Am I enabling my Dog's Bad Behavior?

[SydneyWright]

Hello!

I posted a few weeks ago about my dog's problem with play biting. I got some really good tips on how to stop it. However, I have realized that he bites to get my attention when he wants to go outside or play. He also will grab pieces of clothing to get my attention and when I go to grab them it becomes a game of tug of war. He does not consistently respond to the kibble or the leave it and drop it command when I try to stop him. He also does not always respond to his toys when I try to get him to play with them instead of biting people or clothing either. I tried the box and recycling idea, but he loses interested in tearing those things up and would rather play bite or grab someone's clothes. I know that he has a lot of energy and he wouldn't act out as much if I gave him more exercise, but he is undergoing heartworm treatment and I have to limit his exercise right now. I am at a loss, and I really don't want to be enabling bad behaviors. He is doing better than he was, I just need a little more tips and support for helping him to move forward.

 

Thank you!

Sydney 

[Adrienne]

Hi Sydney,

Welcome back!

I really feel for you, but it's not your fault. Heartworm positive cases are not fun. When I worked for a vet, we often got these phone calls from frantic owners not knowing what to do with their hyper heartworm positive dogs' energy. In some cases, when the dogs were heavily infected, I remember our vets prescribed sedatives. I don't know how bad your case is, but something to consider if your dog's burden was high and he has to be on strict rest. I know these dogs shouldn't be running around or engaging in activities that could elevate their heart rate or increase blood pressure and this can be a big challenge, especially for young, adolescent dogs!  

 I would stop trying to grab pieces of clothing from him. That's what he' s hoping for. He wants to play a game of keep-away, where dogs grab things and want us to chase them around. It's all a game. Here is a guide on how to deal with dogs who steal stuff:https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/stealing-things/

Now, it seems like he doesn't listen to leave it when he gets a hold of something, most likely he's over threshold due his restricted activity and having too much fun. I would keep away clothing as much as possible and if he manages to grab something still, I would try to exchange it for something more valuable than kibble such as a Kong stuffed with something tasty or some treats. 

I would ditch the food bowl and use his kibble for training and mental stimulation, but for quiet activities. I don't know though how high his heartworm burden is, so not sure how much his activity must be restricted. I know some dogs are ordered strict crate rest while others can stay out and just do quiet things. Please run by your vet the list of activities you are planning to do to ensure they are safe for him to engage in before trying any. 

Quieter brain games that come to mind are the following, but please avoid any kibble tossing since he needs to stay quiet, hand-feed it instead. 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/preschool/targeting/ This game may work well in replacing his desire to bite. Simply present your hand for him to target with a nose bump and reinforce that. Rinse and repeat several times, again, avoid any kibble tossing since he needs to stay quiet, hand feed it instead. 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/elementary/the-muffin-game/

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/college/the-shell-game/

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/college/the-magic-carpet/

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/hot-and-cold/

I would start clicker training him: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/clicker-training/ Clicker training can be quite a mentally draining activity initially so go slow at first. 

Once he understands the concept, you can then train him a variety of tricks and behavior such as: 

Turn on a tap light:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-your-dog-to-turn-on-a-light/

Cover eyes or shame on you:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-dog-cover-eyes-shame/

Go to a mat:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/video-archive/train-dog-go-to-mat/

I would also invest in Lickimats and Snuffle Mats and feed portions of meals mixed with some goodies in frozen Kongs. Jennifer, one of our loyal members here has provided some recipes a while back: 

 

Sniffing can also be quite a tiring activity. Have you tried to hide kibble in small boxes to get him interested in opening them?

I hope time goes fast for him, I cant imagine how frustrating it must feel for both of you!