Is your dog pretty well behaved when it is just the household members? Does his behavior change when people visit with their kids and dogs? This is not unusual as dogs are a social, pack animal and will often respond and react to the actions of others around them.
If you have a family member whose dog is not quite housebroken and has 'accidents'in your dog's world, they are also leaving their smell and a form of canine ownership. The only thing that your dog can do to counteract this intrusion into his area is remove the other dogs'smell with his own.
Do you have small children that visit your home !whether family members or friends of your own kids? Every time they come over, do they yell and scream at the sight of your dog? Although your dog is normally calm around other visitors, he probably gets very agitated every time the little ones come over. Now, he is also starting to show similar agitation towards anyone who stops by and talks in a loud voice. Another scenario could be that the kids love dogs and want to play with yours the entire time they are visiting. However, the problem is that the play is a little rambunctious and your dog normally ends up nipping and jumping on the child. The child doesn't mind it, and it is very hard to stop this from happening.
Do your visitors sneak snacks or food under the table to your dogs?
With all of this, the solution does not reside with your dog, but with your visitors.
The answer is 'simple'and consistent across the board:
- The dogs that toilet in your house can only come over if they are constantly/closely supervised by their owner to avoid ‘accidents', or if they stay outside.
- The young kids that are afraid of your dog or play too rough need to be taught how to respect your dog's space and to behave appropriately around all dogs.
- Explain to your visitors that your dog only eats food specifically prepared for him/her and ask them to please respect your wishes so as not to cause your dog digestive upset.
None of these activities are your dog's fault because they go against your 'house rules'. Sometimes you need to enforce 'tough love'and 'house rules'when it comes to other dogs, your guests, and family members. When you let these visitors know about your house rules, explain them to them in a calm sincere way, so that way no one is upset or offended.