Instructions
Learn about Basic Dog Behavior
Respect the fact that all dogs, regardless of breed or blue ribbon-winning lineage, are pack animals. As such, their social structure is dictated by a balanced pecking order to ensure that any behavior that could lead to disorder is shunned and cooperation is rewarded. Recognizing this is critical to understanding many aspects of dog behavior.
Act like a pack leader. Your dog looks to you to provide direction in many situations and wants to follow your lead, so be firm, calm, and consistent about your expectations at all times. A dog needs this kind of stability from his or her family of two-legged members as much as from wild pack mates. In fact, a lack of leadership typically creates a state of chronic anxiety in dogs, which can lead to aggression.
Learn to project the right message to better understand dog behavior. Unlike many people, dogs are very astute at reading body language. For example, if you want your dog to step in line for a walk without him or her dragging you all the way, then adopt a no-nonsense stance by keeping your chin high and your back and shoulders straight, and walk at a pace that doesn't permit your dog to make decisions about when and where to stop.
Refrain from assessing your dog's behavior as human-like. Granted, receiving a good face licking upon returning home is an act of submission that translates to your dog being genuinely happy to see you. However, your dog is also hoping that you had a good meal while you were out and that his or her tongue-lashing will inspire you to regurgitate some of it to share with him or her.
Resist the temptation to believe that your dog feels guilty over some wrongdoing because he or she gives you "that look." Experiencing guilt would imply that your dog is capable of subscribing to a code of ethics when in fact he or she is simply operating on instinct supplemented with behavior learned by repetition. In fact, your dog's facial expression is a response learned from you after delivering a scolding on a previous occasion.
Accept the fact that what you may construe as destructive behavior, such as an obsession for digging holes in the yard or gnawing on furniture, can usually be blamed on a lack of alternative activities. In other words, dogs get bored. You can prevent many unwanted dog behaviors by providing plenty of interesting toys to keep your dog stimulated.
Keep a sense of perspective---and humor---about inherent dog behavior. For example, the sniffing of genitals is the acceptable standard greeting between dogs, so if your dog exhibits this behavior at your next cocktail party, understand that he or she is not being rude to your guests but just saying, "How do you do?"
How to Understand Dog Behavior
If your dog could talk, there would be no question or misunderstanding about his or her wants or needs. However, your dog is actually quite capable of telling you a great deal, even without the gift of speech. The tools of communication for a dog reside in body posturing and specific behaviors. Unfortunately, the untrained eye often misinterprets these actions, even attributing them to pure naughtiness. The trick to understanding dog behavior is to learn to "read" dog-speak.