Category : Biting Dogs

Weaning Yourself and Your Dog from Compulsion Dog Training Collars

I was recently approached by a former client (I would still be her dogs’ trainer if I lived close enough!  I really miss her pack of dogs!) to help some of her rescue friends find an alternative to some of the training collars they have been taught to use.

I don’t like training collars, except the gentle leader, because not only do most rely on compulsion and punishment they are rarely used for “training” like they were intended or as their name implies.

A training collar if utilized should be just that; only used to train or teach a dog something.

BUT, how many times do you see a 4 or 9 year old dog still using a prong collar?

One of the biggest problems is that dog owners have been taught to utilize these collars but instead of just teaching their dogs, they rely on these products constantly to get their dogs to comply with certain behaviors.  AND, the dog knows when the collar is and is not on!

Even though many of these people have been taught by a dog trainer HOW to use these items they are never taught how to wean their dog off of them or how to teach them a different way!

Did I mention I don’t like these collars?  I want to make SURE that everyone knows I NEVER recommend them!  After all, we are a “hands off” dog training system and nothing is more “hands on” than choke chains and prong collars!  So don’t send hate mail!! Read the rest of this entry »

When Does Puppy Nipping Cross the Line Into Biting?

I recently worked with a client who had gotten a puppy 2 weeks prior to our meeting.  The puppy was 6 weeks old when he brought him home and immediately he had concerns that his new family member’s biting was not normal.

Within a week, he had called me for emergency help.

It is hard to imagine an 8 week old puppy having “aggression issues” but unfortunately some of them do.  These are the puppies and the clients I worry about the most as these puppies age.  Without a sincere and dedicated change in their lifestyle these puppies are hardwired for aggression issues and problems that could lead them to shelters, to biting someone, and toward ultimate euthanasia.

I am sure I will get some backlash for publically admitting that tiny puppies can have “aggression issues” because most people think that “puppies are puppies and if you just RAISE THEM RIGHT” you will never have to worry about aggression in your dog.

However, as much as I would like to adhere to that philosophy it just isn’t true, and it isn’t fair for the owners that inadvertently end up with these pups.  Some puppies have an abnormal amount of aggression, anger and a tendency toward “biting” not “nipping” but actual BITING.

I worry about and I feel bad for both the puppy and his confused and saddened owner, who is doing all that he can to curb the behavior NOW. Read the rest of this entry »

“How’s That Workin’ For Ya?” The Need for Change in Dog Training

I hate to even admit it now, but I use to watch Dr. Phil occasionally YEARS ago when his show was new.  Now I think he has joined the “smut patrol” with other seedy daytime talk shows but I use to think some of his advice was fairly useful.

Even back then, I use to see some of my clients (in my head) as he was counseling people.  He would ask a question, they would answer but then try to defend their behavior or their choices.

When given advice, they would often answer… “I tried, that doesn’t work, he won’t like it” and time after time they would try to defend their behavior or convince him to see the superiority in their thinking.

It was usually at about that time that he would interject… “So, how’s that workin’ for ya?”

This simple statement reiterates that the flawed behavior is NOT working and therefore there is a need for true and whole hearted change.

If something is working out efficiently, then there is no need for change.  But, when you are having tribulations you need to break down the actions and determine where things are flawed so that you can make a change.

The definition of insanity, as defined by Albert Einstein, is “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

As a dog trainer, I run into this psychology or “insanity” all of the time.  People want their dog to “change” but they don’t want to exert any effort and they certainly see no need to change their behavior!

I was always happy to realize that it wasn’t just my clients who behave this way; these people were on TV arguing with the renowned doctor and expert that they were seeking advice from!  When I look at it that way, my feathers get a little less ruffled.

I have to admit it is usually people that are dealing with aggression or other severe behavior problems that want to do the most arguing.  I guess because serious behavior problems require the most work and effort, and often take the longest to see suitable results. Read the rest of this entry »

So You Want to Be a Dog Trainer

Whenever I am out dog training or I meet people in a social setting they say they have always wanted to be or would like to be a dog trainer like me!  Whereas this is flattering I often wonder if people really realize what it takes to truly be a professional dog trainer!

I do not lead a glamorous life!

Some days I wish I could dress up, have long nails and wear jewelry, but alas…clothes get stained and ripped, nails are torn off, and I have had jewelry ripped off my neck by boisterous dogs.  And I have been bitten more times than I would like to admit; some being my fault and others blocking more serious damage.

I have one dog trainer friend that was disemboweled by a dog and another whose arm was broken by a dog that ran to the end of his leash!  Dog training is not always full of walks, snuggles and roses!

And, unless you import and train personal protection dogs or police dogs, it can sometimes be difficult to find your niche and actually make money in this business.

BUT, this article is not to discourage.  I actually welcome fresh faces who are willing to learn and dedicate their lives to improving the lives of dogs and their families.  We need as many kind and compassionate dog trainers out there as possible! Read the rest of this entry »

That’s MINE! Refusing to Share with the Other Dogs in your Pack

A lot of people have dogs that don’t like to share with the other dogs in the household.  Do you have a bully at home?

I think being possessive, resource guarding, or just generally not wanting to share is pretty inherent both with animals and with people.  How often do kids get in trouble for not sharing?

Hoarding, guarding and being possessive of food items can mean the difference between life and death in the wild.  The problem is our dogs aren’t living in the wild.  But, they still may be resistant to the idea of sharing what they consider a high value item.

The first thing to do is to assess how adamant they are about keeping the item away from your other dogs and how aggressive they are willing to be to keep the item.

As always, I am a safety first kinda girl; if someone is going to die or get seriously injured this matter becomes so much more serious and has to be dealt with, with safety in mind.  So let’s discuss highly aggressive dogs first.

Seriously Aggressive Dogs

The first thing to consider is your comfort level.  Although ignoring the problem isn’t going to work in the long run, I certainly wouldn’t recommend giving them a pig’s ear or something equally yummy to assess the situation!

Aggressive dogs need to go on a leash and a gentle leader to give you better control and keep a fight or a bite from happening.  Being off leash is a privilege and if a dog is showing aggression he loses that right!

Next is to introduce a low level toy or treat.  Low level means the lowest level possible to illicit the smallest response.  A toy that the dog barely cares about or a mediocre treat; again do not give a high level treat like a pig’s ear, real baked cow bone, or your dog’s favorite toy this might start severe aggression or a fight.

Dogs that are seriously food aggressive when they are fed, should be fed in their crates to alleviate the problem and keep dogs from fighting.  Sometimes the introduction of the crate makes the aggressor feel safer and therefore lessens his aggressiveness.  In a crate, he knows he does not have to defend his food!

Some dogs are so aggressive they cannot be trusted with great chewies or treats when other dogs are around because they become dangerous; these dogs may need to be put in a kennel or outside alone with their prize.  Occasionally a program of desensitization with them wearing a muzzle (to keep everyone safe) can help.

Only you know your dog, do not push him past his limits into a dangerous zone a veterinary visit to have dogs stitched up after a fight simply isn’t worth it.

And, never try this if your dog is also showing possession aggression or resource guards toward you.  There are easier ways to teach your dog to share with you that limit your chances of being bitten!  A visit to the hospital is also not worth it!

Mildly Aggressive Dogs

I stand by the fact that any dog showing aggression should be placed on at least a leash but in most cases also a gentle leader.  Again this just gives you control.  Instead of worrying about a bloodletting like you would with a seriously aggressive resource guarder, a leash still allows you to pluck the dog up and get him out of the situation.

I don’t allow aggression at my house.  My dogs are barely allowed to stiffen their body postures to each other and give each other the stink eye when they have something they don’t want to share.  No growling, snarling, snapping, or biting is allowed.

The ONLY exception to this rule is if I get an “oh so confident” puppy that is pushing his limits with the older dogs that he should be respecting.  In this case I would put the puppy on a leash and teach him some manners by not allowing him to try and steal from his older step-siblings.

At the first sign of any naughtiness or resource guarding I take the offender by the leash and lead him into another room for a brief time out.  If he is adamant about defending his article, he may lose the privilege of having it at all!

He may be crated or put outside alone, but I would not push his buttons by taking the item away and then making him endure watching the other dogs eat their prize.  Likewise I would never take his treat and give it to another; this only proves his point that he needs to guard his things and is liable to make his aggression worse!

Essentially what the dog wants is the “chewy” and so be revoking the privilege of having it for showing signs of resource guarding he learns it is unacceptable to guard items.

The Hoarder

All of my dogs learn to play “musical bones” where one dog tricks another dog to drop his “more appealing” bone and then snatches it away; this is normal.  It seems my dogs always want ONE bone; ultimately not the one that they have but the one that someone else is totally engrossed in and enjoying.

I have often giggled to myself as I watch my oldest dog Nix trick the others by sending up the emergency flag and barking like someone is at the door.  When the other dogs drop their bones and go racing to the front door, Nix is able to pick the bone he prefers.  Time after time the younger ones fall for the same trick!

But, I do not allow one dog to hoard the other bones, they may evenly exchange them around amongst themselves but I don’t accept hoarding.  Some dogs like to gather all of the bones and lay on some while chewing on one.  This is not tolerable!  (Again do not get bit if your dog is showing aggression toward you there are other safer ways, do not push an aggressive dog).  I take the hoarders bones away and redistribute.

I also draw a line with the hoarder that waits until everyone else has consumed their treat and then runs around growling and flaunting the fact that they still have theirs.  This hoarder will lose his bone all together if he shows this behavior, because what he desires is confrontation not the joy of chewing!

You wouldn’t allow your child to hoard all the toys and never share, or threaten other children if they came near… why would you accept this nastiness from your dog?

A Trick to Keep the Crowd Happy?

I always distribute at least one more treat than there are dogs.  I have 3 dogs, so when I dole out rawhides I let each dog pick (from my doggy ruler down the line) and then I put out one more.  This helps with resource guarding because if someone steals someone else’s bone they don’t have to get close to or in the other dog’s face to get back a bone because there is always one laying around.  The other beauty of this model is that the most voracious chewer usually ends up with this bone when the others have had their fill so no one else really wants it!

When the resource is plentiful there is less of a chance your dogs will fight over it!

Dog allow your dog to be a bully!  It is not fair to your other dogs to have to feel like they live on pins and needles.  Aggression is never okay!  None of us wants to be bullied and I bet after a few sessions of losing the prize your dog will learn to control his impulses and resource guarding will be a thing of the past!

When Is It Time to Seek Professional Dog Training Help with Aggression?

I have been a professional dog trainer for almost 20 years, and although I sincerely hate confessing to that because it ages me, it is also something that I am very proud of!  I have done many things in my vast career and I have seen even more things, admittedly good and bad.

Sometimes it is difficult to write blogs on dog training, especially dog aggression.  I have to assume a common medium in most of my writing, not only about the dogs but also about the dog owners.   Rarely are my articles geared to the most aggressive or the best behaved dogs because they are at the ends of the spectrum.  Usually I write articles that are geared for the owners and their dogs that are somewhere in the middle.

This article is for those dogs and their owners who are at the peak of the most aggressive end of the spectrum.  If you are afraid of your dog at times or his behaviors in any given situation, there is likely a good reason!  Never deny or refute the feelings of fear, if you do you are liable to end up in the emergency room seeking at the very least stitches and a tetanus shot.

It is difficult if not impossible to gage the aggression of someone’s dog by simply reading a post or hearing information.  The only true way to get a precise impression is to see it with your own eyes.  When I do in home training and behavior modification, I can’t give accurate information until I have met the dog and witnessed the behavior.

The aggression a dog shows can be as small and simple as raising their hackles, or snarling, or growling or it can be as frightening as showing all of the above listed behaviors with lunging and biting. Read the rest of this entry »

A Territorial Aggressive Dog Training Question; What Do You Think?

Recently I got a call from another dog trainer to take an appeal from a client that he had received.  I am always hesitant to take a client from another trainer that is “too busy”, as usually it means the client is overbearing or crazy or the dog is extreme or aggressive.

But, I am usually up for anything or… almost anything!  When I am not up for a challenge or I feel out foxed, I am not above referring to a veterinary behaviorist who can prescribe medication that may help.  Often even after a referral to a behaviorist, I am the follow up trainer.

So, I was tentative when I made the call since no real information had been supplied to me.

The Problem

The dog is extremely territorial when the owner leaves the home.  The real problem is that the owner leaves this dog that she knows is aggressive outside on invisible fencing.  When delivery people come to her property, they are met with barking and snarling and the threat of biting. If he is sleeping under a tree or inside (he has a doggy door) people don’t even see the dog until they are well within his boundaries. No one can see his boundaries because he is on an invisible buried fence.  Recently the dog bit a friend of hers that came onto her property while she was gone. Read the rest of this entry »

Help! My Dog Doesn’t Like to Share My Affections with My Other Dogs!

I have had a few questions lately from people who need help because one of their dogs does not like to share human time with the other dog/dogs in the home!   A lot of us have more than one companion dog or pet in our homes and it is all about finding a good balance between all of us.

I have 3 dogs and never seem to have less than two, which is just the way I like it!  And, sometimes there are some jealousy issues even in my home!

Some people would argue that dogs don’t have emotions much less complex emotions like jealousy, but having spent almost 20 years training animals I can attest to the fact that they have emotions and complex emotions. Read the rest of this entry »

Working Dog Theory

Today I want to discuss a working dog theory and get everyone’s opinion on the idea and why people are so adamant that it works.  Although I really won’t weigh in on what I think, only giving the facts and the pros and cons, those who know me and my writing will probably know where I stand!  I am fascinated by the fact that this particular theory seems to work so well for so many.

Let me clarify, for today’s article working dog=police/military/competition dog.  This theory would not work for Guide/Service/Hearing working dogs.

As the theory goes; working dogs should not be treated as pets and are not pets.  Working dogs should be kept outside in a kennel and not live inside with their handler or owner.  The dog should be taken out a few times a day to work and some work related play is allowed.  It is believed that this aloofness creates a better working dog. Read the rest of this entry »

Help for Dogs that Control Their Owners Relationships

Recently I was out dog training with a middle aged couple that had acquired a lovely, but wild Maltese/Terrier mix.  Admittedly she has many problems some of which include aggression towards the toilet (when it flushes) and vacuum and also the possessive guarding of her human “Mother”.

“Mom” is her main care giver.  She gets up in the morning feeds and waters her, takes her for walks, plays with and trains her.  Although there is an adult son that also lives in the home and her human “Dad” they mostly only interact with her when Mom is gone and they NEVER train with her.

She is definitely spoiled and gets almost everything she wants, from everyone.  When she demands that her humans pet her; they do.  When she wants to play ball, she initiates and insists someone throw it for her; non-compliance will be met with barking and an escalation from nipping to hurtful biting.  When she doesn’t want to be picked up, she flashes her teeth and is hastily left alone.  She has to be tricked to enter her crate when it is time for her owners to work.

Mom makes her listen and obey commands most of the time, but gives in to her “cuteness” and has trouble truly enforcing commands, but no one else even asks her to obey or adhere to any rules.

AND, “Dad” is not allowed to affectionately touch “Mom” in her presence without the threat of significant bodily harm and damage (thank goodness she is not a Rottweiler!). Read the rest of this entry »