Pete the Vet: Tackling bad behaviour and biting in dogs

Many people get it wrong about dogs and some methods touted by so-called professionals can do more harm than good

The most common cause of death of dogs under the age of three is euthanasia because of behavioural issues.

Behavioural problems can be more life-threatening to dogs than physical diseases. The most common cause of death of dogs under the age of three is euthanasia because of behavioural issues. This is easy to understand: an aggressive large dog can be a serious threat to human safety. Every year in Ireland, over 300 dog bite incidents require hospital treatment. One of the basic requirements for pet dogs is that they need to be safe around humans.

Aggression is not the only challenging behaviour: other problems include jumping up on people, pulling on the leash, and separation anxiety (leading to barking and destruction when left on their own). All of these behaviours damage the human/pet bond. As well as euthanasia, many dogs are relinquished to shelters because they are no longer wanted.