Dog Behavior & Training Glossary
Dog behavior can be confusing, especially when the same behavior gets described ten different ways online. Search by term, category, or the signs you are seeing.
59 terms found
Behavioral Concerns
Aggression
Threatening or harmful behavior that may include hard staring, growling, snapping, lunging, or biting.
Canine Communication
Appeasement Behavior
Behavior intended to reduce social tension, avoid conflict, or communicate non-threat.
Vocal and Attention Behaviors
Attention-Seeking Behavior
Behavior used to gain interaction, including pawing, nudging, barking, jumping, stealing objects, or interrupting people.
Canine Communication
Avoidance
Avoidance is behavior used to increase distance from, delay, or escape a person, place, object, interaction, or task the dog finds uncomfortable or unclear.
Behavioral Issues
Barrier Frustration
Barrier frustration occurs when a leash, fence, gate, window, crate, or other boundary blocks a dog's movement.
Vocal and Attention Behaviors
Begging
Persistent behavior around food that has been reinforced by receiving scraps, attention, or access.
Canine Communication
Body Stiffness
Body stiffness is a visible increase in muscle tension that may signal uncertainty, high focus, discomfort, conflict, or preparation for action.
Social and Greeting Behaviors
Chasing
Rapid pursuit of people, animals, vehicles, bicycles, toys, or moving objects.
Behavioral Concerns
Compulsive Behavior
Repetitive behavior that becomes difficult to interrupt, occurs out of context, or interferes with normal life.
Household Behaviors
Counter Surfing
Searching counters, tables, sinks, or other surfaces for food or interesting objects.
Training Concepts
Counterconditioning
Counterconditioning changes a dog's emotional response by pairing a trigger with something the dog values.
Canine Communication
Crouching
Lowering the body toward the ground, often with weight shifted backward, during fear, uncertainty, or appeasement.
Behavioral Issues
Demand Barking
Demand barking is vocal behavior used to request access, attention, play, food, movement, or another outcome the dog has learned barking may produce.
Training Concepts
Desensitization
Desensitization is gradual, controlled exposure to a trigger at an intensity low enough that the dog can remain functional and recover.
Behavioral Issues
Destructive Chewing
Destructive chewing is chewing that damages household items, personal belongings, doors, furniture, or other objects not intended for the dog.
Household Behaviors
Digging
Using the front paws, nose, or mouth to move soil, bedding, flooring, or other material.
Canine Communication
Displacement Behavior
Displacement behavior is an ordinary action performed in a context where it appears out of place, often during conflict, uncertainty, or emotional pressure.
Household Behaviors
Door Rushing
Moving quickly through an opening before being released or before the handler can safely control the transition.
Leash and Movement
Escape Attempts
Behavior directed toward getting out of a yard, crate, room, vehicle, or other confined area.
Vocal and Attention Behaviors
Excessive Barking
Frequent or prolonged barking that is disruptive, difficult to interrupt, or driven by repeated environmental triggers.
Behavioral Concerns
Fearful Behavior
Behavior that communicates concern about a person, animal, object, sound, place, or interaction.
Behavioral Issues
Fearfulness
Fearfulness is an emotional response to something a dog perceives as threatening, unsafe, or difficult to understand.
Leash and Movement
Fixation
Sustained visual or physical focus that makes it difficult for a dog to disengage and respond to the handler.
Canine Communication
Freeze Response
A freeze response is a sudden reduction or stop in movement when a dog is processing threat, conflict, uncertainty, or intense focus.