Common Dog Behaviour Issues: Barking, Chewing, Separation Anxiety, and How to Fix Them

If you share your home with a dog, you’ve almost certainly faced at least one frustrating dog behaviour issue. Whether it’s relentless barking, chewed-up furniture, or a dog who falls apart the moment you leave the house, these problems are incredibly common. The good news is that most behaviour issues are completely manageable with the right approach, a little patience, and consistent training.

Understanding why your dog behaves a certain way is the most important first step. Dogs don’t misbehave out of spite — they’re communicating needs, emotions, or confusion. Once you recognize the root cause, the path forward becomes much clearer.

Why Dog Behaviour Issues Happen in the First Place

Most dog behaviour problems stem from a handful of consistent causes: boredom, anxiety, lack of training, or unmet physical needs. According to the ASPCA, many behaviour problems can be prevented or corrected through proper socialization, exercise, and positive reinforcement training. Understanding your dog’s breed, age, and personality also plays a major role in addressing unwanted behaviours effectively.

Puppies explore the world with their mouths and test boundaries constantly — that’s completely normal. Adult dogs, however, may develop issues due to changes in routine, insufficient exercise, or past trauma. Recognizing which category your dog falls into helps you choose the right solution.

Excessive Barking: Why Your Dog Won’t Quiet Down

Barking is one of the most reported dog behaviour issues among Canadian pet owners. Dogs bark to alert, communicate, express boredom, or signal anxiety. The key to fixing excessive barking is identifying the specific trigger before attempting any correction.

Common Triggers for Excessive Barking

• Alert barking: Triggered by strangers, sounds, or movement outside
• Attention-seeking barking: Your dog has learned that barking gets a response
• Boredom or frustration: A dog with pent-up energy will vocalize
• Anxiety-based barking: Occurs when the dog feels threatened or stressed
• Territorial barking: Common in protective breeds near fences or doors

How to Reduce Excessive Barking

Never punish barking harshly — this increases anxiety and often worsens the problem. Instead, teach a “quiet” command by rewarding silence with high-value treats the moment your dog stops barking. Consistency is everything here; every family member must follow the same approach.

For alert barkers, managing their environment can make a huge difference. Block sight lines to the street using frosted window film, or move furniture away from windows. Increasing daily exercise is also proven to reduce alert and boredom barking significantly.

Destructive Chewing: Protecting Your Home and Your Dog

Chewing is completely natural for dogs — it relieves stress, cleans teeth, and keeps jaws strong. The problem arises when your dog redirects that chewing instinct toward your shoes, furniture, or baseboards. Destructive chewing is one of the most common dog behaviour issues in dogs under three years of age.

Why Dogs Chew Destructively

Puppies chew because they’re teething and exploring their world — this typically peaks between three and six months. Adult dogs often chew destructively out of boredom, anxiety, or because they were never taught what is and isn’t appropriate to chew. Dogs left alone for long periods are especially prone to this behaviour.

Practical Steps to Stop Destructive Chewing

1. Dog-proof your space: Remove or store tempting items until the behaviour is corrected
2. Provide appropriate outlets: Rotate a variety of chew toys to keep things interesting
3. Use deterrent sprays: Bitter apple spray on furniture legs is safe and effective
4. Increase mental stimulation: Puzzle feeders and Kongs stuffed with food keep dogs occupied
5. Supervise and redirect: When you catch your dog chewing something inappropriate, calmly redirect to a proper chew toy and praise

Never scold your dog after the fact — if you didn’t catch them in the act, the correction means nothing to them. Dogs live very much in the present moment, so timing of feedback is absolutely critical.

Separation Anxiety in Dogs: A Serious and Solvable Problem

Separation anxiety is one of the most emotionally difficult dog behaviour issues for both pets and owners. It goes far beyond a dog simply missing you when you leave — it’s a genuine panic response that can cause significant distress. Research published in journals studying canine welfare suggests that separation anxiety affects approximately 14–20% of the domestic dog population.

Dogs with separation anxiety may bark non-stop, destroy furniture, urinate indoors, or attempt to escape the home when left alone. These behaviours aren’t disobedience — they’re a sign that your dog is genuinely struggling with fear.

Signs Your Dog Has Separation Anxiety

• Excessive drooling, panting, or pacing before you leave
• Destructive behaviour that only happens when you’re gone
• Howling, whining, or barking for extended periods
• House soiling despite being fully house-trained
• Desperate greeting behaviour when you return home
• Attempts to escape that result in self-injury

How to Treat Separation Anxiety Step by Step

The most effective evidence-based treatment for separation anxiety is graduated desensitization. This means slowly and systematically teaching your dog that being alone is safe — starting with very short absences and building gradually over time. Rushing this process is one of the most common mistakes owners make.

Start by leaving for just 30 seconds, then returning before your dog has a chance to become anxious. Gradually increase the duration over days and weeks. The goal is to keep every departure below the threshold of anxiety so your dog never reaches a full panic state.

Additionally, practice low-key departures and arrivals — avoid emotional goodbyes or excited greetings, as these heighten arousal around the event of you leaving. Leave a piece of clothing with your scent, or use a calming pheromone diffuser like Adaptil to create a sense of comfort.

For moderate to severe cases, working with a certified veterinary behaviourist or a professional trainer who specializes in anxiety is strongly recommended. In some cases, short-term medication prescribed by your vet can also help break the anxiety cycle enough for training to take effect. The American College of Veterinary Behaviorists offers a directory to help you find qualified professionals in your area.

Leash Pulling: Making Walks Enjoyable Again

Leash pulling might not carry the same emotional weight as separation anxiety, but it’s one of the most universally frustrating dog behaviour issues that owners deal with daily. Dogs pull because it works — they move forward and get to explore, so the behaviour is constantly reinforced. Breaking this habit requires retraining that basic cause-and-effect relationship.

Effective Techniques to Stop Leash Pulling

The “stop and be a tree” method is simple and highly effective. The moment your dog pulls, you stop completely and wait for a loose leash before moving again. Your dog quickly learns that pulling actually slows things down rather than speeding them up.

Using a front-clip harness can also immediately reduce pulling by steering the dog back toward you when they lunge forward. Avoid retractable leashes during training, as they teach dogs that pulling extends their range.

Aggression Toward Other Dogs or People

Aggression is perhaps the most serious dog behaviour issue on this list, and it should never be ignored or minimized. It can stem from fear, resource guarding, past trauma, lack of socialization, or pain. Understanding the type of aggression is essential before any intervention is attempted.

If your dog has shown any growling, snapping, or biting behaviour, consulting a certified professional trainer or veterinary behaviourist is non-negotiable. Attempting to correct aggression without proper guidance can make it significantly worse and create safety risks.

Building a Happier, Better-Behaved Dog

Every dog behaviour issue discussed in this guide shares a common solution at its core: patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement. Dogs genuinely want to please their people — they just sometimes need clearer communication about what that looks like. Punishment-based methods may produce short-term results, but research consistently shows they increase anxiety and damage the human-animal bond over time.

Start with the basics: ensure your dog gets enough daily exercise, mental stimulation, and social interaction. A tired, engaged, and emotionally secure dog is far less likely to develop problem behaviours. When issues do arise, address them early — small problems are always easier to fix than deeply ingrained habits.

If you’re ever unsure where to begin, don’t hesitate to reach out to a qualified professional. The investment in good training pays dividends for the entire life of your dog, and the bond you’ll build through the process is truly priceless.