You probably imagined the life you would share with your dog or puppy when you first brought him home. You pictured yourself playing with him, going on walks, snuggling with that furry friend you always wanted. Maybe taking him to the beach to go swimming with you, playing frisbee or riding in the car with his head stuck out of the window. A devoted companion sharing unconditional love, never judging and always adoring the real you. You've seen other people with their sweet, well-behaved and engaging dogs and that's what you expected to have for yourself.

But instead of Fluffy, you got Cujo. Pee on the carpet and chewed shoes. Your arm about ripped from its socket whenever you take him for a walk. The doorbell rings and he loses his mind, then he humps your guests. Where's that loving companion? You have instead an adversary apparently intent on ruining your life and your home.

Understanding why your dog misbehaves is the first step to knowing how to correct it. There are reasons why dogs misbehave. Here are the top 3:

1. He doesn't understand what is expected of him. It isn't your dog's fault, it's yours. Your commands need to be consistent and clear and good behavior needs to be continuously reinforced. It takes some time and patience to teach him, something that doesn't happen by itself.

When he's misbehaving, reacting by yelling at him or punishing him usually backfires (you will see why in #3). It's important to take the positive approach, praising and rewarding him for being a "good boy". You will see more good behavior the more you reinforce it. Clicker training is very useful here.

2. Your dog is bored, missing exercise and stimulation so he's finding amusement in inappropriate ways. When a dog is chewing or digging or destructive in other ways, this is the most common reason. Just like humans, dogs need mental stimulation and exercise to be happy and content.

Take some time every day to play with your dog or just hang out with him and pet him while you're watching TV. Go for walks with him every day to expand his world beyond the house and yard so he can socialize and explore. Get him some stimulating toys, like the toys that hold treats that require effort to get them out.

3. You taught your dog to misbehave by rewarding inappropriate behavior. For example, a dog that barks excessively is often inadvertently rewarded for it. When a dog perceives a threat, perhaps just another dog or person in his territory, he barks to alert his pack expecting a response and action. When you yell at your dog to "shut up", to him that's a bark. It's exactly the response he wants and expects. It further excites him and his goal is accomplished.

Think about what you are communicating to your dog, the signals you are giving him. Are they consistent and clear? Are they mixed? When your dog is hyper and happy to see you, do you smile and pet him for jumping on you one time and push him down and tell him "no" another? Or, do you let him jump on you but expect him to not jump on visitors?

When your dog misbehaves, think about it with respect to these three reasons to get a handle on how to correct it. Knowing the reason why he misbehaves is the first step to knowing how. Your problem dog can become the precious pooch with your help.