PENELOPE DILL

Hi Adrienne: I wanted to give you a positive update about Molly. I took your recommendation and discussed medication related to Molly's behavior with her vet. I had given it 6 months to try and train her and I kept feeling something was just not right. When I told her vet about her not sleeping, the constant biting, etc, she was very concerned about her various behaviors, especially the not sleeping (like you were). Molly has been on Fluoxetine for about 4 weeks now and she has shown great improvement. She isn't having any side effects from the medication and we've decided she has a severe anxiety disorder. She is still energetic but calmer, has stopped biting me and jumping on me. She lies down on her own (doesn't sleep during the day but better sleep at night) and isn't constantly pacing. She has eye contact and listens to me at times 🙂 I can cuddle her and kiss her head and she nuzzles me back. Before she would try to bite me. I've realized she wasn't just energetic like everyone was telling me, she was acting frantic. Her sweet nature is showing now. I'm still working on training, which is moving at a glacial pace but I assume we've lost the last 6 months because of her anxiety. So my attitude is I'm working with an 85 pound mentally 2 month old puppy who is really a teenager ! Thanks again for your help ! Penelope

P. S. Even thought she has been such a challenge, it has been so encouraging for me to be able to communicate with you and hear the advice you provide. Thanks again, Penelope

Hi Adrienne: Thank you so much for your input. To answer some questions, I did nothing that I know of to stop the biting, etc. One day she just didn't do it for 2 or 3 days, then it began again. This has happened twice now. But she has been back at it for the last week again. And there doesn't have to be any interaction for her to do this. I can be sitting at my computer, trying to get some work done, or standing in the kitchen doing nothing related to her and she just walks up and bites me. I have resorted to pushing her away because she just keeps coming at me with no let up and I can't even stand up. I feel as if I'm being attacked because she won't stop. I understand that it makes it worse (my thinking is she thinks I'm engaging and playing with her) but I didn't know what else to do. I know we are supposed to wean them off of the treats and she typically won't do anything without a treat but I have been trying to use positive touch and good girl alternatively with treats. So maybe I need to continually use treats with her for now? I spend so much time exercising her because I've been told repeatedly she has a lot of energy and needs to work it out. I do training exercises with her and she has puzzles and chew toys that I spread cheese or peanut butter in, freeze them then put frozen sliced fruit, like a few slices of banana, inside too. If it's ok not to run her around as much then I can scale back. If it causes her to become more energetic then it's backfiring on me. Destructive behavior - I removed or blocked off as much as I could early on. She will walk up to the couch and just start clawing or tearing at the fabric. Or clawing the carpet or wood floor. Or chewing on the cabinets. Unless she's in her pen, I can't sit still for more than a few minutes without getting up to stop her. She still won't stay out of the kitchen when I'm not in there (I can't block it off - I did put a table on it's side across the opening and she just kept shoving it out of the way) but she has begun to lie down just outside when I am in the kitchen for short periods of time so there is improvement there ( I reinforce with treats) Nothing is really safe from her because she can put her paws on the counters, tables, washer/dryer etc and reach all the way to the back of whatever. You are right in that she doesn't appear to want to miss out so she is very vigilant which prevents her from resting or sleeping during the day. She is very comfortable in her pen so I don't think that is the problem. But I will check with my vet about the anxiolytic. You mentioned she might have anxiety which I agree with. When she was spayed, the vet put her on Trazadone and Gabapentin to keep her calmer while she was wearing the hood and recovering. They kept her overnight and were worried because of her energy level. She managed to chew the first hood up within 5 days (and ate pieces of the plastic) and then she had the second hood destroyed within 2 days (both when I had gone to the store for a brief time) and passed more plastic for days. She used her paws to fold the hood and chew it. Fortunately she didn't bother her incision so no more hoods. And the meds didn't even slow her down. The vet was puzzled about that. And I'm not thinking of getting another dog. My youngest son and daughter-in-law have her sister, a 2 1/2 year old from a different litter but the same parents. I was asking because she is very focused on their dog when they visit and seems calmer when they are here. If she has to be rehomed, they will take her. I was just wondering if there are dogs that are happier when there are other dogs to interact with, not just being with me. And the fact that when around other dogs, she spends most of her time jumping on their heads and necks, is that normal ? Will she grow out of that and learn to run around with them ? I can't afford to take her to day care, even for a few hours, to be around other dogs more. Thanks again for all of your help, Penelope

Hi Adrienne: Sorry to bother you again but Molly began jumping, clawing and biting me again right after I sent you the email that she stopped 😞 None of the training techniques I use with her seem to make any difference. She is 7 months old now and almost 80 lbs. I'm writing with a little more info in the hopes you might be able to understand what is going on with her and how to break this habit. I feel as if she thinks I'm a dog and this is how she plays. I've seen her with other dogs and she doesn't just run around with them, she spends a lot of time jumping on their heads and necks (no matter how big they are). With me she will just begin biting me (not mouthing me) out of the blue and if I try to push her away, give verbal commands or get away from her she just escalates and gets more aggressive. When she is doing something destructive and I try to stop her (telling her no, distracting her with a toy or gently trying to lead her away by the collar) she escalates and really goes at me. This is not playing, it's "leave me alone or I'll make you leave me alone". She tears my clothes when she claws and bites at me and doesn't typically draw blood anymore but I have a lot of bruises, that's how hard she bites. Do you have any advice for me ? And I've tried to get her to nap but she won't - just gets agitated. When she isn't in her large pen, she typically just constantly roams around, clawing and chewing on things constantly. Rarely lies down anywhere. I have been walking her 1 mile each day and we play ball in the backyard for 15-20 minutes each time, 4 -5 times each day. So I feel as if I am giving her the exercise she needs. And she has many toys that should keep her happy but she rarely plays by herself - she always needs me to be interacting. Do you think she is a dog that has to have other dogs in the family to interact with ? This week I've gotten to where she spends more time in her pen to give me a break and I really don't want to have to do that. Thanks so much for your help, Penelope

Hi Adrienne: I definitely use a different tone with her when she is doing something she shouldn't be doing. Are we supposed to always use a happy tone with them even when they are doing something wrong for the hundredth time ? I did realize after your last email that I use more words than necessary when making a command so I have corrected that and she responds better. There isn't anything around that cabinet - I've checked several times. Another thing she does is go into the kitchen and dig at the trim underneath the cabinets. She lies on her side and just scrapes away. Over and over and over. There is no spilled food or any reason she should be doing this. And she has chewed off the weather stripping from the bottom of my entry doors. Just wouldn't leave it alone until there wasn't anything left to rip off. I have blocked things off from her or removed them if I could until she gets older. I'll have to figure something out with that cabinet. We have been practicing the leave it - take drill. She is very good about leaving it during our practice, but anywhere else she usually ignores me. But we'll keep working at it. Her pen - she sleeps, eats, has her water there plus that is where she spends her time when I'm out of the house. 4 x 6 feet on tile and it's not isolated from the rest of the house. I took a dog play pen and attached the fence to the walls so she couldn't tip it over. And it has a door that I leave open unless she needs to be in there. She has lots of great chew toys and other toys plus some doggie puzzle toys. I know she is very intelligent - I just bought her another Kong toy that you can put treats in and chew on. She learned within seconds that if she drops it on the wood floor, the treats bounce out. She just keeps dropping it until nothing comes out, then leaves it. I've always found with my other dogs that they are eager to please and do what we request. Molly is typically just engrossed in what she wants to do. She is not penned up when I'm home and we spend a lot of time together. It seems if she isn't focused on anything, she responds to me better. But if she is focused on something, it is very difficult to get her attention, even if I go to her and gently touch her to get her to look at me. It's almost as if her brain is on overload. I have gone through the links you recommended before and am working on those. I will check out the ones that are new. At least I'm not feeling so overwhelmed with her as she has finally stopped jumping on and biting me. She mouths me a lot but doesn't hurt me anymore. Thanks again for your help ! Penelope

Hi Adrienne: Hi again. Your direction and advice for working with Molly has been a great encouragement and I thank you again. And I agree with you that she may have anxiety. She doesn't seem to exhibit the signs listed but I've heard that shepherds are known to be anxious and her seemingly hyper-activity fits with that. Making slow progress but I wanted advice on another issue. What do you suggest when she is doing something she shouldn't be doing and she just won't stop ? For example, today she decided to dig at the carpet (something she does almost every day). It's near a cabinet that she seems to target; trying to chew on the doorknobs, shelves, etc. Nothing good in it - no toys or treats. She pushes her paws under the bottom and just claws away. I immediately go to her and tell her "stop" and try to distract her with a toy. She ignores me and continues. I keep telling her no a few more times and try to distract her - she just ignores me and keeps going. So I take a treat (If I try and take her collar she fights me off and runs around) and she'll go into her pen ( a good sized area) to get her treat. I will leave her there for at least 10 minutes before I let her out, sometimes more if she goes back to the carpet digging. I think she knows she is in trouble and she won't get near her pen without the treat. Other times she willingly goes; at bedtime or when I try to get her to nap. She keeps me on my toes ! Any suggestions on how to discipline her when she is hyper-focused on something or is this the best way ? The carpet isn't the only thing she does this with. I appreciate your help. Thanks again, Penelope

Hi Adrienne: Thank you SO much for your time and advice. i appreciate the links also. I will hopefully be able to send an encouraging response soon ! Take care, Penelope

One more comment that might be of interest. When you feed her anything from your hand, she is extremely gentle. Thanks, Penelope

Hi Adrienne: Thank you for your response. Her bite inhibition has gotten better over the last month - she likes to mouth me a lot. But when she lunges at me she bites harder. Without her baby teeth, she doesn't seem to break the skin as much. Still not desired behavior from her. Housebreaking went easily and quickly and learning to sit and stay also. If she doesn't follow through the first time, I have offered her a treat and I realize through your training I need by this time not to show it to her. But she will sit quickly when I put down her food bowl and wait until the command ok and when going outside I have her sit and stay so she follows me outside, no treat is offered. She's getting to do something of value to her. Correction so far has been following Doggy Dan's website in the beginning - creating the "pack leader" relationship but very loving and calm. She simply didn't respond and seemed to be constantly challenging me for authority. At first distracting her while telling her no as a puppy, then telling her no and giving her a time out after a few months. For example, I have been trying to keep her out of the kitchen the entire time I've had her. Put a boundary line down so she could see where to stop, a comfy place nearby so she could see me but after 4 months she still ignores this. Would guide her out, tell her to stay and she is right back, over and over. 3rd time put her in time out for a few minutes, she immediately goes right back as soon as she comes out of time out. When you have to rewash your hands 12 times in 6 minutes, it can make you crazy ! I also bought several books that were recommended and same issues - never info on how to deal with this type of attitude. I recently took her to a beginners obedience class for 5 week whose website said they would address biting, jumping, chewing etc. But all they taught was sit, stay, and leash walking. When I asked for help with the problems I had, they said to carry 5-6 tightly rolled up newpapers in your back pockets, taped, and without letting the dog see them, throw and hit the dog when they are doing something wrong. No help there. For 15 years we had a golden/wolf mix (according to the vet) 100 lb dog. She was absolutely an alpha dog but just stubborn, not defiant. Never behaved like this dog, very sweet and loving to all of the family and I had small children at the time we got her. Molly seems to just be hyper-focused on whatever and doesn't hear me or listen. And if I go to her and gently take her collar to remove her from whatever she is chewing on, she tries to bite me immediately. All of our other dogs seemed eager to please, Molly does not. She crowds me a lot - no personal space. Doggy Dan said to gently push them a little away from you and ignore them, she bites. Ignoring her doesn't work as she just keeps nosing you or shoving you or biting (not hard now but still annoying). I don't chase her. For a long time, anytime I was going to correct her by putting her in her crate or time out or wanting her to come inside, she would flip onto her back and claw and bite at me. So if I could get her collar and some scruff, she would follow me. I've never hurt her, she has never yipped. When I tell her no to something, she gets this look on her face like she is going to play - I can't describe it - and then lunges for me and starts biting. or maybe it's an "oh yeah" look 🙂 By now, I am frustrated and overwhelmed. I do yell her name at times after her ignoring me over and over. Destructive behavior is chewing anything; carpet, wooden trim, furniture, books, cabinets, door knobs - you name it she still tries to chew it. She has great chew toys made for super chewers that she loves and appropriate toys. She just can't seem to leave anything alone. She roams the area she allowed in and just tries to chew on everything. She doesn't sleep during the day. At times she will lie down but doesn't sleep. Has comfy beds and quiet areas to retreat to. She loves to be petted and mouths me, doesn't try to bite. She seems to have a sweet nature. She is out of her crate. I have made her an enclosed area of about 4 x 6 on tile, with a comfy bed and her water. she even has a window. She can see the middle of the house so she isn't isolated. We do go out into my backyard which is a good size and she loves to chase balls. Do this 4 - 5 times every day until she is too tired to continue. 2 weeks after I got her I herniated a disc in my back so that has been healing and we haven't consistently walked because of the pain I have. This trainer put a prong collar on her at class and she stopped dragging me around. It's not something I wanted to use but think I will have to until she begins to respond correctly for walks. I am very conscious of keeping it loose unless she needs correction - she seems to respond well to it and rarely pulls. She is so huge now that her jumping at me can literally knock me down if I don't see her coming. I have never had to give away a pet and it brings me to tears at just the thought. It really has not been enjoyable having her so far but I desperately hope this will change. I know they use shepherds for military and law enforcement and they seem so well behaved ! I appreciate any help you can give to me. Thank you, Penelope

Hi Adrienne: I signed up with your program with the hopes of finding info to help me with my 6 month old german shepherd/golden retriever mix. I've had her since she was 8 weeks old and the first few days were great. Then she turned into a biting machine, not just typical puppy nipping. House breaking went great in just 2 weeks, she sits and stays when treats are involved and is relatively quiet, not a barker. And I have been working with her since she came home including an in class obedience class, another online trainer and several books for reference. None of the info seems to apply to her. But her attitude is something I've never experienced before and I've had dogs my whole life. She ignores me when I try to correct her behavior in the appropriate ways and then she lunges at me and tries to bite me - most of the time. Not growling or snarling but as if to say "I'm going to do what I want and don't try to stop me". Maybe trying to bully me so I'll leave her alone? And she is very destructive if I don't watch her all of the time. Everything I have tried hasn't worked, she has improved very little. For example, when she was younger and would bite me, I would yip like a dog and she would immediately go after me even more. As if it set her off or she was thought it was a game but leaving me bleeding everyday. And much of the time outside, she suddenly begins jumping on me and biting at me. I have tried to turn away and ignore her and she bites my legs or tears at my clothes. The only way to stop her is to try and grab hold of her and drag her into the house and into her pen and ignore her until she calms down. At 6 months she is already 65 pounds and 25 " at the shoulder so she is a challenge. She's fine sometimes and always when playing ball but I don't want to have to play ball every single time we go outside. I've seen her play with dogs her size and the way they act and I feel as if she "plays" with me as if I were a dog. I'm not afraid of her but I am exhausted and overwhelmed and considering finding another home for her if I can't find some new ideas on how to work with her to where she will begin responding appropriately. I can't afford a personal trainer and I can't wait 3 years for her to grow calmer. She gets plenty of exercise, I play games with her, interact with her and love on her and she isn't caged for the most part until bedtime. My vet just says "that's the shepherd in her' but I need help now. Can you advise me or direct me to info on your website that will help with her specific behavior? Thank you, Penelope