Adrienne Farricelli

Well, I am thinking about this with the breed's working history in mind... Imagine these dogs in the olden days when they hunted and guarded nomadic tents. Then, later on, when they herded reindeer. They had to work all day, in extreme temperatures, often walking/running though in deep snow at a quick pace. They also had to constantly scan their environment avoiding danger and having super quick reflexes to avoid potentially life-threatening attacks from non-collaborative reindeer. Bouncing around and running all day long required a certain level of stamina. This all required a great level of alertness and rarely letting the guard down. So it can be that in some Lappies these traits pop up with more intensity than others and may cause them to be always alert of what is going on around them. This hypervigilance and strong desire to "work" of course interferes with relaxation. They want to always know where their owners are and what they are doing or about to do so to be an active participant. I know of some dogs who the moment you touch the arm rest of the sofa you're siting on are already up and ready to follow. "Destination no-where exercises" can help with this as discussed under the desensitization of owner movements explained here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/following-owners-around-house/ So it can be that he really needs a really quiet setting to relax, and he may only be able to if he sees you sleep, sort of like what the Lappies did in the old days where after a long day of steady work they would sleep with the Sami people. Laughing when watching a movie, getting up to grab a drink, making comments, reacting to the movie with remarks, can prevent him from getting into a relaxed sleep and gain the restorative sleep he needs. Taking a dog out of the family room whether to give a timeout or to allow the dog to chill will always have some element of "punishment" especially in a dog breed who loves to be around the family. Sure, it's for his own good to get free of any source of overstimulation if we are the source of it, but he doesn't know that initially although it may feel good afterwards to finally let the guard down to relax. Using an indoor tether always under supervision with a comfy mat nearby can provide the best of both worlds, with the dog still being in the same room as family but without being able to get in the face and engage in undesirable behaviors. Providing something to do can help keep the pup busy in a quiet way so that he initially doesn't bark out of frustration. With not much "active interaction" going on he may grow increasingly calm and learn to fall asleep in face of you being awake. It certainly can help a step-by-step gradual approach with initially little talk (or talking a soothing voice) when watching TV, having all drinks/foods in the room so that nobody gets up to grab stuff from the kitchen, using the restroom before the movie so to avoid bathroom trips, dimming the lights and trying to watch movies that aren't too overstimulating. Then, gradually more distractions can be added as he learns to sleep through the lighter distractions. I often tip-toe when having to get up to prevent too much stimulation. Capturing calmness exercises, shaping relaxation, mat work, reinforcement for desirable behaviors, impulse control and frustration tolerance exercises and calming aids and of course enough exercise, training and mental stimulation throughout the day may help provide an integrated approach.

Thanks for posting those chews, I wasn't aware of them. They seem to have good reviews, other than the odd-ball dog who managed to chew one up in half an hour! Last time I worked with a dog living in an apartment, it helped to use the Kong Wobbler dog on a carpeted area. This helped buffer the sound to a good level. I love the kennel ideas and how nicely organized they are. Yup endless energy is part of the adolescent stage. Twice a day walks (with tiring sniffing adventures included) can help take some edge off on top of the brain games and play. Poor Abbi! It's so sad to watch them age. With Petra as she weakened, we too used a towel initially, then converted to a folded blanket to help her get up ad sustain some of her weight when walking.

Oh no, you are not bad at all! I just wanted to point out the pros and cons and what things can go wrong with timeouts and what alternative approaches can be tried first. It sounds like indeed you are doing pretty much 'chill outs" where you are providing him a quiet place to chill if your presence overstimulates him. Most likely FOMO is once again at play (or maybe he's hyper vigilant to your movements and eagerness to follow he struggles to fall asleep) so if he falls asleep when taken to another area, you are basically teaching him how to self-soothe and chill enough to finally fall asleep. Hopefully, with time though, he'll start learning this skill on his own and learn to relax and fall asleep despite being nearby. Some dogs need to feel exhausted mentally and physically first to reach this point. An indoor tether that keeps him in the same room as you (along with something to chew as needed), but prevents him from directly interacting with you, may also help with this.

Awesome, I have a great feel that you'll be working wonderfully as a team! Remember to also make sure that you stay calm, so taking baby steps helps both ways. We are so used to quickly tensing up, tightening the leash and holding our breath when we see a trigger approaching. Schutzhund turns can help prevent that and keep our focus and our dog's focus on something else. Keep us posted on how it goes!

I can't Wait for October 18th! It's going to be expensive, but less so than the Gainesville doctor. $500 for the initial 4-hour consult, $175 / hour after that. It's a bit steeper than I was looking for given Mo's trainer was $550 for 5 weeks, but if it brings peace to our lives then so be it! A 4-hour consult sounds very promising! It tells us that this professional will go in super depth on everything and gather as much info as possible about the whole dynamics going on. For sure, it all would be priceless if you are able to reach a good level of harmony between Gerts and Esther. I am glad you are getting help for this now as things tend to get much worse once they reach social maturity. She's including Abbi in the pricing but Abbi isn't going to participate. She's at the stage in life where we're just making her as comfortable as possible. That, and Abbi doesn't move any more. Her right side simply does not function and we're wondering if she perhaps had a stroke we didn't catch due to all the other issues. Oh no, so sorry to hear! While dogs can have strokes, they aren't that common as in humans. More common causes of a side not working well are usually back issues (doxies are poster child of disc diseases like IVDD), vestibular disorders, brain tumors etc. Some of these can be managed and treated with some meds from the vet, so I think a vet visit would be helpful. Esther's leash pulling and pushing Gertie out of the way are about to drive me up the wall. Not to mention she's killing my neck and shoulders with the yanking. U-turns and stopping in place and waiting aren't doing the trick, but she sure will stick by my side if I have treats. We'll have to undo something, I'm sure, before we can get that leash nice and loose. Pushing Gertie is aggravating. Gerts was here first, youngun, have some respect! I wasn't aware you were also struggling (still struggling?) with leash pulling and Esther pushing Gertie out of the way on top of them fighting. Or maybe you mentioned it a while back but we didn't do any further troubleshooting. I recall you were going to dog parks and walking the perimeter and doing look at that exercises with her. It's great that she is responsive to treats. That will pave the path to polite leash walking if you use them to reinforce sticking by your side. Training with neck and shoulder pain is no fun and I am sure it has put a dent. A head halter can help if you have shoulder/neck pain, but not all trainers agree on its use. Of course, the more you practice in low distraction areas reinforcing baby steps, the better. Some dogs respond better with with this with clicker training. I am sure you are on the right path, but just need an extra set of eyes you guide you through and give you feedback. Last batch of sibling pups I had one of them at some point was starting to push the other out of the way when going through doors. This was solved easily by training them to sit before being allowed out of the yard and then being reinforced individually once outside to take the focus off of each other. Of course, this can be risky in dogs who resource guard, so discuss with your behavior professional on the best way to tackle this. Einstein used to push Petra too at times when they were in a hallway, but it never lead to squabbles and happened only in a blue moon, so I let it be. Both were trained to wait at doors leading to the yard though because at one point we lived in an unfenced area. The Incurin finally arrived today so we'll pair that with the Proin and hope for the best. She's still accident prone with the Proin (husband had to change the dogs' bed sheets 3 times because he was stuck on the phone or outside). Other than that they behaved for him for the most part. I make it look easy, haha. The first text I got from him was, "I don't know why you have so much trouble with Esther, it's been 3 hours and we're doing fine." In my mind I was thinking, "wait for it . . .". Haha! I think he has a new appreciation for why I can't get my work done as quickly and thoroughly as I did pre-Esther. She's a mess, but help is on the way. 🙂 I am glad that she behaved when you were away. Fingers crossed she gets better with the Incurin! Oh, and Esther has managed to chew up not only the red Kong toys, but even the black ones! Holy crud. Even Momo, who could crush them down completely and chewed through all other toys, never damaged the Kongs, red or black. So I'm looking for some stronger treat toys for her. The black Kong she tore up was the XL ribbon. They don't get tougher than that in the Kong line! Oh wow! She's a super powerful chewer! Sounds like the second teething phase adolescents go through until their 9th month. How old is she now? I think I must have lost track of time so maybe she's bigger than that now and just got powerful jaws. The Kong Wobbler I have is something that has survived pitbulls, German shepherds and Rottweilers, other than a few teeth scratches, it's remained pretty much intact for many years. Of course, I aim to trade if I notice a dog insisting too much on chewing something. Gonoughts and West PAW make a line of tough toys that I think come with a warranty and are labeled as "indestructible' but can't attest to that.

Not at all. We tried to avoid any negative gesture involving our hands, except if it's a matter of necessity / security. For leaving room we have the "Ouste !" cue. It's French for "Get out !". We got this one, because he sometimes followed us in forbidden rooms we opened because we had to, like toilets, or laundry room... So in the evening, if he's wild while we're in the video room, we call "Ouste !", close the door, let him cool down and watching by the camera, and open back after a few moments we see him calmed down. A verbal cue is preferable to a hand's on approach such as a collar grab. A hand's off approach indeed prevents several problems such as dogs becoming hard to catch or reacting to having their collar touched. Another option is having a leash tab (short leash) attached to the collar to take the dog out of the area contingent upon the undesirable area, but there can still be issues with that. Now, more about timeouts. The main purpose of the timeout is to provide the puppy with a consequence for behaving inappropriately in hopes that the inappropriate behavior decreases overtime. To ensure it is working, one should measure and keep track of the behavior over time. Timeouts offer several advantages. For instance, by intervening quickly, it prevents the puppy from rehearsing problematic behaviors for too long. On top of this, timeouts are less aversive compared to other methods based on intimidation or positive punishment. In order to be effective though, timeouts need to meet several important criteria such as appropriateness, correct timing, duration and repetition. Criteria 1: Ensuring "Time-in" Zones are Reinforcing Because timeouts work by removing puppies from situations they find reinforcing contingent upon the presentation of the the undesirable behavior, it is important ensuring that the "time-in location" and situation is truly perceived as pleasant. If not, the behavior risks being negatively reinforced rather than negatively punished. It is a known fact that puppies crave being with their families, especially when they are young. Loki belonging to a family oriented breed has demonstrated several times in the past a strong need to be in the same room with you and your girlfriend (his family). With these factors in mind, we know that most likely, temporarily removing the puppy from being around the family will have quite an impact. Timeouts, in this circumstance, even if for a very brief period, can therefore be effective in reducing certain undesirable behaviors as the loss of social contact may have quite an impact. However, let's imagine for a moment that a puppy perceives being around his family unpleasant (not your case of course!). Maybe they have been yelling at the puppy or the puppy is shy and cowers. If in this circumstance one were to correct jumping/biting by putting the pup in a distant room, the puppy would feel relief upon leaving the time-in zone and accessing the timeout zone. The jumping in this circumstance may therefore increase over time (through negative reinforcement) rather than decrease (through negative punishment)! Interestingly, sometimes jumping is not out of attention, but presents as a distance increasing behavior. Such jumping is often displayed when a dog is uncomfortable with a person and wants this person to give him space. Criteria 2: Ensuring Timeout Zones are Non-Rewarding The choice of the timeout zone can further emphasize the transition from an area filled with reinforcement, to a dull area with no social interaction. A back yard which is teeming with smells, things to chase and places to dig may be perceived as reinforcing to a puppy, whereas a bathroom (with the toilet roll out of reach and the toilet seat down) is boring. An indoor tether away from family activity may also work well as a timeout area as long as the dog is ignored. This though warrants some level of supervision for safety issues (dog may get tangled in leash). When in this zone, puppies should be naturally inclined to act calmer because there is little to no stimulation. This setting therefore prompts desirable behaviors which are reinforced with release from isolation and once again access to the time-in zone. Should You Use the Crate or Play Pen For Puppy Timeouts? The answer is no. You want the crate or play pen to be great places to be. You want your puppy to feel happy and secure in these places. Using these areas for timeouts can easily undo all the hard work in getting a puppy to love the crate or pen. Criteria 3: Correct Timing Dogs learn best when they associate one event and another in short order. If you put a dog in a timeout several minutes after the undesirable behavior has occurred, there are high chances the connection between the behavior and consequence won't be made. It therefore goes without saying, that in order to be effective, the timeout must be given in a timely manner. According to Ramirez 1999, in order for a dog to associate a specific action with a consequence, that consequence must occur within half a second. The use of a bridging word that marks the undesirable behavior (such as "timeout" or "too bad!") along with holding the leash tab and escorting the pup to the timeout area can help create that functional relationship (association) between the undesirable behavior and consequence. Criteria 3: Ideal Duration The duration of the timeout is also important in order for it to "sink in." A too brief timeout may not "register" as one may hope. Nobbe and colleagues (1980) recommend a 3-minute timeout as a consequence for aggressive behavior, however, for puppies and minor infractions 1- or 2-minute timeouts may suffix, although even 30 seconds can be effective in some cases. Excessively long timeouts ranging 5 to 10 minutes or more are unnecessary and should be avoided, explains Steven Lindsay in the book: "Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training." Should the puppy bark or whine, it's important to remove from the timeout zone only after being quiet for at least 10 to 15 seconds and possibly asking for a sit before being released to prevent behavior chains. Criteria 4: Repetition Several timeouts may be needed to have an impact and cause the puppy to associate the undesirable behavior and consequence to the point of the puppy learning "every time I do this behavior, I am removed and put in that boring place. "Undesirable behaviors that are exceptionally ingrained and persistent may require several timeouts delivered on a continuous basis (every time it presents) and once the behavior decreases, the timeout can be delivered on an intermittent schedule. However, it's important to consider that the ultimate goal should be setting your puppy for success so to make good choices. Criteria 5; Setting Your Puppy For Success Following the timeout, it's important to take steps to reduce the undesirable behavior from re-presenting. Many times, dog owners get stuck in a never ending cycle of putting a puppy out on timeouts repeatedly. It's therefore important to tackle the root cause for the behavior and helping the puppy succeed by preempting future occurrences. For example, the puppy can be taught to engage in an appropriate substitute behavior which is lavishly praised and reinforced in hopes that it repeats and strengthens, making the puppy pick engaging in this behavior over the undesirable one. So are timeouts effective for puppies? The answer is yes, negative punishment can work when applied correctly. However, there are side effects to be aware of. With time, puppies may play hard to catch, they may no longer respond to a verbal cue because it has been poisoned (the dog associates it with a negative consequence), puppies still get to partially rehearse an undesirable behavior and they may fail to learn to engage in amore desirable behavior. On top of this, timeouts are listed more towards the bottom of the least intrusive, minimally aversive methods meaning there may be more preferable practices to try before those, but of course, every behavior issue and every case is different. What can be used as alternatives to timeouts? -Antecedent control (management) can be used if the puppy tends to predictably engage in an undesirable behavior at a certain time or in face of a certain trigger. For instance, the puppy can be strategically provided with an activity to preempt the undesirable behavior. For example, if the puppy gets nippy at a certain time of the day, he can be provided with brain games that keep his mouth busy like getting food out of a puzzle toy. -For a puppy who engages in jumping or nipping to garner attention, the puppy could be taught to engage in alternative, appropriate behaviors that receive attention and positive reinforcement. -At the same time, it would be important ensuring the puppy receives enough exercise, play, socialization, training and mental stimulation. Nap times are also important considering how puppies tend to misbehave when they are tired. -An alternate to timeouts are 'chill-outs." In other words, more than using timeouts as punishment, they are used to promote calmness, by taking the puppy to a separate quiet area to learn how to self-soothe with chew toys or puzzle toys.

That was quick learning, and Loki seems to have already mastered it! Great job! Even though you are super sonic fast in giving several cues in a row he seems to be keeping it up like a pro. I love the enthusiastic end to the session. 😍

Hi there, welcome to the forums! It's so nice of you opening your heart and home to Kira and wanting to work so diligently on her "baggage." PRE-LAT was designed to help dogs who need some sub-steps prior to jumping into the visual aspect of behavior modification using Leslie McDevitt's LAT. For those curious about this, this is the section that talks about PRE-LAT: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/pre-lat-look-behavior-modification/ Playing a recording of dogs barking can be a good start, but if we want to go more in depth and cover all basis, I would aim to include several different types of barks considering that on walks dogs encounter dogs who bark from excitement/desire to play, fear, frustration, territoriality etc. So the more types of barks you include, the better. If you know a dog who barks in a certain way on walks that triggers Kira, it may help to go on the walk on your own to just record that barking and playing it back at lower volume. To provide clarity, start the pleasant activity (feeding treats) contingent upon playing the barking sounds initially at a low volume in a open bar closed bar fashion: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/open-bar-closed-bar/ Once the recording ends, all good things (treat delivery) end too. I would start with a tasty food first because food is a primary reinforcer and it has a more direct impact. I would aim to obtain what's known as a POSITIVE conditioned emotional response (+CER): https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/conditioned-emotional-response-cer/ Some examples of the "hear that" method are included here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/fear-noises/ In regards to "sniff that" since each dog has a unique smell, I find it more useful to use this approach if there are some specific dogs the dog will eventually encounter and that would be part of the behavior modification plan. As with 'hear that' you can do several reps during the day where you present the scent and pair it with treats with the goal of getting that +CER. Afterward, one can start preparing for some visual aspects using LAT. Firstly, it would help to obtain a fluent response to the smacking sound: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/the-airplane-game/the-smacking-sound/ Then one can do some exercises at a distance from a window with helpers walking dogs back and forth using the LAT by the window exercise making the smacking sound: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/ The goal again is to get a nice +CER Afterward, one can progress with the dog on leash with the door open and helpers walking dogs once again back and forth. Praise and treats for calmly looking at the dogs walking by. Then, the exercise can be done by the deck, then on the sidewalk, always with the helper dogs being walked back and forth. Important is to always monitor the dog for signs of being over threshold and aiming to keep under the threshold as much as possible. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/ Any setbacks (like barking, growling, tensing up) need to be considered and steps should be taken to reduce the chances for these to repeat (increasing distance, walking the dog at a slower pace, avoiding direct eye contact between the dogs). The plan needs to be measured for signs of progress and any repeated setbacks must be taken as a sign that we are working too fast and need to take some steps back. Being caught off guard is something that can turn problematic. This also makes dogs more likely to be hypervigilant (I need to be prepared as dogs seem to pop up suddenly from anywhere). Because dogs who are reactive on walks tend to go over threshold and rehearse reactive behaviors, many behavior professionals suggest now that, when feasible, reactive dogs should take a break from walks around other dogs until they are better under threshold. This helps lower cortisol levels and decreases risks for the trigger stacking phenomenon. During this time, dogs should be provided with mental stimulation (brain games) and some prep training that can turn helpful during walks (smacking sound, attention heeling) https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/heeling-attention-heeling/) In general, I find that attention heeling works better than sitting considering that it keeps the dog moving (increasing distance) versus being static which can cause some dogs to feel more vulnerable. It's worth of experimenting whether your dog seems to respond to this better as well and leaving the sits and stays for later on. Other methods to keep her more under threshold include scanning the road ahead and walking in areas without corners as much as possible, (just a straight road with plain views where you can always see dogs with people approaching) using distance, and doing emergency u-turns as needed should prevent a dog from coming too close: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/emergency-u-turn/ Calming aids (DAP collar, calming supplements with l-theanine etc) may help as well. Some dogs are too overwhelmed to be learning and therefore may need prescription medication to calm down enough to open up those cognitive functions. Working alongside with a professional can help on many fronts such as reading her body language, keeping her under threshold as much as possible, keeping you, and people and other dogs safe, protecting your hard work from setbacks, and making important judgement calls such as when to progress. A behavior professional may also have access to a 'bomb-proof" dog that can be used for the task and is savvy in giving out calming signals. Some may even start with stooge dogs to act as real dogs before moving into LAT. I hope this helps! Please keep in mind that the above is just an "example" of a behavior intervention plan for a dog who is reactive towards other dogs. Only a behavior professional working with you directly can provide you with a customized plan after carefully evaluating your dog and her specific triggers. Keep me posted on how things go and feel free to ask any other questions! Happy training! Best, Adrienne Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting) for safety, please consult with a dog behavior professional who uses force-free behavior modification techniques (no shock, prongs, or physical corrections) for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos and general info found in the forums or course (or any online source) are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this course and forum, you are waiving any liability claims or other type of claims related to any dogs' behavior against you or others.

Love it!

- yesterday, when back from the walk I called the "to the pen" cue, but he stood at the yard door. Before the schedule was walk ==> nap, he even went in by himself You told me that he may need to sleep less because of him being older, but the fact that he's not responding to a cue he did respond to before, can it be caused by him going teenager ? it looks like a flight think : "nop nop I don't want to go in there now, I'm better off in the yard" Yes, we do see this type of behavior with the onset of adolescence. We see moments of regression and even moments of rebellion. Right when you think you have your pup's training pat down, it may feel like, at some point you hit a road block. Your pup may look at you with a blank stare when you ask him to perform a well-trained behavior, or worse, he just blows you off, ignoring you as if your cues were just background noise like the birds chirping on the trees. Moments of regression are rather normal during this stage. Make sure to train your pup in areas with little distractions and then gradually increase distractions. Make sure he is paying attention to you when you ask him to perform a behavior. Praise and reward every little sign of cooperation. Avoid scolding your pup or getting frustrated, this will only put a dent in your training causing him to dread being trained, when instead, he should look forward to it. You know how teenagers often are closed in their rooms, listening to music and have moments of rebellion, challenging your request to follow rules? The same can happen with a teenager pup. Juvenile pups in a similar fashion go through mood swings and they may just ignore you or decide to break established rules, and sometimes you may even catch them "talking back" with a little growl. Keep training your pup and be very consistent. Be patient. Help your pup make good choices and prevent him from making bad ones by setting him up for success (e.g. keep the trashcan out of the way, keep him on leash or a long line if he doesn't come when called,). - I may have messed up here, but I try to grab him to put him there, and he had really avoidance moves, and even snapped at me for the first time... I really understood the message "I don't want to be grabbed to be put in" so I left him alone. But it's not just the relunctance of being grabbed for the pen... Being grabbed seems to have regressed, even for going out of the car. Should we re-train that ? if yes, how ? grabbing + treating, grabbing + treating + walking around + treating ? If this is totally new behavior, and he seems like he doesn't like to be touched, make sure there's no signs of pain (like ear infections, soreness etc). If he was totally fine having his collar touched in the past, mention to your vet, sometimes painful conditions aren't easy to pinpoint. Like when Einstein had neck pain only signs were no longer coming happily to have leash clipped on and looking at us with the corner of his eyes rather than turning his head. With that ruled out, it sounds like he needs some refresher sessions on collar grabs being predictor of great things. If we don't maintain these associations, they can get rusty over time. Because he has tried to snap, you need to go far back in the process, to not elicit any snapping or avoidance behaviors. For instance, pretending to touch the collar/treat, then barely touching the collar/treat, then holding the collar/treat, then holding the collar and applying a bit of pressure/treat, then grabbing collar and letting pup take on step forward/treat, then two steps forward/treat etc. Of course, as with any behaviors that entail growling/snapping etc. if there is any challenge during this and for safety, it's always best working along with a professional. Important would also be to give a treat once he's in the pen so he anticipates good things when going in it. I like to say "crate" or pen and give goodies once the dog enthusiastically enters. - is the fact that he snapped a form of aggression that I should really watch out ? on normal circumstances, he doesn't have any sense of aggressivity, he's playful and nice, and for me it was just a message like "please don't do that, I don't like it", like when he growled one time. A snap is a warning, any dog who wants to really bite will do so without missing. This could be a one-time or rather sporadic event if we tackle the underlying issue (not liking to be grabbed) and aim to prevent rehearsal, or it could become a habit if it isn't tackled correctly. The biggest danger would be not listening to what he is trying to communicate and keep on grabbing him ignoring his communication. That could lead to a real bite. Practice makes perfect and he could then learn to snap also in other circumstances where he doesn't feel like doing something. - You said "luring and closing" could backfire and it may be seen like a trap. But is asking for the cue "pen", then closing, then rewarding and go for our dinner is also a form of luring and trapping ?(for me luring is throwing a treat in, and closing behind him while he does not see because he's going for the treat) The downside for him would be being in longer than the treat, and maybe then use the 10 min rule to see if he settles. - is this is also trapping, I'm not sure at all how we should proceed. To me it's not like he doesn't like the pen, of feels stressful in it, because as I mentioned in the last post, he goes in to search for spawning treats, or to get some toys. Besides I reinforce good things in the pen on a regular basis, like playing together inside, or doing obedience inside... To me it looks like a toddler behavior like "noooo i'm a grown up now ! naps are for babiiiieeesss" 🙂 We can use luring initially, at the very initial stages of training to go in the crate/pen, then we need to fade the lure as quickly as possible, because then the dog depends on the lure and that becomes bribery (dog will only enter if he sees the treat first, the treat has become a promise, a bribe). If the treat comes after entering (and without the dog seeing it, by keeping it in a pocket, closed hand etc) it's no longer a bribe, but reinforcement (although the dog may come to expect it). Technically, asking to crate, rewarding and going for dinner can be in some cases be felt "as a sort of trap" if the value of being with the family far surpasses whatever is provided. For instance, when we have dogs with separation anxiety, and we always predictably provide a Kong upon leaving, we risk that the Kong may come to predict our departure, and the Kong looses value and the dog may dread getting it. This is why now, professionals are instructed to provide the Kong also when we are around so it retains some value and doesn't predict departures, but ultimately it's most important to not expose to levels of departures that the dog isn't ready to cope with yet so to tackle the root problem. So if you must close Loki when you have dinner, make sure you provide something that he looks forward to and that can last for some time and that he looks forward to. On top of a treat, you may also provide a toy he doesn't get often so that after he eats, he can keep occupied with that. Many dogs do better if they are placed in an area where they can see us and still feel part of the family. Some dogs may do better being tethered rather than closed in or being trained to stay on a mat. It could also be a stage where he's "testing" his boundaries, and see what he can get away with. "I will try to whine and see if they'll get me out of here or at least gain some attention." However, we may still want to evaluate what we can do to make being in there great and consider whether there is something that may be negatively impacting being in there (too hot? not exercised enough prior? confined too often? being placed in there for timeouts?-just throwing these out, although I am sure many won't apply).

That's great, everything you mention doesn't sound like being particularly worrisome. We must factor in though breed, and Lappies are known for being very sociable dogs who crave companionship. This strong need isn't surprising after all considering their past. When not herding reindeer, at the end of a long day, Finnish Lapphund were spending the night huddled together with their human family and other dogs for warmth. So they generally do treasure companionship and don't like to feel left out which matches the FOMO you describe. Your concerns are valid though considering the increase in separation anxiety seen in dogs due to the pandemic that Jennifer mentioned. Separation anxiety often begins when owners go from being home all of the time, and then have to head back to work or run errands. The change is too drastic. So it doesn't hurt to do some preventive exercises getting pups and dogs used to gradual departures and their new routines. I am glad that you have a monitoring camera as that will provide you the best insight on how he does that day when you both head out of the door. Keep us posted!

If we just go out while he's in the pen, giving him a chew, and just increasing time, is it ok ? I'm pretty sure he will whine after a few minutes but starting to implement he will see that it's ok and we will come back I prefer to mix in shorter absences with the longer ones so that the dog doesn't sense/predict an increase in difficulty. You may find the general protocols listed in the below thread helpful, although, I am not sure if you're on time to work on this if your vaccine appointments are coming up very soon.

I'm looking for a way to disable the shock feature on the remote. I know of some trainers disabling the shock in two ways. Upon opening the box, there should be two small screws. One way is to snap off the shock prongs and fill the holes the prongs went through with aquarium sealant. Alternatively, I think the screws can be covered with the rubber tips commonly used for prong collars. This way if one accidentally hits the shock button, it won't shock the dog. However, yes, best to call the company as models may vary and you want to be extra sure no shock makes i through. Or even better, return it and use a vibration only collar or "pager." I feel awful about it, but I managed to shock her even with out the prongs. I guess they don't have to be attached. I had it turned to the lowest setting Just in case so thank goodness for that. She acted like something bit her butt and recovered quickly, thank goodness. They put the shock button right in the middle and I was juggling her treats with the remote in my hand and accidentally pushed the button. 😞 I'll just make sure I don't have the remote in my hand until we're all situated. I'm contacting them to see about disabling that shock so we don't have another accident. If she was shocked, this may require extra conditioning to undo any possible negative associations. To be honest though, I would use a vibration collar as a tool of last resort. I mean, her hearing is good, so a smacking sound or any other visual or auditory signal should work, it would just need to be trained over a variety of distractions over time. With the vibration, we need to consider things at different levels. While a vibration collar may seem rather innocent, it ultimately boils down to how the dog perceives it. Some dogs can get easily spooked by its vibrating sensation and noise. To a sensitive dog, a vibration collar can be perceived as aversive as an e-collar using shock. Important is to point out that, how the vibration feels and is perceived is something that is ultimately up to the dog. Sure it may be advertised as "a little tap on the shoulder" while the dog's body language says something totally different. There are many other less risky options for non-deaf dogs before considering a vibration collar and these have less risks for possible fallout (possible suppressed behavior, increased anxiety and fear, negative association with the owner, insurgence of new unwanted behaviors ). For instance, dogs can be trained to reliably respond to a verbal cue or a smacking sound/silent whistle from a certain distance. It takes time to build up to that, you may need a long line first, then wean that, and find how to fill the gates' gaps, but it comes with less risks. Sure, the vibration collar can be used in the least aversive way possible. Through a careful conditioning process it can be used as a reward marker, informing the dog that a treat is coming. It can also be used to get the dog's attention as a recall, telling the dog to come for a treat. However, there is thin line between using it in a positive reinforcement manner and a negative reinforcement/positive punishment manner. For instance, if the dog doesn't redirect his attention, one may easily be tempted to use a higher setting and keep using it in hopes of getting the wanted response. Using a vibration collar for training in a positive way though is not to stop a behavior due to an unpleasant sensation, but it's meant to increase a desired a behavior courtesy of a history of positive associations. If the dog finds the vibration aversive, it's not a good tool for that dog. It's therefore important always monitoring the dog closely, watching the body language and the slightest hint that the dog perceives it as aversive. Important is to also realize that, not always dogs are great at communicating how they feel. It could be the dog is internally finding the vibration aversive, but we cannot observe that. It can therefore be a non-observable internal perception. I was thinking of an invisible fence, but the husband mentioned wire. I even joked that we have enough Amazon and Chewy boxes to really puppy proof it, lol. The Puppy Bumper may work as well. I only have her collar on her if the girls aren't playing and I take it off inside. Most invisible fences use shock. Sure, there's a beeping to alert, but the goal is to use the shock to create a strong impression that potentially stops the escaping behavior. However, can be several setbacks with this. There is a very thin line between making the boundary unpleasant enough to deter the dog from approaching it, and not traumatizing the dog to the point of affecting his well being. There are countless reports of dogs being traumatized by the use of the electric fences. Dogs live in a world of associations. When they are shocked, they may therefore end up associating the shock with just about anything. Some dogs start associating the shock with the yard. One of the first signs suggestive of this is a sudden reluctance to stay in the yard and wanting to stay in the house. Next, a perfectly house-trained dog may start pooping and peeing in the home, because the yard has become a scary place to be and they want to avoid being there. In other cases, if the owner or other is nearby, should the dog become scared of the shock, he or she may associate the shock with the owner or other dog. Not to mention,according to a study, electric fences have been found to potentially cause instances of redirected aggression in dogs. Five cases involved severe attacks on humans by dogs being trained or maintained on an electronic pet containment system. In these cases, the pain caused by shock, has likely caused these dogs to react aggressively and redirect to a proximate target such as a person nearby. Here's the thing: When working on changing dog behavior it's important to firstly look at what needs to be taught first and what can be done to prevent the undesirable behavior to take place rather than relying on a tool first. It ultimately boils down to, when training dogs, using the least invasive options first before considering the more invasive ones. To better understand this concept, consider that many modern dog trainers now adhere to the "Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive”- LIMA- strategy. In other words, they are committed to “do no harm” and therefore choose the options that are the least intrusive, minimally aversive as possible first and only consider the other options later. Here is a chart that shows how LIMA is applied: A list of hierarchy of behavior change procedures starting at Level 1 (most recommended) and ending at Level 6 (least recommended). Source; 2015, Freidman, Frtizier Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) IAABC.org Of course, everyone is free to choose what tools to use and what methods, but it's important to point out the risks and alternate options that can be used prior to resorting to them. For example, with a dog escaping a fence, the first step would be considering wellness (Why is the dog escaping? Is he exercised enough? Offered enough mental stimulation? Is he fed a nutritionally complete diet? Is the dog healthy? Suffering from anxiety or stress?) Anything that can impede and prevent a dog from being in a learning state needs to be evaluated. The second step would be antecedent arrangement, that is, managing the environment to prevent the behavior from occurring. Erecting a dog-proof fence, fixing gaps, making outdoors stimuli less tempting by adding enrichment in the yard, providing outlets for natural behaviors. Then we have positive reinforcement (rewarding desired behaviors). Differential reinforcement that is, rewarding alternate behaviors. What would we like our dog to do in lieu of the undesirable behavior? Then, there are several more potentially aversive methods to suppress unwanted behaviors/ reinforce escape behaviors and last in the list is positive punishment (using corrections to stop behaviors). Just wanted to point these out, I hope it didn't get too boring!

If this occurs when going to a human, it can be excitement or submissive urination. Here are a few pointers to distinguish the two: If it happens upon being asked to sit or right after being asked to sit, it could be that the looming over her, looking at her triggers submissive urination. If it happens when she's excited seeing you and is greeting you and you ask for a sit, it may be due to excitement. Here are two articles covering both cases. In general, puppies outgrow these forms of urination as they mature, but there are some things we can do to reduce these behaviors. Submissive urination: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/submissive-urination/ Excitement urination: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/urinating-when-excited/

"So the neighbor has some new Poodle puppies and it was Far too much for Esther to handle. She was Bonkers. She so wants to play and their high pitched barks sent her into a frenzy. Adrienne, this dog is going to be the death of me! Our gate is metal with bars and she managed to get her 40 lb self through those bars. You know how she sploots? Yeah, she's made of rubber and she somehow manipulated her body to get through those bars. She first stuck her head through and it stopped at her brow." It sounds like Esther is really excited about the puppies and the whole novelty factor. When dogs are in this state of mind (too excited about something or too anxious), they seem to become gifted with some sort of Houdini magic. Brings me to mind a potential service dog I had in training when I worked for a company that picked up rescues from shelters, got them obedience trained by trainers and then matched them up with a veteran in need who then continued to work with the dog going through an advanced training service dog school. So they provided me a dog fresh from the shelter of which I knew very little about other than maybe she had a hint of separation anxiety. I worked with her right away in getting her used to being in the crate for an entire week gradually increasing time she spent in it in hopes that I had built it up enough for the day I had to go grocery shopping. She improved gradually and we were able to build her time in it for half hour. That was enough time for me to go grocery shopping and come back. So they big day arrives, I walk her, then place her in the crate with a stuffed Kong, and a few extra long-lasting goodies just in case I was a bit late. I go grocery shopping, am stopped by a client who chit-chats for a while, then the cashier had problems with her credit card machine, and then on the way back I am stuck in a big traffic jam. Half hour turned into an hour, by the time I got home with terror I noted that 1 hour and 15 minutes went by. Since I didn't know much on how bad her separation anxiety was, I imagined all horror things, like her chewing her paws or breaking her teeth chewing the bars. At a minimum, I was expecting to find her howling and laying in a mess of pee. When I opened the door, I go straight to the crate and to my shock, it is empty! But wait....what really got me was that, not only the crate was empty, but the CRATE door was latched! How in the world did that happen? OH-MY-DOG, the crate was latched and no dog is in it? Did somebody steal the dog? Was this a joke or what? Did she get out of the crate and then latched it? If so how? And where is she if she's not in the crate? I go in panic mode and finally find her in the bathroom, looking at me and getting up from chewing the toilet roll into pieces with toilet paper pieces everywhere like Halloween confetti! I scratch my head in disbelief.. Ok, the dog is here and the crate is latched! How? So I go to inspect the crate and there are little signs of slight bending in the bottom wires. With horror I rush to check on her imagining her being disemboweled or something horrific. I check her belly and there are very, very minor, barely visible scratches. Still as of today, I wonder how she managed to push through the bottom of the crate and I am grateful she wasn't injured. When I told the coordinator, she couldn't believe me too. She never heard of anything like that. I had recorded her while I was away, but it was unfortunate that my recorder didn't have enough space to record for the whole hour and 15 minutes. The footage stopped at 38 minutes during which she was sleeping after having emptied the Kong and the other goodies. In any case, as with any challenges that occur, I would take them as a training opportunity. As the novelty of the pups wears off, I would put her on a long line and work on recalls at a distance feeding her several tasty bits of food in a row to leave a strong impact. I would also work on leave its as a backup. The more you work her around dogs (finding that sweet spot where she's in a calmer state) the better. I am glad you won't be using the shock function, but only the vibrate sort of in the way owners of deaf dogs recall their dogs. However, it may work only when you are out with her. There are good chances that if something pops up while you are not out with her, she'll make a bad decision. When not training, I would recommend making the gate as "Esther proof" as possible and monitoring her when out. She's young and likely to give in to her impulses when she's out. She hasn't been trained under this type and level of distraction so this is not unexpected. While it may be difficult to completely "Esther proof" the gate, you may just need something that makes it harder or takes her more time to escape so you have the time to intervene. Like chicken wire or mesh or some panels of chain link to cover the gaps and prevent her from easily squeezing through the bars. Other options: Some dogs owners have used puppy bumpers with success with their pups or small dogs. The bumpers have some loops on the inside which allows the Puppy Bumper to be attached to the dog's collar to prevent it from coming off. Of course, you will need to monitor your dog every now and then (some dogs chew them off or manage to remove them) and routinely check the bumper for any wear and tear. I am not sure how well they may work for larger dogs, but here's the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Puppy-Bumpers-Red-Dog-Up/dp/B07CJ3Y6C2/ref Another option of" safe behind bars." Sold by Dog Gamutt, the "Safe Behind Bars" harness consists of a harness the dog wears with a horizontal bar on top that lodges when the dog tries to squeeze through tight spaces. Here is the website: https://www.dog-gamutt.com/products/safe-behind-bars-adjustable-harness There should be some videos on how it works. Finally, you can fatten Esther up, so she can no longer make it through- just joking! .

Hi there! Welcome to the forums! Thank you for opening your heart and home to a rescue pup! So sad that the mom was poisoned. A great majority of food puzzles and slow bowls were crafted for dogs fed kibble. When feeding raw, a few extra criteria will need to be met such as ease of cleaning and being able to accomodate the food which is often soft and a sort of gruel-like mush mess. Being dishwasher safe is an extra plus. I know of a vet who feeds her dogs raw and she uses what's called the "Green Interactive Feeder." It mimics blades of grass and the dog must work in order to get the food. It's made for dogs feed raw, canned or kibble.

"The actual only fear with this for us is the possibility that this is preparing the road for a potential big separation anxietyBut she will go back to her office several times a week now, and we may end up switching desks at home, so he gets used to her absence." If I recall well, not too long ago your girlfriend was away for some days and Loki seemed to be OK being only with you, would you say he has become more clingy/attached to her since then? How is he when your girlfriend steps outside for a bit? If he is getting too clingy with her, here are tips for dogs who follow around: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/following-owners-around-house/ Here is a thread with some tips if he seems to have trouble coping with her leaving: https://forum.braintraining4dogs.com/topic/278-separation-anxiety/?tab=comments#comment-1411

"Boy I sure made it sound simple back then. I didn't have an Esther. This dog is an enthusiastic licker, ugh. She's quick, too, lol. I've determined she just loves to taste Everything. I had my head on my desk a moment ago and I had Gertie on one side, Esther on the other, and was petting them both. Everything was calm and sweet as I was scratching their chests and destressing, but noooo, Esther had to ruin the moment. She gave me a fast flick of her tongue on my mouth, gag. I know what goes into that maw, lmao! 🤢 I wasn't even expecting it she's so fast. What do you do for a one lick offender? A drive-by licker? Lickety splitter? A lick bomber? Haha It's so much easier when they continually lick! Maybe she'll eventually grow out of it since the worst of it has subsided" LOL! I love the drive'by licker" description, it gives you the idea perfectly! Ha! I can see how things may look different looking back. Every dog is so precious to us from a dog studying viewpoint, (even though they may often engage in annoying behaviors) because they all teach us new things, get our creative juices flowing in troubleshooting and, just like snowflakes, there are no two dogs alike. Like Esther, many dogs are prone to "tasting". Einstein used to engage in "tasting" too like an old wise wine connoisseur. He used to lick all the used dog textbooks I used to get in the mail from a second-hand online store and would teeth chatter too, sending scent molecules to his incisive papilla up to his Jacobson organ and you could literally see him evaluate the smells. I used to love to watch him engage in this fine art, imagining how life must feel to a dog as a macrosmatic being. I can see the challenge with these quick mouth licks as they catch us off guard, leaving us little wiggle room for prevention. With younger dogs it's quite common (it's a behavior reminiscent of puppyhood pups soliciting mother dogs to regurgitate a meal, then morphed into greeting gesture/a way to obtain information also, affiliative/attention seeking behavior) and it should gradually subside between using a bit of management and sometimes, a strong reaction from us may work in some cases. Management-wise this could mean: -Keeping your face at a distance from your dog's face as much as possible. Don't sit on the floor with your dog or bend down too close to her face. Out of close sight/smell, out of mind. This can be easier said than done, as when we pet our dogs and love on them, we tend to want to have our faces close to them. Leaning a bit back though can help not evoke the behavior. -Keeping your mouth area as clean as possible. If our mouth area smells like a jar of peanut butter we recently ate, our dogs will be unable to resist licking our mouth area of course. And even if your dog was just planning to lick your mouth out of other motives, finding any tasty flavors along the way of course adds more reinforcement to it. Working on the behavior, these are just a few ideas and may have some trial and error testing to see what works best. -Rewarding alternate behaviors. This can work but mostly if it happens often enough or to particular triggers. We do this by recognizing which of our exact behaviors elicit the mouth licking behavior (leaning towards the dog, placing our face too close, sitting on the floor) and gradually exposing to these behaviors in a step-by-step incremental fashion while aiming to reward an alternate behavior of our choice or just plain non face-licking. For instance, we can lean a little forward and be super quick to click/treat for not facing licking, lean a little more , click treat for non-face licking, leaning more and for longer (increase latency between face exposure and click/treat) sitting on the floor- click/treat for non face licking. The goal being being able to have our face nearby and our dogs disregarding their impulse in hopes of earning a treat. -Stopping the interaction contingent upon the behavior. In other words, praise, pet and talk to your dog, but the moment she licks your mouth, abruptly stop, get up and leave. -Reacting strongly. This may or may not work. Depends on the dog. It might not work with dogs who are attention-seekers or who think what we do is always a game (and that includes even watching us get frustrated). It also shouldn't be done with dogs who are easily startled or frightened. You may also want to avoid doing this when other dogs are nearby so they don't think their own behaviors are part of equation. This worked for me with a dog who used to do this out of the blue. She was a repeat offender. Based on your description, I have a feel you are already doing this or something close to it. In any case, what I do is stop petting abruptly and react strongly by saying 'yuck! or "bleh!" loudly and start spitting loudly with my mouth closed sort of like when one is spitting a hair or something difficult to remove from the mouth. The dog in question looked at me sort of like a bit shocked as if thinking "Jeez, what did I do wrong?" After two or more trials, the behavior decreased as she must have gotten the message that "Adrienne must really not like being French Kissed!" Tip: If a dog is an attention seeker, this reaction can be added to the prior tip and therefore we can react strongly and then leave. I hope this helps, it's not easy when behaviors like these happen randomly and out of the blue and we can't find a common culprit that evokes it. I agree, it's much easier when they continuously lick.

Thanks for sharing all of these great resources! I had to work recently with a Pom who barked a lot at the doorbell, and she didn't react to any of the Youtube doorbell sounds as they made a different sound and this doorbell was rather unique, so I had to record the actual doorbell sound and play it back to her to get started. Time permitting, I wish to post a video of it soon.

Glad too the forum is back up and working, we had tech support work on cracking a very tough case, but glad it's over and all is back to normal. See my observations in bold. - Loki is growing good and beautiful. He started to become a redhead 😄 😄 (see attached pictures :)) Aww... that face! I did see some black dogs turn reddish especially as spring/summer is around the corner as the result of the sun exposure. - We're becoming 5,5 mo. It seems he's having a new teething period. He's chewing a lot more, and with more strength. But on this, we stopped trying to preserve chews, bones, and so... He's getting more bones and chews than ever, because without them, it's on furnitures and with mollars that are now out, it's quicker to kill a chair or wood table. It's called the "second teething stage" which takes place between the fourth and ninth month. During this time, pups may be more destructive than ever now since they have most of their permanent teeth in and have stronger jaws. - His sleep needs seemed to have evolved. Specially the evening nap, that we used for dinner. Usually after a big walk / awake session, we put him to sleep in the playpen at 7PM (he even goes in by himself) and eat until 8:30PM something like that. But lately, he won't go again by himself, even throw some whining and barking when being put in, and awakes in less than an hour. It is like a real regression ? or just changing circumstances ? I don't think he hates the playpen as enjoy doing pen games like IN and OUT... But yeah, it seems just like early evening is not a nap time anymore - We receive many people and family lately, so the schedule has been disrupted. No more naps in the pen in the morning nor in the evening. Lots of bones and high value chews to keep him busy, while we eat, or take the aperitif... It went well globally, but I hope being back to normal once the people period will pass won't be too hard. We even tried to put him in the pen in the same room as us when we were eating desserts (because he sometimes finished his chews before we ended eating) and it was ok : a little whining, but he mostly sits quietly hoping to be brought back. We didn't let him very long, so it didn't became a pain for him Is this after your puppy has dinner? Many pups have lots of energy shortly after eating and some have "post-prandial zoomies." The change of routine you mention though may have an impact too. Perhaps guests are disrupting a bit his sleep or he has fear of missing out. Also we must factor in the fact that he's grown up more, so he may not need as much sleep as when he was younger. - outside "leave it" and "drop it" are still difficult, and recalls can be either superb, or just total ignore... I'm starting to wonder it teenage time isn't beginning, specially with the new teething thing At five and a half months, he's at the flight stage, which coincides with the adolescent stage and that can impact recalls. https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/flight-instinct-period-4-8-months/ https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/survive-dogs-adolescent-stage/ I would evaluate in what situation/situations he failed to leave it, drop it and come when called and gradually work up the challenge. - he likes to hump other dogs : what should we do about that ? some owners are ok and let their dogs decide if they're ok with that or... some owners aren't... what should be done ? I heard it was a dominance thing as with its age it's not likely sexual... Will he grow dominant on us or others if we allow that ? he never humps me, sometimes my gf Is Loki neutered? Unless a dog is intact (not neutered) and is around a female in heat, in most cases humping is carried out for other reasons that have nothing really to do with reproduction. Indeed, the behavior of humping other puppies starts early, as early as dating back to the days puppies were at the breeder's homes living with their littermates and mom. Any observant breeder can attest that. Puppies hump in play and it's a totally natural behavior. When puppies play, they are enacting several aspects that are present in adult life and these may include even some reproductive behaviors. Just as children practice play behaviors that mimic chores that occur in adulthood such as cooking, playing doctor or getting married, puppies often incorporate in play hunting elements such as stalking, chasing and pouncing, fighting elements ( such as pinning down, biting necks), fleeing elements (such as being chased) and even courtship elements (mounting). Sometimes, we see humping due to overstimulation/excess excitement or stress. Dog parks or doggy day cares may just be too much for certain pups and humping in this case, acts a stress releaser and can be highly self-reinforcing. Some dogs who therefore feel insecure in new environments may just resort to humping other dogs almost obsessively out of stress and confusion. It can therefore be classified as a possible displacement behavior in dogs. It's therefore important to carefully watch the dog for any subtle or unrecognized stress signals. Yawning, scratching for no apparent reason, lip licking, pacing and whining may be signs of an over stimulated and stressed dog. As to whether to stop it, you may hear various different "takes" on this. My personal perspective is that, as long as the puppies playing look happy and are having fun, there is no need to intervene. However, things start getting problematic if one puppy is pestering another puppy and the other puppy is trying to make the other dog stop. This can turn problematic, especially as dogs mature, according to a study, excess mounting at dog parks led to aggression 85 percent of the time. Here are some tips for stopping problematic humping of other dogs. -Consider that the behavior can be self-rewarding so avoid allowing your dog to rehearse this behavior over and over as it can become quite habit-forming. -Intervene early. In general, with humping behaviors directed towards other dogs, the earlier the behavior is tackled, the better the outcome. A dog who has rehearsed the humping behavior for years is going to be more difficult to tackle compared to a dog who has just started. On top of this, a dog who will not redirect from humping (like upon being called) may be too far gone to really listen and redirect so could end up being attacked when the dog on the receiving end has had enough and decides to take the matter in his own "paws" so to say. -For stress humpers, ensure these dogs get enough quality sleep and that they are not exposed to too much overstimulation. Day cares and dog parks may be just too much for these dogs. It may help to try less overstimulating exposures such as organized walks with other dogs or small play groups with dogs who help the humper self regulate. -As tempting as it can be to simply pull the dog off, every time he or she humps other dogs, this method risks backfiring. By pulling the dog off without dealing with the underlying issue, the dog risks getting more aroused and frustrated. -Aim to work on calm interactions around other dogs. Group obedience classes, walks, hikes, can teach humper dogs other more controlled ways to interact that doesn't involve humping. While we there are several underlying causes for dogs humping other dogs, it's important to realize that humping is a behavior that some dogs may tolerate, but it's one big provoking factor for dogs fights. Here's the thing: dogs are very routine-oriented beings and when they rehearse behaviors over and over, they get stuck into their habits and practice makes perfect. When dogs therefore get to rehearse problematic behaviors over and over such as humping, it can become quite habit-forming and eventually it may become their default way for them to want to interact with other dogs. Humping people may also occur due to overstimulation, or a way to seek interaction/attention. It can also be a sign of a cranky, tired puppy. Just like tired toddlers, puppies may start to misbehave when they are in dire need for a nap. Have you noticed when the humping your GF seems to occur the most? Dominance has turned out of favor when it comes to explaining dog behavior. Most canine behavior problems stem from insecurity and/or a desire to seek and maintain safety and comfort or gain some type of reinforcement– not from a desire to establish higher rank. In reality, rather than vying for top dog position, when dogs do the things they do, that are often driven by a variety of other motivations, which can include genetics, socialization, available resources, fear, conflicts, learning, etc. - I'm a bit jealous of something, he seems to be really more into my gf than into me, whereas I'm the one taking the most time for him 🙂 But he plays more easily with her, whines when she goes out his sight, and on morning she has a bigger party than me... but she also get more biting, and a little humping too... can this be a gender thing ? can it be something I did ? As I'm doing the most obedience, maybe I am the "annoying guy that gives orders" ? There can be several causes for this, and we can only speculate. If you are the one doing the feeding, training and walking the dog, while your girlfriend gains a lot of adoration from Loki it can be that, since she may be more lax on some rules, Loki may stick to her side more because he knows he can get away from things more. It could he's drawn to her tone of voice (female voices often entice dogs to play and are great praising/encouragement voices) while male voices can sometimes shut dogs down a bit more, being on the deeper tone. It could be if he sees her less than you, she's more salient and therefore gets a bigger greeting. If this is a recent change, think a bit back in time and evaluate whether something negative may have happened. When you think about negative, consider that it must be negative from your dog's perspective not yours. This means it can be anything as innocent as you putting ear drops in your dog's ears, giving him a bath or trimming his nails if these are activities Loki doesn't enjoy. Just a few thoughts!

Hello and welcome to the forums, The diarrhea event can certainly play a role in the onset of barking more. If he was taken out more frequently, especially if he barked or moved around more making you suspicious he needed to potty, that could have left a strong impression in his mind and now with the diarrhea resolved, he may be expecting a response and be taken out as often as before. We do have forum members reporting similar regressions in crate training after diarrhea episodes, but usually they are short lived. It can certainly be challenging knowing at times when he really needs to be taken out due to diarrhea or just because he has gotten used to being taken out more frequently. If ever in doubt, it would be important to take him out on leash to the usual potty area for a few minutes to give him the opportunity to potty, being extra boring, no talk, no touch no interaction etc. and then, straight back in the crate.

You're very welcome! I tested the website and things seem to be back to normal. Happy training! Adrienne

You are very welcome! Thank you for the kind words. Keep me posted on how things go and feel free to ask any other questions you have. Best, Adrienne

Hi there! This behavior may be quite fun for pups, but not so much for us as we would like to keep our noses where they're supposed to be😉 This form of play stems from when pups are in the litter with their litter mates and mom and has also a name: "bitey face." It often involves grabbing onto each other pups' ears, cheeks and the loose skin of the neck and is often accompanied by teeth-showing displays and growls. As much as this may seem scary to watch, most of the times the two pups are having a great time. With humans, attempts to bite the face are not so welcomed for obvious reasons. It often takes place when we bend down towards the puppy or when we sit down on the floor to interact with the puppy. Some puppies will also engage in this when they jump onto the couch and our faces are more approachable. Of course, puppies who engage in rough, obnoxious behaviors don't know that we can get hurt by their sharp teeth. They also sometimes seem to have a hard time grasping the idea that we do not enjoy this type of interaction and most likely that's because this is what they have done all the time since they were in the litter playing with their siblings. It doesn't help that many puppies fail to understand our signs of displeasure and may misinterpret our attempts to send them away from our faces. Any physical interventions such as pushing the puppy away or quickly withdrawing the face risk being interpreted as engagement. Indeed, if you carefully watch puppies play, you will notice how moving away often evokes more grabbing and chasing. Vocalizations such as yelping or saying "ouch" and quickly withdrawing from play by turning around or leaving the room, may work for mild cases. Some puppies though may get more overstimulated by such vocalizations or may view them as a fun challenge. They may think along the terms of: "cool a human tug toy that squeaks too!" or they may feel the need to bite more in hopes of getting the human to move and interact again. So how can we tackle this issue? Biting targeted towards the face should be discouraged considering the potential for injuries and the risks in a puppy growing up and continuing this behavior. The behavior can be particularly problematic which children who are at a dog's face level. Following are some tips that come to mind. You can try several and see what works best and you can combine some of them too. -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 therefore 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 his level, stretch your arm out and offer your hand and ask your puppy to target. Here's how to train hand targets: 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 sitting on the footstool and then on the ground. Other ideas: -If you catch your puppy attempting to bite your face, you can say "oops" as you get up and leave so to inform your puppy that his play style leads to him losing his favorite playmate. -Provide stuff to gnaw on (bully sticks, stuffed Kongs) and ample of puppy-safe chew toys of different textures. Make sure to rotate chew toys so that they maintain a certain level of novelty. -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. -Use caution to not inadvertently encourage jumping and biting the face area when you play with your puppy. Try to play with your dog using a tug-toy or flirt pole making sure to keeping 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. -Ensure your puppy is receiving enough sleep. Young puppies need to sleep a lot and just like human children, they may get cranky when they are tired. If your puppy is misbehaving, chances are he 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. -Consider that dealing with puppy biting takes a multifaceted approach. Puppies need to be provided with outlets for pent-up energy, positive feedback for performing desirable behaviors, consequences for undesirable behaviors (getting yup and leaving) and lots of chew toys. -While puppy play biting is for the most part an innocent game even though it may seem rough, 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 for an in=person consultation and guidance. Hope this helps, Let me know how it goes, Best, Adrienne

Initially Spotty would get angry and growl at Luna even when Luna drank from her own water bowl. That is how crazy it was at home. Anywho, now they sleep in the same bed. They are okay sharing the same water bowl. They walk together (although they don't understand when to wait when the other is eliminating). They sometimes even play which brings me immense joy. I am very glad to hear your two dogs are doing better and getting more along now. It sounds like they needed some adjustment period to get acquainted and once they got things sorted out, they were able to find a mutual agreement and now can co-habitate tolerating each other. I am sure it must feel very good to see them sleep and play. Here's where I am stuck. I live in a very busy city. Like even the smaller narrower lanes have vehicles coming both the ways and with them my ears and eyes are all super alert at every walk. Partly because both don't seem to understand or follow anything in all that chaos. I mean Spotty like you know doesn't obey any cues outdoors. And Luna who does listen to heel and attention heel outdoors is way too distracted upon seeing a person whose vibe either she likes (so goes running to them) or hates (starts lunging and aggressively barking), or vehicles she doesn't like (she will with all her force move past me hence always almost tripping me over and lunging at a fast moving vehicle). It's scary and really breaking my shoulder now. Both do the same lunging and running at cats and rats. And as usual it takes all my strength to either keep them put or pull them back if they've successfully taken me ahead with them. Either way walks have become more and more difficult. And nothing seems to fix this situation. Maybe I haven't tried the right things. I don't know. Also, Spotty who reacts upon seeing any dog is also troublesome now because Luna is learning from her. And both team up against each and every dog. See, few streeties around our area are themselves pretty agressive and we anyway take a sharp u-turn when that's the case. But there are times when the dogs are docile and just minding their business and Spotty will start barking and lunging at the dog. I really understand your situation. Many years ago, when my dogs were younger I was really trying hard to walk them together. I was really determined and believed that if I equipped myself with big willpower I would have achieved anything including walking them together. Well, I was wrong and was just setting myself for failure. Two large and not fully trained dogs and one petite woman is not a good match. Yes, it's true, training dogs is more about using your brain than relying on strength, but I was doing things backwards. Only once I started walking them one at a time was I able to see progress. Each dog received the individualized attention they needed and I was able to work on many levels I couldn't tackle before. Only after lots of practice one-by-one, was I able to see improvements on their walks. Also, using a front-attachment harness helped a lot. A front -attachment harness (e.g. the Sensation harness, the Easy Walk harness, the Walk your dog with love harness) made a world on difference along with training each dog individually and doing lots of reps of attention heeling in presence of distractions and Look at that exercises. I am trying this new thing where I instantly turn around when either of them resxt badly towards a dog. We walk a little away and then come back in the direction if the other dog. Walk till either of them react again. I say no and once again turn around. We keep doing thsi again and again till I feel there's some decrement in their growls. I don't know if I should continue this or not. The improvement isn't a lot. But it's not even been that many days. This sounds similar to the emergency u-turn: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/emergency-u-turn/ There are several benefits, the biggest being it that if you do it in a timely matter, you prevent rehearsal of the barking and lunging. The more a dog rehearses a problematic behavior, the more it puts root. It's a good management strategy for those times when a dog is coming your way and you aren't prepared for working on the issue. Luna wants to pee a lot. It was a lot more when she was on Predni (medicine for Lymphoma) and I think now that's become a habit. She sometimes takes me down as much as eight times. She's quite handful that way. So, that's one more thing I wanted to know is there way for me to maybe reduce her eight to ten walks. We don't have a lift and taking stairs so many times kills me. And there are literally the times when she takes me down for nothing at all. So, then I figured she is bored. So I started playing with her. But nothing. But since the training or at least since we've been training a lot more, her walks have decreased by one and sometimes two. Interesting how being on the prednisone may have made peeing a habit! If she is off this drug, it could very likely be that she just wants to spend time outside or just un-learned to hold it for long. However, always best to make sure she isn't suffering from a urinary tract infection so I would mention it to the vet. It could also be she is urine marking rather than really peeing. Does she produce a large amount? is she spayed? She also does this weird thing where she gets all agitated and barks at me when my leg moves while sleeping. They both sleep on my bed. And don't like sleeping anywhere else. Spotty besides me and Luna besides my legs. But she gets very angry when legs move naturally. So, now I subconsciously don't move my leg sometimes all night. Subconsciously not moving your leg at night to not upset your dog, must take quite some effort. That's very nice of you. It sounds like your dog has a strong startle response from being awakened by your leg movement. Generally, in an ideal situation, we expect a dog awakened by the owner accidentally brushing against his fur to care less about it or wake up, lift her head and look around and go back to sleep. Some dogs may lightly startle upon being woken up, but their startle responses don't involve aggression. The dog may perhaps yawn (not because he's tired but more because he got startled) and then go back to sleep. And then some dogs like yours may act grumpy when awakened from napping, and any touch may evoke an episode of growling or snarling. While these latter dogs may "use their words," there is always a risk for escalation and a potential bite. Now, something worth precising is that, just because some dogs react this way, doesn't necessarily mean that they are aggressive dogs. These dogs may be wonderful, sweet dogs when awake. It's just that they may react out of confusion sometimes. Many of these sweet dogs act almost confused and then apologetic once they realize they are in familiar surroundings with their loving owners. This form of startle response may be due to behavioral issues but may also stem from medical and neurological issues, and therefore, requires a close evaluation by a veterinarian and/or veterinary behaviorist. The safest option of course in the meanwhile would be sleeping in a separated area. Also considering that excessive wakening up startled may create a vicious cycle of the dog being tense, relaxing enough to sleep, being tense etc. which may impact the dog's quality of sleep and may trigger a worsening reaction over time. I hope this helps! Let me know if you need further assistance or want me to go more in depth on something and we can do more troubleshooting. Please keep me posted on how things go. Happy training! Best, Adrienne Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. If your puppy or dog is showing any signs of aggression, please report to a dog behavior professional for an-in person assessments and guidance for safety and correct implementation of behavior modification techniques.