Whenever you are considering adding a dog to your life, you need to know what you are getting into. Before you bring the dog home, it is vital that you read about the breed or breeds your dog is made up of and see what health and behavioral problems the breeds are known for. This is not meant to scare you away from ever owning a dog, but to empower your dog adopting decision.

Millions of pets are euthanized every year in American pet shelters, according to the Humane League of the United States. This includes 25% purebred animals, including Beagles. Most pets are abandoned through no fault of their own, but through the fault of their people. They did not take the time to research problem behaviors. When considering a Beagle, also consider the most common Beagle problem behaviors. This way, you know if you can prevent and fix them.
But even neutered animals can have problems wandering. If they are not wandering for sex, then what are they wandering off for? They could be wandering off to follow a delicious smell (Beagles have appetites bigger than they are). They could also be wandering off because of boredom. Your yard needs at least a four-foot fence to keep in a Beagle. Although excellent for other breeds, invisible fences do not always work for Beagles.

Beagles will scavenge through your garbage looking for food, which can be an annoying and costly Beagle behavioral problem. Beagles will eat anything – even if it’s good for them or not. Keep garbage and trash in locked receptacles and spray the can or bin with bitter apple, usually sold to stop puppies from chewing on the furniture or on your hands. You may also have to put a lock on the refrigerator, as Beagles have been known to figure out how to open them.
The next most common Beagle problem behaviors is separation anxiety. This is when they are so upset at being left alone in the house they will either howl or destroy stuff – ANY stuff. All dog training books will cover separation anxiety and the cure is the same for all dogs, no matter what their breed. First off, don’t make a big fuss or apologize to your Beagle when you are about to leave. Put the dog in one room or in a crate as a secure den for him or her.

Leave a radio or television on so your Beagle hears comforting noises. Also leave a shirt or pajamas with your smell on it as another way to comfort your Beagle. Leave proper chew toys to give your Beagle a suitable alternative to the furniture. You can also leave toys like Kongs stuffed with peanut butter or thick gravy inside and then freeze it. Soon, your Beagle should associate you leaving with the appearance of a treat. There is no Beagle behavior problem that can’t be solved with patient Beagle training.

You can find lots of articles such as this one on dog problem behaviors, including proper Beagle training. This author hopes to one day author a line of breed specific dog training books.

Any breed of dog comes with their share of breeding and behavioral problems. The Chihuahua is no different and Chihuahua problems can range from a fragile build to a fragile constitution. Before you go ahead and bring that Chihuahua home you may want to check out some of the issues you will have to deal with when it comes to training and owning a Chihuahua.

A Chihuahua is not going to make a great gift for your kids. Chihuahuas do not react well to the noise and clatter caused by children along with all of the rapid moving around that kids will do. This sort of activity will cause your Chihuahua to feel a lot of stress and tension and can bring about a biting response that also does not go well with kids. Chihuahuas are also fragile and cannot take the abuse a child may give it intentionally or unintentionally.
Everyone loves the little Chihuahua and finding a Chihuahua to take home is usually pretty easy. But you should be very careful with breeders that try and sell you Chihuahuas weighing less than four pounds for an extremely high price. This is a common Chihuahua problem where the shady dealer will try and sell what seems like a trendy little dog to an unsuspecting owner. Smaller Chihuahuas that weigh less than four pounds are not healthy and have very fragile bones. You should not be taken in by their small size.

Everyone thinks it is cute when the little Chihuahua barks or snips at someone that tries to take something that the Chihuahua thinks it owns. Everyone thinks it is cute except the Chihuahua, to them it is serious business. If this sort of behavior is not taken care of immediately it can lead to uncontrolled barking and potentially escalating to the point of your dog biting at everyone it sees.
Probably one of the biggest Chihuahua problems known to many a Chihuahua owner is the problem of housebreaking a Chihuahua. Chihuahuas hate the elements and they will avoid going outside any way they can even if it means relieving themselves in the house. Some people try to install a doggie door so the dog can let itself in and out but in the end some owners are forced to accept a dog that uses a litter box. That is just the way it is when you live with a Chihuahua.

Chihuahuas come in all different types of personalities. Some will listen to commands while others may never hear a word you say. What kind of Chihuahua you have really depends on how they grow up over time. You are going to have to spend a lot of time with your Chihuahua, not only trying to get it to understand what you want it to do but also just learning what kind of personality your dog has so you know what training approaches to try.

If you want to know what to expect with your Chihuahua training then read this article. You can use this article, along with dog training books when preparing to train your Chihuahua.