12/09/2025
Back to alphabet soup. Another A is activity but I’ll mix that in when I get to F (fitness! What else were you thinking😉).
Another is aggression and that is often confused with reactivity. Reactivity is far more common so wait for the R’s.
So. B.
Behaviour is a big one. It’s worth saying that everything your pup does is behaviour. When a trainer is called in it’s usually to help with a behaviour that the humans want stopped. Ideally the trainer can help the human decode what’s going on and help modify the behaviour so life is harmonious again.
Common ‘bad’ behaviours include pulling on lead, barking, stealing, house soiling, jumping, fearfulness, guarding, and many more.
Keep in mind that these are normal dog behaviours that we are trying to curb because it’s distressing for the humans. Give yourself and your dog a little grace while you and the pup figure things out. It doesn’t happen overnight.
Breed us another B to be aware of. It’s true that there are a whole bunch of characteristics that go together to make up a dog. There are also a bunch more that either the environment (climate for example) or we have modified through selective breeding to help humans with a task. Some of those tasks include herding, protection, guarding, hunting, and even companionship.
If you plan to get a dog, and you know what its primary breed is, you can hopefully take a good look at your lifestyle and decide if a particular dog will be happy and you will be happy before taking the dog home. It’s devastating for both the human and the dog to find out the hard way that the relationship is doomed.
If you choose to adopt a rescue, you work with the dog you have. With adult dogs there is often an established personality thst helps with making the adoption decision.
Puppies can be molded to an extent but they each have their own personality traits. Some of these traits were established before birth!
There are a few more B’s to consider but this is a lot to think about for now! The C’s are coming soon too!
