Raise your hand if you do not appreciate your dog's manifestations of enthusiasm when returning home, perhaps after a day of work. Nobody or maybe just someone, probably. Dogs are so loved by owners because they tend to express their happiness in the best and most active way possible. However, the demonstrations are not always limited to energetic wagging and broad smiles. In fact, most dogs inevitably jump on the owner or other people to say hello or to communicate a message.

While this attitude gratifies the owner on the one hand, it can also be annoying on the other. 

In the case of large or giant sized dogs, most people tend to fall down. Of course, a small loss of balance does not cause any noticeable damage, but if we think of children or elderly people, this aspect is very important.

Why does the dog jump on people

There are those who say that the dog jumps on people for reasons of dominance. In reality, there are many theories about this, but the dog philosophy of thought is becoming more and more popular, according to which dominance is not actually sufficient to explain most of the behaviours of our animals, as it did until a few years ago.

So why does the dog jump on people? The reason may be different depending on the situation.

If the dog jumps on us as soon as we open the front door, he is probably just happy to see us.

At the same time, if he huddles on us during the walk, he may be intimidated or frightened by a stimulus that may not be relevant to us.

In essence, however, one thing is certain: the dog jumps on us because he likes to do it, and animals do what causes them pleasure.

Let's explain this statement with a question. How do we react when the dog jumps on us? Do we caress it, talk to him softly or enthusiastically, raise our voices to intimidate him...? Well, as strange as it may seem, each of these reactions represent a reinforcement for the dogs attitude, the dog will understand that by jumping on its owner it will obtain what he is looking for, attention. He will therefore continue to do it more and more often to receive it.

For a dog that felt alone in our absence, it does not matter whether this attention comes from a caress or some shouting. The important thing is that we dedicate a sound or a gesture to him.

Exuberant and playful dogs, inevitably translate a slight push into an invitation to play.

Not everyone might know about this but dogs often greet one another by licking each other's noses. The dog, which is only in a few cases taller than the owners, will then try to touch our face by lifting up on its hind legs or jumping on us.

What to do to teach the dog not to jump on us

The best solution is definitely to ignore it. Even our gaze could be interpreted as a manifestation of affection or attention. Therefore, every time we enter the house, we avoid talking to him, caressing him and even looking at him. We keep doing our daily duties, ignoring his persistent jumping attempts.

Usually, after a few seconds, the dog should feel quite confused by our behaviour. When he finally stops jumping so energetically, we are allowed to praise him by giving him a small snack.

If he starts jumping again, ignore him again until he calms down. We then reward him again with a snack or a treat when he stops again.

For the first few times, it will be enough to wait for the dog to stop jumping, but in subsequent attempts, it may require more effort, that is to sit down. Then click when the dog has sat down and give him a treat.

Cousins, uncles and friends will certainly recommend foolproof methods, such as stepping on his paws every time he jumps or tripping him. Let's leave these methods to past eras, and stick to the more modern and above all more effective ones.

One of the most unusual behaviours of our dogs is certainly to eat their own faeces or those of other animals. This attitude is called coprophagia and is especially typical of puppies, who ingest everything they find surrounding them, including their own needs. However, what are the causes and what can be done to prevent the dog from eating faeces?

The causes

The reasons that can push the dog towards this type of behaviour are different. Generally, some main reasons are:

• Exploration of the surrounding world: puppies are a bit like children, so they have an extreme need to touch, smell and bite everything that is new to them. Among the "objects" that most arouse their curiosity, we find above all the feces. This can be one of the reasons that lead puppies to ingest them, especially if this behaviour occurs rarely and tends to disappear over time;
• Behavioural Disorder: In some cases, both puppies and adult dogs may eat their own faeces in an attempt to hide it from the owner. This attitude is distinguished by the immediate ingestion right after expulsion, and usually occurs every time the dog does his daily needs. The reason for this type of behaviour is based on how we arrange the daily needs routine at home. All puppies, in fact, need time to learn not to poop and pee inside the house. If, after catching them doing so, we punished them without offering them a viable alternative, they probably could have developed a fear of punishment, associated with relieving themselves, no matter where they do it. They will therefore fear this moment. For this reason, every time our dog goes to the toilet, he will try to hide it to avoid punishment;
• Request for attention: puppies and adult dogs that do not receive enough attention from the owner, can do coprophagia to receive the attention they so much desire, even at the risk of getting shouted at;
• Boredom: some dogs can ingest their own feces because they have nothing better to do, so they try to pass the time in ways that are not exactly elegant;
• Anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders: particularly anxious and stressed dogs can ingest their own feces to pour out their negative moods. If the situation continues for many months, it can turn into a real obsessive-compulsive disorder;
• Nutritional deficiencies: in some cases there may be some undigested nutrients in the poop. The dog's sense of smell is far superior than ours, so he can understand that there is still something edible and useful in his own faeces or in those of other animals. Not surprisingly, one of the most frequent situations is that of dogs living in stables or on farms, which very often ingest feces of horses and cattle, rich in nutrients;
• Health problems: dogs can eat their own feces even in the presence of health problems, in particular with the presence of pancreas , stomach and intestine problems. In these cases, the foods cannot be digested correctly, so many nutrients are eliminated intact together with the faeces, which therefore become palatable and useful for the dog to eat;
• Maternal attitude: the mother always ingests the feces of her young babies, both during the cleaning and washing of the puppies, and to make the traces disappear from the eyes of possible predators.

What should I do?

Firstly, it is essential never to shout or punish the dog when he is eating his own feces or that of other animals. He may react by reinforcing this behaviour, especially if it is a dog that feels neglected.  If we shout at our animal he will be happy to have your full attention. 

Furthermore, as we have already explained, by punishing the dog every time he releases his needs in the house we would only stimulate the act of coprophagia. Rather, we could calmly teach them how to release their needs outside the house.

We should avoid boredom in our pet. Let's always give him his favourite toys, especially when you go out. Thinking games are especially useful for them, the ideal remedy to defeat boredom because they keep the dog's mind busy for a long time and are usually particularly appreciated. A special toy that can be filled with appetizing snacks will also work.

Another important tip is to pay attention to the dog's diet. An unbalanced or insufficient diet for his daily requirement could be the cause of coprophagia. Unbalanced foods or home diets are not completely digestible, so the dog's feces may still contain "useful" residues, making them digestible for the dog to eat.

Rather, we choose complete, high quality and highly digestible foods, following the rations indicated on the package or by your veterinarian, based on the age, weight and size of the animal.

Aggressiveness in cats is very common. However, we might come across an untamable animal, which will attack both us, and animals surrounding it. Therefore, what is the reason to this behavior? What can we do to solve this problem?

 All dogs love to spend a lot of time surrounded by gardens and grass, running and exploring meadows and countryside. However, what the owners often notice is that our dog pauses several times to detach and chew some blades of grass, especially the tallest and greener one. But what is the reason for this behaviour?

Dogs, as we all know, belong to the category of carnivores. This means that their nature should push them to seek only foods of animal origin. In reality, unlike the cat, the dog has also adapted to the consumption of foods typical of human nutrition. In fact, always living in contact with the owner, over the centuries, has developed the ability to digest even cereals and vegetables, usually without particular problems. Despite this, it cannot equally be defined omnivore, like us, but still a carnivore. The cat on the other hand has a much stricter meat based diet

Why are they so attracted to grass then?

First, we need to consider the normal behaviour that animals have in nature. If we think about it, it is not so strange that dogs are able to ingest grass. The predators, in fact, mainly feed on herbivorous prey, such as goats, sheep or rabbits. And what do these animals eat? Grass, which inevitably ends up in the stomach. At this point, therefore, it is easy to think that the predator also ingests some parts of the digestive system of the prey, which normally still contains a certain amount of grass.

Therefore, if our dog seems particularly attracted to grass, it does not mean that he has suddenly become a salad lover, quite the contrary. Probably some dogs will find it pleasant, but according to veterinarians and nutritionists, the explanation for this behaviour is found above all in the health of his stomach and intestines.

Amongst the reasons that push dogs to eat grass we find:

• Nutritional deficiencies: the grass is rich in vitamins, mineral salts and other important nutritional sources. A dog that eats little or badly will need to obtain these substances it needs in an alternative way, for example by eating grass. In particular, the herb is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, essential for the health of the whole organism;

• Personal tastes: some dogs find fresh grass really irresistible, so every time they get the chance, they will try in every way to ingest a lot of it;

• Food intolerances and allergies: animals that suffer from food intolerances and allergies can often also suffer from stomach and intestinal disorders, as well as nutritional deficiencies;

• Stress: when dogs are particularly agitated or stressed, they can chew grass to relax, just like we would do if we pounce on a bar of chocolate. The act of chewing itself, in fact, helps all of us to lower the level of tension, releasing the soothing substances, the endorphins;

• Use it as a game: if the owner continues to scold him or chase him every time he sees its intent on munching on the grass, the most spiteful dog could react by reinforcing this attitude. This is especially the case of the most neglected dogs or those most eager for attention;

• Gastrointestinal disorders: this is one of the most accredited theories. According to most veterinarians, in fact, dogs would eat grass especially when they experience nausea and digestive difficulties. For example, it may happen that our dog has made a mess with meals and snacks collected from our table, and feels the need to "free himself" as soon as possible due to the large quantity of food ingested. In these cases, he will resort to the herb, detaching it in order to obtain quite long strands, and throwing them down without chewing. This mechanism will cause the stem to tickle the throat and stomach and intestine walls, stimulating the gag reflex.

What should I do?

If the dog tends to eat a few well-chewed blades of grass once in a while, there is absolutely no need to worry. He probably just needs to add an alternative flavor to his daily diet, or maybe he feels the need to supplement some nutrients.

The situation is very different when the dog gulps down grass non-stop, throwing up all the time, or eating it in disproportionate quantities. In these cases, it is advisable to contact our veterinarian, who will be able to assess the general health of the animal, possibly resorting to therapies or diet changes.

The main advice is to try to integrate vegetables to our dog's daily diet. If we only feed him dry food, he may probably need to get more water.

Let's offer him fruits and vegetables, choosing the ones he likes best and avoiding those included among the foods that are dangerous for dogs.

People who are animal lovers already know it: over time, our animals become an integral part of our family. They make us move, they entertain us, soften us up, keep us company in all situations and listen and alleviate our daily problems. Not to mention all their funny expressions and attitudes. However, us owners are not always able to grasp the limit between the things that make us laugh and those that make our animals uncomfortable. Here are the most frequent situations we do wrongly in our daily activities.

Using vocabulary they cannot understand

To communicate with each other and with the owner, animals mainly use non-verbal language, made up of movements of the tail or ears, particular facial expressions and gestures with an unequivocal meaning. It is also true that dogs bark and cats meow, but in any case, they do not speak our language, although a "meow" can sometimes be similar to the "mom" word. Thanks to their great intelligence, animals are able to pick up some "human" words and the tone of voice with which we say them. The fact remains that, apart from a limited vocabulary, they are still not able to perfectly understand what we say to them. For this reason, when we ask the dog to stop barking, screaming and squirming, in most cases he will not be able to understand what we are saying and will undoubtedly feel confused and disoriented.

Make gestures of clear dominance towards him

In canine language, the hug (or in any case the gesture of placing a paw or muzzle on the back of another dog) is a clear manifestation of dominance. For this reason, especially if we do not know the animal in front of us, we should avoid hugging it and teach our children to do the same. Among other attitudes of this type, we find all those gestures that dogs use among themselves to establish the hierarchy. For example, we should never stare straight into his eyes, proceeding towards him frontally and quickly, and putting your hands on his face or head. What might be the reaction to such behaviour? The dog may become nervous or feel threatened by our gesture.

Not providing adequate education/training

We are not saying that all dogs and cats should perfectly master every command of advanced training. What we should avoid, on the other hand, is to let them live without basic rules that are especially useful to them so they avoid feeling disorientated inside the house. The same thing stands for children, who live with the constant presence of their parents during their educational process. Our animals, in the absence of rules can create considerable inconveniences. We should teach them basic commands, such as "sit" or "stay", and make sure they can be applied to everyday aspects, even during playtimes outside. The direct consequences of the absence of rules translates above all into discomfort, insecurity, confusion and the inability to be together with humans and other animals.

Imposing unwanted attention from people, children, or other animals

If we see that our four-legged friend just can't stand the presence of people, children or other animals, let's simply leave him free to go somewhere else. Otherwise, he may become stressed or even react with aggressiveness.

Not limiting children's teasing

Dogs and cats need their spaces. For this reason, we should always try to prevent children from invading their territory by pulling their tail or whiskers, beating them or disturbing them while they sleep. This point is fundamental and should be taught to all children, as a basic rule to avoid any bites or scratches, and to ensure a peaceful environment for our four-legged friend.

Not providing the daily physical activity he needs

Animals are not meant to stay indoors all day. Sure, they fit perfectly in our one bedroom apartment in the city, in exchange for baby food and pampering, but they still need a certain amount of exercise throughout the day. The best way to guarantee what they need, is to let them play inside and outside the house by taking them out for long runs and walks, and not just for bathroom needs. Depriving it of these sources of entertainment, would probably soon end up with overweight, depression and stress problems.

Always keeping him on a leash

If we have the opportunity, at least once a day, we should find a way to free our friend in the dog areas or in the countryside. Keeping him constantly on a leash, especially in the presence of other animals, will make him feel constrained and prevent him from exploring the environment and interacting with his peers.

Refuse to comprehend their language/body language

The first act of love that we can and must perform towards our four-legged friends is to learn their verbal and physical language. By doing this, will we be able to understand their real needs, while communicating what we want them to do. Mutual understanding is the basis of any relationship, so we must begin to interpret the language and attitudes of our animals.

 Most dogs tend to eat very quickly, in some cases rushing to finish the mean before the owner fills bowl. This attitude is not at all good for the health of the dog, which could experience regurgitation, vomiting and poor digestion. For this reason, it is very important to get him used to eating with the right peace from the beginning of his life. Let's see how.

What happens when the dog eats quickly

The voracity in the ingestion of food is a real problem, both from a behavioural and physical point of view.

In fact, when the dog eats too quickly, it has a series of consequences. First of all, the food ingested quickly will not be able to be digested in the right way, so it could reach the intestine in a semi-digested form, creating problems such as diarrhea, impaired stools, flatulence and poor absorption of the nutrients present in the food. In addition, one of the main effects of rapid food intake is mainly linked to the appearance of regurgitation and vomiting. The stomach, which receives an excessive amount of food in a very short time, reacts by trying to expel it outwards, generally a few minutes after the end of the meal. In the long run, vomiting can create changes in the stomach and oesophagus, favouring the appearance of gastritis and gastroesophageal reflux.

However, that's not all, because a situation of this type can delay the sense of satiety. In fact, when we chew, messages are sent to our brain, which perceives the amount of food ingested based on the number of chews. If we chewed a packet of crackers in a short time, after a few minutes we would be hungry again. On the contrary, by chewing for a long time our brain will feel more satisfied and fuller. The same thing happens in dogs, so a particularly voracious dog will always be hungry, regardless of the amount of food ingested.

Some tips

We assume that this is a very frequent situation. Many dogs behave in this way mainly because they fear that their food ration may be taken away  from them or by other animals. Not surprisingly, voracious dogs are mainly those who have grown up or still live on farms, kennels or simply with other dogs or cats. The fear of having the food removed, pushes them to swallow it in a very short time.

A typical mistake of the owners, which can favour the appearance of this problem, is continuously handling the dog’s food, delaying its ingestion. This attitude is wrong, because it will not slow down the mealtime, on the contrary. Next time, the dog will eat even faster. So avoid moving the bowl, alternating it between one dog and the other or playing to pretend to give him a biscuit, and then remove it from him.

The moment of the meal, however, should be structured in order to calm the normal sense of excitement of the dog, who is eager to reach the bowl, even before offering it to him. To do this, we should mainly work on the self-control of the dog, an aspect that is not simple, but we can still start from some very simple tips.

We fill the bowl with its usual food before starting. Let the dog arrive, talking to him very calmly. If we began to repeat enthusiastically "Run, Fido, food is ready!", we would unleash that sense of excitement that we want to avoid. Calmly, let's sit him down and wait for him to stop barking, whining, hopping and everything related to excitement. Only once it is perfectly calm will we be able to slowly begin to lean the bowl towards the floor. As soon as he gets back up or tries to get closer, let's bring her back up, asking him to sit down again. He will have to understand that we will tell him when he can start the meal.

For the first attempts, it is enough for you to remain seated even for a few seconds, but the important thing is that the bowl remains on the floor while the dog is stationary. The signal to start the meal will be "go!" or "eat!" as you prefer. So let's walk away, let him eat alone and come back after about ten minutes to remove the bowl, which will be empty by now. He will have to understand that we will not take it away from him during the meal but only when he finished eating. It is very important, in any case, to remove the bowl every time the dog has eaten, otherwise he would eat at irregular timings during the day.

We can also use the "stay" command before starting to place the bowl on the floor, alternating it with the "go!" or "eat!" when he can start eating and is sitting down calmly.

To slow down food intake, we can choose very comfortable bowls, available in most pet stores. They are designed to make it more difficult to swallow food, thanks to the presence of small blocks inside, which the dog will have to avoid in order to reach the actual food. The toys that can be filled with food are also excellent, but they are especially useful for snacks and bites, rather than for a complete meal. These two methods also offer the enormous advantage of calming the dog and increasing his ability to focus on the activity he is carrying out.

Alternatively, we can spread his croquettes on the floor, quite far from each other, so that he will necessarily have to ingest them one at a time.