Unwanted behaviour is usually normal behaviour with which the animal causes us trouble and harms us or its environment. It is a problem that both dog and cat owners are confronted with on a daily basis. The aim of this thesis is to explain the unwanted behaviour of both pets in detail, and to identify possible causes and solutions. The most common unwanted behaviours of dogs include aggression and fearfulness, while cats tend to scratch furniture, soil the house and hunt wildlife. There are many reasons for such behaviour: aggressive and fearful dogs have not been properly socialised as puppies, have suffered trauma or have been ill. The lack of a suitable scratching post or cat tree will cause a cat to scratch furniture, while defecating outside the litter box is usually due to the box being poorly maintained or placed in an unsuitable location. Hunting, however, is part of the cat’s natural instinct. To preventsuch behaviour in dogs, we need to train them and give them a lot of attention, while as owners we need to educate ourselves about the behaviour and needs of dogs to avoid unwanted behaviour in the first place. With cats, we need to provide them with a scratching post and other scratching tools, be mindful of what kind of litter box we place and where we place it, and provide our cat with a safe and controlled environment for hunting by setting up an enclosure, or fencing off the garden, and providing toys that simulate prey. It is not easy to get rid of unwanted behaviour. We need to approach it in an organised and thoughtful manner with a great deal of patience.
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