Adrienne

Hi Patsy, Has she always been rather finicky or is this a recent behavior? In other words, when she was free-fed did she eat well? I know with free-fed dogs this may not be easy to assess unless you were measuring the food you fed her and subtracted what was left in the bowl at the end of the day. When I hear about dogs who are itchy, allergies often comes to mind. Some dogs may be allergic to things in their environment such as grass, pollens, dust mites, flea saliva, and products we may use in our homes and yards, others may suffer from food intolerances/allergies. Interestingly, a recent study by the Itchy Dog Project led by researchers at the University of Nottingham’s (UN) School of Veterinary Medicine in 2017 has revealed some quite interesting findings. The studies revealed that excess itchiness led to several problematic behaviors in dogs including attachment/attention-seeking behaviors, chewing, hyperactivity, excitability, anxiety, stress and excessive grooming. It may be worthy therefore consulting with your vet and determining what she may be allergic to, and if it's food allergies, then finding a food that agrees with her and helps reduce her itchiness. While at the vet, it may also help discussing about her reduced appetite just to make sure that there's nothing medically impacting her, that possibly, may or may not be correlated to the itchiness as well. Dogs usually have healthy appetites, and while it's true that some dogs may be finicky eaters, it's also true some may be that way either because they are stressed by something or there's something medically going on. It's also true though that some dogs can get finicky when they are free-fed due to the fact that the food sits out all day which decreases its value. By now though, I would have expected her to learn to eat her morning portion quickly as the food bowl would otherwise be picked up and she won't have food until her next feeding. Since you are at a delicate transitional phase, that is, weaning her from being free-fed it would be best to not give her treats until she has eaten enough of her kibble. This would mean scheduling your walks after she has eaten enough of her meal. As a general rule, treats should not make up no more than about 10 percent of your dog's daily calories. Also, since she's a small dog, treats can fill her up quickly so you will need to be careful and give very small pieces. With small dogs, I often can get as many as 10 pieces out of a dog's normal size soft treat. Alternatively, a nice compromise for both would be using her kibble as treats for training, but it sounds like she's not eager to eat those. A way around this is mixing kibble with hot dogs (low-sodium hot dogs, preferably organic ones) but this is mostly for training than really for the meals. The kibble is meant to absorb some of the fragrance of the hot dogs (the hot dogs can be removed afterward for dogs with sensitive tummies) so that these hot-dog- infused kibbles can be used for training. This may work for some dogs. Another option may be feeding her something that is higher value than kibble for both her meals and training. This would offer a win-win situation as she would get to eat happily, while also being trained. For example, I know some finicky dogs who won't eat their kibble, but love eating those refrigerated food rolls such as Fresh Pet Nature's Fresh Turkey Recipe. This is a balanced food meant for all life stages. There are other super valuable dog foods for finicky eaters that can be offered as an alternative to kibble such as semi-moist dog foods, however, please consult with your vet before implementing any dietary changes, because it would be best to really get to the bottom of her itching and finicky eating. Also, any food switches must be done gradually to prevent digest upsets. Most dog foods will provide directions on how to up the chances for a smooth transition by adding the new food to the old very gradually. I hope this helps! Best, Adrienne

Great to hear! Keep up the great work. I am here if you need any support or have questions. Best, Adrienne

Basically, you have two options: getting him used to the new schedule as mentioned above which requires gradual adjustments ideally starting a week prior or sticking to the schedule your puppy always had (in other words, ignoring the new time change completely).

Hi Cheryl, welcome back! I was wondering how you guys were doing. Glad to hear that Shiloh is fully recuperating. Please refresh my memory, but if I recall well, the issue with going up the car started when he injured his leg? I did a search on your posts and read that a while back you stated " He loves to ride in the car but won't even try to get in himself . I've got a ramp that will make it quite easy even with his leg issue, and vet visits are often right now. " So if that's the case, I would make sure that you mention this to the vet, especially since it seems like he struggles with the going in the car more than the car ride itself. We want to just make sure he doesn't have any residual pain going on and whether he has the all clear for jumping up in the car regularly and that he has totally recovered from the injury. It is hard to know exactly what may have gone through Shiloh's mind with the pup without seeing the interaciton. It could be simply that now that he is older, he was trying to correct the puppy for barking and nipping. Usually, older dogs correct young puppies using a little growl and their mouths to nudge them away, but it should be all ritualistic, meaning more noise than real harm. It could be that now that he is an adolescent (I am guessing he should be around 6-7 months now) he is starting to get a bit picky on what types of dogs to befriend. You can read about the adolescent stage here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/survive-dogs-adolescent-stage/ In any case, I think you did good to intervene just in case.

You are very welcome, Keep me posted on how things go. Best, Adrienne

Thanks for the extra details, they are very helpful. So this is a rather complex issues, we are dealing with multiple pets sharing the household, with two possibly traumatized cats, and a dog with a history of not respecting the cat's requests for space and being left alone. When we have a history of rehearsing problematic behaviors in presence of cats, it becomes more difficult to work on the behavior because rehearsal allows the behaviors to put roots and become more difficult to eradicate. More than training, behavior modification is primarily needed to rehabilitate several pets. This is something that should be done under the guidance of a dog professional (preferably a veterinary behaviorist. I will provide some general guidelines along with examples of what behavior modification in such a case may entail, although each dog and cat is an individual and therefore a more individualized plan will be needed. These are therefore just some general guidelines: Rule out Medical Conditions Primarily, I feel that this is important considering that it would be difficult implementing behavior modification on pets who may be undergoing behavior changes due to some underlying medical conditions. So a vet visit to rule out anything medically going on would be a good starting point. The advantage of using a veterinary behaviorist is the fact that he or she is qualified to assess the pet's health before proceeding to behavior modification. For instance, when a dog attacks or becomes more reactive mostly at night can sometimes be due to an eyesight problem. Sometimes, the cats may too have a medical condition that may cause dogs to lash out. One of my clients once had a dog who started attacking a cat, and turns out, only months later the owner discovered that this cat was suffering from seizures. Dogs do not understand seizures, so they may attack the cat as an instinctive response. If the behavior happened after he was neutered, it could be that he felt pain when the cats were around and he associated the cats with pain, or maybe he wasn't feeling well and started attacking to ask for space and soon this behavior established and became his default way of interacting with the cats. Many possibilities. Maturing can also trigger behavior changes. Social maturity in dogs occurs around 12 to 36 months. We tend to see altered dog-to-dog interactions around this age, and this can also occur with other animals sharing the household. It can simply be that as Jax is maturing, he no longer tolerates certain behaviors from the cats. As puppies, dogs may be accepting of many things, but part of growing up and maturing may entail putting a stop to certain behaviors. Make Your Cat's Safety Top Priority If your dog has suddenly started attacking your cats' it's imperative to keep your cats as safe as possible. I don;t want to scare you, but there are stories of dogs killing cats they have known for many years and never had a problem. It doesn't make things easier the fact that cats seem to not realize that a dog they have known for many years can harm them. Dogs can injure or kill a cat very quickly. On top of this, a dog can also be injured by cats. Cats may aim for the eyes and cause corneal injuries and even loss of vision. Following are several ways you can keep your cat safe: -Install a baby gate that keeps your cats and dog separated -Keep your dog muzzled when around the cats. Here is a guide on how to muzzle train dogs: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-your-dog-to-wear-a-muzzle/ -Provide window ledges, high perches and cat trees where your cats can climb up to and feel safe -Place shelves to the walls so your cats can travel around the house without having to get on the floor. There are many plans for vertical spaces purposely made for cats nowadays including walkways and bookshelves with top cat walks. -Crate you dog when you are not home or secure the cat in another room. Prevent Rehearsal of the Attacking Behavior Dogs are very habitual creatures, and therefore, as mentioned, the more they rehearse a problem behavior, the more this behavior puts roots and becomes established overtime, making it more and more difficult to extinguish. It's therefore very important to prevent your dog from getting into the habit of chasing and attacking your cats. This falls under management strategies. If your dog attacks your cats for no reason, you are better off preventing your dog from being around your cats as a safety precaution. If your dog attacks only in specific circumstances, you will have to prevent those circumstances from happening, although, there are always some risks that things may change and your dog may still attack, so caution is needed. Following are management options. -Keep your dog away from your cats by using a sturdy baby gate that he cannot climb over, knock down or squeeze under -Keep your cats indoors and your dog in the yard -Keep your dog in an outdoor kennel -Keep your dog crated or in an exercise pen -If your dog attacks cats around food, feed him in a separated area -If your dog attacks cats around toys, don't keep toys around -If your dog attacks cats out of jealousy, don't give the cats any attention when around him/her -If your dog attacks the cats at night, prevent access to the them at night by separating him Implement Behavior Modification Management prevents dogs from rehearsing troublesome behaviors, which is important, but to get to the root of the problem, behavior modification would be needed. Not all cases qualify for behavior modification. Prognosis is based on several factors such as a careful assessment, age of dog, age of cats, breed, history of rehearsing the problem behavior, history of causing harm (does the dog use ritualized aggression or is there a history of biting?), owner commitment, level of dog training and responsiveness to cues, ability to manage and supervise etc). The goal of behavior modification in such a case would be to create positive associations with your cats. This can be done using a mix of desensitization and counterconditioning. Desensitization requires systematic exposures using baby steps, always ensuring the dog is under threshold. You can read more about desensitization here; https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/desensitization/ and here you can read about dog threshold levels: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/ Counterconditioning, on the other hand, entails creating positive associations with the sight of cats. You can read more about counterconditioning here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/counterconditioning/ The goal is to obtain what's known as a positive conditioned emotional response. You can read about this here; https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/conditioned-emotional-response-cer/ For safety, the dog should be kept initially on a short leash, then on a longer leash and then off leash while wearing a muzzle and then off leash without a muzzle, but the cats must have escape routes always handy and a plan should be in place should the dog in try to attack or grab the cat (calling the dog, telling him to leave it, telling him to drop it if he manages to grab the cat, keeping tools handy to stop a fight (bucket of water, air horn). Work should always start with cats at a distance that don't evoke the dog's attacking behavior, gradually decreasing the distance as both species allow. If the dog shows signs of trouble, this is a sign that one has progressed too fast. Some steps back in such instance should be taken, increasing distance and working at the animals' pace and comfort levels before progressing more. Since your cats appear to have a history of being traumatized, they too would benefit from behavior modification, so if you would have a helper he or she could also feed the cat tasty treats upon watching your dog. *Please note how the core of behavior modification here is creating positive associations. The use of prong collars and water bottles does the total opposite: it causes negative associations among the pets and corrections may lead to more stress which may exacerbate the problem. *Medications for calming pets down can be effective in lowering thresholds, but they should be used along with behavior modification. Train Your Dog to be Responsive It goes without saying, the importance of responsiveness. If your dog is predisposed to attacking your cats, you need a reliable response to your verbal cues. Train your dog to respond immediately to a smacking sound with your mouth: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/the-airplane-game/the-smacking-sound/ Train him the leave it and drop it command: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/take-leave-it/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/drop-it/ Train your dog a strong, reliable recall (see obedience 101 for basics) Train your dog to lie on his mat: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-dog-go-to-mat/ This training needs to start in low distractions areas, and then distractions need to be gradually added before trying to use them in the presence of cats. We are looking for a very reliable response here since the cats' lives may be at stake. Never Let Your Guard Down As much as your dog is highly trained and despite having formed strong positive associations with your cats, never let your guard down. In other words, think that if the attack happened once or more than once, it can likely happen again. Supervise always closely. Manage as much as you can. Prevent situations from escalating. Provide your cats with escape routes. Hold refresher sessions on your dog's training. Consider that, even if your dog is trained, there is no such thing as a dog that will respond 100 percent of the time. Even the best trained dogs have their oops moments (ask any trainer of champion competition dogs) and in this case a precious life is at risk. So it's important to evaluate things carefully as the risks at stake are very high. There can never be guarantees on the outcome of training and cats are animals and dogs are animals, and therefore we can't always control or predict their behaviors. It is therefore ultimately a pet owner's responsibility ensuring the safety of their pets-and some times, the best thing to do is, to just err on the side of caution and play it safe by keeping certain pets separated and out of harm. When Things don't Work Out Sometimes, despite all our effort, things may not work out. Management attempts may fail and when lives are at stake, important decision-making may entail considering rehoming if the pet is not a good fit. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions. Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting) for safety, please consult with a dog behavior professional who uses force-free behavior modification techniques for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos and general info found in the forums or course (or any online source) are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this course and forum, you are waiving any liability claims or other type of claims related to any dogs' behavior against you or others

Hello and welcome to the forums, I have a couple of questions in regards to your dogs' and cats behaviors to better understand the situation. How old are the cats? Were they raised with him as kittens? Did the lashing out and swiping at his nose behaviors from the cats stop at some point as your puppy grew and learned to respect more their need for space? Or was there always some sort of ongoing conflict? Have there been any recent changes in the last 2 months? Like the cats seeing the vet for some problem? Moving? In what ways have you corrected your dog and the cats? It sounds like the cats are trying to keep distance lately and avoiding your dog, is that correct? Do your cats have a place to go that is dog-free? Like a all cat tree a room where the dog is not allowed?

We have some general guides tackling dogs and cats and dogs "attacking" small animals: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/cats-dogs-dont-get-along/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/attacking-small-animals/ These can get you started on some foundational obedience skills, but if there is aggression, more than training, what may be needed is behavior modification. I will be reading your other post with more details to get an idea of what is happening.

Thanks for the additional information, Germans shepherds and their mixes can be quite nippy when young. This is because they were selectively bred to herd livestock. This required determination, courage and a strong instinct to control the movements of the sometimes stubborn animals they herded. In particular, German shepherds can be very mouthy due to their herding heritage and they tend to use their mouths as hands. So when you take a cute, fluffy puppy bred for this purpose and welcome her to your home, she'll be predisposed to biting unless you provide her with outlets for these natural, instinctive behaviors, redirection and lots of training. On top of this, young puppies in particular have teeth that are very sharp, but their jaws haven't fully developed yet. Due to their weak jaws, Mother Nature has compensated by providing them these needle-sharp teeth which can easily tear and puncture our sensitive skin. Now, there is nipping and nipping. In most cases, when dog owners describe their pups as aggressive, they are simply playing very roughly, nipping hands and feet and attaching to their clothing and growling as they tug. As scary as this sounds, in these circumstances, in most cases puppies are simply playing. More serious, potentially aggressive behavior is provoked by specific circumstances or exposure to certain triggers. The most common reasons why puppies engage in aggressive behaviors is because they are either resource guarding an object such as a bone, toy, person or resting area(protecting it), reacting out of fear, defending themselves, or responding to pain. This type of behavior can start as early as 6 weeks of age. If she is barking and growling at strangers or people she doesn't know, we may be seeing some potential fearful behaviors due to not being socialized or genetics. This is something we want to tackle earlier rather than later because as she matures, she may become more confident and decide to bite or she may bite out of fear when cornered, restrained or the moment people turn around. This type of behavior requires more behavior modification than training. Enlisting the help of a behavior professional is recommended for in-person guidance, safety and correct implementation of behavior modification. You can read a sample of a behavior modification protocol I have used when working on a dog who was fearfully barking when a particular person entered the home: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/dog-barking-someone-enters-room/ The reaction towards being touched can be due to a lack of handling. There is a guide on handling exercises here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/exercises-to-teach-puppies-to-tolerate-touch/ However, if your puppy bit your arm when you were feeding a treat and you were petting her, this can be a sign she wasn't ready for that level of touch. It helps to increase the value of the treats used (something super valuable she loves) and starting with a very, very light touch in areas she tolerates better at first. So it would be important working along with a professional to start by touching the puppy briefly in areas she's less likely to react at first while feeding a tasty treat at the same time. Stop touching once she's done eating the treat. Rinse and repeat and aim to obtain a positive conditioned emotional response as described here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/conditioned-emotional-response-cer/ After ward, very gradually move to areas where your puppy may dislike being touched like the top of the head, ears or paws. Always feeding a treat to create positive associations. If your puppy ever tries to nip, split the exercise into smaller steps. For example if your puppy tries nipping when you try to pat the top of the head, start petting the nose lightly or sides of the head and giving a treat until he's comfortable with that before progressing to petting the top of the head. If the nipping causes tears/wounds, it is recommended to wear heavy duty gloves but always aiming to not push boundaries and working at the pup's level of comfort, taking baby steps and progressing slowly. Since she seems to be biting strongly, it would be important teaching her better bite inhibition. This is a very important skill. A good exercise to train this using treats is here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/train-dog-take-treats-gently Also, here are some bite inhibition games to redirect biting, teaching hand targeting is one of my favorites: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/bite-inhibition-games/ She also needs to learn to be better under control when exposed to anybody. Keep her on leash and don't allow her to rehearse the undesirable behaviors targeted towards others. Only once she is better under control you can keep her off leash. One of my favorite games for teaching puppies to control their impulses a bit more is learning to respond to a smacking sound made with your mouth. First, make a smacking sound and toss a valuable treat (kibble can work too if your pup loves to eat it) for your puppy to chase and eat. Repeat several times until you get a reliable response. More details on this is found here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/the-airplane-game/the-smacking-sound/ Practice then with your puppy on the leash as she watches people walking around. Feed her treats for observing them. Then practice with your puppy on a long line (longer leash) and then only once she responds reliably, you can practice with her off leash. If you notice an intent to nip make sure to redirect your puppy before she has had a chance to approach them. Once she does better, volunteers may be used for the treat and retreat game: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/treat-retreat-game/ Other tips that come to mind: -All meals should be fed from food puzzles, brain games, foraging and training. -Outlets should be provided such as play with flirt pole, chasing a remote controlled car, games that involve digging and sniffing. -Dogs prone to nipping excessively need to checked for having sufficient rest and undisturbed sleep. They shouldn't be exposed to over stimulating situations that causes them to rehearse nipping Nipping behaviors tend to get worse when a dog is cranky. Ensure your pup gets an opportunity to nap very 3-4 hours at least and set a routine. Also, create the right setting for encouraging deep sleep. Puppies need a lot of sleep especially the REM-type sleep which is the most restorative sleep of all. If the room you keep your puppy in is noisy, chances are, she's missing out this deep sleep and her internal switch is still turned on. -Start training. See the obedience 101 section and train her some impulse control and frustration control exercises: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/impulse-control-frustration-tolerance/ -Ensure to prevent resource guarding: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/the-importance-of-preventing-resource-guarding-in-puppies/ Because there is potential aggression involved here, once again it's important working along with a professional. Also, since you mention her growling at anything/anyone and trying to bite out of no where (read more on this here https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/dogs-dont-bite-blue/,) it would be important ruling out any medical issues which may lower her threshold for aggression. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions. I am basing my answer on your description but for a truly accurate analysis, it would be important observing the behavior. Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting) for safety, please consult with a dog behavior professional who uses force-free behavior modification techniques for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos and general info found in the forums or course (or any online source) are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this course and forum, you are waiving any liability claims or other type of claims related to any dogs' behavior against you or others.

Hi Stephanie, Welcome to the forums, True aggression from puppies is not too common, in most cases, we deal with "play aggression" in other words puppies biting owner's hands, feet, out of rough play. Play growling may accompany the rough play as well. To better understand your situation, can you please provide some more details on what you are exactly seeing? How old is your puppy? What breed is your puppy? How long have you had this puppy? When does the biting happen? What seems to trigger it? Does he resource guard food, toys, sleeping places? Resource guarding takes place when dogs stiffen, growl and bite when approached and they are protecting a bone, toy or sleeping area (bed, couch etc)

Hello and welcome to the forums, Training two dogs to walk together isn't without challenges. One of the biggest challenges is the fact that two dogs often feed off each others' emotions. In other words, they are more likely to get amped up and easily influence one another. They sort of become a "team." For instance, one dog may whine, accelerate, and look straight ahead attentively with the ears pointed forward upon spotting a squirrel, and the other dog quickly joins in the fun and you soon have the adrenaline rush of two out of control dogs pulling your arms out of your sockets and dragging you along for a ride. Also, both your dogs are right at the adolescent stage (occurring approximately six months to one or two-three years, varying by breed and individual) and this may keep you working harder. You can read more about the adolescent stage here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/survive-dogs-adolescent-stage/ Disadvantages of Using a Leash Splitter Now, it sounds like they were walking relatively well when you were walking them on leash individually, until you walked them together using a leash splitter. This is not surprising due to the already mentioned fact of dogs feeding off each other's emotions when walked together, but the use of a splitter may have an aggravating effect. Here's the thing: a lead splitter, also known as a coupler, allows you to walk two dogs at once without worrying about the leashes getting tangled, but as great as this invention may be, it does have some disadvantages. One main one, is that, as you have witnessed, when two dogs are placed that close together, they may become more competitive, which may lead to more pulling. On top of this, when one dog feels pressure on the leash from the other dog pulling, he/she is going to pull as well creating a vicious cycle. Of course, it doesn't help that the splitter puts the dogs often in front of you which can cause them to act a bit like pulling sled dogs, where they may team up and forget a bit about you and it's difficult to praise/reward when they are in this position versus being next to you in heel position). So how can we train them to walk well together nicely? Here are some tips: Train each dog individually: training each dog to walk politely on leash to a high level of proficiency before adding the distraction of each other is an important first step. This means you'll have to do lots of separate work training firstly in quiet settings and then progressing gradually to areas with distractions. You'll have to aim for great attentiveness to you and prompt responsiveness despite distractions. Only once you have set these foundational skills and witnessed fluency and proficiency, you can bring both dogs together to gauge where you stand. Take Baby Steps. Once your dogs are under great control being walked individually, you want to take baby steps towards walking them together. Think about your final goal, in other words, where you want your dogs to finally be. For instance, you can walk one dog on your left, while a helper walks the other on his/her left too if your final goal is walking one dog on each side. If you are planning to walk both dogs on one specific side, you can walk one dog and your helper the other one, walking in parallel. In other words, you have your dog on your right and your helper has the other on his/her left so both dogs are next to each other. If all goes well, afterward, you can then progress to walking both dogs, one dog on each of your side, or both on one side. If your final goal is still using a splitter despite its main disadvantages (the competition, sled-dog mentality, cons of front-position) you can aim to teaching a front position with a loose leash, but you may need to provide frequent feedback with verbal praise when walking well and consequences when there are distractions you haven't practiced much on. For instance, when they are speeding up and about to pull, you may need to make heavy steps to communicate to them that you are slowing down and if they keep speeding to the point of actively pulling you'll need to come to a halt until the leash is slack again. Turning around is also good when there is something very distracting ahead. Using a verbal cue to communicate turning around and coming to you for a treat may come handy. Consistency is key here. If you have worked on training your dogs consistently to walk politely on leash without puling for many weeks, but then one day it's pouring cats and dogs and you’re feeling rushed and allow your dogs to pull just for a teeny bit, you can easily undo all your hard work and you're soon back to square one if you allow this to occasionally happen. This is because when we allow an undesirable behavior sometimes yes and sometimes no, we put it on a variable schedule. A variable schedule encourages persistence. The dog comes to learn to try his luck in pulling just as a person tries his luck when addicted to gambling at Vegas because he sometimes wins playing the slots. When Things Don't Work Out Sometimes, things may not work out as planned. Don't feel bad if that's the case. Many dog owners struggle walking two dogs together and some dog trainers even discourage this because it's difficult to give dogs the one-on-one attention and guidance they need to learn to walk politely on leash and maintain this skill. Loose-leash walking is something that isn't taught over night, but it's the result of lots of guidance and direction and the formation of a strong bond with the owner. In such a case, you have a couple of options. -You can walk one dog while a family member or friend walks your other dog. This is what I have done mostly with my Rottweilers. I had Petra trained to walk on my left and hubby had Einstein trained to walk on his right. When I was away for conferences/work, hubby was still able to walk both of them without any major issues because Petra was still walked on the left and Einstein on the right. -You can walk one dog at a time, while the other dog stays home enjoying something super duper valuable such as a stuffed Kong. Once back, you can then swap them. The added bonus on doing this is that it gives each dog the opportunity to practice being left alone (an important skill all dogs should learn). I hope this helps, Keep me posted on how things go.

Glad to hear things are going back to norm. Dogs love routines, so they struggle a bit with daylight savings time (don't we do too?), but there are steps we can take to make the change less abrupt. For instance, we can adjust our dog's schedule gradually in 10-15 minute increments starting a week prior to the time change. Simply wake up each morning earlier and earlier and do the same for bedtime. Playing with your dog and then allowing some downtime before bedtime should allow him to relax and be able to go to sleep an hour prior to make up for the earlier Monday morning awakening on Daylight Savings Time. Going to bed a little earlier that Sunday night can benefit both you and your dog so you're both more likely to wake up refreshed.

Yup, mental stimulation (through brain games, food puzzles) is very important for dogs. They help deflect boredom and provide outlets for their natural behaviors. Dogs are happier and more relaxed when they keep their minds busy on a daily basis. It can be tiring too (some even say as much as exercise). Once she gets better under control when seeing the contractor (no longer trying to chase, nip) you can train her to hold a nice stay on a mat where she receives goodies for staying nicely composed and once she's better relaxed she can maybe even enjoy a stuffed Kong there. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-dog-go-to-mat/

Thanks for the extra details, The barking and lunging at people on walks, would require a similar protocol to the passing cars. She will need to be initially kept at a distance from people to ensure she's well under threshold, https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/ and need to be worked on training her an alternate behavior such as attention heeling using super high-value treats/foods. The last dog I worked with for a similar issue improved a whole lot, but only after I started mixing pieces of baked liver with her treats. With time, she started voluntarily offering me heeling at the sight of people coming close to us which made for some wonderful (and quiet!) walks. If at any time your dog reverts back to the barking/lunging, consider that as a sign that she's not ready yet for that level of exposure. Several steps back need to be taken by increasing distance and reducing the intensity of the exposure. Baby steps need to be taken when it comes to behavior modification, always working at the dog's pace and level of comfort. The behavior exhibited towards the contractor seems to be fear-based. She likely doesn't like that his silhouette changes when he carries stuff. Also, dogs can get suspicious of people working around the house, carrying large items, using loud machinery and coming and going repeatedly. It can be very stressful to some dogs. A behavior modification protocol is discussed here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/fear-people-wearing-hats-accessories/ and here is a similar approach with people entering the home: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/dog-barking-someone-enters-room/ When she's in he house and sees him in the yard, do not allow her to go berserk, that will only become a long-term habit which can exacerbate as she becomes an adolescent. She should be moved away from windows from where she can see him, and when you can train her, she should be conditioned to respond to your smacking sound as described here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/ The goal is to create a positive conditioned emotional response, where rather than barking at the contractor, she is looking forward to spotting the contractor because his presence predicts treats: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/conditioned-emotional-response-cer/ When the contractor walks around the home or yard, it would be imperative preventing her once again from rehearsing the problematic barking and nipping . This is just teaching her to control his movements and can become troublesome as she matures and becomes more confident if we allow this behavior to establish and put roots. When the contractor is working around the home or yard, it's therefore important to keep her away from him, and when time permits, she should be leashed, so that some sessions of Look at That exercises can be practiced (like 5-8 minute sessions, three time a day), where she's fed something tasty every time the contractor walks by. The adolescent stage is right around the corner (beginning at six months), and things tend to exacerbate at this stage, so we want to tackle these behaviors quickly, sooner rather than later. Due to the fact that you have children in the home and she's barking and nipping/attempting to nip people, it would be important working directly with a behavior professional once again for safety and correct implementation. Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. If your dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting) for safety, please consult with a dog behavior professional who uses force-free behavior modification techniques for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos and general info found in the forums or course (or any online source) are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this course and forum, you are waiving any liability claims or other type of claims related to any dogs' behavior against you or others.

Interesting mix! She sounds very smart, and I am sure she'll be happy with an increase in training and mental stimulation (brain games). We have a section on digging here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/behavior-training/digging/ I am sure she would enjoy a digging pit filled up with sand and buried toys. Yes, stopping when pulling can make for long walks, especially if the pulling has been rehearsed for some time, but I feel it's important too rewarding the dog for walking nicely on leash for several steps doing attention heeling as outlined in the course: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/heeling-attention-heeling/ Car chasing in dogs on-leash may often stem from a desire to play, as a way to release pent-up energy or out of prey drive. Some dogs may be highly focused on the wheels, trying to lunge and grab them as they rotate. In some cases, dogs may want to chase cars because they find the sound produced by certain cars as scary or unpleasant. The best way to tackle a dog's behavior of wanting to chase cars while on-leash is to use systematic exposure and training an alternate behavior. In this case, you will need to dedicate a part of your walks for teaching your dog to better cope with the sight and sound of cars without overreacting. To perform these exercises, it's best to start on a road where cars pass every now and then, versus the continuous flow of cars and traffic as seen in big cities, so that it becomes clear in your dog's mind that great things happen each and every time a car passes by. Here is a thread on car chasing, as you can read, I prefer training attention heeling rather than a sit as it's more dynamic in nature. About going after people on walks, do you mean she is barking/growling or lunging at them in an aggressive-looking way? Or just wants to chase them? What is she doing exactly and is she normally OK, sociable and friendly with people? Does this behavior happen only when on leash? Thanks.

Hello and welcome to the forums, I am glad to hear that your training is progressing nicely and that she has good leash skills over all. When dealing with behavior problems as such (lunging, barking, growling and attempting to bite), this falls under behavior modification more than dog training. Sure, dog training can help in getting a dog to better control her impulses, but behavior modification should come first considering that the initial goal is to change the dog's emotions. Once the dog's emotions are changed, than training can be incorporated since the dog is less worried about the whole situation, under threshold and better able to cognitively function ( in other words, better able to redirect and perform behaviors like sit, stay etc in face of strong distractions). If your dog is wanting to bite and therefore cause potential harm, I would suggest for safety and correct implementation of behavior modification to consult with a behavior professional at once. These problems tend to get worse rather than better if not tackled quickly. Look for one who uses humane, force-free behavior modification methods. For your particular situation, an exercise that contains elements of behavior modification (and therefore changing the emotions towards people/ dogs seen on walks) is the "Look at that" exercise. A good starting point is teaching this at home. Repeated often enough, this exercise can provide you with a starting point for changing the emotions towards people walking by the window. It starts by training a strong response to a smacking sound: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/the-airplane-game/the-smacking-sound/ And then applying it to triggers seen by the window: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/ A disclaimer is warranted here though: Be very careful, touching your dog at any time when she's acting overly aroused can put you at risk for a re-directed bite. You may need a behavior professional to initially help you out for safety and correct behavior modification implementation. When you aren't actively working on changing the emotions towards triggers at the window, you need to manage your dog's environment so that she doesn't rehearse the troublesome behavior of barking at triggers out of the window. This would mean preventing access to windows when you are not around and unable to redirect her to your smacking sound. This doesn't necessarily mean crating her, if she doesn't get too much in mischief you can keep her in the bathroom (perhaps remove toilet paper rolls to prevent them from becoming his favorite toys) or in a pen in the kitchen or anywhere she can't access windows. After practicing "look at that" from windows and obtaining a positive emotional response (oh, look a person walking by, where's my treat!, where's my treat!) as described here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/conditioned-emotional-response-cer/ then you would have to move on to doing the same exercise outside of the home, perhaps starting from the yard or in front of the home and then gradually progressing to walks with people and other dogs at a distance. A professional can help you organize structured set-ups having people and dogs walk by . If your dog is unable to be redirected when he sees triggers from the window or when outside and is very anxious when guests are over, he is over threshold. Read about dog threshold levels here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/ To keep a dog well under threshold, it would be important to recognize signs of fear/stress to to prevent the dog from reaching that point. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/signs-fear-stress-dogs/ -A dogs threshold levels often reduce if the dog is given distance from the trigger and is exposed gradually in a systematic manner to her triggers. This gradual, step-by- step approach is known as desensitization. You can read more about desensitization here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/desensitization/ Behavior modification works best when desensitization is combined with counterconditioning. You want to present triggers at a distance and gradually expose to them while also making great things happen when the trigger is present. One of the most powerful ways to do this is by feeding high-value treats that are only given during behavior modification exercises. Creating these powerful associations falls under counterconditioning, you can read more about it here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/counterconditioning/ -Other than Look at That, another helpful form of counterconditioning is the open bar/closed bar method. This helps make it clear that people or dogs approaching the are what make treats happen, treats are therefore fed when people/dogs are walking by and no more treats are fed when the people/dogs have gone out of sight. You can read about this powerful method here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/open-bar-closed-bar/ It's important to point out that, with certain undesirable behaviors, we want to prevent rehearsal of the problem behavior as much as possible. This means that it would be best to prevent certain intense forms of exposure until our dogs are better able to cope with them. Emergency u-turns can help, but we need to turn before our dogs have a chance to act reactive and bark. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/emergency-u-turn/ This prevents your dog from rehearsing the undesirable behavior and also prevents your dog's stress from going high gear. You can find further tips/discussions on this behavior problem addressed in recent threads by scrolling down through the forums. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions. Best, Adrienne Disclaimer: Behavior modification comes with risks. This is why your best bet is to consult with a professional. A professional will help you work under threshold so your dog is calmer and you along with others around you are safer. Look for a professional who does not use pain or intimidation, as you want your dog to trust you and look forward to seeing triggers without stress.

Hello and welcome to the forums, Canaan are very attentive watch dogs and they are naturally inclined to barking, but of course, it's annoying when it gets out of hand. Often times, with this kind of barking at night, the culprit is some type of critter. Many critters are nocturnal and can make sounds that we cannot detect. A dogs hearing range is significantly superior to ours. In fact, the dog’s hearing range is twice as wide as the human’s hearing range. To be more accurate, according to Louisiana State University, humans can hear sounds between 64-23.00Hz while dogs can detect sounds between 67-45.000Hz. So it might turn insightful inspecting the walls, under the deck, crawl spaces and attics for signs of nocturnal critters. They may often leave some signs such as chewed up areas and waste. Sometimes, a professional may be needed when the critters are hiding inside inconspicuous places, that are difficult to look at. These experts may have special tools to detect critters that we may have otherwise never been aware of. I know of a dog who barked insistently at night and it turned out there was a little mouse living behind a cabinet. Another possibility are distant sounds, you mentioned wild dogs so that can be a possibility. In such cases, it may help to keep the dog away from windows, in a room farthest away from noisy areas, and use some type of white noise to buffer sounds. I know you have been using the TV, but perhaps there are frequent pauses or moments of silence (think movies with scenes where nothing really audible happens or it's very low) rather than continuous sound coverage. So perhaps among these pauses she is focusing on outside noises. It may be therefore perhaps worthy of trying using something that provides more noise coverage such as a white noise machine, like those that they make for babies. This may cover enough the light, distant sounds, but hopefully should not cover sounds that matter the most (like loud odd and unusual noises nearby the home and yard). The barking can also be an attention-seeking behavior. After having a taste of how nice it feels to sleep in your bedroom in good company, she is now struggling sleeping on her own. Bringing her back to the bedroom (if that's OK of course) with some noise machine playing may be a good compromise if it works in reducing the barking.

Hello and welcome the the forums! Bless you heart for opening your heart and home to this senior sweetheart! These oldies really need some stability in their lives and they have so much to offer. Duke is very lucky to have found you and I am so glad that your paths crossed! Yes, by any means, if he is arthritic and in discomfort, skip the sits and downs. We don't want him to associate training with pain. However, I would ask the vet if there are any supplements that can help his mobility. When my Rotties got older and they started having trouble getting up, Yumove by Lintbells really helped them. Every dog is an individual so they may all respond differently, so sometimes it takes trying several different ones. Your vet may be in the best position for suggesting what can help him out. I did notice in the picture that his bottom teeth are worn down almost to the gums. This can be as a result of occlusal wear, that can happen as a result of a malocclusion which is a misalignment between the teeth of the two dental arches when the dog’s jaws close. This form of wear occurs gradually and regularly over the course of years, especially when there is abnormal tooth-to-tooth contact. As the wear takes place, the pulp of the dog’s tooth tries to repair the damage by laying down dentin, which appears as a dark brown spot found in the middle of the tooth meant to cover the vulnerable pulp. In other cases, teeth worn down like that may be due to dental abrasion which occurs when a dog’s teeth are worn to the gums as a result of mechanical wear. This mechanical wear often occurs as a result of the dog repeatedly chewing on items that are harder than what teeth can normally withstand, such as chewing on rocks, the bars of a cage, chain or wire. Overzealous chewing on Frisbee and tennis balls can also cause in the long term damage to the dog’s canines and premolars. Some veterinarians call this “tennis ball mouth.” The problem with worn down teeth, is that, if the nerve is exposed, it can turn out being painful to eat and the dog may need extractions. I know your vet said he's not in pain, but some behaviors seem to suggest that, although some dogs may do some of those behaviors too with tummy troubles. A veterinary dentist may be able to provide a better insight on that. In the meanwhile, there are many activities you can provide and behaviors you can train to help you two bond. You can use as treats, whatever he is eating at the moment (kibble, canned food, string beans, rice). Rather than tossing the treat, you can directly hand feed him if he struggles with chasing food around and making abrupt movements. If you are unsure on some activities, ask your vet if he thinks they are OK just to play it safe. Of course, go slow. Baby steps, make it fun and easy and keep sessions short. -When he's active and walking around, you can train hand targeting: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/preschool/targeting/ -Look into my eyes is a deeply bonding game: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/preschool/look-into-my-eyes/ -The Airplane Game will keep him thinking on what to do next: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/preschool/the-airplane-game/ -If you must feed soft foods, you can fill up a muffin tin with it to keep him busy: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/elementary/the-muffin-game/ My senior Rotties have enjoyed playing treasure hunts up until their senior years (we had to then start feeding Einstein in a raised food bowl at 11 due to neck pain) https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/elementary/the-treasure-hunt/ -if his neck/spine is OK you can do the magic carpet game: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/college/the-magic-carpet/ -Training leave it and drop it can turn handy in senior dogs as they sometimes may want to ingest odd things: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/take-leave-it/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/drop-it/ If he struggles with sitting and lying down, you can still train him to "stay" as he's standing (however, don't have him stand for too long as some older dogs struggle standing for too long). https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/stay/ Some tricks that can be fun: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-dog-give-paw-shake/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-your-dog-to-turn-on-a-light/ Many of these use a clicker: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/clicker-training/ Careful with the clicker though as some older dogs may be sensitive to sounds, here is a guide if you use a clicker, to make its sounds less intense: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/your-clicker-best-friend-or-worst-enemy/ Pulling on leash at this age isn't normally a problem, so while he's heeling nicely next to you, you can ask him to make eye contact every now and then as described in the attention heeling section: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/heeling-attention-heeling/ At this age, other dogs may not be as relevant as when dogs are younger. Senior dogs may just be past the excitement of meeting and greeting other dogs, and play with younger dogs may be just too much for them, so they rather do others things. I had to sadly stop allowing my Rottweilers to play with other dogs at a certain point, because after play they would either start limping or getting a sore neck. The desire was there, but their body wasn't collaborating. Many older dogs also struggle with boisterous, young dogs and may growl/snarl to ask for space. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions! Best, Adrienne

Thanks for the extra details, they are very helpful. I am glad to hear that she's young and still a puppy, but we want to tackle this sooner than later as sometimes these nippy behaviors can persist longer than we would expect. This type of biting can just be play, but it can also be due to overstimulation and low frustration thresholds. Children in particular can rev these dogs up and the more we allow them to stay in this hyper arousal state, the more they rehearse these nipping behaviors. When it gets out of hand, it can start becoming the default behavior these dogs fall into every time they are exposed to overly exciting situations. These dogs won't typically be changed overnight, but with time, training and consistency we can reduce this type of nipping. Important is to prevent this behavior from occurring in the first place as much as possible and reinforcing alternate behaviors and rewarding anytime the dog acts calm. Training (sit, down, stay, leave it, drop it) along with exercises to encourage better impulse control and frustration tolerance is important in these dogs. You can find several impulse control exercises here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/impulse-control-frustration-tolerance/ Also, here are some bite inhibition games to redirect biting, teaching hand targeting is one of my favorites: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/bite-inhibition-games/ These dogs require lots of low stress handling in quiet settings when the pup is chill and no touch should be allowed otherwise. This can get tricky in homes with children. Ideally, she shouldn't be allowed to be around the children when she is in this overly excited nipping state. This allows her to rehearse these overly excited/frustrated behaviors, and the more she rehearses them, the more they put roots and become more established. Being around the children should be allowed only when she's capable of interacting in other more productive and structured ways (asking her to sit and then chasing a ball, playing with a flirt pole, ignoring the children and choosing to dig in a digging area, searching for goodies hidden around the yard etc). It goes without saying, that to initially help her succeed, she should be exposed to children when they are calm rather than running around and making exciting, overstimulating sounds. Keeping on her leash when out in the yard and providing her with some alternate activities such as training, brain games (bottle game, muffin game) and sniffing games can help her learn to focus on other things rather than wanting to just nip the children. One of my favorite games for teaching puppies to control their impulses a bit more is learning to respond to a smacking sound made with your mouth. First, make a smacking sound and toss a valuable treat (kibble can work too if your pup loves to eat it) for your puppy to chase and eat. Repeat several times until you get a reliable response. More details on this is found here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/the-airplane-game/the-smacking-sound/ Next, practice making this smacking sound when you are in the house and your children are outside playing and your puppy watches them from a window. You want to basically do this exercise, only that your puppy is observing the children play rather than the Fedex drivers: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/ Practice then with your puppy on the leash as she watches your children walk around the house. Then, as her impulse control gets better, practice with your children playing in the yard at a distance. Then practice with your puppy on a long line (longer leash) and then only once she responds reliably, you can practice with her off leash. If you notice an intent to nip make sure to redirect your puppy before she has had a chance to nip and latch on. Once latched on pant legs or shoes laces or clothing, puppies are more difficult to distract. Once redirected, for longer pauses, rather than tossing a treat to chase, provide your puppy with a stuffed Kong to enjoy in a quiet area away from all the hustle and bustle of child play. Remind your children to always keep space when the pup is eating. Other tips that come to mind: -All meals should be fed from food puzzles, brain games, foraging and training. -Outlets should be provided such as play with flirt pole, chasing a remote controlled car, games that involve digging and sniffing. -Dogs prone to nipping excessively need to checked for having sufficient rest and undisturbed sleep. They shouldn't be exposed to over stimulating situations that causes them to rehearse excited nipping. Excessive exercise/activities of the wrong type (like too much time roughly playing, excessive play of fetch) can cause a dog to stay overstimulated for too long. Nipping behaviors tend to get worse when a dog is cranky. -Nippy dogs should also learn to handle touch without getting nippy; here is a guide: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/exercises-to-teach-puppies-to-tolerate-touch/ -Getting angry with the puppy and delivering corrections often exacerbates this behavior. -The good news is that many puppies as they get older, learn how to "restrain" themselves, however it requires teaching them how to act calm. Trainer her to lie on a mat can be helpful: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-dog-go-to-mat/ -Use a baby gate (or tether the pup) to separate pup from children especially at the times when the behavior is worse. If mornings are worse, keep your puppy behind the baby gate and let her expend some energy working on a food puzzle (Kong Wobbler). As she gets better under control with her training, you can have her lie on a mat with some long-lasting edible (like a stuffed Kong) to keep her busy and instruct your children to stay calm, respect her space and ignore her as "she's learning to be a good dog." Of course, avoid any foods around the children if your pup has shown signs of possessive behaviors over it (food guarding). -Don't forget to train your pup some bite inhibition. This is a very important skill. A good exercise to train this using treats is here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/train-dog-take-treats-gently/ -In some unfortunate cases, excessively nippy, hyper aroused pups turn out not being the average household dog that does OK just being kept as a pet. In other words, these dogs need more work than average, and therefore to thrive, they need to be provided with some type of "job" or the possibility to compete with them in sports. I hope this helps! Let me know how things go. If you still struggle, feel free to post again and we can do more troubleshooting and try different approaches. Disclaimer: Dogs and children should always be supervised when together. For stubborn cases or if your puppy or dog is exhibiting worrisome signs of anxiety or aggression. please enlist the help of a dog trainer or dog behavior professional. This is for safety and correct implementation of behavior modification.

Hi Duke! What a lovely face and such a sweet expression! Thanks for sharing!

Hi Patsy, Glad you were able to distract her with the smacking sound. I find many dogs respond to this sound much better than a verbal cue. With certain undesirable behaviors, we want to prevent rehearsal of the problem behavior as much as possible. This means that it would be best to prevent certain intense forms of exposure until our dogs are better able to cope with them. Emergency u-turns can help, but we need to turn before our dogs have a chance to act reactive and bark. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/emergency-u-turn/ Alternatively, you can try to toss some treats on the ground and let her sniff to find them which keeps his mind busy. Jogging away with your dog may help too. This prevents your dog from rehearsing the undesirable behavior and also prevents your dog's stress from going high gear and there won't be enough time for him to relax should another dog come his way. I like to say that, when walking a reactive dog, we need to be "their eyes and ears." In other words, we must monitor their environment and be constantly scanning for triggers. So when I walk a reactive dog, I often do the following: -I walk in areas where there are less chances for triggers to be around. -I walk in open-field areas where there are no chances for triggers to pop out from around a corner -I use the environment to my advantage, for instance, if I see somebody coming my way, I either turn or go to the opposite side of the road (if safe to do so). -I may also use barriers (such as parked cars) as visual blockers. - I walk with a helper who carries a large bag to act as a visual barrier This is easier said than done at times. Unexpected things can happen, but if we can avoid them as much as possible by walking in places where we have better chances of seeing triggers ahead of time/increasing distance/turning around, we are setting our dogs better for success. The barking at the jogger with the dog likely intensified because barking is typically a distance-increasing behavior. A dog who isn't comfortable with other dogs/people is barking for distance. Indeed, when the person or dog moves away, the dog thinks that it is thanks to his barking that he got distance and therefore feels a strong sense of relief. In the case of the approaching jogger though, likely the barking didn't work so it intensified as he got closer and closer, "what part of my barking haven't you understood! I am saying to stay away from me! I don't feel comfortable with you approaching likes this." Also, approaching at a fast rate like that is perceived as intimidating by dogs. Indeed, with reactive dogs we add movement like that at the very late stages, once the dog has a history of doing exceptionally well with dogs just approaching by walking and then dogs jogging with owners at a distance. Knowledge is power though. You know know that people on bikes and joggers and their dogs are high on the list of triggers. This means that when you see people on bikes and joggers with dogs you should steer clear if they're coming too close as much as possible and aim to work on them by presenting them in their least intense forms and then build gradually. A good starting point is watching them pass by windows: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/

Hello and welcome the forums, How old is this Labrador mix? How is her bite inhibition? Is she nipping hard? Leaving marks? Is she nipping while they are running around? Does it happen only outside? These extra details will be extra helpful, thanks!

Sounds like a plan! Keep me posted on how things go. I am always here is you have any questions. Best, Adrienne

Sounds like a plan! Keep me posted on her progress! Best, Adrienne

Barking at nothing. It may often look like that, but dogs have a much more sensitive sense of hearing than us so it looks like there's nothing, but in most cases there is. If it's the wood pile, there may be some type of insect there (grasshoppers, or even termites, yes dogs can even detect those!) and he just needs your reassurance that you have taken notice of the ordeal and communicate to him that it's nothing to worry about. It can also be that he doesn't like new things around the home. Like some dogs will bark at new packages or anything new or weird (Einstein as a puppy would bark at an upside down chair). If that's the case, we can turn any novelty into some training opportunity. For instance, we can place any new objects in the middle of the room and use our clicker to reward any investigative behaviors in incremental steps. Like, we can start by clicking and rewarding initially for just looking at the object, then for walking towards it, then for sniffing it etc etc. This is based on a training method known as "shaping" and you can see an example of this when I introduced Einstein to a ramp. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-your-dog-to-use-a-ramp/ For the anxiety of people entering your home, you can see an example of behavior modification protocol I use to reduce it. It employs desensitization and counterconditioning methods as well. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/dog-barking-someone-enters-room/ Of course, working directly with a behavior professional is important for both safety and correct implementation. Hope this helps! I know this is a lot to absorb, but working in a step-by-step fashion can also help us too! Let me know if you have any questions, Best, Adrienne