We are soon going to tape the pilot of a potential podcast and would love some questions from dedicated readers. Each podcast will have an interview with an author or professional of interest (we have Temple Grandin and Karen Pryor lined up first, how fun is that?) and the answers to two to four questions about behavior or training, and that’s where you come in. We’d love to get some real questions from you… we could make them up (that is VERY common by the way on lots of shows) but would much rather get them from you. So here’s your chance… send in a question you’d like us to consider for the podcast. The good news is that we might use it on the show and you’ll get your question answered. The bad news is that you’ll send in a question and never hear a thing in response. That will happen a lot.. there’s no way I can answer everyone’s question that starts “I have just a quick question for you…..”. If I did, that’s all I’d do all day long until me and my dogs starved to death and could only send answers metaphysically.
So, send in a question by posting a comment to this post. It doesn’t have to be about your animal, it could be anything related to training or behavior of either wild or domestic animals. The question MUST be no more than 125 words (yep, that’s short!). Anything longer gets tossed into the bin, so keep ’em short and sweet. I’ll post all the questions so that everyone can see what’s coming in (and what’s already been asked).
We’re all ears (eyes?), can’t wait to see what comes in…
Katie Ringo says
Question: “What is the most effective way to explain to clients why they shouldn’t use dominance-based techniques? What have you used that has worked? What hasn’t worked?”
As a new trainer in the professional field I find it interesting the different ways you need to communicate to clients and would be very curious to hear answers from different trainers you have on your show. Unfortunately I can’t send research studies to every client and get through to them!
Michelle says
Here’s my question:
I’m just getting my dog (a border collie mix) involved in agility. The plan is to just do this for fun, but I’m having one minor problem. My dog is the least excitable dog ever. We use treats in class and I’ve tried getting her more excited with her squeaky toys, but to no avail. She’s bright-eyed and happy and she does all the obstacles, but she really just sort of wanders from one to the next. I was wondering if there’s any way to work up her excitement level a little bit or is she just a “hopeless” case?
Alessandro Rosa says
My question comes out of trying to figure out how to teach a dog to avoid something very dangerous using a positive reinforcement approach. Is there any way other than aversion training to get a dog to avoid and or fear something?
I live in the city with my Beagle pup, Darwin, so I doubt this will be an issue, but in doing my research on the breed, I came across articles about teaching hunting dogs to avoid snakes using aversion training (Shock collar when the dog checks out a non-poisonous caged snake until the dog stops investigating the snake) and it piqued my curiosity.
I have tried to get my mind around the problem of how you would safely train that avoidance behavior with positive reinforcement so that the dog would completely avoid snakes every time, especially in areas where vipers are prevalent, (“untrained” beagles tend to get bitten in the face as they are attracted to the powerful scent and lead nose first right into danger) and I am having a hard time thinking of a strategy to do it.
Joan Turner says
Question: Any tried and true methods of decreasing the barking in a collie who LOVES to bark? He’s well-loved, played with, given a lot of attention, etc.. but barks at virtually everything.Any advice would be much-appreciated!
Linda says
Why do some dogs love to eat sticks? My Lab totally demolishes them. Should I try to minimize this? Two years ago a stick got caught crosswise between her back molars. Had to rush to the vet and spend $155 to sedate her so he could get anywhere near her mouth with pliers. Now when we walk under certain trees (favorite stick areas) my constant refrain is “No stick, no stick.”
Elizabeth says
I have two 8 year old cats that I got from someone who would have had them euthanized. She got them as feral barn cats, took them in and pretty much ignored them, other than to feed them. They have been with us (and our dogs) for 2 years this summer–for maybe 4 months they just hid in our basement and I was fine with the idea of that being their life. Now the male is all over the house all of the time and the female is not as outgoing but very loving and affectionate. This seems to break all of the rules I ever heard about socialization–what gives?
Jennifer says
Here’s my question for the podcast:
When should someone seek the advice of behaviorist vs. a trainer and what is the difference?
Liz F. says
Are there any studies attempting to measure animals’ psychological impact on humans, like whether or not animals can fulfill our needs for security and belonging? Physiological and emotional changes in humans interacting with animals have been examined in a variety of contexts, from therapy animals to why we love pets, but has anyone found that animals can actually meet our developmental needs in addition to, or maybe in place of, other humans? Probably very difficult to measure, but perhaps there is a connection here to why some people feel more comfortable around animals…
Wonderful opportunity, and how great to read all of the questions! Very exciting!
Ann says
I’m so happy you’re doing a podcast. Thanks!
Sue says
Need ideas on how to stop dogs from barking. I am not the fastest thing in the world anymore so she gets frustrated when I’m not giving information soon enough on a course and turns around and barks at me.
Mim Golub Scalin says
Got our dog 17 years ago from a shelter and he’s been a fabulous companion dog. Now he’s deaf and seems confused at times. What can we do for him these days?
--Deb says
Here’s mine:
We’re a very welcoming family. When the doorbell rings, we ALL get up to see who it is, so it’s no wonder that my dog (a 35-lb Boykin Spaniel named Chappy) is an enthusiastic greeter. I joke that saying hello is one of his very favorite things to do, right next to eating. But, in his enthusiasm, his training goes out the window (or the front door). He jumps. He wiggles. He wags. If he doesn’t get petted, he barks. He displays a delerium of delight. Of course, it doesn’t help that, when it’s family coming to visit, they’re just as happy to see him–lots of smiles and tail wags–but, complete chaos. Which, you understand, is one thing when it’s my sister, but quite another when we have non-relatives coming to the door!
After a few minutes he’s fine and calm, and his usual charming self, but for those first few minutes? Definite brat-like behavior. Since he’s almost 8 years old, this behavior is firmly entrenched, but greetings turn him into a puppy again. They make him so ridiculously happy, it’s difficult to convince him to behave like a grown dog should.
What should we do?
Marguerite says
Can shy, fearful dogs learn to be confident and friendly? Bridget, a rat terrier, came from the shelter so frightened and snappish I had to leave the leash dragging so I could catch her. Now (a year later) she seems to be gaining confidence, but still gets stressed in new situations. I’m getting some guidance in using Control Unleashed techniques with her. She was 8 months old when I got her.
Ignacio says
Michelle, I envy your dog’s lack of excitement, can you make a transfusion to mine?… 🙂
I’m so glad the podcast idea is back, really looking forward to it!!
Here’s my exactly 124-word question:
My 17-month Lab-Border Collie mix developed the habit of barking and lunging at other dogs (and certain people) when on-leash. He does GREAT off-leash. He gets lots of daily walking. Did puppy training, knows all basic commands, they work well at home and marginally well with distractions outside. I practice calling his name often while walking and he always looks back (and treat), but when another dog passes by he pays NO attention to me. The last time he got so excited that he ended up jumping on me and biting my arms and legs after the dog walked away; not an attack bite but uncomfortable enough to freak me out. I had to do the “alpha roll” until he calmed down. Help!?!?
Thanks!!
Mary says
One of the most fascinating concepts that I read about in Animals in Translation was the one about how fear can develop in an instant and last a lifetime (or at least be really, really hard to “untrain”). I’d love to hear Temple Grandin speak about this a bit more – and perhaps put it into more of a context that we are likely to encounter as dog owners. What kind of things put our dogs more at risk to the impact of potentially fearful things? Are there things we can do to be pro-active in helping our dogs be less fearful in general? (I know some of the answers to these questions – but would love to hear discussion from your perspective and that of Temple Grandin. I think is a foundational concept if it’s really true!)
Keisha says
Question: What’s the best way for someone young and just starting out to get into the field of dog training?
susan says
Dear Patricia,
We’ve written to you about Aliya before. She is amazingly smart (in a scary way). She’s golden retriever, and suspected German Shephard (but with a 1/3 black tongue and a big ploomy perfectly curved tail).
Aliya is getting much smarter at 7. She has begun showing comprehension of complex instructions. Ex: she was barking at random noise. We said “We’re going to Grandmas. you can load up, and be quiet, or STAY IN TIME OUT.” She immediately looked sheepish, was quiet, went and loaded herself up 1/2 hour in advance.
Question: Have you seen other dogs gesture with their heads? She looks us in the eye, and jerks her head in the direction of what she wants. She looks at me, and jerks toward the child who is due to feed her. She looks at me, and jerks her head toward a child, then the door – to ask us to command the child to let her out.
We don’t know how to respond!
K says
Is there a way to train dogs so that they will not “fence fight”? My dogs and the neighbors dogs cannot be out at the same time. The fence is actually damaged from them charging into it and they have actually grabbed each other through the fence a couple of times. When I open my back door and give the ok my dog charges to the fence, hackles up barking even when they are not out. Is there any training that will help or is management the only option?
Trisha says
GREAT QUESTIONS! Keep ’em coming and thanks SO much.
Elizabeth says
actually, one of the questions gave ME a question! I think the Alpha Roll idea is pretty unappealing scary. If I were a dog and someone did that to me, I would be tempted to bite. I am not anthropomorphizing with this–it’s just that, physically, it doesn’t make sense as something that would “calm me down” (as the writer says) or do anything constructive. Am I all wet here?
Marie says
Why is using a clicker better than using a word?
I have found this to be true in my personal experience, and would like to know if there’s now scientific evidence to explain how the clicker works in communicating with animals.
Ann Potter says
How can you differentiate shyness from lack of socialization when presented with a dog with an unknown history?
Carolyn says
How will we be able to hear the podcast? Excited!
Shannon says
I have a dog (collie mix) who is shy and reactive to strange dogs. I’ve tried clicker training with him to keep his focus on me, rather than the other dog, but have had very limited success. The stimulus of the reaction seems to FAR outweigh any interest in treats in this case.
I can get him to focus beautifully in obedience class, but not on the city streets.
I don’t need him to be friendly to every dog he meets, just to have the ability to ignore them.
Any suggestions?
Jennifer Hamilton says
What is the definition of tool use in dogs? Has it been documented in dogs? Are the any current studies on dogs underway?
Dana says
What is the best way to keep a 6 year-old 100 lb. mixed breed neutered male, who participates in agility, who is sometimes reactive with other dogs, and is territorial at home, socialized? (very gentle with children and adults)
Jennifer Hamilton says
When a dog has a compulsive disorder that manifests in an behavior that is non-detrimental (I.e. yellow tennis balls)…is it better to eliminate the stimulus comletely, provide the stimulus in limited, controlled doses, or flood the dog with as much of the stimulus as possible (I.e. Put 200 tennis balls around the house so no one tennis ball is valuable)? Which technique is better for a dog’s long-term mental health?
Michelle says
These are such awesome questions!
Susan — my dog does that with her head too. When she wants to go in a direction other than the one we want to go in, she’ll sit down, look at us, and then look in the direction she wants to go.
Katie says
How do you balance exposing fearful/shy/undersocialized dogs to new things with out flooding them completely and sending them in to shut down? Most especially with a dog who even when coping in a new situation won’t take treats or respond much to praise so positive reinforcement becomes difficult.
Tina says
Similar to Shannon’s Question:
I am working on training my mix-breed for agility. I need to increase my dog’s focus on me during distractions. Food rewards just don’t cut it. When walking past a place my dog has seen rabbits in the past she cannot focus on my commands or a food reward, let alone if an actual rabbit is anywhere in the vicinity. I do not allow her off-leash except in the yard and at agility class. We cannot be more successful at agility until we improve this off-leash control. How do I increase her focus on me? and her willingness to respond to commands?
Ignacio says
@Elizabeth: Yes, I don’t like the alpha roll technique either. I just want to clarify that it’s not something I commonly do. That would be another great question for Trisha, what does she think about this technique?
I know it’s not recommended for young puppies because it’s too scary for them; but when your own dog (who is otherwise perfectly fine) goes bananas on the sidewalk, jumps on you and bites you in what seems to be a strong dominant behavior, with the gentle-leader collar and treats being inocuous to make him stop, believe me you run out of ideas pretty quickly… 🙂
Jim says
+1 for Podcast – great idea!
My question – digging! We have a year old Pit mix who has started digging in the back yard. She’s started this since we’ve adopted another dog (6 mnth old coon hound mix)
They both get walked twice a day, frisbee and fetch in backyard, lots of attention and separate time in kennels for some quiet time. She doesn’t dig at fence – usually it’s around tree or my wife’s plants 🙁
How can we stop this and redirect her energy elsewhere?
Alessandro Rosa says
Hi Ignacio,
I read your post and wanted to reply. I am not qualified to give you any training advice, so I would really encourage you to contact APDT.ORG to find a humane pet dog trainer in your area. I just had an idea based on much of the reading I have done and some of the experiences I have had thus far with my puppy.
I quess that the first question to ask yourself is what message are you sending to the dog through the leash? Dr. McConnell describes this very well on page 34 and 35 of her book “The Other End Of The Leash” where it is actually the human’s tension that provokes their already nervous dog on leash to fight. Are you anticipating the lunge and pulling the leash tighter and tighter getting more nervous as the other dog approaches? Your dog might be misinterpretting your signal of “I don’t trust you in this situation” as “I don’t trust that dog approaching us, so be ready to protect us.”
One thing that I have done to help my dog have a positive experience when meeting little children is kneel down at his side and then ask him to sit. I then take his favorite treat, in his case cheese, and hold it in a closed hand to his nose while they approach to pet him. He usually receives the pets calmly at that point and gets the treat which rewards him for being nice and calm with the child. Maybe there is something like this that you can do with your pup when other dogs approach while he is on a leash.
Again, as your dog has already bitten you, I would strongly suggest that you make the investment in a good professional to work with you before trying anything to work on his leash aggression other than maybe asking yourself is it something that you are doing, (tension, yanking the leash tighter and tighter, holding your breath) while he is on leash to provoke him into the fight or flight response.
Alessandro Rosa says
CORRECTION: The Association of Pet Dog Trainers website is APDT.COM, not APDT.ORG as I put in my last post to Ignacio
heather haygood says
My Question: My dog has some fear issues with baby dogs (3 months and younger) and small children about 2 years and younger, whats the best way to rid this fear while keeping children and puppies safe?
thanks!!! and your so awesome i love you and your books!!!!!!!
Katherine Salmons says
I have a 14 month old male (neutered) sheltie. He is very excitable and jazzed up by anything that moves. This includes cars, bikes, joggers, running dogs, and people walking away from my office. I am working to counter some of this enthusiasm with
Kelly Ladouceur says
I have a 14 month old intact male Cocker Spaniel. When he was quite young (between 4 and 6 weeks old) he was attacked twice by the breeder’s alpha female, with resulting infected bites. I have been working on socializing him since I brought him home at 11 weeks old, and he was quite well socialized by his breeder to people and other dogs before he left her house (I know her very well, which is how I can make this statement). He has come a really long way in meeting people without freaking out (high-pitched, anxious bark, paired with darting in and away from the person, wall-eye and sometimes urination). He very rarely does this anymore. However, with any new dogs he meets, he will run up to them, while barking excitedly (high anxiety) and as soon as they get within roughly 8-10 feet, he starts “screaming” and backing off, hackles raised.
I am working on Control Unleashed exercises as well as counter-conditioning and de-sensitization, but I’m not making very much headway. I need help!
The interesting thing is that when he is at dog shows (primarily indoor shows, since I live in the north), he doesn’t have this reaction at all. He walks calmly through the show site, sniffing other dogs and being sniffed. What gives?
Mihaela says
Temple Grandin AND Karen Pryor? Tricia, you rock! Your pod is going to be like… the Olympus of animal behaviorists!
I will add my question to the list above, although there are so many interesting and relevant ones in there already:
In a multi-dog household, how do you manage one dog obsessively controlling the others? Our 4-year old Australian Shepherd constantly stares at our two other dogs (both much larger) and growls and even bites their snouts if they try to break position. Can’t imagine why they put up with it!!!
Casey says
Susan and Michelle:
My Lab, Casey, is also a stare and nodder/head jerker. In the house she will stare at me and then nod at the fridge (piece of kibble) or back door (out to pee) and she will stare and nod when she wants me to fish out one of her toys that has gotten stuck in an inaccessible place. On our walks she will stare and nod when she wants to veer off our route to check out something interesting. Casey is the first dog I’ve had that does it. I think it’s pretty cool that she has found a way to communicate so directly with me and it’s much more polite than nudging, pawing or yips so I almost always respond appropriately.
There are some very interesting questions here. I look forward to hearing the answers/discussions. 🙂
Shannon GK says
I am in the middle of Temple Grandin’s book. I would second the other post about fear. I think a discussion on handling anxiety and fear would be really interesting. Does the anxiety wraps that are being advertised really help?
I also like the question about the fence aggression issue.
I can’t wait to hear your podcast!
cindy says
Hi, my question is kind of the opposite than others for shy dogs. My dog is afraid of unfamiliar dogs only if she is OFF leash. While she’s on the leash she wants to play and is very friendly. But when I take her off she cowers, barks, and stays very close to me. Won’t play at all. I put her back on and she starts play bowing and wants to play. I can’t leave her on because the leash gets tangled up in their legs.
Linda says
Should dogs be allowed to playfight, or not?
Very short question – the reason behind it is because I’ve had to ban my terrier from playfighting on the advice of a behaviourist as it was related to some problems he was having with other dogs. The problems exsited in a minor way, but really blew up to a major problem after he spent a month playfighting with a dog who stayed with me for that time. WIth work his problems have really been dealt with, but would to know as I’m a dog walker and currently I don’t allow any of the dogs to playfight. If this is a mistake I’d like to know.
Friends who are behaviourists also recommend not allowing dogs to playfight – I’ve seen 8 month old puppies push it and push it until when rebuffed more than once by other dogs they then start to pin them down and things get much more serious. Is there no way I can allow my dog to play with other dogs? He loves chase (which he’s allowed to do except with BCs and GSDs as apparently they shouldn’t be allowed to play chase), but that’s harder to do in a small living room.
Thanks!
Julie Posluns says
I have a male neutered puggle that finds unneutered males very threatenting, particularly ones between the ages of 6-9 months. When he picks up a scent an uneutered -male puppy, he finds it necessary to go and aggress at him (makes lots of noise but does no damage – unless you consider the emotional damage of the victim.) I’ve tried to teach him that when he notices one, to come over and get a special reward. It doesn’t always work. I am managing him well so he never has the opportunity to practice this behaviour but I know that I have not resolved his desire to aggress at puppies.
R.L. says
How do you train a dog not to pick up rocks as large as his head? He doesn’t chew on them, he plays with them and picks them up. His teeth are looking bad.
Mary Lou says
Question: One of my spayed females ‘humps’ my leg when she is overexcited or ‘jealous’ of the other dogs. (at least thats how I interpret it). How can I teach her not to do this? I’ve tried ‘naming’ the behavior and ‘redirecting’ her to an alternate (sit), but is there a way to prevent it?
Kathi D says
My 10-month-old Sheltie does what I interpret as aggressive herding of anyone (including me) approaching through the front gate. He nips at heels, and jumps up, grabbing at clothing and nipping. Totally amped up. I don’t think it’s aggression, since he doesn’t show aggression in any other situation, but it is very frustrating that we can get him to stop.
Kathi D says
That is, “NOT” get him to stop.
Rose T. says
Cat Question – My approx 13 year old male cat gets up just about every morning and picks a fight with my 9 yo tortie cat (he’s fine with the other female). Do you think he gets aggitated because he’s hungry and he’s not getting enough protein in his diet?
Dog Question – How can you create handler focus with a border collie that is not really motivated by toys or food?
Dog Question 2 – How can you switch a dog from treat motivation to tug motivation?
LynnSusan says
After a year of living peacefully with 2 cats (one shy, one bold–both de-clawed rescues about 7-9 years old, and here first)my 2 1/2 year old King Shepherd, Gracie, wants to chase the cats. I keep them separated during the day, when I am not home. They all used to have run of the house in the evenings. Now Gracie just wants to chase. I have a babygate with a smaller gate in it,so the cats can come into the area Gracie and I relax in, in the evenings. If a cat ventures in—she is on the chase. Any tips to restore the peace?
Gretchen says
My 2-year old Labradoodle has never been comfortable with strangers petting his head. He backs away and if people persist, he will fear-bark on occasion. He is, in general, nervous. We’ve tried using treats when someone is petting his head, using a command (go visit), and just telling people to ignore him so he doesn’t feel like people are coming at him all the time. We’ve been taking agility classes to build his confidence, and while we see some improvement in other areas, the head-petting business is still an issues. He’s fine with kids and once he knows you, he’s super friendly, but first-time meetings are often uncomfortable and if he’s really nervous, he barks and backs away…not a great first introduction to what we consider to be a wonderful, fun-loving fellow.
N Little says
The question:
Our 14 month-old has developed barking behavior. Until recently she barked occasionally, only in the house, 2 or 3 single woofs. We guessed she’s startled (sounds made by our neighbors updstairs), and hoped it was temporary behavior. Then when hiking with her on vacation she began barking at people coming around the corner. We could call her back, have her sit, and treat her quietness as the people continued by. Startled teenager again? Territorial? Worse, in an open park she went barking toward an approaching family. Again she came, sat for treats, and ignored the people afterwards. We’re home now and she seems to be back to her original occasional woofs at house sounds. The outside incidents worry us – should they? What to do?
The treat:
Love your blog and can’t wait to add your podcast to our favorite feeds!! Did someone say feed? Got *my* attention. 😉
Linda2 says
I’m about three books behind, & a dollar short, (my reading list is growing exponentially, I think)
My question, Do dogs that are feeling anxious or stressed give off any smell or scent, detectable to us? or to other dogs? Can this happen in anticipation of a stressful event? Okay that was three, kinda. Kudos to lining up Temple Grandin & Karen Pryor, maybe a nutritionist too, sometime?
Mary Ellen says
I have an 8 year old cat (got him at5- 6months, neutered at the MSPCA) and an 8 year old PWD (got him at 3, neutered at 5 years, way before Obama). Somewhere in there cute little alley girl joined them. She loves the dog, h loves her, but the male cat— terrorizes the dog, plain and simple. He always has. He plays very rough. He has gotten less aggressive with him (holistic hocus pocus helped with that), but his play is very sexual (neck biting, humping, mounting and more). I think he wants to play, but only knows this type of behavior. He does this with the spayed female cat too, if he gets even slightly aroused by play, or something else exciting. he begins chirping and bam, he’s on her like an alley Tom. has even left bite marks. He has been hormone tested in case there was an undescended testicle. In the morning, birds are out, he is hungry, I will not wake up and he attacks the dog. Sometimes it is an act of aggression (ears back, howling) sometimes it is reaction to the play or other things. Causes dog to pace around the male cat, run from him if the body posture and meows are off etc. Dog is smart, an obedience and tracking boy, but put a gray cat or EVEN a kitten near him and he freezes or runs!
What I have done. Seen the holistic, Chinese medicine vet (took him off ‘hot’ foods, and put him on herbs for awhile), seen a behaviorist who turned out to not be a behaviorist. She told me to put him in the tub with a ping pong ball to alter his focus (worked once). I play with him a lot, but not with hand toys, with all types of feathers, mice etc. The vet said he is anxious and obsessive, and ‘hot’ (in the Chinese Med sense) He is NOT an eater, always eats less than one half of whatever amount you give him. He will not even eat raw beef, or any other type of people food. It is driving me nuts, even though I know I feed into it sometimes (jumping in to protect the dog etc), but this is a dog that had an injury because he slipped running from the cat and twisted his back, so my patience is going down the tubes here. I have used the water bottle, works to an extent, but this can last for 45 minutes or so, several times a day. They occasionally have a good moment. I actually pick him up and put him in the dog crate instead of having a power struggle. He focus’ on me if I interfere sometimes, swatting etc.
He is also a cat that wants to be outside so badly, he claws at the door and window. Sometimes for a long time, screaming. This is especially bad when there are alley cats out in the yard. I live in a row house in the city, so they are out there and there’s not much i can do about it. He sprayed the back door one time. So what do I do? I had him on prozac, worked a bit but he was very drugged acting. Thought of rehoming him, but he has worn out welcomes with friends who know him. his name is Jack.
I would love it if you could revisit the cat that, in your words, “Likes to get something started”!
EmilyS says
Is there a modern scientific consensus on the extent to which behavior is genetic? Is there a “gene” for aggression? (This is a debate in some parts of the pit bull community where the traditional expression “never trust a pit bull not to fight” … used as a statement about being a cautious steward… is causing a great deal of unhappiness because it appears to support breed bans, etc) How many generations does it take of NOT selecting for a behavior before that behavior essentially disappears?
Nicola says
Village dogs (Ray Coppinger & Cesar Milan) are socialised & raised in a very different environment to pet dogs. Genetically & behaviourally, they are both dogs. Can you use one model to fix problems in the other, that is, if a behaviour disappears in a “pack” or kennel situation what are the chances of it not re-occuring in the “home” situation?
Gail C says
Hi Patricia! I love your books.. I have read them all, I think!
My question is WHEN is the podcast going to be? I don’t want to miss it. Can you send an email to let us all know? Thanks!
Jeanine says
I’d love someone to tell me how to resolve inter-bitch aggression. I’m doing lots of management and its under control but it would make life a lot easier if I could persuade the warring girls to accept each other with better grace. After the death of my 13 year old terv bitch, the then 9 year old, also terv, took over under my border collie girl went into her second heat, at which point she started fighting and consistently winning over the terv. BC girl is 2yo, 22 pounds max and small, terv is bigger and heavier and doesn’t have the right temperament to lead (sweet sweet airhead at age 10). Both listen well enough to be loose in house with me, are kept separated when I’m out, but I’d love to be able to walk them together especially longer off-leash walks. Is management the only solution or am I missing something? (Fights so far have not necessitated vet, though I and son both got bitten reasonably badly in trying to break one up. I keep a board handy now, and haven’t had them fight in last 4-5 months but am also managing them conscientiously. )
Ellen Pepin says
Dear Dr. McConnell,
About a month ago, we adopted a three year old collie. She likes people and other dogs, but barks and lunges at cars, trucks, school buses, and lawn mowers. When she is barking, her tail is wagging and is held in a half way position, her ears are up. I’m not sure if she is afraid or challenging it.
What is the best way to help her get over this?
Thanks,
Ellen
steve gotcher says
My 4-year-old miniature pinscher/beagle mix Lola, can jump high enough to pull loaves of bread, Tupperware containers full of cookies, etc. from the counter. Is there a way to train her not to do this? (We try to be vigilant and not leave food out, but sometimes we forget.) Also, could she harm herself by eating a whole loaf of bread or getting into her dog food and gorging herself? (she normally weighs about 20 pounds).
Thanks,
STeve
Trisha says
Oh boy, we’re going to record two pilot shows tomorrow! Wish us luck and THANKS for your great questions. Regarding broadcast, I’ll be looking for sponsors for the show in June… so I can’t give you a date of when the first podcast will appear, but it’ll be mid-summer probably at the earliest. I’ll address many of them on the blog too… of course, if any of you want to leap in and sponsor the show, just let me know!
Staci L says
I have a rescue dog who is very afraid of the light from flashlights. Tried positive reinforcement and have had some success (can have flashlight on when I walk her in the AM and can leave a lit flashlight out in the house if it is steady- she will be nervous, but will get used to it), but at night, she will crawl under the bed or cower in the corner if she sees a moving flashlight in another part of the house or backyard. She had other “issues” (fear of loud noises, etc), which I was able to work through with. Not sure how to calm her fears with this issue. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Jen Wernegreen says
>
Mateus Freua says
There is evidence that dogs accumulate situations experienced and transferring it to knowledge, or what we call “experience of life”? Thus, dogs would not be better with the controls over time, but only show the knowledge gained to the situations experienced.
Melanie Burns says
Hi! My question for the podcast is, I have a 4 year old neutered male cat who is generally laid back and I am looking to get a playmate for him, what is the general rule for introducing? Should I stick with one sex over the other? Thanks!
Beth says
My border Collie will be 9 this year. Among other tendencies that I labeled as neurotic BC syndrome, she shreds bedding and guards what she shreds. I worked extensiverly with her using a clicker and working with trades. She’s been diagnosed with vaccinosis (rabies miasm) and I’ve come to find that most of her problem behaviors are due to this, including the shredding. She’s under treatment by a homeopathic vet – can training help these issues? I’ve been trying for 8 years.
Beth says
My mixed breed dog suffers from redirected aggression and will attack my other dog if they are at the fenceline chasing deer or when the UPS truck stops outside. I work on prevention and am also using Temple Grandin’s suggestion to teach her self control by making her wait for things. She’s very exciteable. This started when she was around 2, seemingly out of nowhere. She’s now 7 and getting more agitated at things that pass the house. I have no idea how to address this. I keep her restricted from the windows when I’m not home but my house has many windows, and sounds, luike large trucks, get her agitated even if she can’t see them.
Martha Bible says
I have a Pug mix, a year old, and 2 cats, 1 of which has a dominant personality, 9 years old, and grumpy because he can’t roam freely outside. The other cat is submissive, 4 years old. All 3 are neutered. The dog and senior cat seem to have fear aggression toward each other, and it’s difficult to keep them from fighting. They feed off each other, causing a mad dash to save the cat’s life. The dog also has food / toy aggression toward the cats, but not people (or apparently other dogs). He has a high prey drive, chasing anything that moves. Can you possibly give any advice before somebody gets seriously hurt? Thank you in advance!
Amy says
I want to add to the question about fear. Can a dog over-come fear of something particular? And what is the best way to help them do that? I understand dogs do not learn as well when in a fearful state of emotion, so how does one help them along to over-come a specific fear? I know I keep adding to this, but the connection between fear and aggression would be an interesting topic. Is fear always part of aggression or is there any aggression that results from confidence?
Teresa says
We are moving to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. We have several small dogs under fifteen pounds. My question is: how do we coexist with Coyotes, Wolves, Mountain Lions, Hawks etc. while doing no harm to the wild life and keeping our pets safe. We own 69 acres with many trees and a creek. We do plan on putting up a six foot chain link fence around the yard. Thank you!
Sabine says
I’m so happy to be back after a pc-crash. Yes – Vista said “Hasta-la-Vista” to me and disappeared from sight.
I am really looking forward to this podcast and I am a hundred percent certain, that it will be a wonderful learning experience for all of us.
Something that always interested me – partially, because of the many rescue dogs I encountered in my lifetime – would be the importance of a dog’s developmental stages from puppyhood into early adulthood. A lot of puppymill dogs never get socialized/handled and make only bad experiences when handled by humans. What can humans/rescuers do to help them overcome all these traumas at a later stage of life. I have three examples right here with me: One was socialized properly from early puppyhood on and couldn’t be more of a sweeter, easy going, trusting and well adjusted dog. I exposed her to all different kinds of stimuli and it shows.
Dog number two is a retired show dog and responds to everything with huge amounts of stress, which manifests itself in insecurity and fear aggression, which is well hidden behind the facade of “i’m little mr. macho-man”. Dog number three comes from a BYB/Puppymill situation and had not been handled properly until she reached the age of five. She has overcome a lot of her issues but she does not trust anyone and reminds me more of a feral cat than a dog. She had to endure a lot of physical abuse (Her trachea was kicked in; her tail broken; parts of her ear cut off; her teeth fell out; she was malnourished and she had a back injury, her nails were grown into the pads of her little paws – just to name a few of her ailments) I have worked with her for three years now and I fell in love with this little bundle of fear and sadness. Her eyes almost got their sparkle back and she trusts me in certain situations, but will still scream, whine in fear and urinate when I try to pick her up. This dog is slowly catching up, but seems to be mentally very challenged when it comes to learning things. I’ve been training/raising dogs for over 4o years now and I am not new to the species, but this one is a real challenge. She does not seem to be able to concentrate for more than a split second. I take her as she is, but I find it fascinating how important early socialization and handling seems to be in order to wire a dog’s “learning and behaving brain”.
My question would be: HOW does one go about socializing an older dog to the point where the dog can be handled without panicking to the point of hysteria ? Which training method can I apply to a dog that obviously suffers from a major case of ADS paired with a general life phobia ? What can I expect from a dog with such history ? Unfortunately, not many people have the patience to deal with issues like these and they will return the dog to the rescue organization or the shelter and many of these poor souls are euthanized.
Anna says
My husky mix regularly escapes the yard and I can’t catch her until she has finished exploring the neighborhood and is ready to come home. I have tried everything, but it seems like each “trick” only works once! Nothing can compare to chasing squirrels, eating garbage, and generally checking out her “territory.” She obeys well indoors or on leash/rope of any length. I know that more activity would help some, but it hasn’t proven to be a sure thing. As a puppy, we lived in a rural area and I allowed her to run free, so that is part of the problem. Is there any solution, or should I find her another home where she can have more space and exercise?
A clarification: I know that prevention is the best solution, but she has also twice gotten away on walks when I slipped on the ice and dropped the leash or she jerked away to chase a rabbit when I was daydreaming, and the same situation developed. Also, I am renting, so I can’t make major changes to the fencing.
I have already tried: intensive repetitions of recall training; using the most delicious thing I can find to lure her (chicken, bacon, raw venison); sending her to doggie daycare to get the energy out (she, uncharacteristically, doesn’t like it, and they report that she just lies to one side and watches the other dogs all day); using other people’s playful dogs to lure her; getting a friend or neighbor to call her in; falling down and playing dead; pretending I don’t care and walking away; acting like we’re just on a walk in the woods and asking her to just stick somewhat close to me; jogging suddenly in another direction so she chases me and then leading her home; squeaky-ball hidden in pocket to make her curious; throwing her a favorite fetch toy or shaking a tug toy. And more. Like I said, everything works once or twice…
Mary says
One more question that just struck me last night (because I am constantly torn about my rules on this)
For Karen (and you Trish!) – Do you have some personal guidelines for your interactions with P+ trainers? Lead by example? Educate with kindness if an inquiry is made?
I let my emotions get in the way because I think of the dog first. And I know that there is no need (as my husband says) for the violence! I’ve always been R+ since my very first day at a marine park. I know my trouble is empathizing with the other trainer (I empathize with the animal – always!)
Betsy Copeland says
I have an 8 year old male bloodhound (neutered at 3 yrs old) who is what I would describe as an “Insecure alpha.” He is the top dog here, and the other 5 dogs (4 females, one male) accept him being alpha, but he seems to feel that he constantly has to prove it…standing over the others, ect. Is there any way to either reinforce his leadership to make him feel comfortable or should I simply remove him from the position? All of them understand that I am the ultimate authority and he never tries to challange my authority, but other dogs seem to drive him nuts unless they are constantly cowtowing. Suggestions?
Anne says
I’d be very interested in your perspective on the recently released study concluding that “dogs are not motivated by maintaining their place in the pecking order of their pack,” here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090521112711.htm. I’ve followed your approach for years and especially your idea of a gentle, kind “dominance reduction program.” I can see how this study refutes the methods of trainers like Cesar Millan, but I wonder if you think it also changes or challenges your views on some aspect of training. Thanks and looking forward to the podcasts —
Cynthia says
Oooh, I have lots of questions!
Question one:
My boxer/German Shepherd Gustav is a bit of a bully at the dog park. If the dog he is meeting is standing proud and a little stiff, Gustav will put his paw on their back (rude, I know!) and they might get into a snarly, hind-legs wrestling match, which inevitably ends with the other dog on its back and Gustav triumphantly pinning the dog. I have used your suggestion to say “let’s go!” in a happy voice, and he eventually moves on. He never does this with small, shy, or submissive dogs, just bossy ones. It’s rude and embarrassing. I realize I can just call him away, but is there a way to get him do stop even wanting to perform this behavior?
Question two:
Gustav is not entirely comfortable around strangers. He sometimes barks and lunges at people while on leash. Several times now, strangers have pet him on the head. When they are done and have turned away, he nips at their hand. He also has twice danced around people at the dog park bowing and nipping at their pants and ankles while barking. Is this fear-based? Just rude? A sign of burgeoning aggression that should be addressed seriously?
Question three:
My five-year-old terrier-esque mix Dottie has always been a very reactive dog. She gets lots of exercise and knows lots of tricks. Now that it’s camping season, I’d like to take her along. However, she finds it impossible to relax. I took her last night and she spent all the campfire time barking at the smallest possible noise or even just for attention. She cannot just lay down. This is after two trips to the dog park that day, with a kong full of frozen dog food, and a cozy dog bed right next to me to lay down and relax in. How do I calm her so she can just take a nap?
I’d love to hear what you think on one or more of these questions. Anyone else on this highly-informed comment list can feel free to chime in!
-Cynthia
Kate says
Trisha,
Here’s a question that’s been dogging me (hehehe) for years:
“My 3 year old male GSD mix has become fearful. Over the two years I’ve had him, he’s gone from a playful dog to one who spends his time hiding in “safe” spots. No aggression. In situations where he used to play, he now goes belly up or hides. I’ve considered my role in this and have become a more gentle person, fully embracing the positive mindset. Still, no matter what, something upsets him: something new, a raised voice. And he never forgets it. It’s heart-breaking and frustrating. I’ve taken him to clicker classes for fun, and tried to be gentle and consistent. To contrast, he loves meeting new people. He’s a great greeter and seems at his happiest meeting new people.”
It’s really tough, because I can’t think what else to do within the time I have. I can’t think of a good job for him, aside from therapy work, which wouldn’t really help at home anyway, would it? I vascillate between thinking it’s me and it’s him. I bet it’s likely the latter, but my personality might not be the best match for him.
Erin says
I have a similar question to Martha Bible:
How do you/can you get a dog with a high prey drive to live peacefully with a cat? My boyfriend and I have talked about moving in together, but my dog usually goes crazy when he sees cats, squirrels, etc.
Our basic plan is to do slow introductions, starting with just having the dog smell items of the cat’s, making happy noises and treating. Then moving to having them be in the same room, dog on lead with muzzle, also treating the whole time and just sort of slowly moving up from there.
Any hope?
ABandMM says
Hi Trisha,
I hope it is not too late to add my questions/topics to the list.
1) I would like to know more about dog food nutrition and what to look for on commercial products, especially those usually recommended by vets and considered “premium” (i.e. Iams, Science Diet, BilJacks). Home prepared food is not an option right now, but I would like more confidence in knowing what I am buying is really a good choice.
I know that some commercial dog food producers support vet training, so how to balance this fact with what your home town vet may be recommending?
2) The snake issue that Alessandro raised is interesting. I have just move to Florida where this will be an issue for me and my curious hound mix Abby. Fortunately all we have met down here thus far are armadillos, little lizards and bunnies. But because of the bunnies, Abby likes to sniff out the bushes in hopes of getting one for dinner. With me, the “leave it” and “let’s go” commands seem to be working. But I know I will need to find a way to balance her natural sniffing urges with the wildlife. I do keep her on the side of the roads and well marked paths and do not let her get deep into the brush (she is on a 6 ft leash). However, my parents tell me, that you will find snakes on the side walks and such. Unfortunately, they are not marked with a “P” for poisonous.
How do I acclimate Abby (and me!) to the possibility of snakes while keeping us both safe (and without using a live one for training purposes)?
3) When adopting an animal from a shelter, what things can you do with the animal while visiting that would give prospective adopters information about the dog’s personality and temperament? I know from gazing the pet finders lists that the shelters do try to evaluate the dogs with respect to whether they should be in homes with kids and cats? But what else can “not-so-dog -savvy” and possible first time dog owners do to ensure that the dog is a good match for them?
4) And if you do adopt an older dog and one that hasn’t led a very “rich” life, how do you introduce positive training when the dog is not that into food, toys and/or you? How do “enrich” such a dog’s life to get it to do more than maybe just “sit” for its dinner (which I know is a good thing).
Michael Gross says
In one of those rueful ironies of life, I learned about “Calling All Pets” via the Diane Rehm interview that included the announcement of its cancellation, whereupon I became a devoted listener to the remaining episodes and virtually inhaled every podcast in the archive. I’m thrilled by the idea of a future podcast. I don’t own a pet. I don’t even have an especially convivial relationship with the abuse-resistant umbrella palm a friend gave me five years ago. [I couldn’t even give half of it away — the recipient’s cat ate the tasty leaves and shoots.] But I love dogs, especially for their immersion in now and for their expressiveness, emotionality, responsiveness and vitality. And I am fascinated by animal behavior and the interplay between animals and their humans and vice-versa.
So my thoughts speak more to the idea of including in the podcast interviews with writers/thinkers about dogs and, in some cases, the questions their work has raised in my mind. The first names that came to mind were these:
> David Wroblewski [“The Story of Edgar Sawtelle”] and Ted Kerasote [“Merle’s Door”]. I mention these two writers — of fiction based partly on personal experience and research on dog behavior, and of biography of a dog and his man enhanced by the author’s reading of the research data — together because of the contrasts and similarities about what they say regarding dog-human communication and training. In particular, choice is a key concept in both books, yet Kerasote suggests that choice coexists with give and take in the absence of conventional repetitive training structures whereas Wroblewski’s account of training the imaginary “Sawtelle dogs” suggests the opposite [highly rigorous and structured training together with selective breeding for temperament].
> Jon Katz [“A Dog Year,” “The New Work of Dogs,” “Izzy and Lenore,” etc.] says he is now working on a novel part of whch is written from the perspective of the dog who is its central character. Scraps of comments about the challenge of that project have sounded very intriguing. Sometimes I’ve been puzzled by the insistence of this far from waiflike man that the principal way to a dog’s heart and mind is through its stomach, when his own accounts of dogs and their people suggest that the bonds and the learning demonstrated even by his own dogs are not solely or even principally based on gustatory satisfaction. Besides, I thought our best current understanding of how the “reward system” of the brain works is that the pleasure is in the getting as much as or more than in the consuming.
> Jake Page [“Dogs — A Natural History”]: I’m barely halfway through the book, enjoying it, and yet, oddly, still wondering what prompted him to write it and who he considered his primary audiences.
> Nicholas Dodman [“The Dog Who Loved Too Much,” etc, etc.]. I’m torn about the implications of pet psychopharmacology and pharmacotherapy. [A justificatory remark that psychoactive medications are first tested on animals is a red herring: those tests pertain to safety not measured behavioral responses]. Looking at the literature on controlled trials of compounds used in both dogs and humans, the human data are far from compelling, especially for SSRIs for depression. Dodman’s work suggests that the performance of these drugs is more reliable for dogs than for humans. But if the human “evidence” were entirely anecdotal, as is Dodman’s, we’d have the same view of their unambiguous palliative benefits. Still, I’d be reluctant to throw curative therapies out with the empirically murky bathwater, especially recognizing that some effective pharmacotherapeutic treatment regimens are very much a matter of empirical trial-and-error without the support of controlled clinical trials [e.g., case-by-case treatments for bipolar II]. So, beyond the ethical debates about drugging dogs into accommodation with living situations that violate some of their most striking biological adaptations, I think that the methodological issues raised by his work bear exploration.
> Stanley Coren [“The Intelligence of Dogs,” etc.]: He already answered any question I might have thought of so it’s hard to pinpoint a specific theme to explore, although his work suggests that if “big ticket” understandings of, for instance, key socialization periods for dogs with other dogs and dogs with humans, plus basic knowledge of the temperaments of different breeds were more widely and systematically disseminated, that might do much to curb the annual toll of canine carnage. I find myself wondering how these critical ideas and others that could improve outcomes for pets might be mainstreamed into the practice of pet stores, animal welfare agencies, licensing laws, pet care services, etc.
> Temple Grandin [“Animals Make Us Human,” etc.]: I’d love to hear more about how the sorts of insights about how humans do and should treat animals might be applied to how humans live with other humans and about the ways — subtle to us but perhaps acutely evident to her — our environments impair our equanimity, effectiveness, and happiness.
> Caroline Knapp [“Pack of Two”]: I’d be eager to hear an update of how her relationship with her dog — or dogs (?) and human(s) — has/have evolved in the years since she wrote that book.
> Merrill Markoe [“Walking in Circles Before Lying Down,” etc.]: Her fiction puts wonderfully lighthearted words into the mouths of dogs and suggest a lot about her own relationships with them. You’d never guess that the dogs she lives with went through something like “housebreaking” or “training” and I’d be interested in hearing the story of the first weeks and months with a new dog in her life.
> Cesar Millan [“The Dog Whisperer” etc.]: I typed that name with great difficulty. I think he wallows in self-satisfied, arrogant ignorance and I’m appalled by his prominence and its implications. I think my response displays a temperamental trait of instinctive disobedience to masculinist authority figures. On the other hand, I think that his real work is in a kind of crisis-intervention style of psychotherapy of dog owners, and I therefore believe that the interesting slant on his work would be to look at it from the perspective of psychological intervention with a research psychotherapist able to interpret his methodology and techniques as a form of human behavior intervention.
Going somewhat further afield, other topics that continue to interest me include:
> The “Flexpetz” concept to which I can’t associate a specific writer that has looked at this seemingly prematurely aborted idea: I thought this was a brilliant approach to an intersecting set of problems: on the human side, love of dogs without a lifestyle to which it would be fair to subject a pet 24/7, alongside a surfeit of dogs without sufficient 1:1 human companionship. By the verbal account of the program, it sounded carefully thought-through and responsible. And it got jammed legislatively and so it remains, I believe. Have I missed something? Was this really so unethical or irresponsible an effort that it deserves to be prohibited?
> If David Foster Wallace [“Consider the Lobster” and many other essays and fictional work] were still alive, I’d be eager to hear a debate between him and Peter Singer [“Animal Liberation,” etc.] on the ethics of eating fish.
It’s obvious that the theme of dogs and dog behavior quickly leaps out of that box for me into broader questions abourt humans and animals, but that’s no reason to expand the prospective podcast beyond the specific goals and topics that you have prioritized.
I couldn’t list Patricia McConnell, whose work might well be the first I would have mentioned in that list. The podcasts quickly led me to the books and the books showed the same blend of heart and mind I so appreciated in the radio show. I loved every episode of “Calling All Pets” I heard. I won’t be able to enumerate all the reasons but I wanted to mention some.
> Explications, each episode, of interesting new research results were paragons of scientific journalism in the lucidity of explanations not only of what the researchers found but of the methods that led to their conclusions and the implications, limitations, and/or further questions the work raised.
> I was astonished again and again at how readily you had, at your fingertips, a combination of anecdotal experience and research findings that you could apply with utter clarity and specificity to the particular problem or question. Likewise, I was recurrently impressed with your breadth of knowledge and interests across the animal kingdom: “Calling all Pets” was far more than a show about dogs or even cats and dogs. I was so impressed, over and over, by the breadth of knowledge that comes from immersion in zoology with, presumably, a vast amount of incidental learning of veterinary science and medicine.
> You gave other writers a terrific showcase, both a chance to explicate some of the most interesting aspects of their work and an astute yet gentle drawing out of unstated implications or next steps.
> Obvious and abundant warmth, sensitivity, empathy, and emotional depth permeated every conversation with pet owners. When the “solution” was evidently challenging a “problem” that had more to do with the owner’s clinging to dysfunctional behavior than the animal’s capacity to adapt, you approached those situations with great kindness. It seems to me that so broad, rigorous, and well-informed a mind rarely co-exist with so big a heart.
I hope the podcast project comes to fruition, but even if it does not, I am deeply grateful for hour upon hour of wonderful and memorable listening and reading.
Terrie says
Question for the podcast: my duplex neighbor and I both have dogs, and we can’t figure out how to train them both/together to stop barking and jumping on the picket fence whenever someone walks/bikes/jogs by. Mine: Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix (maybe – rescue) hers Lab/Border Collie mix (maybe – rescue).
Thanks – miss your show, looking forward to the podcast!
susanne says
We have a 50# leonberger puppy that is 4 months old. Children that are 2.5, 5 and 6 years old. The puppy will nip at the y0ungest without being provoked (appears to be wanting to play). We are training the dog in basic obedience of: sit, stay, down, leave it, come and walking on the leash. How do we get the dog to leave him alone, or being higher in the pack? The dog is the best with the middle child, but leaves the older one alone more. Thanks
Anita says
I have an 8 year old Australian shepherd mix who is hyper-reactive, extremely noise sensitive, and wary of strangers. We’ve made giant strides in our years together (I adopted her at 10 months from a shelter, where she’d had two previous unsuccessful adoptions) My question is how I can best handle her when passing strange dogs in our neighborhood. She’s very reactive and will lunge and bark aggressively if I don’t manage it. I always manage it by putting her in a sit, then click/treating her for refocusing on me as the strange dog passes by. When I do that she almost always stays focused on me, and quiet, then we can peacefully continue our walk.
My specific question is that I must always, always do that, and I’m wondering if she’s really learned anything since without that management she immediately reverts to her on-leash aggression. She’s fine with other dogs off leash, and fine with other dogs on leash in agility and obedience class situations. Is there anything I can do to move her to the next step, of passing other dogs peaceably without the management I’ve just described?
Thanks!!!
Ignacio says
I’m still looking forward to Trisha’s podcast comments about my question, but it looks like I found a method that works pretty well with my on-leash aggression case!: water sprayer + high value treats. As soon as another dog shows at the horizon and he starts getting excited, I squirt some water on his neck/back to distract him and get him out of that fixated state. As soon as he got distracted, I call his name, and if he looks back at me (more often than not he does), I treat and praise like he won the Dog Nobel Prize. Yesterday, we even walked by a fence with two barking dogs on the other side and he managed to walk by without barely looking! Still doesn’t work if the other dog also reacts like he used to, but we’re still working on it!
Donna says
I was wondering about a previous owner visiting their rehomed dog. I have an 11 year old dog, I got as an 8 year old. He really seemed to miss his former owner and it took him quite awhile to settle in here. I don’t know if it was his age or just him.
Christi says
I have a 1.5 year old Shiba who has always been shy to strangers and new situations. He is fine in any situation when his concentration is on my husband or myself, but gets easily distracted and then falls into flight mode. What are some games we can play to help him learn to keep his concentration on us in these situations? (Note: he is unresponsive to toys and treats outside the house.)
Michael Gross says
I have a question that’s more abstract than practical. My impression is that there’s an increasing consensus among what I might call “progressive” dog behavior experts and trainers that positive reinforcement is much more effective than negative correction, perhaps because negative correction has often been so intimidating to dogs that it evoked fear and/or aggression when excessive.
But I was delving into Humphrey and Warner’s “Working Dogs” from 1934 — which seems to be a careful, controlled, empirical approach to training service dogs — and they conclude that a combination is most effective or, in their words, “an animal working under the driving power of both punishment for mistakes and reward for success learns considerably faster, and remembers longer than one trained with the use of only one or the other of these incentives.” They go on to say that dogs are so highly attuned to the nuances of affect of their principal trainer that both “reward” and “punishment” that a “caress” and a “disppointed or disapproving word” respectively are sufficient motivators. I think it would be great to talk about how and why perspectives have changed, if they have, since those Fortunate Fields efforts.
Shalea Rhodes says
I have a 4 year old greyhound with progressive retinal atrophy. Although the specialist who diagnosed him thought that he would maintain some level of vision for another year or two, practically speaking he’s nearly blind. He remains a curious, happy boy and doesn’t seem to be bothered at all by his lack of vision. He and I continue to work on the behaviors suggested by Caroline Levin, and when we’re just out in the world walking he does just fine.
Where we have problems, however, is when we meet other dogs. He’s very polite with other dogs when we get close enough for him to see their body language, but until that point he has a tendency to go still, focus intently and peer at them. I can tell that it’s not an aggressive look (normal whiskers, normal breathing, normal mouth position, and he wrinkles his forehead like he’s puzzled or concerned), but we’ve met some dogs who (understandably enough) misinterpreted his posture and reacted very poorly.
So my question is this: how can I work with my nearly blind dog to help him meet other dogs without risking this kind of reaction? I’m working on some beginning clicker training for him thinking that if I can cue a head turn (or some other calming signal), but I’m not sure how well that will work if he’s excited about meeting another dog.
Terry Cunningham says
I was not sure any other way to contact you about an article I read in BARK. It was about dogs using tools. My lab Siggie has used tools in several ways. Two of them are using a long stick to hit around her ball like a “hocky payer.” But the one I wanted to tell you about is that we have hammock style hanging chairs on our deck. Siggie used to put her ball in the hammock and then go behind it and hit it with her head. Thus sending the ball over the railing so that she could go retreive it. Then she would do it again if she could not get a human to throw it. I’ve always wanted to tell someone about this because I thought it was an excellent example of a dog using a tool.
anne stillman says
hi..we have a 15 month old jack russell who is very exciteable. She gets 2 walks a day and several play/ training sessions. She sits before getting her meal etc.
When she wants to play but we want to rest she jumps on us, this can escalate to nipping and humping our legs.. We try to do the ignoring her completely bit which is pretty difficult when she straddles your leg. Just not sure what to do to get her to learn this isn’t appropriate behaviour. I think our inconsistancy hasn’t helped.
She knows lots of tricks/commands but we just can’t crack this problem.