Behavior problems are always easier to prevent than to solve. Setting your dog up for success and letting him adjust to his environment can prevent many problems that can occur when a dog is left to learn everything by himself. Think of how many behavior problems you would have if your parents, teachers, and friends would not have helped you to figure the world out. In fact, we know how children who are raised in isolation from society act when they grow up. They always grow up with social and behavioral deficiencies, especially if the isolation happens in the first few years of life. Our puppies are dropped into a foreign world (the human world) at around 6-8 weeks and it is not surprising that many of them develop behavior problems as a result of a lack of proper education. In fact, I am always left at awe when I see how resilient and adaptable many dogs are despite total lack of controlled puppy raising.
This part will deal with preventing separation anxiety, preventing possessiveness and resource guarding, and how exercise and play can be an important part of preventing behavior problems.
