Pet behaviour

All dogs are individual and have their own quirky personalities. If your dog is barking constantly, the first step is to find out why. There are loads of reasons why, they might be overexcited, bored, anxious, trying to warn you or just chatting away to other dogs. All owners are different too – and you’ll have your own expectations when it comes to how your dog behaves. Understanding your pet better can help you work out if you need any advice on getting your dog to settle. Rewarding positive behaviour with a treat can help but if excessive barking is becoming a concern, seeking advice from a qualified behaviourist or trainer may really help to manage or resolve the problem.

Boredom can also be a cause of excessive barking, so make sure they can play with toys, get plenty of exercise and mental stimulation and aren't left alone for long periods of time. It might be tempting to comfort your dog if they’re barking, but this could encourage their behaviour. If you’re worried and the problem persists, they may need a trip to the vet.

Coming home to find your shoes chewed up, your furniture damaged or the paper shredded can be an upsetting and expensive problem. Chewing is a natural dog behaviour which chew toys can help with. You may need to seek advice if your dog starts chewing things like furniture and footwear. Keeping items out of reach is the first step, and if you catch them chewing something they shouldn't, swap it with a chew toy. Putting aside time for play is a good way to help your dog use it's energy in a better way. Find more tips and ways you can keep your pets happy by checking out our Pet Effect Survey.

If your dog is having frequent accidents around the house, your first step should be to take them to the vet and rule out any medical issues such as a urinary tract infection. Puppies can be prone to urinating when excited – this is a habit that they will eventually grow out of, and rewarding them with a treat when they urinate outside can help the process. Other reasons your dog might have an accident are anxiety, submissiveness or a lack of proper house training. Building your dog's confidence by teaching them simple commands and rewarding them with treats or a toy can help with anxious or submissive urinating. Remember: yelling will only make the problem worse. A qualified dog behaviourist or trainer can give you hints and tips to help.

If your dog jumps up on people, not only is it frustrating but it can be dangerous for small children and vulnerable people. Some of the main reasons that dogs jump up on people are:

It’s important to teach your dog not to jump up. Your dog will be more relaxed, as will any visitors to your home and people you meet when you’re out on walks. If you reward your dog with attention whenever they jump up they’ll just keep doing it. Try having a consistent message that jumping up on people isn’t ok and reward good behaviour with treats.

It's hard to say no to those puppy dog eyes, but you should never reward your dog's begging with treats, attention or food from your plate. Allowing your dog to beg while you eat will also allow them to assert their dominance over you, and giving them food from your plate can be bad for their health. Teach your dog to sit and stay away from the table at mealtimes.

If your dog is showing signs of aggression, the first step is to take them to a vet to rule out any health problems as uncharacteristic aggression can be caused by pain. Puppies will sometimes chew and nip, and it's important to their future to teach them not to do this. If your puppy starts to nip, stop the play session and ignore them for a few minutes - this teaches your puppy that the fun stops as soon as they use their teeth. Do not scold your puppy, they will not understand and may think it is part of the game.

Other reasons for biting include fear or protecting something, such as food or a toy. Letting your dog interact with other people and other dogs in different situations while they are a puppy will build their confidence and help get them used to different environments and experiences, which should make them less likely to bite through fear as they develop and grow in age.

Always reward good behaviour, but don’t punish aggressive behaviour as the situation may escalate. It is very important to contact a qualified behaviourist if your dog becomes aggressive; guidance from a qualified behaviourist or trainer to support you and help you understand why your dog is behaving this way.

Aggression in cats can be a sign that they're in pain, always take them to the vet to get them checked out. Kittens may bite or scratch while playing and need to be shown at an early age that this isn't acceptable so that it doesn't become a habit. If your cat gets aggressive with new people or visitors, this could be down to fear or anxiety, while some cats will lash out when they've had enough of being stroked. Whatever is causing your cat to swipe, or bite should be trained out of them as soon as possible to avoid it becoming a permanent behaviour. Rewarding calm behaviour with treats and ignoring your cat when they're aggressive can help them associate calm behaviour with rewards.

If your cat is an outdoor cat, then hunting (and bringing 'gifts' of rodents and birds) is a natural instinct. This can be quite distressing for animal lovers. If your cat is a regular hunter, then a collar with a bell should help to thwart their attempts to catch prey.

Animals, like humans, don't always get along. With cats, the reason that a fight will start is most likely down to either competition for a mate or a territorial dispute. Neutering your cat affects their hormones and may make them less likely to fight, while if the argument is over territory, giving them separate food, water and litter trays can help. Rewarding your pets' behaviour when they get along will reinforce the benefits of friendlier interactions.

vetfone™ provides round the clock access to expert medical, nutritional and behavioural advice. Your pet is part of the family, and a quick call to vetfone™ might save you a trip to the vet, giving you some comfort. You’ll speak to a nurse or vet qualified with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. You can also choose to have a free phone or video call and you can upload photos whilst on the call. vetfone™ is provided at no additional cost with all Tesco Pet Insurance policies

Tesco Pet Insurance policy holders can call the vetfone™ freephone* number on 0800 197 4949. *Standard network charges apply. Mobiles may be higher. Please check with your operator.

Tesco Pet Insurance is arranged, administered and underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Ltd.

vetfone™ is provided by Vetsdirect Ltd.