What lies behind the word “mischief” often has several realities.
On the one hand, we have the humans’ perception.
Which differs according to their own influences (cultural and/or personal experience). For some, a dog who "allows himself" to lie down on the couch, without being invited, is doing something "undesirable"; for others, it is just a place like any other for him to rest. A person refuses to give “human” food to the dog when sitting at the table; a guest gives him some anyway.
Unwanted behaviors are behaviors that bother you. The problem for our dogs is that we often act randomly, unpredictably, and inconsistently. One day a dog jumps on people; as a result, they pet him, they smile at him, they speak to him with a soft voice. On this day, he was less than four months old. Two days later he played in the mud; the reaction is no longer the same to his behavior. Six months later, depending on the breed, it may have grown greatly; the reaction is no longer the same to his behavior.
On the other hand, we have the dogs’ perception.
This may be normal behavior, but not tolerated. In this category, we find, for example, puppy chewing, peeing in the house, holes in the garden by a terrier.
These behaviors are either inherent to the dog as a species, as a breed, or due to the age or state of health of the dog.
It can also be normal, but unpleasant behaviors. In this category, we find, for example, resource guarding expressed with hostility. If your dog doesn't want to share his toys, but just runs off with them and hides them, the behavior will be unwanted, but minimized. On the contrary, if he does not want to share and growls or bites when you approach him, although this behavior of guarding what he considers his own is normal, it then becomes risky, even dangerous.
We can also have the shepherd dog that “herds”. They were designed for herding beings. The problem is when it is expressed on runners or cyclists who are unfamiliar to them and have little tolerance for that approach.
The dog can also be in a state of panic when he is alone and destroys a piece of furniture or makes a hole in a door. This behavior expresses anxiety, even if it is unpleasant to repair your house.
It can also be a behavior that is appropriate in one situation, but becomes inappropriate in a new one.
These are the dogs who have adapted to certain difficulties. For example, dogs accustomed to finding food on the street search through trash cans. However, if they are adopted into a family and continue this behavior, it is considered undesirable.
There are the dogs who are hostile towards other dogs because they have had to use this strategy to repel aggressive behaviors. However, if they continue in another environment, without taking the time to observe that the other dog is not hostile, their behavior is no longer appropriate.
Before asserting that Doggy is doing something as “mischief”, it is essential to ask ourselves if the behaviors in question have not been maintained by humans, if they are not “normal” in the species and/or the race, if they do not result from adaptation.
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