Adrienne Farricelli

Hi Kathey.walker2, There is always an element of risk in introducing a new unknown dog in a household with (or without) children regardless of breed. A starting point may be to communicate with the rescue/shelter and mention your concerns. Talk to the pet adoption counselor if available. It's a part of the shelter's/ rescue's responsibility to match their dogs with potential adopters. They should conduct preliminary evaluations to determine how the dogs in their care react in certain situations. However, these preliminary behavior assessments aren't known to be very accurate. On top of this, rescues may not fully know the dog’s past and there are always chances of a dog having had issues that could raise concerns towards their disposition towards children. A better option may be consulting with a dog behavior professional who can personally assess this dog (or any dog you are planning to adopt) and determine whether it may be a good match and helping you out in the first introductions. There are many factors to consider when adopting a dog and determining its suitability in a home with children, and this includes the dog's history, age, size (a larger dog can obviously cause more injuries than a smaller one), general disposition etc. Has the dog been in a foster home? If so, how did he/she do with the fosterers? Were there any children? There are many things to inquire about. It's the duty of the pet adoption counselor to screen potential adopters, observing in person the interactions between dogs and potential adopters and matching owners and dogs up. This may all be difficult though considering that it sounds like this dog is coming from out of state? If that's the case, it's important to tread with caution. Is the shelter a reputable one? How do they screen their dogs and match up potential adopters? Some shelters have been known to get in trouble for re-homing dangerous dogs with unsuspecting families. So there are many things to consider and unfortunately, there's no easy answer.

Hi Sarahfryberg, Does your dog by any chances have a history of digestive issues? Just wondering, because generally speaking, dogs who eat grass very fast (you describe she eats as fast as she can!) and almost ravenously may do so instinctively to ease the discomfort of tummy upsets. This form of grass eating is different from the leisurely grass eating seen in dogs who are eating grass for the pleasure of it. The leisure form of grass eating often entails dogs eating rather normally and even being selective, picking the most tender grasses. Dogs with GI upset instead are rather indiscriminate grass eaters, trying to gulp down as much as they can in one setting and eating even the rougher grasses which are known to irritate the throat and induce vomiting faster. I am also wondering if this may be the case based also on the fact that she is preferring the grass to the high-end treats which it somewhat odd. Perhaps she feels nauseous to eat the treats? Does she ever drool/ smack her lips/lick surfaces before eating the grass or vomit/drool after eating the grass in such a way?

The fact he is a bit less destructive is encouraging! Maturing brings along calmer behaviors and wisdom and things tend to get a lot better once the challenging doggy adolescence stage is over. We used to always say that our dogs at the age of 5 turned into pure gold. With the warmer months around the corner, many dogs will indeed enjoy more the cooler floors (tiles, hardwood) and for dogs who do not have that option, there are those cooling mats made for the summer. I am not sure what type of Kong you are using, but there is a black Kong that is called "Kong extreme" which is the most durable version specifically designed for the toughest of chewers. Not sure if that would last longer. Another one is the Kong Wobbler. Most dogs I have used this with were able to mostly leave teeth mark scratches and due to the fact that it's slippery and moves a lot, it seems that it discourages chewing. Of course, a determined dog can chew through anything, so supervision is always a must. With him being an adolescent it's not unusual to see these behaviors you are observing. Here is a read about what happens during this stage and general tips, in case you haven't seen it: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/survive-dogs-adolescent-stage/ If he gets along well with dogs generally when off leash, but on leash he barks and lunges, then it could be you are dealing with a case of barrier frustration: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/barrier-frustration/ Of course, there may be other things going on, and at this age many dogs get more discriminative on who to befriend, but just thought to point this possibility out. Regardless, of the underlying cause, it's important to find a dog's threshold levels and work under it. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/ It is very true that behavior modification takes time and patience. Your dog is lucky to have such a loving and understanding owner! Please don't hesitate to ask further questions! Best, Adrienne

Recalls are always a work in progress. As I mentioned recently in another post, recalls are much more than just a training exercise, it's about bonding, competing with stimuli, increasing criteria and troubleshooting. I like to compare training recalls to a piggy bank investment. Every time we get a successful response to a recall, we are adding a coin to the piggy bank. Each time though our recall goes to deaf ears, we are removing a coin from the piggy bank. So we want to make sure a great percentage of those recalls are a success by making them easy peasy for the dog (focusing on closer recalls before moving to the more difficult ones) and offering treats/goodies that leave quite an impact. Surprising the dog with something exceptionally tasty and giving several pieces of it in a row will accomplish that (leave an impact). You want your dog to think "holy cow, that was amazing, I shall not think twice to come next time because this was so impressive!" So yes, we must make those recalls music to a dog's ears an we can do so incorporating things dogs love, such as calling dogs when it's meal time, which for many dogs it's the perk of the day. Sounds like you are seeing progress on walks, keep up the good work! It starts with little progresses which pave the path to more and more. Thanks for the update.

Hello Thom.skinner, Welcome to the forums! That must feel like a frustrating ordeal! You have several options to tackle an issue as such, but most likely, you will need a combo of several as dealing with destructive issues often takes a multifaceted approach and going to the root of the problem. Dogs often chew beds out of plain fun, boredom, stress, anxiety and for attention. It helps to see in what context this happens to get some hints as to what is triggering this behavior. If your goldendoodle is a young dog, most likely it's just for fun. Many outgrow this as they mature just as puppies outgrow chasing their tails at some point. Here are some options/tips that come to mind. -I am always concerned about dogs who tear things apart because some may ingest parts too. Destroying beds and consuming their stuffing can cause dogs to get sick and even develop an intestinal obstruction which can require surgery. Of course, this is the worst case scenario. So always best to supervise and not leave these dogs alone with a bed even if just for a few minutes. When left home alone, dogs who chew mats/beds are better off left in a crate without anything other than the tray. -Consider that even beds claimed to be chew proof may be taken apart by determined dogs. There are some types of beds that may not encourage much chewing such as a raised dog bed or an indestructible dog bed. There are several makes and models of indestructible dog beds available nowadays. Kuranda makes an all-Aluminum chewproof bed and K9 Ballistics has a variety of chew-resistant and scratch-resistant dog beds and crate pads. Some are made of material that resembles bullet-proof vests and come with a warranty. Some dog owners have had success using Primo Pads, special pads made of a special material that is scratch-resistant and not much appealing for dogs to chew and destroy. -Many dog owners of pups who chew beds and mats have more success using towels or non-stuffed blankets as soft surfaces. -Buying fleece by the yard at stores that sell fabric may be another alternate option to dog beds. Dogs may not enjoy much chewing on fleece. -Consider that many young dogs who chew up their beds outgrow the behavior as they mature. Not sure how old your goldendoodle is, but this might be just a chewing phase worthy of waiting out. After a while, once the bed is presented again, these dogs might no longer be interested in destroying it. -Of course, just providing something that dogs may not chew/destroy doesn't go to the root of the problem. It's a good idea to tackle any underlying issues. Many dogs who chew beds are bored and looking for ways to entertain themselves. The bed chewing is a natural instinct that stems back to a dog's past as hunters. Despite being fed in shiny bowls, dogs retain instincts that are reminiscent of their past.When dogs are shaking stuffed toys, breaking pillows apart and shredding their beds into pieces, they are carrying out instinctive behaviors related to hunting down prey animals. Ripping these objects apart and "degutting them" depriving them of all their "entrails" (yup, all that stuffing that is so fun for us dog owners to pick up!) provides dogs with an exhilarating sensation that must feel similar to a deer hunter who has hunted down a prized buck. - You can train your dog to go to his bed and distract him from chewing it by offering him a stuffed Kong or something else to chew on or stay busy while he is on it (Lickimats are popular nowadays). Once he is done licking/chewing, call your dog and remove the bed. Make it a routine every day to offer the bed, provide the Kong or chew toy and then remove the bed once done. You can do this during mealtimes (keeping the mat nearby so you can keep an eye on your dog) so that your dog learns to lie on his mat when you eat. The goal is to prevent your dog from rehearsing the chewing-the bed- behavior and offering an alternate behavior to focus on. Duration can then be added gradually (longer stays on the bed without chewing it) and then the bed can be moved to different locations, applying the same rules. -Always supervise your dog when given a bed. This is to prevent him from ingesting parts, but also to quickly redirect your dog to chewing a more appropriate item such as a safe chew toy that you keep handy or a cardboard box as explained below. -Providing small boxes with a treat hidden inside may provide dogs with an legitimate outlet for their natural instincts to "destroy stuff." Make sure to put the behavior on cue. So for instance, if you place the box on the floor say something along the lines of "have fun!" or "shred it!" as you point at the box. With enough repetitions this should cause your dog to wait for your command rather than go on to chewing any random cardboard box found around the home. Of course, this option is not good for dogs who swallow parts and should therefore be avoided. -Supply a vast assortment of toys for your dog's entertainment. Rotate the toys to keep your dog's interest alive. Interactive toys are particularly appealing to most dogs. Puppies who are teething may get relief by chewing on a clean wash rag that is wet, twisted and then placed in the freezer. Always supervise to ensure your puppy doesn't ingest any parts. -Consider providing your dog with more mental stimulation (brain games!). In particular, provide activities that satisfy his instincts such as finding hidden kibble, getting kibble out of a bottle and unrolling a carpet etc. These games are found in the brain training course. -Some dogs destroy their beds when anxious. For dogs anxious when left alone, consider using calming aids such as DAP diffusers, calming music, calming supplements etc. See a professional for severe cases of anxiety. -Some dogs may also destroy their beds for attention. If your dog is chewing the bed for attention upon you coming home from work, dedicate some time for your dog before he has a chance for misbehaving. Walk your dog, play with your dog and provide mental stimulation. Also, make it a habit of giving your dog ample of praise (attention!) when he chooses to chew a bone or other legitimate chewing item to chew. You may find that what works best is investing time in training not to destroy the bed when you are around and able to actively monitor, while removing access to the bed when you cannot supervise. Preventing rehearsal of the problem behavior (destroying the bed) is important as dogs tend to repeat behaviors that they find reinforcing, and destroying beds is highly reinforcing. At the same time you want to provide other alternate, yet highly reinforcing behaviors to encourage (chewing toys, providing interactive games etc) so that these will compete against the bed destroying habit and ideally surpass it. When dogs choose these activities over the bed destruction habit, these new habits becomes ingrained so that the bed starts losing its saliency. Relapses are not uncommon but if we offer dogs clear rules and consistency, reminding them and redirecting them at a moment's notice, they'll soon catch on and get the idea. Hope this helps! Best, Adrienne

Good to hear, keep up the great work! Thanks for the update.

Hello, I am back to provide some more info of possible causes while awaiting for further info from you to have a better idea of what may be triggering these events. There can be various causes as to why a dog may act aggressively upon being woken up. There is a thin line separating an exaggerated startle response, from other situations possibly stemming from behavioral issues, sleep disorders and neurological issues. A thorough evaluation and assessment by a veterinarian and/or veterinary behaviorist is a must to sort through several differentials (possible causes). Here are some possible causes. Interruption of Dreaming Consider the fact that,dogs, just as humans, dream. Not always these dreams are pleasant and it can easily happen that their bad dreams may carry on when awakened suddenly. This sudden awakening may cause dogs to distort reality and exhibit decreased impulse control and aggression, albeit temporarily. Resource Guarding Dogs prone to resource guard sleeping areas typically exhibit aggressive behaviors when dog owners approach them while resting in their sleeping spots which are highly regarded as valuable places. The aggressive behavior is therefore for the most part contingent upon the owners approaching rather than upon the dog being awakened. This behavior has nothing to do with 'dominance', the affected dog is just anxious and worried about losing access to his beloved resting place. General treatment involves seeking the aid of a dog behavior professional for safety and correct implementation of desensitization and counterconditioning exercises for dog resource guarding. The goal is to condition your dog to expect good things when you approach him while he's on his favorite sleeping spot. Impulsivity/Exaggerated Startle Responses Some dogs will act aggressively and go straight to a bite, skipping all the warning signs when they are suddenly awakened. These dogs may be startled to such an extent that there is no thinking involved. Obviously, this is a very dangerous situation. All it takes is for the dog owner to accidentally touch the dog for the dog to react quickly and very aggressively. These dogs are fast to react by biting. This form of impulsivity is often seen in dogs with an underlying pathology such as anxiety. The dog is over reactive due to feeling threatened at a deep level. These are often dogs who are overly anxious and act first and think later. Rather than seeking out more information from their environment which can help them calm down, these dogs react in a way that actually fuels their anxiety. These dogs may overreact and show disproportionate impulse-based reactions by barking at minimal noises and even at their owners approaching in the dark. They do so without thinking, they just automatically assume that their life is in danger, but they may approach in offense rather than defense. In some cases, dogs have stopped giving warning signals (and go straight to biting) because they have been punished for exhibiting warning signals in the past. For example, dog owners who punish dogs for growling risk ending up with a dog who bites without warning. Affected dogs require a thorough examination as they may be suffering from something similar to post-traumatic stress seen in humans, neurological issues, dysregulated sympathetic circuits, heart arrhythmia etc. General treatment: This form of startle response requires a close evaluation by a veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist. It is best to keep these dogs in an area away from the chaos (in a crate, x-pen or behind a baby gate) so they don't get bumped by accident by well-meaning owners. To prevent excessive startling in mild cases, dogs may benefit from being desensitized to their owners approaching when dark (using voice rather than touch) or upon opening doors and may need to be fed tasty morsels to create positive associations. A relaxation protocol may be required to keep these dogs under threshold (from over reacting). A consultation with a behavior professional is needed for correct implementation of behavior modification and safety. Sensory Decline Worth mentioning, is that sometimes dogs who react aggressively upon being awakened are dogs who have lost some or all of their sense of hearing. These dogs may get startled upon being woken up in the same fashion as sneaking behind a deaf person. Some zuchons are known for being prone to congenital deafness, so this may be something worthy of discussing with the vet. General treatment: owners of deaf dogs may be advised to provide their dogs with separate sleeping areas, and for mild cases only, (with the help of a professional) the implementation of exercises meant to reduce startling should the dog need to be woken up. REM Behavior Disorder REM behavior disorder is a condition that occurs during a phase of sleep known as REM (Rapid Eye Movement). When dogs with this disorder attack, they do so not intently as part of their brain is turned off. Here's a brief rundown of what happens. When dogs are in the REM stage of sleep, which is the stage where dreaming takes place, their brain is in a very active state. This is often when you will see dogs moving their legs, vocalizing and moving their ears and tails as if they are really chasing rabbits in their sleep. While it's true that dogs move during this stage, they can do so only up to a certain extent. A special region of the dog's brain stem paralyzes motor neurons to prevent dogs from getting up and running around "acting out" their dreams. Now, for some reason, in some dogs the paralysis of motor neurons during the REM stage of sleep fails to work. The end result is violent motor activity during the REM stage of sleep. There are reports of dogs with this condition who end up running into walls and bite and attack objects or people around them. Obviously, this puts the dog at risk and puts others around the dog at risk. General treatment: Affected dogs should be placed during sleep in a confined, well-padded area, such as a crate to prevent any injury to themselves and others around them. Additionally, veterinarians may prescribe medications. Possible Seizure Disorder Sometimes, what looks like a dog acting aggressively upon being woken up is actually a dog suffering from a seizure. One important aspect that helps differentiate a seizure from behavior issues is that dogs having seizures are not responsive and therefore, you cannot wake them up during a seizure. This however seems unlikely in your situation. General treatment: for seizure disorders, veterinarian may prescribe anti-seizure medications such as phenobarbital if they occur with a certain frequency. As seen, there can be several causes. The saying "let sleeping dogs lie" offers a world of wisdom when it comes to preventing occurrences of sleep aggression issues in dogs. Sometimes, the issue just stems from autoprotective aggression associated with sleeping and resting areas triggered by the reactive arousal from being awakened repeatedly. Soon, a negative emotional response becomes contextualized (associated with the sleeping context) and the person startling the dog waking him up. This could sometimes be the making of a dog who exhibits explosive aggression when resting in response to minimal provocation. Hope this helps! Disclaimer: behavior modification and training comes with risks. If your dog is exhibiting aggressive behavior, please consult with a dog behavior professional for a hands-on evaluation and guidance.

Hello Sarahfryberg, Sounds like your dog is approaching doggy adolescence which is when they want to do a whole lots of things and seem to never get tired. You can get a head's up on this phase by reading this article that summarizes what to expect. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/survive-dogs-adolescent-stage/ Sometimes, it may happens that dogs just do not know how and when to chill. They are tired, maybe even getting cranky, but they are too overstimulated to relax. If you have walked her, provided her with plenty of brain games, play and training, then she needs to learn that it's a good time to take a nap. This can be accomplished by providing her with some interactive toy (like a stuffed Kong) in a confined area (crate, x-pen, behind a baby gate) and giving her some quiet time. Many dogs will chew/lick for a bit and then fall asleep. You can play some calming music (there are CD's made just for dogs) draw the curtains or place a blanket over the crate. Avoid if possible doing things that may overstimulate her such as getting up repeatedly from the couch, grabbing her food bowl or the car keys or cleaning the house. **(If you need to do chores, try confining her behind a baby gate with a safe chew toy until you are done. Training her some boundaries rather than being constantly underfoot may also help. Here's an intro on how to train a dog to stay on the mat: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-dog-go-to-mat/ Having the T.V. on or some music playing, although that qualifies as noise, offers the advantage of buffering sounds that may stimulate her (unless the tv show features door bells or dogs barking!) so she has a easier time falling asleep. If you establish scheduled nap times as a routine, chances are that, day after day, she will start getting drowsy around these times and may fall asleep on her own. One thing that I have found helps a lot is taking the dog on a sniffing adventure prior to nap time. It has been found that sniffing is quite a tiresome activity for many dogs. If you have a yard, spend some time out with her and watch her sniff to her heart's content. Or go on a walk and take her to a place where she can be kept on a long line (long leash sold often in horse tack stores) and allow her to sniff. Chances are, once back inside, she should be ready for a nap (although may need your guidance initially). The first few days it may seem like it may take forever to encourage these naps because she just doesn't know how to chill and relax, but if you stick to it, her body and mind may get accustomed to it. Here's the fact: dogs need their sleep. Dogs who do not receive sufficient amount of sleep often pay the consequences with behavior problems and impaired ability to learn. Ideally we want dogs to sleep anywhere between 12-16 hours a day in a 24-hour cycle. So that's 8 hours typically at night and then during the day an extra 4 to 8 hours of napping. Of course, this is a general guideline as there are many variable. For example, younger puppies and older dogs have different sleep requirements and dog breed plays a role too with many of the larger dog breeds such as Saint Bernards and mastiffs sleeping more than average. Along with providing a quiet area that encourages sleep, it's also important keeping an eye out for signs of dog anxiety. Some dogs are prone to being anxious and they just can't seem to relax. Lack of restorative sleep and anxiety lead to a vicious cycle. So if your dog is the type that reacts to every noise, is extra clingy and paces around, then she must learn to relax. Calming aids such Adaptil or Thunderease diffusers can help, calming dog CDs, calming supplements (like those with l-theanine, lavender-ask your vet) may help out if she has a hard time sleeping. For taking her to fairs, the more you do it the better. If those fairs are busy areas, she might benefit getting accustomed to these places by taking her frequently to farmer's markets and other places where lots of people aggregate. The more people she sees, the more she'll learn to act calm around them. Also, helping her learn to lie on a mat at home can come handy since you can take the mat with you to fairs and encourage her to lie on it as needed.

Hello MRSMO, I will be back soon to provide a more detailed answer, but wanted to point out that this is a very delicate situation since your dog bit to the point of drawing blood and with the intention to really hurt. My quick answer for this is, if this behavior only occurs when startled from sleep, you need to use management as much as possible. In other words, keep your dog safely crated for naps or in an area where you know your son (or anybody else) will not startle him while sleeping. An important piece of information is needed: has your dog has ever manifested any aggression outside of the sleeping context and being awakened? In other words, have you ever seen aggressive behaviors while awake (without being recently woken up)? Any protective behaviors when approached while on the couch/bed/ mat? When you mention "at this time i intervened and jasper didn't even know me" do you mean that when you entered the room when Jasper was biting your son, Jasper acted as if you were a complete stranger and was trying to attack you too? Was the room dark when all this happened?

You're very welcome, keep us posted!

Hi Kathey.walker2, Welcome to the forums! There are really no rules set in stone because there are several variabilities. For instance, the age of the dog (younger dogs have shorter attention spans), the dog's training history (dogs who have never had any training in their lives may be more prone to struggle or get frustrated earlier), the breed of the dog (some breeds may be more biddable), the dog's temperament (a dog who is fearful/skeptic might need more time) and other factors such as the handler's ability in communicating with the dog, the training method used, the environment, the dog/owner bond etc. Generally, it's a good idea to start with smaller sessions (like 5-minute sessions possibly 3 to 4 times a day -based on things going well), and see how they go rather than doing longer ones and risking them becoming too difficult for the dog or tedious. Watch the dog how he does and gauge accordingly. Does he/she seem eager to being trained or is he/she giving signs of struggling? (if so you want to split the exercises in easier steps and make them briefer). Signs of tiring, struggling or getting frustrated to watch for are yawning, scratching, sneezing, licking or looking or moving away and looking for other things to (although this can be als due to a too distracting environment). If you notice any of these signs, end the training on a positive note asking something very simple or just take a break. Make a mental note of this and do all you can to prevent this from happening in the future. Ideally, you want to end a training session before any of these signs develop. It is best to end a session early with the dog wanting to do more rather than later. And remember to always start in a quiet area using high reinforcers (tasty treats) before moving to areas with distractions. Hope this helps! Keep us posted on what do you end up choosing and how things go. Best, Adrienne

Hi Susanrogers228, Welcome to the forums! What is your puppy humping when you are trying to distract him? People's legs, objects, other dogs? When does this behavior seem to occur? Is there a pattern? (e.g.when you come home from work, in the morning, in the evening after meals?) What types of toys have you tried so far to distract him? Thanks

"She attacks my hands as I try to put the leash on her. " Please read this thread on methods to tackle this behavior: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/forum/showthread.php?170-Grabbing-and-biting "She seems to get mad when we try to stop her by picking her up or trying to restrain her at all. " I would avoid picking her up or restraining her for now, until you can change her emotional response. She may be learning that hands cause negative things to happen (it stops her from playing and she might not like the sensation of being picked up/restrained) which can exacerbate the biting. So let's say you want to stop her from biting (or perhaps interrupt any other undesirable behavior), you can do one of these things: 1) Redirect her to chasing a toy (keep a toy always handy in a pocket like or a ball). Toss the ball the opposite side and leave the area as she chases the ball. Even better, ask her to sit before you toss the ball. She how to train sit in the obedience 101 section of the course. 2) Redirect her to chasing a piece of kibble or treat (keep kibble in a treat bag or pocket). Toss the kibble the opposite side and leave the area as she chases the ball. Even better, ask her to sit before you toss the kibble. 3) Have a helper call your puppy and provide a chew toy or stuffed Kong to enjoy in another room, in the yard, behind a baby gate or in a crate. This is not punishment. We are just giving a timeout to chill and maybe give the pup the opportunity to chew and then fall sleep if cranky and in need of a nap. 4) Have a helper wiggle a tug toy and make silly noises to distract her from biting and redirect her to another more appropriate activity. 5) Train a positive interrupter. However, we want to teach her to not dread being picked up and restrained and handled. Being a rather small dog, this is important. This can be done with patience and lots of positive associations. More about this here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/growling-when-being-picked-up/ Once she she seems fine with the part of being picked up, it helps feeding her treats as you carry her from one point to another. Once you place her down, no more treats (all the great stuff ends). Hope this helps! Best wishes, Adrienne Disclaimer: dog training and behavior modification come with risks. If your puppy or dog is showing signs of aggression or manifests any form of threat of hurting you or others, please consult with a behavior professional for a hands-on assessment and implementation of behavior modification.

Hi Leslseyj227, Welcome to the forums! Your puppy is still young, but we sure want to tackle this issue (especially the face biting) to prevent it from getting out of hand and persisting into adolescence (generally starting around 6 months) which is when things may get more challenging to tackle with the added exacerbation of stronger jaws. Based on your descriptions here are a few tips to tackle the face biting. For face biting: -Consider that many puppies get overly excited (and more nippy!) when you’re down at their level such as sitting on the floor, on a low chair or bending over. You will need to gradually teach your puppy to stay calm at that level. You can therefore start practicing the training suggested below by first sitting in a chair, then on a low footstool, then on the ground. -Try initially sitting down on a chair and offering your hands to interact with so that your pup is less attracted to your face. When you see your puppy approaching you and you are sitting down at her level, stretch your arm out and offer your hand. Hands are fortunately less risky to interact with compared to faces. You can initially wear heavy duty gloves if your puppy is very rough. The gloves will allow you the opportunity to train without withdrawing your hand quickly which can trigger more biting considering that puppies are attracted to movement. -Work on training an alternate behavior. Teach your puppy to touch your hand with her nose and toss a treat every time your dog does these nose touches. This exercise is known as "nose targeting." You can find more info about it in the Brain Training section here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/preschool/targeting/ By tossing the treat rather than hand feeding, you also provide your puppy a fun workout. -Once your puppy does this exercise well while sitting on the chair, start practicing while sitting on the footstool and then sitting on the ground. -Teach your puppy to play interacting with toys rather than body parts. Use caution to not inadvertently encourage jumping and biting the face area when you play with your puppy. Try to play with your puppy using a tug-toy or flirt pole making sure to keep the toy as close to the ground as possible. -If you have long hair, keep it up to prevent your puppy from being tempted to play with your hair. -Please be careful with guests or any children in your home (which are most at risk due to their height and tendency of putting their faces near dogs). Don't let the pup near them if this has lead to face bites until your pup learns better ways of interacting through training. The more your pup gets to practice the problem behavior, the more it puts roots. For general biting, read the several tips provided in this thread, here are a few more: -Ensure your puppy receives ample of opportunities for mental stimulation and exercise, encouraging fun brain games and games that incorporate training such as teaching the puppy to sit before a ball is tossed. -Enroll your puppy in puppy classes. These are great to provide your puppy socialization (the window closes at around 16 weeks) and further refinement of bite inhibition through play with other puppies. Make sure the class is run by knowledgeable trainers that put a great emphasis on preventing infectious diseases. More on the importance of puppy socialization here:https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/socializing-your-puppy/ -Ensure your puppy is receiving enough sleep. Young puppies need to sleep a lot a day and just like human children, they may get cranky when they are tired. If your puppy is misbehaving, chances are she just needs a nap. Provide a crate in a quiet area and let your puppy have a safe chew toy in there. Cover the crate with a blanket if your puppy finds it difficult to sleep. -Avoid harsh physical corrections (rolling the puppy, grabbing by the scruff holding the mouth closes) as these may encourage defensive aggression (puppy biting due to fear/negative associations with hands). -Consider that dealing with puppy biting takes a multifaceted approach. Puppies need to be provided with outlets for pent-up energy, lots of positive feedback for performing desirable behaviors and lots of chew toys. -Here are some games for teaching alternate, desirable behaviors: perhaps skip the game done on the floor for now if she bites faces. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/bite-inhibition-games/ -Be patient. Biting in puppies may last even up 9 months (or more in some cases) from birth. It won't be fixed overnight, but you should generally see a decrease in biting after the age of 5 months. Consistency under the form of clear feedback and repetition is required throughout this puppy nipping period. -Seek the help of a professional for an in-person assessment if you have any doubts. Puppy play biting is an innocent game most of the time, even though it may seem rough (and puppies may get quite vocal). However, sometimes there may be more going on. If you are dealing with a stubborn case or you suspect that the face biting may stem from fear or aggression, please seek the help of a dog behavior professional using force-free behavior modification methods. More tips for the other issues in the next post.

When I hear a dog ignoring unless there is a treat, my first thought goes to whether there is some level of bribing going on. Are you showing the food when you call your dog? If so, this can be a problem because it means your dog has become overly dependent on its sight (with border collies, they are quick learning things like this!) We always need to fade the sight of food when training otherwise dogs become overly dependent on it. That day we have no food, we are out of luck. So the remedy to this is to avoid this type of dependence. You would probably start in a low distraction area, calling your dog (while holding food in a pocket) and giving it only once your dog is near you. I also like to even create a little"bridge" between the action and the reinforcement in these cases eventually. For instance, call your dog, let your dog know he has done well, (yes!) and together, rush to the closet to grab a cookie from a jar or his meal you kept on a shelf. More on fading food can be found here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/dog-listens-treats/ If he is not coming when called in the backyard, he is likely gaining more reinforcement from other sources. There may be too many competing stimuli. Here are some tips: -Wait for him to get a bit bored of the yard when practicing recalls. This means he has already sniffed several areas, played and stretched his legs. Waiting a bit helps make his environment less salient and you more interesting. -If he is so focused on the ball, it might help using the ball itself as reinforcement. Practice first at home, then in the yard. Call him when he's not doing anything interesting and then once he comes, praise like crazy and toss the ball. To prevent over-dependence on the sight of the ball, you can start hiding one in your pocket or several inside a bag you can bring along for the sake of practicing. -When using food, be extra generous to leave a big impact on him. Give several treats in a row rather than just one. -Several trials of recalls in a row can quickly get boring to dogs loosening its power. Just a few here and there and you can call it a day. -You can also create special set-ups to practice great recalls, for instance, in the morning, when you know your pup is extra hungry, keep him/her in the yard as you prepare your dog's meal and then call him/her inside while keeping the food bowl behind your back. Once your dog reaches you (at full speed!) praise him/her and then put the food bowl down. Once your dog responds well to this, you can ask your dog to politely sit before you put the food bowl down. -Never call your dog for things your dog doesn't seem to like e.g. don't call your dog for a bath if he hates water, don't call your dog to only have his paws trimmed if he dislikes that. Doing so will "poison the cue" which means it assumes negative connotations and the recall will weaken, meaning that your dog will be reluctant to come eventually. -Never try to catch your dog for not coming. Most dogs thinks this is a fun game and will get harder and harder to catch. Rather, let him chase you (border collies love to chase!). So if you really need him to come, attract him with movement and and when he reaches you, give him a treat from your pocket or toss that ball. -Border collies rely a lot on movement so you can use some hand gestures if they help in getting your dog to come. -When practicing recalls, avoid calling your dog in those situations where you wonder whether he may truly come. Don't call your dog when he is sniffing just to "test him." When dogs sniff, a good portion of their brain is focused on the smell. Every time you call your dog and he doesn't come you risk weakening your recall. Make it easy, especially at first. Call him when he is paying attention to you, or when is coming already in your direction. Baby steps. Often we raise the bar too high and this creates setbacks. -Last but not least, consider that the recall is one of those things you have to maintain and reward generously. It's an investment that will provide coverage that day you are caught off guard and you really need your dog to come back to you ASAP, no questions asked.

Issues with heeling: It sounds like a matter of him being in a distracting environment and getting too aroused by all the smells, but there may also be a component of some anxiety at play too. Let's tackle first anxiety pulling. See, when dogs are anxious and go in places that are new or they haven't been there for a while or where they aren't entirely comfortable being in, they tend to sniff. Sniffing is their way of getting to know more about the place and by getting more acquainted, they often relax more. Preventing dogs from sniffing in these cases, is to some extent sort of like asking us to walk in an unfamiliar place blindfolded. More and more dog trainers are discovering lately the importance of letting dogs sniff. I can attest that almost every week I am offered to attend some continuing education course that revolves around something that has to do with sniffing. In dogs exhibiting anxious sniffing, it may help to often find an initial compromise. Let them sniff the area initially until they seem more relaxed and then practice some loose-leash walking if the area permits. To prevent reinforcing the sniffing on leash, it may help to start with a long line. The long line should come to represent more freedom and ability to sniff. After sniffing (which is extra tiring too, by the way) and moving around, the dog may often become calmer (unless they encounter stimuli or situations that trigger more anxiety). At that point, once the dog seems calmer, the dog can be switched to the leash and you may be better able to work on loose-leash walking (always using high-value rewards). Often, it is possible to park the car and walk to point A with the long line and then return with the regular leash to the car and the dog doing much better in heeling. This should be repeated several days always sticking to walking in the place to reduce the chances of setback associated with new places. Then, the dog can be walked halfway to point A with the long line and then switch to the leash, gradually, reducing the length of the walk done with the long line. At some point the dog may be doing well with just the leash. However, we don't want to remove totally the freedom of sniffing so we can reward the dog for walking nicely on leash all the way to point A by giving a treat and then putting on the long line and allowing sniffing in an area of going to a fenced area where the dog can be free to smell to his heart's content. Alternatively, every now and then, you can make it a habit of rewarding your dog for walking nicely on the leash by allowing him to "go sniff." You can teach the "go sniff" cue by simply using a hand gesture to direct your dog to an area to explore. This is one of the easiest training cues you will ever train since sniffing to dogs comes so naturally! However, if you have been very strict with your dog in training him to perfectly heel the past he may need some encouragement to inform him that it's perfectly OK to go sniff. (I don't think you will incur in this problem!) Allow your dog some time to sniff the area when he seems to be losing interest,then say “let’s go” praise, (give a treat) and continue on your walk. Now, it may be just that he walks somewhat well on a loose leash at home, in your yard and in your familiar neighborhood, be he doesn't do well in the park or forest because there is too much going on at a sensory level. He simply hasn't been trained at this level of distraction yet. With dogs having a brain of which 35 percent is dedicated for the task on detecting odors, while in us humans it's just a mere 5 percent, who can blamed them! In such cases, it may help working more in less distracting areas until loose-leash walking becomes very natural. Dogs aren't that great in generalizing behaviors if they aren't doing those well enough at levels that are less distracting. So it may be a matter of proofing more the behavior. It sounds like you may need to find ways to keep his threshold lower while also increasing the salience of yourself and the treats. Here are some tips to make walks a bit more boring and reduce the excess excitability associated with them -Start calm behaviors at the door, ask your dog to sit when you clip the leash, sit before opening the door, staying until invited out. If you haven't already: Look up the open sesame brain game. You can find it here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/college/open-sesame/ -Daily walks in the same areas are great for making all the stimuli a bit more boring. -Double the walk (re-do the same loop) if your dog is still actively pulling a lot. -Measure improvement. You want to see an increase in the percentage of loose-leash walking on these walks versus pulling. -Once mastered walks in these same areas, it is a good idea to go off the beaten path and practice there. During a regular walk go on a different road. This can temporary create setbacks, but with consistency, the dog eventually learns that loose leash walking applies there too. that and it helps a lot as well exercising the dog before going on walks. -Exercise and brain games prior to walks can help reduce excessive energy and excitement. -If walking in the forest, it may help to walk in the middle of the path versus the sides with is where often other dogs urinate and where there is grass and animal droppings To make yourself more interesting: -Invest in high value treats. If your dog prefers to sniff than eat those, they are likely not valuable enough (or your dog is over threshold or in a place that's too distracting) -Be generous and aim for some heavy duty reinforcement. If you give a treat, and then your dog goes back to sniffing, most likely your dog thinks the exercise is over. Before his head goes back down, make your smacking sound as described in attention heeling section of the book. Increase duration too gradually. Don't give the treat right away, bring it at eye level and hold his gaze for several steps. Aim to do several steps of attention heeling or at least aim for heeling without the head always to the ground. Dogs can air scent too, so we are not totally depriving them from just being dogs. -Put sniffing on cue. When behaviors are put solidly on cue, dogs learn that they must do them only when told to do so. You can even incorporate training here. Ask for sits, downs, and then reward by saying "go sniff" then bring him back to you playing with a toy or resuming heeling and rewarding with some tasty treats. -Practice a lot (in group classes, my mentor used to do this exercise ad nauseum: having dog owners practice heeling while giving them (the owners) orders to walk straight, turn right, then left, then stop, then walk fast, then slow etc. Like 80 percent of the hour class was done doing this because he really gave high importance to polite leash walking. Add to that homework for the whole week. It seemed tedious, but it yielded awesome results by the 6th class and for stubborn cases (mostly hound/hound mixes) by the 8th class. Th -Be consistent: loose leash means you walk and dole out goodies to your dog in heel position, tense leash makes you stop walking and delivering goodies. It may take a while to finish a walk this way, but it's mostly initially, things get better with practice and constant feed back. -Dogs can be trained three types of walk: sniff walking (this is your dog's time, dog can sniff with head low to the ground), loose side walking (dog walks by the side), and attention heeling (dog looks up while walking -often used to keep focus around distractions). -Once there is significant progress, it's time to practice in different areas and around different distractions. The more the better. Your dog will generalize the behavior and become more fluent in performing it. With service dogs in training we bring them to pet stores, to Lowes, Home Depot, farmer markets, walk by schools, etc. This makes for some pretty bomb-proof dogs, sort of like those Police horses in New York. -Trips in a big city are always a great place to practice good leash walking around crowds and busy areas. My female Rottie learned heeling best after we spent 15 days in a big city. The first few days were a bit tough as she never saw trucks and bikes so close. She also wasn't used to people with umbrellas because in Arizona it only tends to mostly rain in 3 months during monsoon season. She wasn't very fond of dogs walking closely by and wanted to meet everybody. First days, her heeling was not great. But on the fifth-sixth day, oh the improvement! She learned to ignore people at the farmer's market, ignore all the dogs we passed by and all the traffic sounds. This training really left a big impact although it was just a mere 15 days. I used freshly baked calf liver in strips for this and even though it was very yucky to handle in a treat bag, it made the whole lot of difference. Hope this helps! Next post on the recall...

So what can be done about this? It really depends based on whether the dog is playing or engaging in potentially harmful bullying that could lead to aggression or whether the dog having toys/treats stolen seems to be emotionally suffering from the behavior and lives in tension. I will go through some options used to tackle this issue. Doing Nothing With playful stealing, usually there's not much needed to do. Then, there are mild cases of stealing where the older dog is just chill relinquishing things. Generally, if the older dog capitulates, the situation usually resolves on its own without the need of intervention In general, "Doing nothing" may work fine only for dogs who are playing or for dogs who simply have mostly vocal disagreements. Growls and barks are often times just "normal discussions" and the dogs are not really fighting, just communicating. Dog A: "I want that!" Dog B: "I won't give you an easy time." Dog A: ' "But I really want it" Dog B: "Not so easy". Dog A: "Common, I really want it and won't give up" Dog B: (rolling eyes) "Fine just take it, for God's sake!" Dog A steals the toy and dog B may care less and do something else or may try to get it back. Sometimes a careful evaluation is needed though, as these dogs may give up the toy just out of blunt intimidation: "Here, take it, this toy is not worthy of fighting over, I don't want to be harmed. You scare me when you approach me this way." These dogs may display a fearful body posture, ears back, lip licking and yawning as an appeasement signal. These dogs are being bullied and may lead a tense life. It sounds like this may be the case you are dealing with based on your description of your dog's body posture upon coming home. Perhaps, without your supervision things may have escalated? Perhaps Blue spent all the time trying to push, dig through and perhaps barked in frustration and this may have frightened her? But who knows maybe she just is scared to greet you when Blue is around and shows submissive body language and steers clear out of trouble because she knows you are a valuable resource to Blue upon coming home. We can't really know without recording what may be going on and can just make assumptions. In any case, plan B may be needed by keeping each dogs in separate rooms. Redirection and Positive Associations For mild cases of stealing, it is possible to give to the dog stealing toys oodles of attention when the other dog is playing with toys so that he eventually learns that patience pays and sharing leads to something even better. A leash can provide better control and prevent attempts to steal until the behavior of looking at the owner for treats is well-under stimulus control. Giving treats might be a great way to create positive associations while the other dog is approaching or playing with toys the dog considers as "his." For example, the moment the other dog interacts with toys, you can make a smacking sound with your mouth and feed the stealer several high-value treats in a row giving loads of praise "good booooy" as you feed them. You can even do some fun training sessions. Generally, the dogs being bullied won't come near just to avoid possible conflict and are happy to focus on the toy since they rarely get to enjoy them undisturbed. You can then swap and take turns with one dog being trained and given treats while the other dogs enjoys a toy (may need to use an interactive toy filled with food to keep the stealer busy while training the dog prone to being bullied) Another example? You are playing fetch and the ball happens to go to other dog who gets toys stolen all the time? That means smacking sound with your mouth, and several treats fed in a row to the stealer with lots of praise until the other dog drops the ball at your hand. While helpful in creating positive associations when the other dog gets toys, caution is needed though with this approach if any of the two dogs has a history of aggression. If one or both dogs have a history of resource guarding food, skip this method. There are several cues that can also be trained to prevent a dog from stealing toys. If one dog has a toy, the other dog should be given a cue to "leave it" and come to the owner for attention/rewards. Again, this may be fine as long as this doesn't provoke resource guarding. Other helpful cues are solid responses to “stay” behavior and going to a mat. When there is no supervision, it is best to keep dogs separated especially if this leads to aggression or bullying. Sometimes, mild cases of a dog stealing toys from other dogs may benefit from engaging both parties with a long tug toy, one dog tugging on either end. Dogs learn to enjoy "sharing" in this case as the game is all about creating "resistance." Once one dog has exclusive access to the toy, the fun ends as there's no longer "resistance." However, for some resource guarders, the value of stealing the toy and having it all for themselves may surpass the fun of tugging with a pal. Providing interactive toys (toys filled with kibble/treats such as a Kong) to both dogs at the same time may provide an option where the dogs get to "play" in peace as their focus is on their own toys rather than each other. However, care must be taken to prevent the dog prone to stealing from approaching and trying to "steal the toy" from the other dog should he happen to finish first. Best to have a precaution in place such as a baby gate between both dogs, or the dog prone to stealing on a tether or leash for the most aggressive cases. A dog prone to stealing may be also be trained to lie on a mat with his treat-stuffed toy and not get up until the other dog has finished his. Giving some treats every now and then may reward the dog's patience. Providing Lots of Toys Providing plenty of toys and keeping them always out can sometimes help make toys less salient for mild cases. This is based on the principle that scarcity is what increases the value of toys. This works sometimes, but not always. In my experience, it works better as a preventive more than a treatment. Some dogs just want the toy the other dogs has, no matter what. They can even each have the same exact toy, but the other dog just wants that one. Care is warranted with new toys as these can be very valuable compared to ordinary toys seen on a daily basis. As seen, there are different aspects of stealing. In general, problems usually start when either dog refuses to give way, which potentially leads to aggression. Interaction after interaction, the dog stealing the toys gains more and more confidence, and one day, should the other dog object or should the dog stealing toys try to steal from other dogs who object, then, things can get awry. Management is Always the Safest Option And of course, management is always the safest option and should be always activated when the interactions cannot be supervised and have lead to aggression or excessive bullying that impacts the dog's emotional well being. If you are unsure how your dogs may react, but want your other dog to play with toys, keep the stealer in a crate or behind a baby gate to enjoy a chew or stuffed Kong while your other dog plays with you or with toys. If you do this often, he will come to look forward to your play sessions with your other dog and his toys as it means "goodies time" as this good time is always contingent upon play time. Of course, a disclaimer is warranted here: due to the complexities of dog-to-dog interactions and cases where there is potential aggression or any intent to do harm physically or emotionally, the intervention of a professional for a hands-on evaluation and behavior modification based on observations is the safest and more accurate way to deal with behavior issues.

Hi there! It sounds like your dog is just being an adolescent. This is a difficult phase and not surprisingly, the reason why sadly many dogs in shelters are surrendered between the ages of 6-36 months. You are not alone. Dogs during this stage may seem like they have never picked up on all the training you gave them. These "duh?!" episodes of memory loss are quite common during this stage and require lots of patience and understanding. It is easy to get frustrated, but often this only makes matters worse. For the stealing toys/treats from his sister. I am writing this based on the assumption his sister is older. These interactions at times can be quite complex, so this needs a careful evaluation. Here is some info about dogs stealing toys/treats. It will help you understand why it may be difficult choosing the right approach because there may be different dynamics going on. Be prepared: this is a long read but I think it's important to cover all basis. How it Generally Develops Interestingly, when a dog is added in a household as the two dogs get more familiar with each other, they will carefully look for signs that may indicate how the other dog may react to any given action. This testing may start from puppy hood. Puppies love toys and therefore may sometimes try to "test" an older dog's behaviors to see what they can get away with.They may soon learn that advancing when the older dog is eating, may lead to a frightening warning growl, while stealing a toy under the dog's nose may have little to no consequence. Usually, for minor cases or with young pups, no intervention may be needed, as long as the older is fine with the pup's behavior as he or she places a low value on the toys or doesn't feel threatened by a young puppy who has yet to develop. Many older dogs allow puppies to get away with things they wouldn't with older dogs. Fast forward next a few month when the puppy matures and develops into an adolescent. This is a stage of bratty behaviors and things start exacerbating especially among same-sex dogs (male-female interactions generally tend to be much more mellow) once they reach social maturity at around 12 to 36 months. The "puppy" may get more bold and this may cause issues at times. If the other dog allows stealing, and there are no fights, it just may be the other dog simply places a low values on toys ("you can have it, I don't see the reason to get upset about it"). Generally, behind a stealing dog there is often a dog allowing the stealing to take place. Different Forms of Stealing Sometimes, the stealing may be just play. One dog may grab something and the other dog's job is to try to steal it. Dogs play all the time games of "keep away." Eventually, the game ends and usually the dog with the intent of stealing gets the toy. My female Rottweiler Petra always wanted Einstein's toys- even if they were exactly the same. She would get real creative at times (and I must confess, this was fun to watch!). She has gone as far as rushing and barking at the door enticing Einstein to come and check things out, and then the moment he was up, she went rushing to steal the toy. Other times, she would be coming to me to elicit attention hoping that our other dog would join in to steal the toy the moment he moved away from it. On some days, she even managed to bark and then howl, knowing that our male dog would join in the chorus and drop the toy to howl and bingo!, she would steal it right under his nose! It was sure fun watching all her astute antics and creativity purposely crafted to just get him to drop the ball and get him to chase her. Play or Bullying? Problems usually start when either dog refuses to give way, which potentially leads to aggression. Interaction after interaction, the dog stealing the toys gains more and more confidence, and one day, should the other dog object or should the dog stealing toys try to steal from other dogs who object, then, things can get awry. Usually when dealing with this issue there are several behavior modification goals. Often dealing with this issue entails teaching the approaching dog not to steal other dogs' belongings, but sometimes it may also entail teaching the dog whose toys are stolen to relax. Care should be taken in not punishing the thief, considering that he may associate the punishment, not with his stealing behavior, but with the other dog, and this can exacerbate things creating more tension (and potential fights) rather than making things better. Another worrisome scenario is the dog owner correcting dogs prone to stealing toys out of play by removing the toys. This may lead to real resource guarding directed towards the owner because the owner assumes a negative connotation, and therefore, becomes a threatening entity that removes resources. The way the issue is tackled may therefore range from doing nothing, to providing plenty of toys, limiting the opportunities to steal through redirection, close supervision when toys are provided, and if necessary, separating dogs (tethers, baby gate, different rooms) so that they can each enjoy their toys in peace. Depending on the situation, it therefore may require different approaches. To find the ideal method, it is best to consult with a dog behavior professional for a careful evaluation considering the complexities of this behavior and potential risks for injuries involved when there is potential for aggression. I will be listing some approaches in the next post.

Hi Fred! Welcome to the forums and congrats on your new puppy! Jennifer provided great tips there! If you want to pursue the technical route, when we want to change a dog's name, you would call your pup by his new name first, followed by the known name always praising and rewarding for coming when called. You would then continue saying the new name first and then start dropping the old name gradually. Start saying just a part of it, truncating it and perhaps even saying it in a lower tone and then dropping it completely. As a test at some point you would say the new time and hesitate and see if your pup anticipates you and rushes to you before you pronounce the old one. If he does, make sure to reward him with a jackpot of treats to make a strong impact. If you have used accompanying hand gestures to get your pup to come, then he'll likely come, especially if, as Jennifer pointed out, you use the same intonation. Most dogs pay more attention to hand gestures than words so that would probably make the process smoother. The downside is that it may sometimes take a bit to learn the new name, but in most cases, pups learn rather quickly. Make sure to start in a quiet area with little distractions. The good thing is that your puppy is new so you're not dealing with years and years of strong associations with a certain name. Happy training! Best, Adrienne

With rescued dogs and not knowing their history, it's often a gamble finding out what may be truly going in their mind. Only time will tell. In general, being surrendered to a shelter (if this is where you got him from) can be a very traumatic experience for dogs. Their daily routines are gone, they no longer have a person they can depend on and this makes them feel very anxious and insecure. After being shifted around from place to place, surrendered dogs therefore often feel quite confused and frustrated. Once placed in a new home setting, they may therefore become clingy and excessively attached. This can sometimes trigger the onset of separation anxiety in predisposed dogs. On the other hand, sometimes dogs coming from shelters had separation anxiety in the first place and were surrendered for that reason. Have you ever left him home alone? If so, how does he behave? Recording his behavior when left home alone can be insightful to see whether there may be signs of separation anxiety. He is lucky to have found you! Brain games, training, having a predictable routine and teaching independence a little bit at time (watch his threshold levels!) may help him become more confident. You can find some tips here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/following-owners-around-house/

Hi Jennifer, In some ways, the martingale collar may look similar to a slip collar, but the martingale has a limit as to how tight it will get around the dog's neck, hence why it's also called a half check collar or limited slip collar. I can't say if your leash with two knots will work in the same manner because I never used a leash in this manner and don't know what material of leash you are using, how tight it gets, and if it could cause issues in the short or long run. I have mostly used martingales made by a company known as 2HoundsDesign which specializes in them which has models without chains. Martingales are used for dogs with necks that are larger than their heads and are popular among sighthound owners, which is why they are often called "greyhound collars" or "whippet collars" Dogs with this conformation are more likely to back out of regular buckle collars and therefore this collar was crafted with these dogs in mind. Many dog owners with Houdini dogs who back out of their collars use them as well. This collar is made of two "loops" a larger one often made of fabric that is slipped over the dog's head and around the dog's neck, and a smaller loop, referred to as the "control loop," that's often made out of chain or fabric and has a ring that is used to attach the leash to it. I hear you about the harnesses. I know of some dogs who have trouble with them. Irritation around the thin armpit areas is something some dogs may be prone to. The good thing is that there are many models nowadays made of padding to help dogs with sensitive skin or with little hair to pad the area behind the front legs. I know of some owners who have the padding for their harness custom-made. I don't know how well these would fare overtime in hot, very humid weather though in terms of durability/comfort.

Sounds like all is going well. Careful with increasing criteria (having friend around) if he's not ready for that level yet. Setbacks are always a pain. Crates and distance are always a good idea, but I am sure your behavior professional must have discussed that at nauseum already. Great to hear all your doggies did well at the boarding facility! Gertie sure chose a handsome playmate!

Many dogs have a natural inclination in picking up a toy and walking around with it, but things get problematic when we want the dog to perform these actions on cue. Why is that? Perhaps, the challenge occurs because dogs are used to being clicked and rewarded for motion behaviors, and dogs don't perceive holding an item in the mouth as a behavior. It's more of a static thing. Or maybe, some dogs are just not that great in multi-tasking (many dogs may hold but have trouble holding while walking) and a retrieve to us may seem like just one behavior while it really encompasses several behaviors chained together. There is really no rule set in stone on how to train a formal "hold" and often it takes multiple tries of different approach and see what works best. One of my service dog fosters, did well wit reverse luring. Einstein did best with back-chaining. Consider that dogs may take days, weeks or months to learn formal holds and retrieves when they are not naturally predisposed. Sometimes though, you may be surprised when you're rewarded earlier. The intervention of a professional specializing in advanced dog training may be needed for in-person coaching and troubleshooting in stubborn cases (not the dog being stubborn, the training just progressing slow). Following are different ways to train a dog to hold an object. Choice of one over the other may ultimately may boil down to what the final goal is. Do you just want your dog to hold an object in his mouth and just sit still or do you want him walk around carrying it? Is it part of a retrieve? Then other components will need to be added. Using Forward Chaining This is the typical way dog owners attempt to train their dog to hold a toy and come to them carrying the toy. It might work well in dogs with a strong predisposition to retrieve stuff, but not all dogs are blessed with these instincts. This training method is one of the main reasons why dog owners often get frustrated in training dogs to retrieve items because it has a chance for failure. It involves training a chain of behaviors including picking up the item, holding while walking and dropping. Simply wiggle the toy to stimulate your dog's prey drive and then toss the toy in front of you in a hallway preferably so that your dog's only option is to turn around and move towards you. If you want to build anticipation, you can try holding on to your dog's collar (avoid this if your dog resents being held by the collar) as you toss the toy. As soon as your dog moves a bit as he is ready to run, say "get it! or 'take"" pointing at the toy while letting go of the collar. Walk backwards as the dog comes back towards you, (you can then "say drop it"-if needed) and trade the ball for a second ball that is tossed again. Back Chaining Method A dumbbell (some dog owners use a wooden spoon) or a long toy comes extra handy for this task because it's easy to grasp and the owner can easily hold on to one side. Dumbbells are often used for formal bird dog training and in the sport of Schuhtzhund. Backchaining is one of the best methods to train a dog to hold a toy and bring it to you. You would start by sitting down and holding the dumbbell/or other chose item and click/reward for duration when the dog mouths it. Moving the dumbbell slightly as the dog mouths it can help trigger a bit of opposition reflex, enticing the dog to hold on more strongly as it happens with tug (watch your fingers! and avoid doing this with dogs who resource guard things!). The goal is to reach mouthing lasting 5 seconds, at which point, after several reps of five seconds, you can start trying to take your hand away briefly and click reward for holding it without the hands on it. Fade your hands holding the dumbbell gradually, maybe starting removing one hand and then the other very quickly for split seconds at first. Afterward, add some criteria. The goal is creating some muscle memory of the dog reaching down with the head and then lifting the head up while holding the dumbbell. To accomplish this, move the dumbbell gradually closer and closer to the floor while it's still in your hands and lift it up slightly as your dog is holding it, click/reward. At some point, when it's on the ground and your dog mouths it, lift it and click/reward, and the next time, let go of it briefly: your dog will likely mouth it and lift it up slightly putting it back in your hands. Next, you can add some distance. Place the dumbbell on the floor but a bit more distant gradually increasing distance. The Reverse Luring Method This method is mentioned in the book "Retrieving for All Occasions: Foundations for Excellence in Gun Dog Training" by Elsa Blomster, Lena Gunnarsson. Reverse luring is the total opposite of luring. In luring, you use the presence of food to get the dog to perform a desired behavior. In reverse luring, you use the presence of food to prevent your dog from performing an undesirable behavior. In this case, the undesirable behavior is dropping the dumbbell. This method focuses on adding the distraction of the food (to keep the dog from focusing on the item being held in the mouth) while providing a strong feedback system. Simply, present the dumbbell, when your dog picks up the toy or dumbbell, you present your open hand with a treat in it. If your dog drops the dumbbell to get the treat you say "oops!"and close your hand or move it away. Try again, present the dumbbell, when your dog picks up the toy or dumbbell, you present your open hand with a treat in it. If your dog shows any attempt to drop the dumbbell you move your hand away. When your dog holds it for a second, you click (or say "yes!") and give the treat. You then progress gradually. Some troubleshooting tips: -Use differential reinforcement. Start clicking and rewarding only the longer holds. Set a criteria. Start with clicking and rewarding 1 second holds, then 2 seconds and so forth. Your dog may get initially a bit frustrated as first when the brief split second holds go unrewarded. This frustration though often will lead to the dog trying harder. Don't ask too much though or your dog may give up. Make sure as you progress to longer holds that mix in some shorter ones every now and then or your dog may pick up a pattern of things getting more difficult, leading to fatigue and frustration. -If your dog knows the "drop it" cue, you can work on getting a better hold using that as he'll be waiting for your cue. Start to always cue "drop it" right before it happens, click/treat. Once the dog associates the "drop it" with the reward, it becomes pretty easy to stretch out some duration. -Consider that dogs not be too eager to hold items in their mouth if they dislike the texture or if their gums are sore due to gum disease or dental problems. Hope this helps!

I can feel you frustration. Some dogs are VERY hesitant in holding toys for more than a split second. This can be a matter of texture, or just simply the dog is not particularly predisposed to being "mouthy" or the behavior may have been suppressed non-intently. Holding is a foundation skill taught in service dog training and often it's one of the most challenging things to train if the dog is not inclined to it. "Take" which is picking up an item with the mouth is much different to dogs compared to "hold" which is more challenging as it involves raising criteria because you are basically adding duration to the pick up. So if your dog "takes" even for a split second, I would consider that sufficient for the exercise outlined in the take-it/drop exercises in Obedience 101. For a good reason brain games involving "holding" (such as picking up toys, carrying them and placing them in the basket) are placed at the Einstein level. In dog training, formal "holds" are often trained in advanced training such as bird dog training, service dog training and in Schutzhund (dogs carrying a dumbbell in their mouth and even doing hurdle jumps). It's something that takes time to master unless the dog is naturally predisposed to holding and retrieving in which case it can be moderate-to-easy to train. If you decide to pursue training longer holds either for advanced training of tricks or retrieves, please be patient, go at your dog's pace and never show frustration as that is how many dogs become even more reluctant because we deliver conflicting information with our bodies. I always suggest to have fun with it and just see how it goes rather than having high expectations as that often makes the process tedious or tense. I will be sharing some tips on training hold in my next post shortly.

When medical causes are ruled out, then it can be assumed that if she is asking to go out and nothing is being produced (or little trickles are produced as seen dogs who engage in urine marking), then there is a quite high possibility that she may be asking to go out just because she enjoys being out. The outdoors can be highly reinforcing to dogs because it offers an ever-changing kaleidoscope of smells. On top of this, they get to stretch their legs and move around. Some dogs are also prone to wanting to patrol their properties and investigate everything on a random basis and urine mark. Urine marking is not peeing for the mere purpose of the emptying the bladder, it's peeing with a purpose and that purpose is leaving scent around. Dog tend to repeat behaviors that are reinforcing, and therefore, learn that by going to the door, it opens, unveiling all the magical things associated with the outdoors. On top of that, dogs learn that they get one-on-one attention the moment they walk towards the door. With all this reinforcement going on, many will want to repeat this experience over and over. If that's the cases, here are a few tips that can be tried: -Investigate what your dog enjoys doing outside, this can help get an idea of what we can offer to our dogs to satisfy their needs or solve some problems. -For instance, many dogs want to go out if there are critters in the yard. If you suspect critters in your home or yard, hire an exterminator, preferably one who uses pest management options and products that have low or no adverse risks. -Many dogs ask to go out if there are noises to bark at or a new dog or cat moved in the neighborhood. If there are noises or a new dog moved in town, for the time being, you can try to put on some white noise (radio, tv or fan noise) and see if this can help calm your dog down. -Make sure your dog receives sufficient levels of exercise, walking, play time, training and mental stimulation. -When indoors, offer your dog interactive toys such as stuffed Kongs, Kong Wobblers and Buster Cubes. Rotate toys so that your dog never grows bored of them. -If your dog's passion is sniffing, engage his brain with fun treasure hunt games and canine nosework. -If your dog is asking too often to go out, every time your dog asks to go out, put your dog on a leash and take her to a designated potty area and stay out only five minutes. If she truly needs to go bad, she'll usually rush to potty. If he doesn't go, go head straight back inside and try again later repeating the same process. This should help reduce the behavior of asking to go outside just for the fun of it because it becomes boring. However, this doesn't fix the issue, we need to know the underlying cause to tackle it accordingly. -When you come back inside, if your dog hasn't gone potty, make sure that you can keep your dog confined to an area where you have clear view and where you can supervise your dog to ensure she doesn't sneak off to pee or poop somewhere. Watch for dog pre-potty signs such as sniffing the floor, pacing, circling, whining. -If your dog does go potty, reward her and let her enjoy some time off the leash (if your yard is secure). -Now, something to consider: some smart dogs may learn that peeing in the yard grants them fun time afterward, so they may learn to purposely pee just for the fun of that. In such cases, it may help taking them out first thing in the morning when they are likely to pee (and other times of the day), and then spend a good amount of time outdoors until they get tired and bored. Often times, we take dogs inside when they have haven't had the opportunity to sniff and get tired. This makes the yard super appealing. That's also why we stop training sessions on a positive note when the dog is having fun, because we want to maintain a good history of fun with training so that the dog wants to do it more and more. -Feeding your dog food at the same times throughout the day can help her elimination patterns become more predictable. It's a good idea to jolt down when your dog goes potty so to schedule her outings accordingly. -Last but not least as already mentioned it may be also helpful training your dog to go potty on command. By doing this, you can ensure that, once sent out, your dog goes potty so that you know she's empty and can hold it until her next scheduled potty trip. Gentle leaders are good for control, however, their biggest flaw is that it's not easy to acclimate dogs to it and dogs may paw at it, rub their faces on the ground and act subdued. Some dogs though do better than others. Hope this helps! Best, Adrienne