Your dog’s not “naughty.” You’re just missing this piece

Why the “naughty dog” label is missing the mark—and what your pup’s really trying to tell you

Dr Chris Brown talks about behaviour issues on every season of Bondi Vet—but hoomans still label their pups “naughty” when really… something much simpler’s going on. If you’ve got shoes mysteriously shredded, barks at the postie, or random zoomies at 9pm, I’ve got big paw pinches of truth for you today. 🐾

You love your dog (obviously—you’re reading a Rottweiler’s blog), but sometimes the behaviours leave you scratching your head—and googling behaviourist prices while hiding your good cushions. Good news? It’s very likely not disobedience. It’s unmet communication.

Old Label: “He’s just being naughty.”
New Truth? “He’s trying to tell you something.”

Hoomans, here’s the chew-chew truth: dogs aren’t trying to give you grey hairs. We’re not plotting to ruin your morning with those hot laps around the couch. And no, we’re not secretly on the payroll of a vacuum company. When we act out, we’re not being naughty—

We’re being noisy about our needs. That shoe? It’s just a symptom.

Before you reach for the citronella collar, try this dog-approved checklist:

• Boredom busters: Are we getting enough mental sniffies or varied play?
• Breed instinct checks: Some pups are born to herd, sniff, or dig—let them!
• Naptime balance: Overtired pups go weird. (Same as toddlers, right?)
• Food timing + quality: “Hangry” is real, and kibble isn’t always king.
• Mismatch in signals: You say “off,” but your tone says “keep going.”

Let’s zoom into a real tail (“tail”? get it?):

Sandy, a three-year-old Border Collie from next door, kept tearing the washing to shreds. Her hoomans tried scolding. Tried shutting her inside. Even tried those bitter apple sprays (gross, by the way). Nothing worked. Until they started giving her a daily “job”—a treat puzzle followed by frisbee training.

Week later? Washing stayed intact, and Sandy now holds staff meetings at 3pm daily (ie: sits at the yard fence judging my stick-fetch form).

It wasn’t discipline she needed. It was purpose. And engagement. Oh, and someone to stop putting socks low enough to look like toys. That part’s on you, Troy.

Let’s link tails and brains: Why we act out

When dogs “misbehave,” we’re often:

• Understimulated (give us things to sniff, chew and solve!)
• Misreading hooman signals (your face confuses me sometimes)
• Acting from anxiety (that thunder? It’s not just noise—it’s doggy chaos)
• Following instinct—yep, like guarding, chasing, digging, or… sock hunting

The naughty label shuts down the real question: what am I trying to express? You might be correcting behaviour without fixing the cause. That's like mopping up pee without checking if the back door’s open. (I’ve seen it. It’s chaos. Nobody wins.)

Wait—so how do you fix it, Thor?

Glad you asked, smart hooman. This is called the “Snoop & Switch” approach:

• Snoop: Step back. What’s triggering the behaviour? Is it the delivery van? Is it boredom at 3:42pm daily?
• Switch: Offer a new action instead. Swap the digging zone from your flowerbed to a sandpit stocked with buried toys. Got a tugger? Use a rope toy before they eat your scarf.

Used to take 3 hours to calm me last New Year’s… then they got me a calming lick mat and closed the blinds. Took 5 minutes. Boom.

Think emotionally, not just obediently

We don’t chew couch corners out of rebellion. We do it when we’re unsure, overstimulated, or looking for connection. (Or peanut butter. Let’s be real.) It’s rarely a dominance issue—and more often a communication breakdown.

One shift in your approach, and you get this glorious “before → after”:

Before: Dog whines at front door, scratches glass, shreds shoes.
After: Dog has a window nook, a rotating chew toy, and a 10-min morning sniff-walk. The whining stops.
New narrative: “My dog’s not being difficult. They’re living in a house that finally listens.”

So what’s my final bark?

Your dog isn’t trying to be naughty. We’re trying to speak—without words, thumbs, or access to your calendar. The real lesson? Behaviour is a message, not a misstep.

Label less. Listen more. Pack harmony starts there.

Tail wags, couch naps, and zero chewed boots to you,

Thor 🐾

Follow my adventures on Facebook: Thor's Pawesome Reviews

And follow check me out on Instagram : Live Thor's World