
Posted March 24th 2024
Trust the Puppy Obedience Training Professionals
It may be tempting to try and correct a puppy behavior problem on your own, but often DIY training can take more work and time than necessary or even go wrong and cause more significant issues. The professional dog trainers at Dog Training Elite are ready to help you and your pup with any behavior problems with our excellent puppy obedience training programs.
Dog Training Elite specializes in in-home training for you and your pup, taking into account your pup’s unique needs as well as the needs of your home and family. Request an in-home assessment today!
Proud Sponsor of The Malinois Foundation
At Dog Training Elite, we believe that Service Dogs save lives. It is our mission to make these life-saving companions available to our Veterans, First Responders, Women Survivors, and Children with Medical Needs. Whether it be for PTSD, Mobility Support, or Special Needs, Dog Training Elite works with the Malinois Foundation to heal and empower these individuals with a specialized service animal, a partner in life, and a new best friend.