The Solution to the Problem behind "Problem Behavior"

The essence is that instead of asking, "My dog does this and that, how do I stop it?" you should ask, "My dog does this and that, what is the reason for that? What can I do to eliminate that reason, so the behavior will naturally disappear - or how can I re-direct this behavior towards something that is more acceptable to me?"

It is almost like treating a fever. You can chose to give the patient some drugs that will reduce the fever. But you could also try to find the reason for the fever (probably an infection) and then help the body eliminate that reason (giving antibiotics to fight the infection).

A dog example: Many dogs will jump up at people to greet them. Muddy paws on nice dresses are not necessarily everybody's favorite, so many dog trainers suggest that you "correct" the unwanted behavior by doing something safe, yet unpleasant to the dog, so you discourage this "problem".

http://k9joy.com/dogarticles/problembehavior.php