Adrienne Farricelli

Hi there! Welcome to the forums! It sounds like your dog it way too over threshold for him to accept food. How old is your dog? What breed is he? Does he have any herding blood? I ask because herding dogs typically engage in a crouch-like posture when seeing other dogs.

Hi Patricia, Great job in helping Molly get potty trained so quickly and to use a bell! In the case of leash biting, I can share some general guidelines for pups who jump up and bite on the leash while walking. However, it would be helpful identifying if there are any particular triggers/events evoking the behavior (the dog wanting to go sniff something and frustrated she cannot, or seeing other dogs or people walking by) or if this is just simply a combo of play/ seeking soothing things to chew. In any case, the goal is to tackle this early before it becomes an established habit. We can accomplish this in two main ways: 1) distracting Molly in a timely manner and keeping her mind off the leash by providing alternate behaviors to engage in 2) making the leash less enticing to bite So with distracting, you'll aim to toss treats on the ground *before *she has a chance to grab the leash. We are basically preempting the behavior prior to it occurring, this though may distract her from doing her business if she hasn't been trained to go potty on command. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/advanced-potty-training/potty-on-command/ When catching her before she bites the leash, you'll be reinforcing the behavior of not biting the leash, therefore creating a replacement behavior. You pup can't be focusing on grabbing the falling treats and grabbing the leash at the same time since his mouth is already occupied by chewing treats. You can even teach her to put her nose to work by scattering treats on the ground for her to search for so that she's more focused on the ground than upwards. As she gets good at this, you can also insert some training. For instance, you can try distracting your pup by asking a few steps of attention-heeling every now and then with a tasty treat at high level, that surpasses the leash in value (in other words, the treats attract the pup more than the biting the leash as dogs can't bite the leash and eat at the same time). https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/heeling-attention-heeling/ With making the leash less enticing to bite, you can use a metal chain leash or temporarily you can slide a 5-foot piece of narrow-gauge, lightweight PVC pipe over your leash (although impractical). The metal leash works well in many cases because dogs don't typically like to chew on metal. I hope this helps, keep me posted on how things go.

Ok, so in this case management is priority (not being put in the position of needing to bite) so very controlled settings. Do not walk her in places where a dog can just go freely up to her and sniff. Even us humans would get irritated if a person we don't know invades our personal space like that. If this ever happens again, body block your dog and toss threat towards the stranger dog so to sent him/her away. If she acts this way at dog parks, then dog parks are not for her. Keeping on sending her there will cause her to rehearse problematic behaviors and she may learn to be a bully and this can play a role at how she reacts to other dogs approaching. No warning before biting and the fact that it happens with general dogs means we have very little warning space to intervene and little control over what dogs she can be exposed and which she cannot. So I would strongly suggest no more close interaction with other dogs, unless under just very controlled settings involving structured setups where her space bubble is respected. These are a combination of techniques that may aim on addressing the root of the problem. For safety and correct implementation, these methods should be conducted under the guidance of a dog trainer/dog behavior professional committed to humane training and behavior modification methods. Let’s take a closer look at some examples of the process. Managing the Walks In a case like yours management may entail the following steps: -Always keeping the dog on leash during walks -Walking in areas where there are leash laws and no off-leash dogs -Choosing walks where there is space between other walked dogs -Taking advantage of objects in the environment to use as visual barriers (parked cars, bushes). -Having any dogs with a history of biting or threatening to bite conditioned to wear a bite-proof basket muzzle to add extra layer of safety Behavior Modification/Training The goal in this case is changing the dog’s emotional responses and training the dog what we want them to do in place of behaving reactively/defensively. This needs to be carried out along with a dog trainer/behavior professional for safety and correct implementation. When not actively working on the behavior, the walks should be managed by being always careful to maintain distance where the dog is comfortable and under the threshold. If it’s difficult to keep the dogs under the threshold on walks, the walks should be skipped and steps should be taken to work in a more controlled setting, always with the help of a professional. Here are some examples of behavior modification. The Power of Parallel Walks Parallel walks offer the advantage of granting more controlled exposures. The dog will need to be on a 4 to 6 foot standard leash and another dog will need to be a calm dog with an experienced handler/dog trainer. A bag full of high-value treats will be necessary (chicken, steak, beef liver, cheese, etc, always check with the vet first if there are food allergies/sensitive tummies). Parallel walks entail having each dog walking in the same direction (parallel) starting with about 20 feet between them. When your dog glances at the other dog , she is praised and fed a tasty treat. If she consistently does well with this exercise, distance is very gradually decreased. If at any time she shows signs of being tense, the distance is increased until calm again. The goal is to obtain what is known as a positive “conditioned emotional response.” “Look at That on the Go” Another exercise I perform when one dog starts acting “reactive” towards another dog is “LAT on the go.” This is basically a more dynamic version of Leslie McDevitt's Look at that Dog game that I have crafted for a dog who was acting reactive when dogs were walking behind him. This may turn out to be helpful when dogs need to be walked in a line, with one dog behind another, as it may happen on tight roads where parallel walking is not feasible. In this exercise, the dog that barks/lunges is walked in front while the other dog is walked at a distance behind. Every time, the dog that barks/lunges looks behind and makes eye contact with the other dog, she is fed a treat, and the dog being looked at receives a treat as well. The same exercise can be done then by swapping the dogs’ positions, where the reactive dog is walked behind and both dogs are given treats when they glance at each other. You can find an example of this here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/case-studies/03-homer-homers-reactivity/ Open Bar Closed Bar Open Bar/Closed Bar was crafted by world-known dog trainer Jean Donaldson. In this behavior modification method, it’s best to use some type of visual barriers to make it clear that your dog’s appearance makes super high value treats happen. Bushes or parked cars may help. Your dog is basically fed high value treats upon watching the other calm dog walk back and forth. Treat delivery starts upon the other dog (open bar) then treat delivery is stopped once the other dog is out of sight (closed bar). The process is explained more in detail here: What is open bar/closed bar in dog training? Helpful Training Cues There are several helpful training cues that can come handy on walks. These cues need to be firstly trained in areas without distractions (in the home, then the yard) and then once taught at a fluent level, they can be used on walks, and then finally in contexts where quick responses are needed. It’s important to use high-value treats to reinforce behaviors when in distracting environments. These cues work best at the earliest signs of trouble prior to the dog engaging in problematic behaviors, hence the importance of close supervision and reading canine body language. Even though you mention there is no warning from your poodle prior to biting, there are likely very, very subtle signs that may have gone unrecognized. A great book that goes in-depth on canine body language is On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas, a respected Norwegian dog trainer I call the "queen of calming signals." Here are some helpful cues: Emergency U-turn: this can benefit all dogs. It teaches dogs to promptly turn away from “sticky situations.” Eye contact: a smacking sound is used to gain focus back Attention heeling: the dog learns to look into the owner’s eyes when passing by distractions Recall: to call the dog away from potentially engaging in an undesirable behavior Leave it: to stop the dog in its tracks from engaging with something in the environment Impulse control training exercises: these exercises are particularly helpful for young dogs If biting behaviors persist, this is a sign that the dog has been pushed over threshold and steps should be taken to reduce future instances. If the behavior pops up unexpectedly despite our interventions to preempt it, and therefore needs to be interrupted/stopped, it’s important to intervene at the earliest signs and cue the dog immediately to engage in another behavior (come to the owner using a recall, stop approaching by using the “leave it” cue). Once again, these cues must be taught at a fluent level in a calmer setting and then practiced in gradually more and more distracting settings before expecting them to work in face of a strongly distracting environment with a rehearsal history. Some Words of Caution It’s important to note that although dogs may at some point give signs of better tolerating each other, too close encounters may re-evoke problematic behaviors. It’s best to therefore practice safety and keep the dogs on leash at a safe distance to protect the work done. Despite all the precautions we may take, dog behavior may be unpredictable, and even dogs who have given signs of getting along for quite some time, may undergo changes out of the blue and relapses may be possible. Close supervision and watching for early signs of stress is always important. Disclaimer; If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting), please consult with a dog behavior professional for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos, and general information provided online are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this service, you are waiving any liability claims or other types of claims related to any of your dogs' behaviors against you or others.

Hi there, Welcome to the forums, In cases of such, we need to be very careful to avoid instances of flooding, that is too intense exposures that overwhelm the dog and prevent them from getting better. This can mean preventing people from trying to pet him until he's a little more confident and ready. Also, it's very important to keep him under threshold as much as possible. Here are some tips: Protect Your Dog Anytime a person approaches and your dog gets startled by something, this can trigger him to be more and more hesitant in future interactions. The big problem is that in casual encounters with new people, we cannot control what the person does that may startle the dog, and we may never know exactly what triggers our dogs to feel threatened by a particular person. It can be just about anything, such as the way the person talks or looks at the dog, or sometimes even a person's smell. It's therefore best to keep some distance from people, having people ignore him and/or letting them know your dog is very shy and struggles with all the attention. You therefore want to take as many steps as possible to keep your pup under threshold as much as possible. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/ Learn to Read Your Dog Like a Pro When dealing with dogs who struggle being around strangers, it’s important to read their body language so as to prevent them from getting to the point of feeling overwhelmed around new people. Common reactions to new people in dogs may involve some elements borrowed from a dog's flight, fight and freeze responses. Flight: A common response in dogs fearful of strangers involves avoidance. The fearful dog may try to make herself as small and insignificant as possible by lowering her body, keeping her ears flat and the tail between the legs. He may tremble and even hide behind a person or under furniture in hopes of being left alone. Contrary to what is often thought, some dogs who flop over and expose their belly are asking to be left alone rather than asking for a belly rub Fight: Lunging, growling, snapping and biting are the most obvious signs of a dog asking for distance. These signs may be seen when a dog’s flight option is removed (dog can’t hide and is cornered) or when the dog feels the situation warrants it as they are deeply stressed. However, there may be other more subtle signs of growing fear and stress prior to the escalation that may go missing (e.g., head turning, whale eyes, yawning, lip licking, etc.). Freeze: In this case, the dog is completely shut down and terrified and will often freeze. When freezing, the dog is barely moving and in a state of helplessness. Manage Your Dog’s Environment Management entails recognizing and avoiding the stimuli or situations that trigger a dog’s problematic responses. In other words, management focuses on preventing dogs from being pushed beyond their comfort level at least until they’re better: Prevent people from invading your dog’s “space bubble.” Instruct people to ignore your dog (no talking, no looking, no reaching out). Prevent people from blocking a dog’s escape option by cornering or crowding the dog. Never force interactions. Protect your dog from encounters that may particularly stress him out ( people who are loud or gesticulate a lot). Keep your dog at a distance from people, where he is able to remain calm. Prevent your dog from rehearsing barking, lunging or growling behaviors directed at people from behind windows, fences or doors. Avoid using food to draw your dog closer to people (which can create conflicting emotions). Avoid asking for stationary trained behaviors like "sit" and "down" in the presence of strangers.. Due to the potential for a fearful dog biting, it’s important to keep others around you as safe as possible. Close supervision, and the use of distance and tools to allow a better level of control so as to prevent close, full-intensity exposures is important. This helps prevent stress and the potential for biting. You may need multiple layers of management and protection as an extra safety precaution. Helpful Tools to Prevent Aggression in Dogs Bite-proof basket muzzles (make sure your dog has been well acclimated to it) Front-attachment harness Head halters Leashes Crates Fences Exercise pens Long lines attached to the back ring of a dog harness and attached to something sturdy Vests that tell others to give the dog space Work at Your Dog’s Pace Behavior modification to change how a dog feels about new people requires working at the dog’s pace. This requires lots of patience and close observation of the dog’s body language to ensure your dog always stays under threshold. A dog is said to be under threshold when he or she feels calm and safe. When a dog goes over threshold, he or she becomes unable to function cognitively, making it difficult for any potential lessons to effectively sink in. Working at the dog’s pace means ensuring he or she remains comfortable during the process by controlling the environment and preventing intense, stress-inducing exposures. During the initial stages, you will find it very helpful to enlist the help of volunteers who are willing to take directions from you so as to ensure your dog is comfortable and relaxed. You can start with people your dog knows already creating structured set-ups, and then based on how well your dog does, gradually progressing to strangers. Use Distance to Lower Your Dog’s Threshold Giving your dog distance from strangers is one of the best ways to keep your dog under threshold. Most dogs struggle with strangers when they invade their perceived “space bubbles.” If you can find that special sweet spot where your dog sees and acknowledges the presence of a stranger but remains in a calm, responsive state, this will give you a starting point on the path to behavior modification. Create Positive Associations Once you have found a distance from where your dog sees a stranger without reacting, you want to start forming positive associations with that stranger. There are several ways to form positive associations, and one method may work better for a specific dog or in a specific conntext. Here are several strategies. The "Look at That" Method Coined by dog trainer and behavior expert Leslie McDevitt, this method consists of forming positive associations with triggers by having the dog watch them from a distance. Every time the dog looks at the trigger, she is fed high-value treats. This exercise can be started indoors by feeding treats when your dog sees strangers walking outside by a window and then progressing outdoors in front of a porch and then on walks. Eventually, the "Look at That" Dog Game should help create positive associations with triggers. Here is a guide on this: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/ The Treat-Retreat Game While it may feel tempting to have strangers hand feed or toss treats to your dog, consider that this can backfire. Showing a treat or tossing it nearby will cause the dog to feel tempted by the treat, but the dog may not realize how close he is to the stranger until he actually reaches the treat. This can cause the dog to further engage in approach-avoidance behaviors, which will put a dent in the process. Instead, a better option may be having the owner feed the dog treats upon seeing a stranger as described in the "look at that" game or having the stranger toss treats in a strategic way so as to prevent the dog from falling into the approach-avoidance trap. The Treat Retreat game was invented by dog trainer Suzanne Clothier. This method works well in open spaces so that the dog has more freedom of choice and movement. Here is more about this method: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/how-to-play-the-treat-and-retreat-game/ The Open Bar, Closed Bar Method This method was coined by dog trainer Jean Donaldson. The goal of Open Bar Closed Bar is to create positive associations with triggers using a strategic approach that makes it crystal clear that strangers are sources of great things and that all the fun ends when strangers are no longer around. Here is more about this method: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/open-bar-closed-bar/ Use High-Value Treats It’s important to use amazing treats when working on dog behavior modification. The purpose of this is multifold. Strong treats will: leave a very strong impression on your dog because your dog doesn’t normally receive them in other circumstances. heighten the chances that your dog will actually eat the treat (many dogs lose some of their appetite when stressed, even if they are just mildly stressed). help get your dog through hurdles that you may have struggled with if you were using something less appetizing. break through your dog’s fear and anxiety, making it easier to modify behavior and gradually reduce your dog’s negative responses. What Are the Best High-Value Dog Treats? Examples of some high-value treats/food include the following, but of course, every dog is different, so what may work for one dog may not work for another. Consult with your vet if your dog has a sensitive stomach or any allergies or intolerances. Freeze-dried meats Low-fat cheese Low-sodium hot dogs Boneless, skinless chicken (boiled and shredded) Liver treats High-quality dog treats The Benefit of Problem-Solving Games In one study, dogs who were engaged in problem-solving skills demonstrated calmer and less fearful behaviors towards strangers, most likely because problem-solving skills help dogs increase their levels of self-confidence. Mental stimulation, play and exercise incorporated into a dog’s daily routine may not seem like it will directly address the problem of barking at strangers, but it will certainly help. Know How and When to Raise Criteria When your dog is progressing at a steady rate and you start noticing the onset of the so-called positive conditioned emotional response, it’s time to start raising the bar. Decrease distance slightly, and keep working on forming positive associations using your dog’s favorite high-value treats. Be Patient If your dog ever happens to become unresponsive to you or won’t take treats, take that as a sign that he’s too close to his trigger. Take a few steps back again to increase the distance and his level of comfort. Behavior modification involves continuously gauging your dog’s progress so as to determine whether it’s time to raise the bar or take a few steps back. It requires several judgment calls based on where your dog is at in the moment. Adjust Parameters as Needed On top of decreasing distance, you may also wish to add other parameters at some point (always offered at low-intensity levels at first), such as the duration of the interactions, the actions, speed, tone of voice and body position of people, and then touch so as to get your dog used to these too. When you do so, you will need to relax the other parameters temporarily. For example, if your dog is fine with a stranger ignoring him while standing right next to him and you want to add the stranger looking at him/talking to him, increase the distance between the stranger and your dog temporarily. When the stranger talks or looks at her, be ready to drop several tasty treats right afterward. Introduce Touch With Caution At some point, you may want to create positive associations with hands (hand targeting and chin rests are helpful introductory skills to train), but always make sure your dog is comfortable doing so, and let him decide whether he feels safe and comfortable interacting in that specific setting with that specific person. You may wish to then progress to brief touches while always using high-value treats to create positive associations, but it’s important to practice caution. Dogs don’t always want to be petted. Many dogs struggle with people extending their hands and doing things like giving pats on the head. It’s important to always monitor your dog’s body language and evaluate how he feels about it. Giving dogs a choice of when or who to interact with is important. Doing a few “consent tests” (stopping an interaction and watching if the dog gives signs of wanting to interact more) is equally important to ensure he’s still comfortable with an interaction. A behavior professional can provide guidance on how to introduce touch while also keeping safety in mind. Work With a Behavior Professional Behavior modification isn’t a walk in the park. It requires patience, determination and time. It also requires close observation and continuous judgment calls to determine when a dog is ready for an increase in criteria and how to introduce a trigger in a way that doesn’t evoke a reaction. On top of this, safety is important. Working with a behavior professional is paramount to ensure the correct implementation of behavior modification while also taking steps to ensure safety. It’s particularly important to work alongside a behavior professional using gentle behavior modification without the use of aversives (shock collars, punishment-based methods) which risk creating added stress and increase the chances for aggressive responses. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) emphasizes the importance of having veterinarians refer clients only to trainers or behavior consultants who adhere to non-confrontational techniques, using scientifically-based guidelines of positive reinforcement, operant conditioning, classical conditioning, desensitization, and counterconditioning. In difficult cases where progress is not being made or when dogs react unpredictably and are very stressed, the use of calming aids and prescription medications given under the guidance of a vet can be valuable to get the dog in a more comfortable learning state. More tips to help a fearful dogs: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/helping-fearful-rescue-dog/ You can find also more reads by using the search function and searching the word "fear." I hope this helps! Happy training!

Hi there, Sorry I have been super busy lately and somehow missed your post the last time I logged in. It is possible that these behavior changes have occurred as she has reached adolescence/social maturity which is a time when dog-to-dog interactions start deteriorating https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/survive-dogs-adolescent-stage/ She may have simply matured and is no longer interested in wild play with other dogs. Many dogs become intolerant of several "all in your face," rowdy approaches of other dogs with poor social manners and feel the need to correct them. Behavior changes after spaying aren't unusual. There are several theories as to why this may be happening and it's important investigating whether there may a root cause to address. Let's take a look at some of them. Post-Surgical Pain Drastic behavior changes after a spay may be indicative of something physical at play, particularly lingering pain. Any discomfort or pain can lower a dog’s tolerance of anything, making them more likely to lash out. When dogs act aggressively due to pain, it’s important to recognize that there is also a learning component at play. Through barking, growling and biting, dogs are telling others around them to “stop,” “leave me alone” or “stay away.” As the dog lashes out, he or she learns that the aggressive behavior “works” in making the other dogs back off. This distance-increasing behavior therefore is reinforced and the dog may adopt this strategy in future encounters even once the pain is long gone. Persistent Pseudopregnancy (PPP): The Silent Killer A phenomenon that is not talked about much, but that is gradually getting more attention, is the topic of persistent pseudopregnancy. In a nutshell, pseudopregnancy, also known as false pregnancy, takes place when an intact female dog goes into heat and doesn’t become pregnant. Dogs undergoing a false pregnancy develop symptoms as if they are pregnant (when they are not) and these symptoms typically pop up about 6 to 8 weeks after being in heat. While most dogs who undergo a false pregnancy are intact, interestingly, it may develop in dogs who are spayed if they happen to be spayed in the diestrus stage (the stage taking place once the heat cycle is over) What is more is that the false pregnancy in spayed dogs can even become a chronic ordeal, leading to what is known as persistent pseudopregnancy. In one study, persistent pseudopregnancy was found to be one of the main causes of the onset of reactivity and aggression in dogs with a history of being recently spayed. Veterinarian Dr. Sara Davies has nicknamed this condition the “silent killer” due to the fact that many dogs are being euthanized due to behavior problems occurring due to this condition which is not readily recognized. In her almost 3-hour long webinar, Dr. Davies discusses how owners often notice the changes in behavior within a month or two after the spay, with the most commonly reported changes being aggression towards humans, anxiety, dog-to-dog aggression, sound sensitivity and even separation-related distress. Fortunately, despite carrying a scary nickname such as “silent killer” this persistent state can be easily reversed following a course of cabergoline, which inhibits the release of prolactin, the hormone known for causing signs of false pregnancy in dogs. A trial of cabergoline given under the guidance of a vet may therefore be insightful if a veterinarian considers this a possibility based on the dog’s spay history and at what point she was in the estrus cycle at that time. Post-Surgical Stress Going through a spay surgery may look like a minor issue: it’s often considered a routine surgery with very low chances for complications. We all imagine dropping off our dogs and picking up our dogs as if nothing happened and then after a brief recovery period, everything goes back to normal. However, in reality, there’s much more going on than that, and how well a dog recovers may vary from one dog and another based on the dog’s overall resilience and coping ability after all the stress. The whole process of dropping off the dog, being caged in an unfamiliar place and being exposed to other noisy animals, scary smells, etc. can be overwhelmingly stressful. Then, there is the anesthetic, feeling groggy and awakening in a foreign place and being fit with an enormous lamp-shade collar. Once home, the dog will undergo forced downtime and may experience pain requiring pain meds. Once better, the dog may still need rest time, but after a few days, those energy levels are up. This often frustrates owners who may get upset as they struggle juggling between restricting exercise and keeping their dogs busy in a quiet way. All of this can be the perfect storm for the onset of reactivity. While many dogs just sail through the whole experience with little aftermath, it’s important to recognize that some others may struggle with it. Some dogs may also go through their second fear period during this time (it takes place between 6 and 14 months of age) further aggravating the situation. Changes Related to Hormonal Changes It is known that estrogen and oxytocin have some anxiolytic effects. This may likely play a role in the findings that spaying may increase reactivity towards unfamiliar people and may worsen aggressive behavior in dogs exhibiting aggression tendencies before surgery. This has been shown in some studies. A study conducted on German Shepherds has revealed that dogs who were spayed demonstrated more reactivity compared to those who were left intact. The study concluded that spay surgery involving dogs between the age of 5 to 10 months appears to induce an increase in overall reactivity and a range of behavioral changes. Underlying Medical Conditions There are several medical conditions that can trigger behavioral changes in dogs potentially leading to increased irritability and aggression. These include painful conditions such as ear conditions, dental disease and painful joints/ arthritis. Underlying medical causes are often suspected when there are sudden changes in behavior. It’s therefore important to rule out any possible pain issues. It helps to therefore provide the vet with an accurate and complete history of the dog along with all the behavioral changes that have been noticed. The veterinarian can help establish whether the noticed behaviors may be compatible with a medical condition, a behavioral disorder, or perhaps both. Having covered this, as you can see there can several reasons for a behavior changes as such. It may be insightful knowing more about her interactions with dogs. Is she reactive on walks when she sees other dogs or does she seem to only struggle with other dogs during very close interactions? Is she doing OK with some dogs, like your parent's dog and just struggles with certain dogs? It is possible she is still somewhat social, but being more selective. Is she being approached by off-leash dogs on walks? Where are these biting faces episodes taking place? Does she growl/show any signs of growing irritation before nipping in the face? Have you noticed a pattern/trend of what behaviors from other dogs seem to trigger her biting? Does she still share the home with another dog? If so, how are her interactions with him?

Hi Noelle! First of all, congrats on your new dog and working so diligently with him through the course! Getting a dog fearful of water to want to play a game like bobbing for treats, is certainly a big achievement and although he's not literally going crazy over sticking his muzzle in the water, it sounds like you were able to at least get him interested in the water and he's making steady progress. Sometimes, what helps these dogs is social facilitation, e.g. having them watch other dogs play in the water bobbing for treats like if it was the most wonderful activity on earth. Having a helper hold him back as he watches you toss the treats in the water while another dog goes "fishing" with the most happy look on his face, can increase motivation sometimes, so that when it's his turn, he may be more motivated. A word of caution: don't have two dogs fishing for treats at the same time if they are prone to resource guarding or you're not sure on how they may react. In regards, to the bottle game, I understand the difficulties, especially with a dog who has a history of liking to chew bottles. If he's prone to getting frustrating, it may take some time for him to master the art of delayed gratification. These dogs benefit from learning better impulse control so it may help if, on the side, we very gradually start introducing him to some impulse control games to gradually increase his frustration tolerance. Here are some games: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/10-impulse-control-games-for-dogs/ If he was doing OK with less kibble but struggles with ten, then it may help to return to the wider neck bottle and go back to less kibble and then gradually add a few more over the course of several days. Every time he manages to get some kibble out make sure to praise and reward, and when he empties the bottle, you can praise happily and even give him an extra treat for the job well done tossed at a distance so that you can remove the empty bottle. It may also help him to get more acquainted with how food puzzles work by using a Kong Wobbler for his meals which is quite sturdy and works in a similar fashion: https://www.amazon.com/KONG-PW1-Wobbler-Large/dp/B003ALMW0M/ If he's too focused on crunching the bottle, you can try to do the more advanced game of drilling holes in it and passing a string to it and see if that keeps him more focused on nudging it around than chewing it. Another idea that comes to mind is using a replacement for the bottle that is more sturdy. There are several toys that can be used similarly, but they may not all be too durable to withstand repeatedly being chewed on: This one looks durable: https://www.amazon.com/Aggressive-Lifetime-Replacement-Indestructible-Interactive/dp/B08KSRWFB7 As always, close supervision is needed so to ensure the dog doesn't chew on or ingest any parts. A good response to leave it and drop is also important so that it can be removed and swapped on cue. I hope this helps! Happy training!

Sounds good, keep me posted on how things go! I am always here if you need more help. Best Adrienne

Hi there! Welcome to the forums, Your pup is very young, and any leash pulling her or tension will cause her to instinctively put her breaks on because of the opposition reflex. She needs to learn to "give in" to the leash pressure rather than tensing up and resisting. The more your pup resists, the more the behavior becomes ingrained, so it's important to prevent her from rehearsing this behavior and doing everything possible to set her up for success. This often requires us to use baby steps. Here's are some steps to teach your pup to give into the leash pressure rather than resist it. Sit on the couch with her on leash and if she moves away, gently put a little of pressure on the leash and show her a treat so that she learns to give in to the pressure. Tossing the treat rather than hand feeding it, can turn into a fun game. Praise and reward every time she releases the pressure. Rinse and repeat several times, until she learns that the pressure leads to a reward. If she does well with this at least 8 times out of 10, then practice walking nearby the couch and do the same. Another option is to get a flirt pole, (flirt poles are like fishing poles with a toy attached at the end) and every time the leash is a little tense, wiggle the flirt pole to encourage forward movement and then let her catch it when she catches up with you. The goal is to make great things happen every time the leash tenses up a bit. You can also take advantage of meal time, such as walking her on leash to her bowl when she's hungry or walking her towards a friend with a toy hiding behind the back to reward her. Try to use a very lightweight leash and collar for her as it seems to make things easier. I like to start with those lightweight collars breeders use: https://www.amazon.com/Puppy-ID-Collar-Identification-Adjustable/dp/B09S3MSLXR/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3KZU7ILOVBRPP&keywords=breeder%2Bpuppy%2Bcollar&qid=1692612966&sprefix=breeder%2Bpuppy%2Bcolla%2Caps%2C221&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1 Happy training!

Hi there! In this case, you are doing correctly. We want to reward drop its only when cued. She may be attending to subtle cues that are invisible to us, for example, she may think that "any time I carry an item in my mouth and my owner looks at me, I may be asked to drop and then am rewarded". Trial after trial, she should get the idea that rewards only happen when she is asked to drop and that by anticipating, she is only wasting time and energy. It may also help to catch her when she doesn't expect you to ask her to drop it, for example, pretend to be reading a book, or watch her with the corner of your eyes. Keep treats hidden in your pocket during the day so that you can catch her unprepared. Some dogs are very attentive so they are more likely to be in "training mode" when they see us carrying treats in our hands or pocket.

This male GSD sounds like a potentially good teacher dog, as long as your dog doesn't appear too emotionally impacted by his corrections and she accepts the "lectures" without trying to fight back. As with children, sometimes it helps moving some children to a class with older well-mannered children so they learn to practice less rowdy behaviors. It's important to always monitor the interactions to ensure they stay positive and controlled with both parties having fun. His lack of interest may be his way of showing her that he is in control of when and how play happens or he may be giving her some cutoff signals. If there is ever doubt over whether a dog is being bullied, removing the dog from the area can provide some insights on the dog's emotional state. If the dog appears relieved, the interaction was just too much, if the dog gives sign of readily wanting to return to play, most likely the dog was actually having a good time. It's important to have a stead fast response to cues when dogs engage in play so as to prevent/redirect any behaviors that may escalate or turn problematic. Active supervision is always paramount.

Hi there! A doggy door should be used when a puppy has attained enough bladder and bowel control and is able to walk towards a door without having an accident. The main problem with introducing a doggy door is teaching the pup to go through it and then using it to go potty. If your puppy is new to a doggy door, he may be hesitant about using it because he neve saw one before. Once he gets used to using it, the problem is that they may not potty when outside and then have an accident on the floor. A doggy door may therefore risk setbacks in potty training if caution is not taken. Another important consideration is that young pups are prone to getting in trouble or engaging in destructive behaviors when left outside unsupervised. It's crucial that the yard is totally puppy proofed (no toxic plants, things pups may chew and ingest) and the pup is prevented from engaging in destructive or other undesirable behaviors (chewing, scratching doors, digging in the flower garden, barking constantly). Make sure there is a water bowl and shade in case he forgets how to get back in and nobody is available to help him get back in. Here are some steps to acclimatize a dog to a doggy door and further steps to ensure he uses it to go potty. First, let's look at what not to do. Forcing the dog through the flap often only makes matters worse. Dogs don't like to be put into situations they are not comfortable with, and if we force them, they may even lose trust in us. On top of this, if you push your dog through, your dog may become overly dependent on that help, which may lead to a dog always waiting for the push and never taking initiative on his own. Not good! So here are some helpful tips. 1. Use Treats Wisely While the use of treats may work in certain circumstances, it's important to use them with caution, as there's a fine line between them acting as an incentive and being perceived as cunning tools used to trick your dog into doing something they're afraid of. Treat-based persuasions can therefore backfire, causing dogs to think along the lines of: "Every time my owners bring out those tasty treats, it's like a siren's call tempting me to face my fears, but I'm no fool! I know they're trying to lure me into those spooky places! Nope, I won't fall into this trap and let my humans try to outsmart me!" Although treats may work with strongly food-motivated dogs, they often won't work with dogs who aren't too crazy about food, in circumstances where the fear of going through the door surpasses the incentive, or when the dog simply hasn't grasped the concept that, in order to get out, he must push through the flap. The bottom line? It's important to use treats in a smart and strategic way. 2. Take Baby Steps If your dog is afraid of the doggy door, then you need to take several baby steps to help your dog out. The process is known as desensitization. Desensitization is often used in behavior modification to help ease a dog's fears (just like in humans!). It consists of splitting actions into smaller, easier steps, versus going all in at once, which risks sensitizing a dog to his fears and leading to a phenomenon known as flooding. For example, when teaching a person to swim, desensitization would entail a calm and controlled approach, starting with getting the person comfortable in water before gradually progressing to more complex swimming skills. In contrast, flooding would involve things like tossing a person into the water, which can obviously lead to panic, fear and even trauma. Desensitization is the go-to method for easing canine fears, and it's what professionals use because it respects a dog's emotional boundaries, prioritizes safety, and fosters a positive learning experience. 3. Tape the Flap Up This strategy is important because it helps ease a dog's natural hesitancy. By taping the flap up, you are removing the doggy door's scariest components—its unpredictable movement and noise, blocked views, and the general sense of lack of control over it. 4. Reinforce Investigation Once the flap is taped up, praise and reward your dog for showing any interest or initiative in interacting with the doggy door. Toss the treats away from the doggy door so that your dog keeps on coming back to it and doesn't get startled by a random treat that happens to land too close to the door for comfort. Always remember to celebrate even the smallest signs of progress and reward your dog's bravery! 5. Use a Helper Once your dog is comfortable around the door with the flap still taped up, have a helper on the other side of the door entice your dog to come out and play. Your helper may bounce a ball around or talk in silly voices. Once your dog jumps out, your helper should praise and feed several treats and let the dog play with the ball. Something similar should be done when the dog gets back inside. 6. Gradually Introduce the Flap Over several days, as your dog goes through the open flap, remove the tape and place the flap gently on him as he goes through, starting at his back end and then gradually lowering it earlier and earlier. Once your dog is out, make sure your helper rewards him immediately with a scattering of super tasty treats followed by a fun game, or to really impress him, offer a long-lasting chew that your dog loves. Progress to holding the flap lower and lower until you are just holding the corner open. At some point, stop holding the flap. Stand outside and make your dog feel as if you are having the time of your life (if you live with other people or dogs, invite them all out to join the party!). When your dog manages to come out, make sure that you make a big deal of it, praising lavishly and giving your dog several treats in a row and then playing fun games in the yard. 7. Invite a Demo Dog Do you have a friend or neighbor who has a dog who knows how to use a doggy door and enthusiastically uses it? Does this dog get along with your dog and has been a playmate for some time? If so, excellent! Sometimes, other dogs are the best teachers. Have this dog come over and show your dog how to use the doggy door. Many times, dogs are intimidated by doing certain things; if they see other dogs perform behaviors with confidence, they are more likely to give things a try. Of course, it helps if this doggy guest flies out the door and then eagerly waits for his pal, barking in anticipation. Playing with this guest dog outside and making noises suggesting loads of fun often helps the tentative dog gain enough courage to get out to see what all the fuss is about. Because coming out of the doggy door leads to a fun play session with his buddy, your dog will likely feel more inclined to go out again in the future. 8. Use Target Training Target training means your dog learns to touch a target and is rewarded for that. You can find a guide on how to teach targeting here starting with a Post-it note: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/preschool/targeting/ The goal is to teach him to touch the doggy door with his nose and then push it open and eventually get out to get a reward. Make sure that, upon pushing the dog door with the nose and then getting out, you feed a jackpot of treats (several small, high-value treats given in a row). 9.Craft a Fake Door Sometimes, it helps to recreate something similar to the doggy door and flap and practice with that inside. For instance, you can try to mimic a dog door by cutting a box into the shape of a frame which your dog can jump through. Practice having your dog go through this frame over and over, using high-value treats to reward your dog each time he passes through. Next, glue a sheet of paper or some large piece of cloth to the frame to mimic the flap of the door. Glue it high to start with. Practice having your dog go through this, always rewarding generously when he does. Remove the sheet of paper/felt and then glue it lower and lower until your dog must go through it completely. Then, practice near the dog door and even hang it by the door. Alternatively, you can try having your dog jump through a hula hoop and then attach several strings to it to desensitize your dog to the feeling of something on his shoulders as he passes through. 10. Increase the Level of Motivation Sometimes all that's needed is to increase the dog's level of motivation. If your dog is super attracted to food, hide treats in the yard, keep the door flap open and let your dog go on a treat scavenger hunt around the yard. Basically, it works like this: Get some irresistible treats and show them to your dog. Get him really excited about them. Then, have a helper hold him while you go outside to "hide" the treats in the yard. Once you're done, call your dog and have your helper readily release him. Repeat this for several days, always with the door flap lifted, until you get an eager, strong response to wanting to go out upon hearing you call him. You want him impatiently fidgeting against the helper holding him. When that becomes easy, lower the flap a bit more each day until it's completely down. Your dog's impatience and motivation may get him through the hurdle. 11. When All Else Fails If you are out of luck trying the above methods, you can try a different doggy door make and model. Look specifically for a doggy door that activates and opens upon detecting a special sensor that is in the dog's collar. Problem solved! Using the Doggy Door to Go Potty Once your puppy is comfortable going through the doggy door, the biggest problem owners encounter is getting puppies to use it to potty. Many pups may go outside with an intent to potty, but then they get distracted and forget about it and then have an accident inside. So you will need to go physically outside with him to ensure he goes potty for the initial stages and praising him and rewarding him for going. It's important that he goes potty first thing once outside and then moves on to exploring or playing. Establishing this routine should help him/her learn to do this all times. It will help to train a go potty cue: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/advanced-potty-training/potty-on-command/ so that he is prompted to go potty right away outside and then is praised and rewarded and goes on to play, explore. Once he goes out on his own, you can remind him to go potty from a window or door at a distance, to further help him establish the routine. Eventually, he should learn to do this all on his own as going potty acts already as a form of reinforcement of its own. It's therefore important to ensure the puppy applies all the training done so far when going outside to potty in the yard, but now with the doggy door and without our physical presence. This should be done initially with our presence, which will be gradually faded more and more until there's no more need for us to be reminding them what to do.

You can walk him and carefully asses how he does. Watch his body language closely, there may be chances he is more resilient than you think and may not care much about other dogs. Be careful not to feed anxiety through the leash when encountering dogs on walks, act matter of fact and focus on feeding him treats upon seeing other dogs. He may do fine with certain dogs, and associate negative happenings only with dogs of a certain type (e.g. poodle-like). If he struggles despite keeping distance and feeding treats or shows signs of anxiety/aggression towards dogs, then it's best to work with a professional.

Hi, Wow, I am so sorry this happened to you and Skye. How unfortunate of a situation. I would also feel traumatized by it and would keep on getting flashbacks trying to make a reason of it. In a case like this, being attacked by another dog is an aversive experience that may lead to short-term and long-term consequences. Just seconds after the attack, the affected dog may be shaky and jumpy as the adrenaline will be pumping. As the dog recuperates from this acute onset, there may be the onset of a negative conditioned emotional response associated with the place where the incident occurred and/or the presence of other dogs. Now, this doesn't always happen to every single dog. Some dogs may perceive the attack as scary and unpleasant, but it will soon be shaken off. The problem arises when the attack is morphed into a life-changing event, and this can happen even to the most solid dogs. There are ample stories of even service dogs who have proven their worth in being "bomb-proof dogs" over the years suffering the consequences of an encounter gone wrong and emotionally paying the price. It's as if an imaginary switch flips inside their head. Science calls it "single event learning." Undoing the damage is often quite a bumpy road. In this service dog story, a 30-second attack turned into two years of rehabilitation. This negative experience may have an impact on how the dog reacts in the presence of other dogs. A history of an injury is not necessary for such aversive conditioning to take place.I have seen reactions range from avoidance behaviors (the dog no longer wants to play or interact with other dogs or does so very tentatively) to defensive behaviors (the dog feels threatened and uses the "offense is the best defense" strategy to maintain distance There are then also several dogs sort of in between, where you really don't notice many problems readily, but at some point in the dog's future history of playing or interacting with other dogs, a new issue pops up out of nowhere (e.g., the dog starts growling during an interaction) in a dog who never exhibited this type of issues before. In any case, the onset of a negative conditioned emotional response needs to be addressed to prevent the issue from establishing and becoming worse. This requires several measures to protect the dog's emotional wellbeing and address any issues the dog may have acquired due to the negative experience. So let's take a look at ways to help the recovery of a recently attacked dog. How quickly the dog recovers varies from one dog to another and other variables such as level of owner commitment, how severely the dog was impacted, whether professional assistance is needed and how well the dog's environment can be managed to prevent any future negative encounters. -Be Your Dog's Ambassador If your dog was attacked by another dog, it's important that you protect your dog from any future negative encounters that may further cause stress. Keep in mind that stress levels may take several days to go down, so protect your dog from certain close encounters until your dog is ready. This could mean walking in different areas at different times etc, which it looks like you are already doing. -Have a Professional Monitor If you need help for a dog in shock after being attacked, your best bet is to have a professional assess your dog and monitor his future interactions with other dogs. Not all dogs are ready to interact with other dogs and play again after being attacked. The behavior consultant should be able to assess your dog for signs of tension. If the assessment reveals that your dog is tense around other dogs, then prior to scheduling positive interactions such as play and walks with other dogs, behavior modification may be carried out to better manage and protect your dog's emotional wellbeing. The professional may have to pave the path for some groundwork first using methods based on the scientific principles of desensitization and counterconditioning. Since the attack happened on a walk, what may help is to praise and give treats every time your dog sees another dog crossing his path. After some time, as your dog seems more relaxed, your dog may be able to progress to closer encounters with other dogs. -Limit Interactions to a Few Good Dogs If your dog had a negative experience, you will likely have to engage your dog in a remedial socialization program. To undo the damage done, your dog will need to be exposed to dogs that have been carefully screened. Your dog trainer/behavior professional may be even able to provide the right friendly dog/dogs for remedial socialization. Skip the dog park where there are dogs your dog doesn't know well, and often there are dogs who really aren't suitable for group play. Instead, it would be best to stick to a handful of good doggy friends that have proven over the years to have gotten along well with your dog. As it happens in people, best a few good buddies that many friends who aren't best friends but just superficial acquaintances that haven't proved worthy of trust. -Create Good Times For sake of comparison, the process is similar to attending a Toastmasters' meeting for those folks with a terror of public speaking. In these meetings, people are encouraged to speak in a safe, supportive environment where they don't feel rejected or ridiculed. Dogs suitable for such encounters are often super socialized dogs, dogs who have met countless dogs and who know how to properly interact. Ideally, these are dogs who are very adept at reading other dogs and delivering the right body language. These "teacher dogs" dogs should be masters in sending calming signals to fearful, tentative dogs. Your dog needs to feel safe and relaxed so to create good memories. Creating several positive emotional responses is important so to replace the negative ones. Always end the sessions on a positive note, praising your dog lavishly so that these new events help at least partially take the edge off the fearful memories. Slow and steady wins the race in behavior modification, so it's important working at the dog's pace. In regards to the working lines, genes are not the only requirement, these dogs need loads of training, done by professionals in the field if their purpose is for protection. And the training is not a one-time ordeal, it needs repeated maintenance. Of course, there are also individual temperament factors, not to mention, good breeders and bad breeders as well. Trust me, you don't want Sky to have defended you or himself in this match with the poodle, this would have caused major injuries to this poodle and even its death. And with all the breed bans and discriminations in dog breeds like Rottweilers, German shepherds etc. there are chances that your GSD would have been accused for the attack rather than the other way around. The fact that Sky is a sweet little giant is a good thing 🙂My Rottweilers were also the sweetest things, I just didn't spread the voice, it was our little secret. They were mush but yet dressed up as security guards by our property in their black and tan suits and that was enough to deter anybody. Barking is all that's often needed to deter, our security alarms take care of the rest.

Hi there, Welcome to the forums! If the other dog yelps, she's likely being too rough with her teeth, however, if the other dog keeps playing after the yelp, there won't be much teaching going on for your German shepherd. If we look at young puppies when they are still in the litter with their siblings, the most effective type of feedback for when a puppy nips too hard, is that the other puppy yelps and stops playing. In older dogs, they may yelp and even get angry. When dogs yelp and continue to play instead, they are telling your dog all is good and this ends up reinforcing your dog's rough play. However, maybe there is something going on that we may not see? For example, can it be that, when the other dog yelps, your dog softens the bite or let's go? Let's imagine two kids playing, one kid tugs on another kid's hair, and the kids says "ouch, that hurts!" so the rough child lets go of the hair and then all is good again. In these cases, what can help at times is involving an older dog who likes to play and who can act as a "teacher dog" to let your dog know in a clear, not harmful way that this rough biting is not OK, however, these dogs aren't easy to come by. Some dog trainers may have access to them. These dogs are very good in communicating, but always using ritualistic displays ( by using vocalizations, showing teeth, delivering timeouts). However, we don't know how your dog may react to this, while the older dog may be capable of defusing the situation, there is always a risk for a fight, so I am not a big fan of this approach. You are right that's it's difficult to interfere when dogs are playing with other dogs. Arousal level are high when dogs play and it's not easy to grab their attention. It may be worth teaching an interrupting cue at a fluent level such as an "off!" or a whistle, or smacking sound, starting in a quiet area of the home, then in the yard and then gradually adding distractions such as the presence of another dog and then in low-arousal play before asking it in aroused play. It's important to generously reward responsiveness because you'll be competing over highly aroused states. Great care is needed to maintain this cue's evocative properties, and if it doesn't work in a play context, the cue risks weakening and eventually losing its evocative power. Another option is calling your dogs to give them a break before play escalates and reaches a too aroused state. Many times, rough biting starts when dog play is reaching a too aroused level. As dogs get more and more aroused, they lose their bite inhibition, so preventing them from reaching this boiling point can be helpful. I would be watchful over this behavior, because should a dog decide to correct your dog for being rough, this can turn into a nasty fight. At 1.5 your dog is at the social maturity stage, a time when they may start bullying other dogs and not back off from a challenge. Dog fights, in dogs frequenting dog parks for some time, often start around this stage.

Question 2: How can we teach him to not jump on visitors? In order to tackle this issue it is import to involve strangers and willing visitors to participate in your dog's training. If you have guests who are willing to collaborate, invite them over for a "no-jump party." In other words, instruct them on what to do and what not to do so that you can practice with your dog in a more systematic way. Make sure that all your visitors follow the same consistent rules that you and your family have applied so far. This often consists of having your guests follow the rule of ignoring the dog (resisting the temptation to make eye contact, touch the dog or say hello), and having a plan in place if the dog manages to jump (such as turning around and leaving). Here is a more in-depth guide on how to accomplish this (scroll down to the section on jumping on guests/other people: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/behavior-training/jumping/ Once your visitors are able to enter the house without your dog jumping, you can have them walk around the house and try to preempt any jumping *before* it happens. In other words, as soon as they see your dog approaching them, they should quickly say "sit" and then praise and toss a treat at a distance. If your dog manages to jump, they should turn around, and ignore the dog counting up to 10. Once they have counted up to ten, they can turn around and try again to preempt the jump by asking for a sit. After several trials, your dog may learn to automatically sit upon approaching guests. This may initially look like a dog sitting and begging for treats, but what we are trying to do here is replace the undesirable behavior with a desirable one so that that the undesirable one no longer gains reinforcement and extinguishes. On top of this, the running back and forth between approaching and chasing treats may help remove some of the excited or anxious energy. After several of these trials, most dogs grow bored of the game at some point and look for something else to do. You may end with a final sit being praised and rewarded with a long-lasting reward such as a frozen Kong to enjoy on a mat while you and your guests chit-chat on the couch. To be thorough, it would also help to find out if there are any particular triggers that seem to evoke jumping. These can be a guest's hand movements or excited talking, to which you can work on desensitizing your dog to, here is a case study demonstrating how to accomplish this: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/case-studies/02-maggie-assessing-jumping-behavior-desensitization/ What if My Dog Won't Sit? If your dog is too over threshold to obey a sit, skip the sit for now, and start easy peasy, by having your dog on leash and a volunteer enter the door as you toss several small pieces of tasty treats on the ground. Once the dog is about to finish the treats, the volunteer leaves. Rinse and repeat several times, until your dog seems calmer. After several trials, have the volunteer enter and try asking for a sit before tossing the treats. If your dog was able to sit, toss the treats and once again, have the volunteer leave once the dog is about to finish the treats. Rinse and repeat several times, until your dog seems calmer. Next, further raise criteria, see if you can ask your dog to lie down before tossing the treats. If your dog complies, toss the treats and have the volunteer leave once the dog is about to finish the treats. Rinse and repeat several times, until your dog seems calmer. Repeat the above now with your dog off leash. If your primary door leads to unfenced yard, practice only with a door that leads to a fenced yard for safety (many dogs will escape if a door is opened just a bit and they see something that attracts them). Next, further raise criteria. Add a mat, place it nearby the door and as your volunteer is about to enter, ask your dog to go lie down on it. Give the treats there. Have the volunteer leave once the dog is about to finish the treats. Rinse and repeat several times, until your dog seems calmer. Next, ask for a long down/stay on the mat. As your volunteer enters, ask your dog to lie on the mat and this time offer a longer-lasting chew *(like a whole dog cookie). Have your dog stay there as you chit-chat and shake hands with the guest. As your dog is about to finish the chew, have your guest leave. Further raise criteria. As your volunteer enters, ask your dog to lie on the mat and this time offer a much longer-lasting chew like a stuffed Kong or safe long-lasting edible. Have your guest sit down on the couch for some time. As your dog is about to finish the chew, have your guest leave. The goal once again is to be able to have the dog engage in alternate behaviors. These alternate behaviors help dogs swap to a rational, cognitive state versus acting over the top. The alternate behaviors can be several (doesn't have to be lie on a mat, although this may work best as it has built-in duration) and you can pick which ones you prefer. Having the dogs hand target the guest's hands when the guests are sitting works also well to replace obnoxious hyper behaviors. I hope this helps, let me know how things go! The more you can practice with volunteers the better!

Hi there, great questions! First of all, if your dog jumps on visitors, and not on you, kudos to you! There is surely some progress made. It is more difficult to tackle a dog who jumps on their owners, close family members and visitors, compared to a dog who jumps only on visitors. Question 1: Why is he not jumping on us, but he jumps on visitors? The reason why your dog is not jumping on you, but is jumping on visitors is because of several reasons, let's explore some of them. -Lack of Consistency If your dog is not jumping on you or other family members, this is likely because you have all been very consistent. Being on the same page is fundamental to help dogs succeed in training, and a lack of consistency among people sharing the home is a primary reason for dogs who struggle mastering their obedience kills. Unless you have actively coached your visitors on how to prevent your dog from jumping on them and how to react should your dog still manage to jump on them, from your dog's perspective, they are worth of being jumped just because there is no consistency going on. -Sense of Familiarity Because you and other family members are often around, your dog may not feel compelled to express his overly excited greetings which is often dedicated to dog owners or people who have been away for some time. -The Novelty Factor Dogs can be particularly drawn to new people and may become overly excited when they're interacting with people they have never met before or who they see sparingly. -Inability to Follow Directions When dogs greet visitors, they may be too excited and over threshold to be able to listen to familiar cues. This causes the dog to rehearse a problematic behavior and continue to greet them in a hyper, overly aroused state. -Not Following Through Because many visitors downplay a dog's jumping ("oh, it's no big deal, Rover just wants to say hello! Right Rover? Now give me a little kissy!") we may not be as consistent as we would like in enforcing our no-jumping-on-guests rule. Or perhaps we may be distracted too or somewhat embarrassed or worried to upset guests who may have a different view towards dogs who jump. -The Power of Reinforcement If your dog receives *any* form of attention when he jumps on strangers, consider that this will reinforce the jumping behavior, allowing it to persist and strengthen. Many visitors will interact in some way when a dog who happens to jump on them. They may look at your dog, pet your dog or sweet talk to your dog. Dogs who love attention will seek these interactions, even if the attention happens to be of the "negative type," such as a stranger pushing your dog away or scolding your dog because he has left paw prints all over his new business suit. -A Matter of Fear In certain circumstances, the dog may jump as a way to manifest negative feelings such as stress, fear or anxiety. This form of jumping allows dogs to increase distance from the strangers.

Greetings, welcome to the forums! I am glad to hear that you were able to successfully work on the her previous resource guarding issues. That's not easy to tackle and it sounds like you have made great progress. At the age of 1.5 years, that's when dogs are reaching social maturity, a time when their social interactions towards other dogs often start to change. Dogs may get more "serious" and standoffish and may get more and more selective as to what dogs to include in their "circle of friends. Another possibility is that you're seeing the start of "barrier frustration" since you mention that she does well with dogs at the off leash dog park and this behavior is mostly seen when she's on leash. Here is a read on barrier frustration: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/barrier-frustration/ Regardless of the underlying cause, it may help to introduce some new training cues that give her an alternate behavior to engage in, so as to replace the laying down and lunging. The trained cues will vary though based on whether we're dealing with a case of barrier frustration or a case of no longer liking certain dogs invading her space. For example in a case of barrier frustration, to replace the laying down behavior, she can be trained to "stand for inspection" meaning that when a dog approaches, she will have to stand still (basically a stay trained in the standing position versus sitting or standing) and look up at you as you hold a treat at eye level (here's how to train this https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/preschool/look-into-my-eyes/). You would give the treat the moment the other dog is done sniffing, and then keep on feeding treats as you both walk away with her still looking at you. This replaces the lunging behavior. See the attention heeling section on how to train this: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/heeling-attention-heeling/ Of course this will take some time to train at a fluent level, and to help her succeed, it may help to have a volunteer with a doggy friend you know that your dog won't typically lunge at, practice walking towards her as you work on these cues. If she loves meeting dogs, the volunteer can be instructed to keep approaching if she's standing, but will do a quick about turn and leave the moment she lies down. If you have a pet store nearby that offers classes, you may find trainers who hold sessions on "1-2-3 greetings" where your dog practices meeting other dogs for only 3 seconds and then move on. The trainer should be skilled in dealing with barrier frustration and reactivity cases so as to help your dog succeed and not be placed in situations that are too overwhelming. In the case that her lunging is because she's not comfortable around certain dogs, then before training cues, it would be important working on creative positive associations with a variety of dogs (feeding her treats as she sees them) and blocking them from getting too close to her so at to trigger her need to lunge. If this is a classic case of reactivity, you may find these tips helpful: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/how-to-make-your-dog-less-reactive-on-walks/ The laying down behavior is something you definitely want to work on because this behavior may be "frowned upon" by dogs due to the fact that they may not understand your dog's intent. Is your dog just wanting to play or is she trying to attack? This unclear behavior can make other dogs uncomfortable and even defensive. More Tips: -Keep Your Dog Under Threshold Often this entails giving your dog distance from other dogs so that she doesn't feel the need to engage in the lying down behavior. Therefore work on finding that sweet spot where she isn't overwhelmed by other dogs being too close and where she's more responsive to your cues. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/ -Scan the Environment Scan the environment looking ahead. When on walks, pay close attention to your surroundings and work on maintaining that distance. If another dog is approaching and you cannot give your dog enough distance, make an emergency u-turn: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/emergency-u-turn/ -Train an Alternate Behavior Train your dog an alternate behavior to engage in. Since many dogs prone to herding are naturally predisposed to wanting to stare at other dogs/moving objects, how about training them to stare at you while walking when another dog walks by? -Use Gentle Techniques Avoid using aversive training methods (such as leash pops, collar corrections, spray bottles, shock collars etc.) as this can lead to the dog associating the corrections with the sight of other dogs which risks further exacerbating problems down the road. About the fear of men visiting, here is a general guide on how to create positive associations (a similar process can be carried over on walks upon seeing men that you know your dog fears) https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/dog-barking-someone-enters-room/ I hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions! Happy training! 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 (no shock, prongs, or physical corrections) 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 there, welcome to the forums, It's always a tough situation when we introduce a dog to another household that has already established resident dogs, especially when the new addition is a younger dog who is full of energy while the others are older. It's stressful for all parties involved, especially the resident dogs who see all their routines going topsy turvy with a recent addition who may be perceived as a threat to their established sense of security. Here are some general guidelines on how to get puppies/young dogs to acclimate with older dogs. In your case though, since there are already some negative emotions at play, it would be important establishing boundaries and safe zones so that Dave won't be pestering the older female dog (who clearly doesn't wish to engage in boisterous play), and the older male dog can't go around "bullying" your puppy who seems to be suffering emotionally from his "attacks." https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/how-to-introduce-a-puppy-to-an-older-dog/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/introduce-dog-new-dog/ Establishing boundaries is the best management option so as to prevent the dogs from rehearsing problematic behaviors while keeping all dogs safe, while the ultimate goal would be training all the involved dogs to become more responsive towards cues while keeping on working on creative positive associations. Training should always start at an individual basis first in an area free of distractions (no other dog nearby), then once trained well, you can add the distraction of each other, but maintain distance so all dogs are under threshold. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/ Here is a guide on training multiple dogs, but extra safety precautions may be needed in households with dogs who are prone to fighting. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/guide-for-training-multiple-dogs/ For example, Dave can be kept in an exercise pen or behind a baby gate and can be trained to search for dropped treats as Roy walks by at a distance which is a win-win because this will keep his mouth busy (so no howling) while also creating positive associations with Roy walking by, whereas Roy can be trained a solid response to a "leave it" cue whenever he shows any intent to want to start instigating "fights" with Dave. Until all dogs aren't responsive at fluent level, management is key to prevent things from escalating (you don't want the female dog to feel pressured enough to have to react more strongly to make her point across, and you don't want Dave to feel the need to have to constantly defend himself from Roy. The safety of all dogs and every dog's emotional wellbeing should always remain top priority. It's important to work on training now, because as Dave reaches social maturity, things can get more complicated. Once the dogs are more responsive to trained cues, it may also help to have them on leash (one dog per handler, keeping distance from each other) and ask them to perform behaviors in presence of each other as part of a proofing exercise, but also a bonding experience (since they get treats for performing desirable behaviors when around each other). I hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions! Happy training! 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 (no shock, prongs, or physical corrections) 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.

When Tosti gets frustrated, he seems to turn his frustration towards me. He jumps up at me, bites me (leaves me with bruises and really hurts me). I've learned to (not harshly, but tightly) grab him behind his ears and to let go when he calms down. It works, but I have to do this 3 or 4 times before he 'gives up'. I really would like to understand where this behavior comes from. Sometimes it happens during a walk or after he ate. It's making it hard to feel connected with Tosti and sometimes I feel like a hostage in my own home. Because when I go upstairs, he'll bite the cushions or destroy his bed.. I go on daily bike rides, I go on training walks (where he has to pay attention to me), I play with him, I challenge him with Brain Training.. But we can't seem to overcome this behavior. Any thoughts? Frustration is a negative emotional state that has been associated with behavior problems in dogs including aggression. This negative emotional reaction is seen when a dog’s expectation is violated (such as when access to a reward is prevented, reduced or delayed), in presence of barriers that prevent access to a resource and in face of intrusions into their personal space/territory. Frustration may accompany fear when a dog’s escape option is thwarted. Frustration may also arise when dogs become overstimulated. Some dogs can cope well with increased levels of stimulation, while others may become stressed and frustrated especially when they haven’t attained sufficient coping skills. We may therefore expect dogs to act frustrated in these particular circumstances/contexts: ⦁ When they are on leash and unable to explore/meet other dogs or people ⦁ When they see something behind a fence and can’t reach it ⦁ When they see a squirrel they cannot chase ⦁ When they play fetch and the owner doesn't toss the ball ⦁ When they are being trained and don’t understand what’s expected from them ⦁ When they don’t receive enough exercise/mental stimulation or they receive too much of it and not enough rest ⦁ When they are playing and are interrupted ⦁ When their personal space is invaded by people/other animals ⦁ When their access to safety/autonomy is thwarted ⦁ When they’re undergoing behavior modification involving extinction protocols with too abrupt removal of reinforcement ⦁ When they can’t reunite with their owners ⦁ When they are not given owner attention (and will vent by engaging in undesirable behaviors, which are often reinforced by attention-even if the negative type) ⦁ When their routines are disrupted (dog is not walked at usual after coming back from work) ⦁ When they fail to “get things their way” (like seeing another dog or person on a walk and not being allowed to greet) In dogs who have little frustration tolerance, frustration can lead to displacement behaviors, repetitive behaviors (stereotypies) and may even morph into aggression, including redirected aggression. When dealing with frustration, it’s important to determine whether a dog struggles with it in a specific situation, or whether it's a more general behavior trait that needs a generalized training plan to help the dog learn how to manage his/her frustration in different situations (impulse control training). Signs of Frustration in Dogs When dogs undergo frustration, they may often whine, bark, growl and lunge as they try to make an effort to reach their goal. When the goal cannot be achieved, affected dogs may engage in displacement behaviors (sniffing, scratching, licking, tail chasing, mounting, chewing) which may lead to repetitive and sometimes even compulsive behaviors. Sometimes predisposed dogs may also redirect their frustration on something else (biting the leash, biting an owner, attacking another dog). Stopping the Biting In order to stop these attacks, a multi-modal and integrative approach will be needed, tackling the dog’s excess arousal, preventing exposure to full intensity frustration-inducing events, teaching alternative behaviors and coping skills, and mastering the art of better self-control and relaxation. The Power of Prevention If you can predict when your dog is likely to get frustrated and bite, you should take steps to prevent this occurrence because as it happens with humans, practice makes perfect. In other words, the more your dog gets to practice the biting behavior, the more this behavior will establish. Dogs are always in a learning state. With every undesirable interaction, your dog is learning to vent his frustration more and more, while you are likely learning to become more and more unhappy about being around your dog. You can prevent Tosti from biting by carefully managing his environment. You already seem to know some triggers. Here are some general management options: ⦁ Let your dog out in the yard after he eats. Many dogs get a bout of zoomies after they eat (stay behind a door to watch him). ⦁ Use an exercise pen to keep him away from you after he eats ⦁ Using baby gates to keep him away from you after he eats ⦁ Keeping an eye on what triggers his biting on walks and avoiding those situations. If a trigger is approaching, you can do an emergency U-turn before your dog gets aroused. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/emergency-u-turn/ Pay Attention to When Your Dog Gets Frustrated on Walks The biting may often appear when a dog wants to go in a certain direction and is prevented The dog is trying to access some food on the ground and is prevented The dog sees an animal he would like to chase and is prevented The dog wants to meet another dog or person and is prevented The dog doesn't want the walk to end The dog is bored from the walk The dog is overstimulated In these cases, it's important to find ways to preempt the behavior before it occurs and providing alternate behaviors to engage in. Implementation of Behavior Modification Behavior problems in dogs can be tackled passively (by using management to prevent the problem behavior from surfacing) and both passively and actively by working directly on the problem. To work on this type of problem, the goal would be increasing your dog’s tolerance level of frustration by starting exposures to minimally arousing/frustrating situations and giving your dog an alternative behavior to engage before the frustration sets in. Let’s take a closer look at some examples of the process (these are just examples of behavior modification, every case may need an individualized approach based on triggers, level of training, discretion of the professional you are working with). Systematic Reintroduction of Triggers If the triggers that evoke your older dog’s attacks are clear, a first step after using management would be gradually reintroducing them in an attenuated, low-intensity version. This low intensity version must be attenuated enough so as to not provoke the undesirable behavior. Once the dog is fine with the lowest version, the intensity of the trigger can be gradually increased, always in a way that the undesired behavior is never fully evoked. For example, if seeing other people on walks is a trigger, it is best to avoid areas with people at first and then presenting them from a distance that doesn't evoke the nipping response. It's important to keep the dog under threshold as much as possible. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/ To maximize the effectiveness of behavior modification, on top of avoiding triggers, and then presenting in a lower intensity version, it helps to train an alternate response (response substitution) using positive reinforcement training. Response Substitution Response substitution consists of substituting the undesirable behavior with a desirable one. The desirable behavior should first be trained in a distraction-free area, around no stimuli first (quiet room) and then around stimuli of low enough intensity. Then, gradually more and more distractions can be added. Once trained at a proficient level, the behavior can be cued when in presence of locations or contexts where the problem is most likely to arise. Some Examples of Response Substitution If your dog gets into a nippy state after eating, consider that many dogs are prone to getting zoomies after they eat, (they're called post-prandial zoomies) you can make a routine of letting him eat by the porch area and then scattering several treats or kibbles around the yard for a fun treasure hunt or you can put a portion of his meal in a bottle so that he has some alternate productive activities to engage in to replace the nipping. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/elementary/the-treasure-hunt/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/high-school/the-bottle-game/ Alternatively, you can drain some energy by playing a structured game such as the kibble-toss game. Have him sit and toss a treat to reset him, then again sit and toss a treat. Rinse and repeat to drain that frustrated energy and replace it with desirable behaviors. Or you can try engaging him with a flirt pole and using that to engage him and polish his leave it, drop and take skills. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/take-leave-it/ With his mouth busy in trying to catch the toy, he should think less about nipping. For biting on walks, as soon as you notice a trigger, you can do a U-turn and then toss a handful of treats mixed with kibble to the ground and tell your dog to "go find them!" as you point at them. The redirection needs to be long and valuable enough so that the dog doesn't think about nipping as the trigger passes by or you walk past it. Sometimes, one may have to do several reps in a row to get the dog back to baseline level. It's crucial to interrupt the behavior before it escalates into biting. If one interrupts the behavior once the dog is biting, it will be more difficult to redirect him, and on to of that, one risks establishing a behavior chain (dog bites on purpose to get treats) which can be difficult to eradicate once stablished. Learn Body Language 101 Another important step when working with frustrated dogs is to learn as much as possible about a dog’s body language. Prior to nipping, you may notice in your dog some precursor signs such as a wild look on his face, a high-held tail and the body position leaning forward. Recognizing early precursors is important as it can help you predict when he is about to bite and use swift intervention by redirecting him the earliest signs. It’s important to note that quick intervention may become difficult in those cases where triggers that evoke problematic behaviors are random and unpredictable or when the biting take place quickly with very few warning signs. Interruption at the Earliest Signs In the best situations, through management and a carefully implemented behavior modification plan, the dog is prevented from engaging in the problematic behavior or it takes place in a minimal form, however, even in the best plans, an occasional exhibition of the problem behavior may still unexpectedly occur, what to do in such a case? In such a case, it’s important to intervene at the earliest signs (like just the mere crazy look ). Physical intervention needs to be avoided as much as possible as this can cause increased arousal and eventually even defensive biting. Determining the safest and most efficient plan to achieve this is something that may vary on an individual basis. Options to prevent escalation may consist of a sound like a whistle, smacking noise https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/the-airplane-game/the-smacking-sound/or a verbal cue (such as a sit followed by a tossed treat toss as explained in the treat toss game) delivered in a neutral tone. Always keep kibble or treats in your pocket so that you're ready to reinforce these alternate behaviors. It’s important to therefore have a plan in place for quick redirection at the earliest signs of arousal moving forward by training responsiveness out of the frustration-inducing context at a fluent level and then gradually working around more and more distractions. If you dog gets to engage in problematic behavior, it’s important to evaluate what went wrong and take future steps to prevent such setbacks from reoccurring. Impulse Control Training Impulse control refers to a dog’s ability to manage their impulses and restrain themselves when it comes to their desires and reactions. A lack of impulse control leads to dogs who react with impulsivity. Their struggle to regulate their emotions leads to potentially problematic and even aggressive reactions in certain circumstances. Lack of impulse control is often seen in untrained puppies and young, adolescent dogs. It’s therefore important to teach dogs better impulse control which is achieved for the most part through training. Impulse control exercises can help dogs learn the virtue of delayed gratification and that “patient pays.” Here are important reads: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/impulse-control-frustration-tolerance/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/10-impulse-control-games-for-dogs/ Acclimate to a Muzzle Dogs who bite out of frustration are often in a hyper-aroused state and this often means that they'll bite harder than if they were calmer. You will need to take steps to prevent your dog from potentially hurting you and others around you. Muzzle training your dog is therefore important so that you have a back-up in case your dog happens to be exposed to a trigger that causes him to go over threshold. Here is a guide: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-your-dog-to-wear-a-muzzle/ In your case, a strong basket muzzle will be needed as this allows your dog to pant and take treats. Please note: Just because your dog wears a muzzle, doesn't mean you are free to expose him to his triggers. You still will need to avoid full intensity exposures as if he wasn't wearing it. Capture the Calmness Teaching frustrated, over aroused dogs the art of calmness is paramount. Many dogs who are overstimulated and quick to become overly aroused, are dogs who don’t receive enough sleep, especially sleep of the most restorative type (deep REM sleep). This is vitally important. Too much of exercise and overstimulation (busy places, barking at triggers) without breaks and opportunities to wind down and sleep, can backfire. It's important to create an environment that is conducive to relaxation and prevent your dog from rehearsing overly aroused, excited/reactive behaviors. Praise your dog in a calm tone when you notice he is calm and relaxed. Work With a Professional Some cases can be complex to treat. It may be difficult for you to interrupt your dog's behavior, or maybe he bites too hard and you are starting to fear him or feel frustrated which makes him more likely to bite (when in fear or frustrated we may move a lot and dogs can sense these negative emotions). You need to make your safety and the safety of others around you your top priority. If your dog shows signs of aggression, dog's hesitate to consult with a behavior professional. This is for safety and for correct implementation of behavior modification. Look for a reputable dog behavior professional (like a board-certified veterinary behaviorist) or a dog trainer with years of behavior consulting under the belt and using force-free methods. Sometimes, dogs may need medications to be under threshold enough to allow them the opportunity to learn better coping skills and better frustration tolerance. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions and feel free to post updates. Happy training, Adrienne

Hi there, welcome to the forums! Let's start with the first question. "I'm currently training with Tosti, a 2 year old husky. Whenever we start our training sessions, he gets super excited. Sometimes he just keeps pawing me or doing all the tricks in his arsenal. How can I help him feel more at ease and give our sessions more slow and calm energy?" It sounds like Tosti is super excited to get started on his training sessions and can't wait to literally show off his tricks. In these cases, we must evaluate what is causing the overly excited behavior. For many dogs, training sessions are very exciting events. They anticipate getting access to food and/or toys and this can trigger overarousal similar to when they know they are about to be fed or taken on a walk. In some cases, the high arousal levels may morph into frustration. This can happen when dogs aren't sure what is being asked or when the training is too long or difficult. The excess pressure may cause dogs to become frustrated. It can also happen that some dogs are stressed by certain types of interactions and their hyper, overly excited responses occur as part of a dog's "fool around' response, which is one of a dogs five stress responses, other than fight or flight. Let's take a look at some potential solutions for dogs who are overly excitement when a training session is in progress. For Dogs With Excited Anticipation If your Tosti is overly excited by the prospect of training, he may find it difficult to contain himself. If your dog is in an excited state his tail will be wagging in happy anticipation, his bark with have a high playful pitch, his ears are perked up and his body is leaning forward ready for action. Some dogs may even paw or jump on their owners. In this case, it's important to find ways to tone down the training event by implementing a few changes. Here are a few tips. -Drain That Energy If your dog is overly excited, it may help to engage your dog is some physical activity that offers some "structure." For example, you can start with a game of fetch where your dog must sit in order for you to toss the ball. Doing several reps of this, can help tone down that initial excitement. -Lower the Value of Treats For dogs who are overly excited by the use of high value treats, it may help to use something less exciting such as your dog's kibble. You can use a portion of your dog's daily ratio of kibble and put your dog to work for it. -Watch for Behavior Chains If you are about to train your dog and your dog jumps or paws at you just prior to when you ask him to "sit" there are risks that when you reinforce that sit, you will have reinforced as well the jumping and pawing at you behavior. Welcome to the "behavior chain" phenomenon! In these cases, it's important to not ask for a sit right after the pawing, jumping or other undesirable behavior. Instead, if your dog paws or jumps at you, turn around, cross your arms and count to ten and then turn around and ask for the sit when your dog is just standing and paying attention to you. Rinse and repeat the turning around and counting to 10 as often as needed until your dog is in a calmer state and gets the idea that training sessions happen contingent upon calm, non-pushy behaviors. For Dogs Displaying a Frustrated Response In this case, your dog may be frustrated either because there is a delay in being rewarded or the training session is too long or he is confused because he's not sure what you are asking for. Dogs who are frustrated may "vent" their frustration through displacement behaviors such as yawning, scratching, licking, pacing, jumping or mounting. Some dogs may even spin in circles or chase their tails. Here are a few tips to tackle this type of response. -Start With Something Easy When you need to start a training session, start with something easy. You can for instance, ask your dog to sit or target your hand and reward that by tossing a treat to "reset him." After several reps, then work on the training goal you have in mind, but follow the next steps to keep things fun and easy. -Be Clear and Consistent Dogs need to have clear directions when they are trained. Stick to the same verbal cues and watch what you are doing with your body posture. Certain subtle changes in hand moments or gestures may be detected by attentive canines and this may stress of confuse them, especially when they aren't consistently used the same way. -Split the Task To help your dog succeed and feel less frustrated, break the task into smaller steps that are more manageable and easier to assimilate. You may find the training method of "shaping" helpful for dogs who tend to get frustrated. -Reinforce Small Approximations The best part of shaping is that you reinforce small approximations of the final behavior so that your feels more confident and motivated without falling into a frustrated mindset. -Make Sessions Short and Fun Make training sessions short and fun so as to preempt any negative emotions such as boredom or frustration. With dogs prone to being frustrated, you want to avoid long and tedious training sessions. For Dogs Displaying a Stress Response Finally, in those cases where the hyper behaviors are part of a dog's stress response, it's important to find ways to make the training less stressful. -Use Positive Reinforcement This applies to all dogs, but it's important to always emphasize it just in case. Avoid training methods that rely on punishment or harsh corrections. Instead, focus on rewarding desirable behaviors. -Watch Your Movements/Postures Some dogs may be uncomfortable with people looming over them or being too much into their space. Sudden movements may startle them and certain tones of voice may intimidate them. Fearful dogs may respond by engaging in the "fool around" behaviors in hopes of appeasing humans they feel threatened by. It's therefore important paying attention to a dog's body language for signs of stress/fear and prevent those action that seem to evoke in dogs such responses. -Try Capturing Capturing is a dog training method where natural, spontaneous behaviors are reinforced. This method works well with dogs who aren't comfortable with us looming over them or using treats as a lure nearby their face. -Wrap Things Up on a Positive Note End the training sessions on a positive note by asking your dog a behavior he knows well and reinforce that with a jackpot of treats (several small treats or kibble tossed around in a rainfall style). As seen, there can be several reasons why dogs may act too excited when they know a training session is about to happen. While excitement is a natural and normal behavior that is common in young and healthy dogs, when it's excessive, it needs to be channeled and managed so as to avoid hyper, frustrated or stressed behavior to partake into training sessions. It's important to note that while excitement is a natural and normal behavior in dogs, excessive or uncontrollable excitement may need to be managed and channeled appropriately to avoid negative behaviors or overstimulation. Training and impulse control exercises can help dogs learn to manage their excitement and respond to cues or anticipated events in a more controlled manner. Here are some impulse control exercises: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/10-impulse-control-games-for-dogs/ I will be tackling the next topic in another post, stay tuned!

Hi there! Welcome to the forums! If your female pup at the age of 9 months is peeing and pooping in her crate even if she's only been in there for 20 minutes, there is some problem going on. Here are some troubleshooting options/tips to consider: -Ensure she is "empty" before being crated. Go physically out with her to ensure she has pooped and peed just prior to crating her. Keep her on leash if needed. -If you're not sure your dog is empty, you will have to monitor her carefully while she is in the crate so you can intervene quickly by letting her out at the earliest signs of needing to go potty. -The crate may be too large. An ideal crate should be large enough for her to stand up, lie down and turn around, but snug enough that she can't easily pee or poop in a corner of the crate and rest comfortably at the other side. If her crate is too big, you may need to use a dog crate partition. -Make it a habit of providing your dog a long lasting edible chew or stuffed Kong when told to “crate” so to inculcate the denning instinct, which teaches her to associate the crate with a place to eat and sleep and not go potty. -Clean the accidents in the crate with an enzyme-based product that helps remove traces of any residual smells. If you use towels in the crate, make sure to wash them in your washing machine with a dose of your enzymatic-cleaner to remove odors. -In some cases, it may help removing any absorbent materials from the crate. Sure they help make the job of cleaning up faster for you, but because these absorb urine, your puppy never gets to fully experience the discomfort associated with laying in their mess. Most dogs dislike standing in or sleeping in their own waste. - Always praise and reward your dog when she goes potty outside and aim to train her to go potty on command. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/advanced-potty-training/potty-on-command/ -Feed her at scheduled times -Exclude any possible medical problems by discussing with the vet. Keep me updated on how things go.

Hi there! I am glad that your puppy is at least taking treats gently! How are you trying to stop her? It sounds like she's perceiving it as a game or it's heightening her arousal levels. If she's normally a love bug and sometimes gets into a super-aroused, highly excited state, I would keep track of that and evaluate what may be evoking this behavior to determine whether there is a pattern. For instance, consider that many puppies can super cranky and nippy when tired. Puppies need a whole lot of sleep to do their growing and sometimes they need us to help them find their "off buttons" by placing them in a quiet area with something to chew on and then fall asleep. To answer your question, the method to take treats gently helps puppies learn how to inhibit their bite a bit, but the problem is, when pups are in an aroused playful state, they tend to bite harder and struggle gauging the pressure of their bites. Bite inhibition is a learning process that takes time to master. If your pup is biting your arms and ankles, you may find it helpful helping your pup make good choices by training replacement behaviors as outlined here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/replacement-behaviors-to-stop-puppy-biting/

Hi there! Welcome to the forums! I am sorry to hear that you are struggling in potty training your new puppy. It sounds like you have been doing many things correctly and this pup has had a great start. This is somewhat a mystery since it's happening so randomly. I would keep tabs on the time it's happening at night and schedule a middle of the night trip/early morning trip about half hour earlier in hopes of preempting these accidents. Make sure the crate is of the right size: large enough for her to stand up, lie down and turn around, but snug enough that she can't easily pee or poop in a corner of the crate and rest comfortable at the other side. If it's too big, you may need to use a dog crate partition. Keeping the crate nearby where you can see/hear waking up at night may help too since most pups will make some kind of noises when waking up and going potty. Alternatively, you can set up a camera to keep near your bed at night so to monitor her activity more closely. Also, when sending her out for that last potty trip, make sure she does successfully pee and poo. Go outside with her and watch her, keeping her on a leash if necessary. Sometimes we assume they go, but they don't, so they have accidents later on. Training a dog to potty on cue comes helpful for this in the long run: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/advanced-potty-training/potty-on-command/ Keep me updated on how things go.

Hi there, thanks for the update! You're very welcome, glad to hear hear! Best, Adrienne

Hi there, welcome to the forums, The age of 1 year and a half, is the age when dogs reach social maturity. It is during late adolescence and early social maturity when territorial/protective instincts kick in fuller gear. While dogs may appear tough and angry when they act territorial, the behavior is for a great extent carried out of fear. Problems involving barking when guests come can be tackled through behavior modification. To achieve results, it's critical to reduce these dogs' stress levels through very low intensity exposures, even before letting guests insides. Keeping these dogs under threshold as much as possible is paramount. Consider that every time your dog gets to rehearse barking behaviors, stress builds up and the behavior puts roots and becomes more and more established. If your dog has been acting this way for some time, the behavior has allowed to become more and more entrenched. You will therefore need to take several steps back before allowing people in your home until he's less over threshold. I would suggest reading about threshold levels so that you can take a proactive approach to prevent him from getting into this overly aroused state: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/ When a dog is over threshold too often, this leads to trigger stacking which can cause dogs to start reacting to more and more and may even lower a dog's bite threshold (making them more likely to lash out): https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/how-trigger-stacking-impacts-your-dog/ You will therefore need to take several steps back and find ways to make him less likely to react through very low intensity exposures. This can start by simply watching people from a window without reacting: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/ At the core of behavior modification is desensitization and counterconditioning. In simple terms, desensitization involves very low stimulation exposures that don't cause him to react. Here is a detailed write-up of the process:https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/desensitization/ Counterconditioning involves creating positive associations with whatever the dog struggles with. This is accomplished by pairing something the dog loves (in most cases high-value foods) with the guests while maintaining low level exposures: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/counterconditioning/ The goal is to obtain a positive conditioned emotional response: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/conditioned-emotional-response-cer/ Here is an example on how I worked with a dog who barked when somebody entered a room:https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/dog-barking-someone-enters-room/ It's important to start systematic exposures with guests the dog seems to do a little better with. Disabling the doorbell and asking volunteers to bypass knocking is important in the initial stages, at least until the dog learns to cope better. Afterward, the dog can be desensitized and counter conditioned as well to the noise of doorbells, firstly introduced without guests. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/behavior-training/barking/doorbells-knocks-on-doors/ When not working on the problem, it's important to use management to prevent rehearsal of the problematic behavior. This may entail keeping him in the farthest room of the house (with a long-lasting and safe chew for him to enjoy-ask your vet for specific recommendations) or having a family member walk him/take him on a car ride when guests are over. When let out to go sniffing after the guests have left, I would let him find treats in the areas the guests have walked on or sat on/left their scent so as to keep building positive associations with them and their scent. Management also helps lower a dog's stress, considering that dogs who are worried about visitors are hypervigilant and feel somewhat threatened by anybody moving/getting up, laughing/ talking animated or using hand gestures. If it's difficult to keep him under threshold or it's difficult to identify what triggers him, he may benefit from calming supplements/prescription meds from a vet so as to lower his threshold enough to allow learning to sink in. Due to the intensity of the behavior displayed, it would be important working along with a behavior professional for safety and the correct implementation of behavior modification. Muzzle training may be necessary if the professional feels there are risks for bites. Basket muzzles that are bite-proof, allow dogs to breath and even take treats. On top of changing your dog's emotional response towards visitors, it's also important training your dog to develop a steady-fast response to certain training cues that can come handy when around visitors. Important cues to train include the following: "sit," "down," "stay," "come," "hand target" and "leave it," which can turn useful when you'll need to quickly redirect your dog's attention to you and maintain control in situations involving visitors once his emotions are better under control. You may also find it helpful training your dog to go to a mat: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-dog-go-to-mat/ ***Remember: If your dog is in an unresponsive state, he is too over threshold. Behavior modification should pave the path towards a calmer emotional state that allows a dog to better cognitively function. It goes without saying that changing a dog's behavior takes time and no guarantees can be made over the outcome of behavior modification. Any progress will be gradual and you may witness setbacks, but with consistent effort and professional guidance, you should be likely to notice improvements over time. I hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions! Happy training! 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 (no shock, prongs, or physical corrections) 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.