As a dog trainer and behaviorist, there are certain issues that I am asked about on a consistent basis. While each dog and each situation has nuances that make it unique, there is advice and tasks/training that can be done in each and every case that will help.
I received a call today that is one of those calls. I decided to document and answer it here so it might be of some help to others as well.
The Situation
10 mo old Aussie/Border collie mix. Owned since a puppy (approx. 8 weeks). No formal training till this point. Female owner loves the dog like a child. Male owner is fed up with the dog’s behavior and is determined to “show him who’s boss to gain better behavior.
This young dog is high energy and will run if given the chance. He has climbed fences to gain freedom, will chew anything he can get, and generally has very poor behavior in and out of the house. The dog does not use a kennel.
While there is more to the story, that gives you the idea of the stress in this family.
The Evaluation
A limited initial evaluation (without meeting this family. . .. which is limiting) indicates that
1. This dog has not been properly taught the rules to live in a human world
2. This dog is not stimulated enough via exercise and “brain games” (aka he’s bored)
That’s pretty much it. . .simple, right? Two little things and all is well. The problem is, there is hard work that goes into correcting the bad behaviors
The Rehabilitation
First and foremost, there are a few “rules” that should be followed with any and all dogs to maintain (or obtain) good behavior
1. Treat your dog like a dog: Dogs are not 4-legged children. They do not have the same sense or sensibilities of children. Treat them like dogs. Love them, enjoy them, but make sure you don’t coddle them (they have 4 legs, let them walk), teach them.
2. If it’s not “cute” for a 200-pound mastiff, it’s not cute for a 2 pound Yorkie. Both have teeth, and both need similar rules
3. Set Rules: Dogs NEED rules for many reasons: To live acceptably in your home and with your family and visitors. Second, if a dog has no rules, he can tend to become insecure and think that he needs to “take care of” these wonderful but awfully weak people and take on that role. .. . you don’t want that. If they don’t start to “protect” they may start to distrust as they are not confident you can keep them safe.
4. Train them: This does not necessarily mean formal training. Remember, however, that every time you interact with your dog they are learning. If you teach your dog that jumping on people is fun by turning around continuously or playing push away, they will continue to jump.. . it’s a fun game! The saying is “you get what you teach”.
5. Recognize the good and redirect the bad. No is just not enough. No is not a behavior and dogs have no idea what to do if you just say no. However, if you show them what you want and then reward when they do it, they will tend to continue to offer that behavior
6. Make sure they are both mentally and physically exercised. Even dogs in multiple dog homes need life enrichment. Letting a dog out in the backyard is just not enough exercise. A backyard, regardless of how large, is just a big pen and is only interesting for a short period of time
Dogs need both mental and physical activity. Physical activity should be interactive and mental activity should be challenging.
7. Enjoy your dog. If you don’t have fun with your dog,
Again, I never give specific advice without first meeting the family and the dog. However, there are a few things that will often start to improve many issues.
1. Set Rules: As a family, set 10 rules that the dog must ALWAYS follow. These should be currently a stretch for the dog and can be made harder as the dog progresses. Some things I recommend are:
a. Sitting to say hello and please
b. Waiting at a distance when people enter the house
c. If the dog is allowed on furniture, they cannot get on a piece of furniture that a person occupies without being asked up
d. Waiting for the food bowl
e. Waiting at ALL doors (by sitting
f. Move out of your walking path
g. Be outside the dining area when people are eating (or at least not begging)
These are just a few ideas of the rules. You will need to come up with rules that fit your lifestyle
2. No more food bowl: For a period of 2 weeks, take the food bowl away from your dog. Measure out the daily allotment of food and use it ONLY WHEN THE DOGS WORKS FOR IT. Your dog will get fed kibble by kibble by successfully doing the rules above (to start), for the daily training you will be doing, and when going for a walk (and walking nicely. . . a nice loose leash).
3. Daily training: This can be obedience training, trick training, nose training or anything that you want and your dog will enjoy. Training sessions should be no more than 2-5 minutes per day and occur 10+ times per day. Short sessions will get you better results. If you get frustrated or are not having fun STOP. If you’re not having fun, your dog is not learning.
4. Look at what your dog is doing right on a daily basis. I guarantee he is doing some good. Catch it and let him know what he should keep doing.
These are just some basics that will start getting you on the right track. (if you want to discuss more specific items, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Hope this helps
Joann Neve, CPDT-KA
