Dog Behaviour
Fear Towards Strangers
There are many different reasons why some dogs react fearfully towards strangers. It could be because the animal has been abused, poorly socialized, had a negative experience upon meeting a stranger or is genetically predisposed to having fear issues. Whatever the reason, it is a problem that needs to be dealt with as soon as the behaviour is observed.
The most important time in a dog’s life is between 2 and 5 months of age. During this time period, if a puppy isn’t socialized to many people, places or other animals, they can grow up to be fearful. This critical time period sets a precedence for the dog’s future reaction to daily situations. That is not to say that you cannot socialize a dog after this critical time period, it just means that the dog will already have some preconceived ideas of strangers, and therefore may be more difficult to change the dog’s mind about strangers.
People also tend to generalize when socializing their new dog. They think that because their dog is good with their children it will mean that the dog will be good with all children. This is not the case. Dogs need to be socialized to every age group of children, from babies to teenagers, if you want the dog to like all children. The dog also needs to be exposed to adults of all shapes, sizes, and skin colours, as well as hats, sunglasses, baggy clothes, canes and walkers.
When choosing a puppy, you want to pick a socially outgoing pup. A reputable breeder will spend time socializing the puppies from birth, and will therefore have confident and socially outgoing puppies. It would be advisable to avoid the puppy that is hiding in the corner. This behaviour is a sure sign of future fear issues in this dog. If you do choose to take on a pup like this, early socialization classes are a must. If the animal was born predisposed to this tendency, you may never create a socially outgoing dog, but rather, a dog that will tolerate being in the presence of strangers.
If fear issues do arise in your dog, there are several things that you can do to help the problem. Firstly, have a professional dog trainer come to your home to assess the dog. They will be able to observe the dog’s behaviour and determine the protocol to take to modify or correct the behaviour. They will be able to teach you important steps to take to deal with the fear. Without professional help you may make matters worse. You must deal with this problem soon after the first time you see the dog exhibiting fear. The longer you leave the problem, the longer it will take to correct it.
Secondly, it is advisable not to punish the dog for showing signs of fear. This will only make matters worse because the dog will associate punishment with strangers, and will like them even less. Instead, redirect his focus on to you if the dog is shying away or growling at a stranger. Your other option is to remove the dog out of site of the stranger. Similarly, you do not want to reassure the dog if he is showing signs of fear. Humans find reassurance comforting, whereas dogs find it rewarding.
And thirdly, you must work on this problem just like you would if you were training your dog to sit or lay down. Put aside time to expose the dog to strangers, making sure that all experiences are positive ones. Try to set realistic expectations so that the dog succeeds at the exercises. Do not work on this problem if you are not in the mood, and most importantly, do not force the dog into meeting people. You will only be setting the dog up for failure and making matters worse.
The following is an example of what a trainer might teach you to do with your dog;
If your dog exhibits barking and lunging behaviour on lead when he sees a stranger approaching. Here are the supplies that you will need.
1. A 4’ or 6’ lead – NO RETRACTABLE LEADS. You need your dog in control beside you, not 15 feet away.
2. Very delicious treats that your dog loves and only receives when working on this problem. A good choice would be Rollover or liver treats.
3. A favourite toy that your dog loves and will only receive when working on this problem.
4. A head collar (a Halti or Promise Collar). This training tool gives you a lot more control over your dog’s head movements and takes some of the worry and responsibility off of the dog. He will be more inclined to look to you for guidance when wearing a head collar.
The key to success is preparing the steps you are going to take well in advance of meeting the stranger. As soon as you see the stranger approaching, place a food treat in front of the dog’s nose and lure him across the street. You should be talking to the dog to keep his attention and rewarding him for following. Make sure that the leash has some slack to it. A tight leash creates tension and could make matters worse. Crossing the street creates distance between you and the stranger which will make your dog a lot more comfortable than passing closely beside them. Once you are on the other side of the road, you can either have the dog sit down as the stranger walks by, or continue walking. If the dog starts to get out of control, then placing him in a sit would be preferable. Keep rewarding the dog the entire time the stranger is in view. As soon as the stranger has gone by, stop rewarding the dog. The dog will soon learn that treats come out in the presence of a stranger, therefore it is a good thing to see a stranger. You should repeat this exercise every day and with at least 100 people before increasing the difficulty of the exercise.
Once you are having success with the dog ignoring strangers and is focused on you, then try walking down the middle of the street (make sure that it is a very quiet and safe street) and eventually walk directly beside the person. This is where a trainer would come in handy because they could advise you if you should proceed to this step or not. If you move too quickly, you could undo all of the preliminary work that you have done with the dog.
For dogs who can tolerate passing by strangers, but won’t allow them to pet them, you can try the following. With your dog on lead for control, start giving your dog treats in the presence of the stranger (again, we want to make a positive association). Tell the stranger to turn their body off to one side, not making direct eye contact with the dog. Direct eye contact can be very intimidating to a nervous dog. Ask the person to gently toss the treats in the dog’s direction. If the dog is eating the treats, this is a good sign. If the dog will not eat the treats, it means that he is too stressed to eat in the presence of the stranger. If the dog doesn’t eat, create more distance between you and the stranger. You may also want to continue to feed the dog yourself, but have the stranger stop tossing the treats. You should also stop the exercise, and continue the next day. If the dog is eating the treats, continue to verbally praise the dog for being brave. After a few days of tossing the treats, the next step would be to have the person hand the dog a treat (have them turn side ways and not looking at the dog). Verbally praise the dog when he complies. Eventually you might be able to get the dog to the point where he might allow the stranger to pet it. Do not do this step unless you have professional guidance.
The exercises outlined above are for dogs who are fearful but are not aggressive towards strangers. It is a huge liability if your dog bites someone not to mention the negative affects it might have on the victim and on the dog. Professional help is the best route to take if you are not experienced with this behaviour. Fearful behaviour can easily escalate to aggressive behaviour if handled improperly.
Training your dog will not necessarily “fix” the problem. It will hopefully make the dog more comfortable and tolerable of strangers. If you catch it early enough, and if you proceed gently and slowly with the dog, you have a greater chance of success.
Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is one of the top reasons why people give up their dogs. The most common symptoms are excessive panting and barking, salivating, pacing, destructive chewing, urinating and defecating in the house, and an overall high anxiety level. Some dogs have one symptom and others have several. It can be caused by the following:
1. The dog has a poor confidence level
2. The dog may be too strongly bonded to the owner
3. The dog may have had an unstable upbringing or multiple homes
4. The dog may not be used to staying alone
5. The owner may be leaving the dog for very long periods of time
6. The dog has a genetic predisposition to this problem
Identifying the Problem
If you think that your dog may be suffering from this problem, try asking yourself the following questions.
1. Does your dog seem anxious as you are getting ready to leave the house? Does he look depressed, follow you around, appear restless, pace or salivate?
2. Does your dog bark when left alone?
3. Does the dog get overly excited when you return home, possibly taking a long period of time before he settles down?
4. Does your dog destroy the house when you leave?
5. Is your dog relieving himself in your home when you are gone? (If he is relieving himself while you are home, this could be more of a house breaking issue).
6. Does your dog follow you everywhere and consistently bother you for attention?
7. Does your dog have a previous history of having one or more homes?
If you have answered yes to more than one of these questions, your dog is most likely experiencing separation anxiety.
Solutions for Mild Separation Anxiety
The key to solving separation anxiety is desensitizing your dog to being left alone. Try the following exercises:
1. Only give low key greetings on leaving and on arriving home. For severe cases you may even have to ignore the dog when entering or exiting the home. When the dog has completely calmed down you may acknowledge him.
2. Teach the dog to accept being in a crate or room when you are home so that when you leave he will feel more secure in his environment and won't become destructive. You must get the dog use to this before leaving him alone for long periods or it will increase the dog's anxiety. If you need instructions on crate training, please contact the shelter. We do not want your dog traumatized by putting him in the crate and closing the door.
3. When you're at home, practice having the dog a distance away from you or in different areas of the house so that he is unable to follow you around. To teach your dog to accept separation by being in the room with you, teach a stay command and have the dog lying a distance away from you. Start with the dog quite close and gradually increase the distance when the dog is reliably holding position. When you are close, work distance and length of time separately.
4. Once your dog is comfortable about being separated from you in your home, try leaving the home and returning in short intervals. Start off for a few seconds and only build up the time if your dog is not displaying any signs of anxiety. You may have to repeat many, many times before getting success.
5. Provide lots of mentally stimulating toys such as a kong or activity balls. Put these in the room or crate 20 minutes before you leave so that the dog is preoccupied when you leave.
6. Increase exercise prior to departure. A tired dog is more likely to remain calm when you leave.
7. If your dog is having accidents in the house, put elimination on a verbal cue so that your dog can empty its bladder and bowel prior to departure. You may have to change the dog's feeding schedule to accommodate perfecting the elimination schedule.
8. Train your dog daily whether it be obedience or trick training. This provides mental stimuli for your dog. Ask your dog to perform a command such as come, sit, down, etc before giving attention. This is really important when the dog is pushy and demands attention from you. The dog needs to learn to work for attention rather than getting it on demand.
Solutions for Severe Separation Anxiety
For severe cases, a more intensive training program should be implemented.
1. During the training period, it is best not to leave the dog alone or you might undo what you have accomplished, or make very little progress.
2. Dogs are great at reading environmental cues that predict when you are leaving the house. Therefore you have to practice all of your pre-departure rituals in order to desensitize the dog to your leaving. Example: you get out of bed in the morning, you let the dog out, feed him, eat breakfast, take a shower, blow dry your hair, put on make up, get dressed, pick-up keys, put on your coat, and finally leave the house. When you are doing all of these tasks, observe when your dog starts to get anxious. Once you have identified the anxiety, practice this area of preparation over and over again your routine until the dog doesn't look anxious anymore. Example: If your dog gets anxious at the point when you blow dry your hair, go through the routine until you get to this point, then stop it once you have finished your hair. Your dog will suddenly realize that you are not leaving the house and will begin to relax. Do this for several days and then move on to the next step of your routine (which would be putting on your make up).
3. A lot of effort has to be made in the beginning stages before leaving the house. This is very labour intensive but is critical for success. Once you have gotten your dog relaxed with the beginning stages of leaving, the rest is easy. All of a sudden everything will come together when you leave.
4. Once your dog is no longer anxious about your morning routine, then try leaving for short periods of time and returning.
5. When working with separation anxiety, long training sessions are much more effective than short 10 minute sessions, unlike in obedience training.
6. In severe cases it is often helpful to obtain an anti anxiety drug from your veterinarian. This drug will take away the panicky feeling your dog experiences when you leave the house or shortly before your return to that house. This drug therapy can be used in conjunction with changing your behaviour around the dog (as discussed in the last couple of pages). In tough cases it can be quite successful. If you feel your situation would benefit from drug therapy, discuss the pros and cons with your veterinarian.
7. You may also need to look into dog day care options if you are not able to work on the problems due to a work situation
A lot of people think that they can solve the problem by getting another dog to keep the existing dog company. Although this seems like a logical solution, it rarely ever works because a dog who is suffering from separation anxiety is wanting human companionship, rather than animal companionship.
The key to controlling this problem is to be very consistent and patient. This problem is emotionally driven and must be dealt with in a delicate manner.
If you are working on this problem, please contact a trainer who specializes in behavioural problems and your veterinarian. It is always advisable to have the help of a professional whenever you are dealing with behaviour issues.
Excessive Barking
Excessive barking can be cause for concern in some dogs. It is very important to stop the behaviour before it becomes excessive, and the best time to start is the minute the barking begins.
At the Oakville & District Humane Society, we receive many calls from people in the community who are disturbed by barking dogs. The Town of Oakville By-Law Department is responsible for responding to barking complaints and enforcing the by-law. The Town of Oakville’s by-law states
"Any sound made by an animal or bird, which disturbs the peace, quiet, comfort or repose of any individual shall be deemed a nuisance and a fine may be imposed if no effort is made to control the noise. If legal action is necessary, a fine up to $5000 may be issued".
Barking starts for several different reasons:
1. It can be an inherited drive in dogs.
2. It can be a learned behaviour. Example; your dog might start to bark to get your attention, and if you give into that attention, you are essentially rewarding it for the barking behaviour.
3. A dog may bark to protect it’s territory.
4. The dog may bark when playing.
5. The dog may bark when it is left alone (separation anxiety).
There are several things that can be done to control the problem.
1. When the dog barks, firmly tell the dog "quiet". If the dog stops barking, pause for a moment to make sure he doesn’t start to bark again, then praise him for being quiet. By using this command every time the dog barks, he will learn the word "quiet" so that once the command "quiet" is used, he will know to stop barking. Immediately praise when he complies.
An alternative to this is to use a squirt bottle to punish barking. Follow the same instructions as described above, but after you tell the dog "quiet", squirt the dog directly in the face several times until the dog stops barking. When he stops, give him praise. This method would be implemented if using the verbal command doesn’t work. The squirt bottle makes more of an impact. If you have no other animals in the house you can put pennies in a pop can. When you say "quiet" follow the command by shaking the can until the dog stops barking.
2. When your dog starts barking, redirect the dog’s focus by calling him come to you and sit/stay beside you.
3. If the dog is barking at people out your front window, then reduce the stimuli by closing the blinds.
4. If the dog barks at every noise it hears, then put the radio on to muffle the sound.
5. If the dog is barking in the backyard, then bring the dog in. Your dog should not be left outside unattended if he has a tendency to bark. If you are outside with the dog and he is barking, call him to come to you (again this will redirect his focus).
If he won’t come to you and continues to bark, then he should be on a long line at all times so that the minute he begins to bark, you can easily grab him. Tell him quiet, then praise him by releasing him again. If he continues to bark, then it’s time to bring him in. Most dogs will learn that as soon as they start barking, they lose their backyard privileges.
6. Teach your dog to bark on command. That way he will only bark if he is told to, otherwise he should remain quiet.
7. There are many products on the market that are designed to help people with their barking dogs. The most common of these is referred to as the "bark collar". The bark collars come in two varieties. These are citronella and shock. We do not recommend using the shock collar.
The citronella collar has a box filled with citronella that is released when the dog barks. For some dogs the deterrent is the spraying sound and for others it is the smell of the citronella. Some pet stores and trainers will rent these to you on a trial basis to determine if the product works for you.
There are two types of collars. There is the type that automatically sprays citronella when the dog barks and there is the kind that is triggered by you. You are better off with the automatic variety as timing is critical in solving this problem. When you put the collar on the dog and s/he barks, the citronella is expelled and has a startling affect on the dog. When the dog goes quiet, then you reward him for quiet behaviour. You should seek the assistance of a professional when using these products.
Barking can be a difficult behaviour to change, but through consistent training you can get results. The key is to not allow the dog to nuisance bark or the behaviour will only strengthen. We all have to live in harmony with our neighbours, and not allowing your dog to bark excessively is a sign of respect for them.
Passing Other Dogs without Barking and Lunging
The most frustrating and embarrassing behaviour a dog can exhibit when out on a walk is lunging and barking when passing other dogs. This can happen for various reasons:
1. The dog wasn’t properly socialized to dogs and doesn’t know how to react around them.
2. The dog loves other dogs and is frustrated that it can’t get at them to play.
3. The dog may have had a negative experience with another dog when on lead and now it reacts poorly when on lead.
4. The dog started doing this behaviour to get the other dog’s attention and was never stopped by its owner. Therefore the behaviour became a learned response.
5. The dog is aggressive and doesn’t like other dogs.
Whatever the reason for the behaviour, it has to be controlled right from the start or the behaviour strengthens. There are several things that you can do to retrain your dog to walk by without barking and lunging. It can be very challenging and time consuming, however incredibly rewarding in the end.
Keep in mind that all of your training should be of a positive manner. If a dog has had a negative experience with another dog, the worst thing you can do is reprimand your dog when he begins to bark and lung. His resentment will increase because he will learn that in the presence of other dogs, he gets in trouble.
Training Exercises
1. HEAD COLLAR (Halti or Gentle Leader) – You can purchase a head collar from your veterinarian or from your local pet store. Please take the dog with you in order to have the head collar fitted properly. A head collar is a great training tool that will provide you with better control over the dog when he exhibits his barking and lunging. It is not designed to stop the dog from barking, however it will enable you to pull his head around and get him focused on you. Before you place the head collar on the dog and go for a walk, he must be accustomed to it first. Try putting it on for short periods of time and rewarding him before then taking it off. Once he is accepting of it (he probably won’t like it but will eventually accept it), try going for a walk, but at a time when there are few distractions around. You don’t want to stress the dog on his very first walk wearing a head collar.
2. GETTING YOUR DOG’S ATTENTION- Before you can expect your dog to walk by other dogs and be paying attention to you, you must first train him to acknowledge you when you ask for it. In a very quiet environment, have your dog on lead and a lot of treats in hand. Say your dog’s name and when he looks at you, reward him with a treat. If the dog doesn’t look at you right away, wait. The minute he looks at you reward. The worst thing you can do is keep repeating his name over and over again until he responds. You will be indirectly teaching him to ignore his name. Repeat over and over again until the dog is looking at you immediately upon your request. Practice this daily for about 5 minutes and at least 5 times per day. Once you are having success, start training in different areas. Your dog might regress a little because dogs do not transfer information well. Also begin by adding small distractions and building it up to larger distractions. Again, you may see the dog regress because it is like a brand new exercise once distractions are added. Now you are almost ready to take it on the road.
3. TEACH YOUR DOG TO SIT ON COMMAND – You need to have your dog under control, and he will tend to get less aroused if he is in a sit position. He cannot lung in this position, and he is more likely to give you attention if he is sitting in front of you. With a food lure in your hand, place it in front of the dog’s nose. Bring your hand up and slightly back towards the dog causing his bottom to hit the floor. Reward with a treat. Repeat several times until the dog is readily following the treat. Next step is to add the command. Say "sit", lure and reward. Eventually the dog will learn what the word means and you will no longer have to use a lure. If when your dog is under stress he cannot listen to the command sit, then you can also gently guide his head up and back using a leash and halti to physically place him in a sit. Reward him for sitting.
4. IMPORTANCE OF THE MOTIVATOR – Dogs need motivation in order to listen. A motivator can be a treat or a toy. If you use a treat, find something that your dog absolutely loves and only give it to him when you are out on the street training him to walk by other dogs. You want to keep the value of the treat high, therefore limiting when he gets it will keep his interest on the treat. You want to find something strong smelling and quick to chew i.e. Rollover, freeze dried liver, puperoni, hot dogs etc. If you decide that your dog is better motivated by toys, then find a favourite toy and again, save it for when you are training. You don’t want the novelty of the toy to wear off.
5. PUTTING TO ALL TOGETHER – Once you have your dog use to the halti, you are able to get his attention when requested, and he is fixed on a motivator, then it is time to put it all together. There are three main things to remember when training for this problem. Firstly, you need to anticipate far in advance that a dog is approaching so that you will be prepared. Secondly, create a lot of space between you and the approaching dog. Dogs will react worse, the closer you are to the other dog. Thirdly, always walk on a loose but controlled lead. Tight leashes cause tension and tension creates a natural instinct for a dog to pull.
Begin by getting your dog’s attention and reward him for acknowledging you. Ask him to sit then reward. Place your body in front of the dog so that you are blocking his view of the other dog. Reward him the entire time (or take out the toy and play with him) as the other dog is walking by. If your dog reacts negatively, do not yell or reprimand, instead try to get him back in a sit. Once you are having success, then you can try to lure the dog using your motivator (with the dog at you side, begin walking forward with a treat in front of the dog’s nose encouraging him to follow), as you walk by the other dog. Do not close the gap between you and the other dog until you have had complete success at luring. You can regress very quickly if you move to fast. Be patient and practice each step many many times before moving onto the next step.
Soon you should be able to walk by without needing to lure your dog. Instead, the treat will come out after you have passed the dog successfully. Eventually you will want to wean the dog off of the food treats, but do it very gradually and never eliminate the treats completely. The best system is an intermittent one where by the dog gets a treat after passing every third dog, then every sixth dog, then every second dog and so on. This will keep the dog always guessing when is he going to be rewarded so he remains motivated to listen. If he begins to struggle again, make things easier so that the dog doesn’t get discouraged.
Tips
* If you have multiple dogs, you must train them to walk by other dogs individually before you place them together.
* Set realistic goals. If your dog doesn’t like other dogs, don’t expect this training to cure him of that. Instead, be content that your dog behaves when passing other dogs.
* If your dog has been doing this behaviour for the past 6 months, be prepared to spend at least the next 6 months undoing the behaviour.
* Don’t set your dog up for failure. If you don’t have any treats left, don’t go for a walk. If you are not in the mood to train, don’t go for a walk, or go where it is quiet and where you won’t run into other dogs.
* If you are not getting anywhere with these exercises, you may need to add punishment to your training. You can use a squirt bottle filled with water to help to deter your dog from barking. When your dog starts barking, firmly say "quiet" then begin squirting the dog in the face until he stops barking. Reward him when he is quiet. Eventually you should only have to say the word quiet and the dog should stop barking.
Or you can try using a citronella barking collar. They can be purchased from pet stores or some vet clinics. It is a little box filled with citronella that is attached to the collar. The box sits under the chin of the dog and when he barks, the battery run box squirts up citronella into the dog’s face. Sometimes when you take away the barking from the dog, he then has the capability to listen and to focus on what you are asking from him.
We recommend that you get the help of a professional dog trainer to help you with this problem. It takes a lot of skill and coordination to work with this problem, and getting some guidance can be a great help. Remember to work on it daily and be very patient with your dog.
Dogs who Chew
One of the biggest complaints we hear from people is that their dog chews destructively. Whether it be a puppy or an adult dog, this is a behaviour that you can control.
Puppies chew things for a variety of reasons. The first reason is because it is an exploratory behaviour. Just as children touch things with their hands and put things in their mouths, puppies use their mouth to explore. Puppies will also chew when they are teething. Chewing relieves the pain that they feel as their new teeth grow in. Other reasons include boredom, it’s entertaining, and it gets them attention from their owners.
The best way to control a chewing problem is to place your puppy in a crate when you are not home, over night, or when you are unable to monitor the pup. If you prefer not to crate your puppy, then confine the dog to a room where he has limited access to chew things; i.e. a laundry room or a spare bedroom. That way he will be unable to get into things that he shouldn’t have. When he is confined, provide him with toys of his own that he can chew.
You should also leave a number of toys on the ground for when the pup is not confined. It is important to rotate the toys on a regular basis so that the pup doesn’t get bored of the toys and decide to chew on something else. Make sure the toys are NOT the type that he can chew and swallow.
It is also imperative that you pick up all items off the floor or in areas that the pup can reach. Put shoes away, hang up clothing and don’t leave anything lying around. If you don’t give an opportunity for a dog to chew, then the behaviour will not strengthen.
If your puppy accidentally gets a hold of something that he shouldn’t have, you can only reprimand him if you catch him in the act. Firmly tell the pup “no” or “ah ah” and remove the item from him and replace it with something he can chew. If he decides to run away from you with the item, do not chase him, rather, encourage him to bring you the item. When he does, verbally reward him for complying, and then exchange it for something that he can chew. Be careful not to over reprimand your puppy for chewing. This can result in a dog who chews things outside of your view, or it can make him protective over items.
Many puppies out grow chewing once they have all of their adult teeth (approximately 6 months of age), however it can continue into maturity. Some owners report a second chewing stage from 9-12 months. This is more common in some breeds than others. If a puppy has been allowed to chew anything he wants, this behaviour will definitely continue into adulthood because it has become a learned behaviour.
Exercise and training can also help a chewing problem. Exercise will burn off excess energy, and training will provide mental stimulation for the dog.
If you have an adult dog that has a chewing problem, you can follow the same suggestions as listed above. If the chewing occurs only when you leave your dog alone, you could be dealing with a separation anxiety issue. This will require you to seek professional advice. (see separation anxiety).
The key to success is supervision and a well organized home where the dog as little opportunity to chew. If your problem persists, contact a professional dog trainer for more advice and guidance.
How to Prevent Food Stealing in Dogs
A common problem we get asked by dog owners is how to stop dogs from stealing food off of counter tops, coffee tables or out of garbage cans. Dogs are opportunists, and because they love food, they will take advantage of any opportunity to steal.
Dogs also do not learn right from wrong. Therefore they never learn that it is wrong to steal things off the counter or from the garbage can, but rather, it is “wrong” to get caught. They will even wait to steal something when your back is turned or when you have left the room. Therefore it is hard to correct a dog who steals food.
Dogs learn through positive and negative association. If a dog steals food from the counter, it associates this with something positive and it feels rewarded. Therefore the dog will keep repeating the behaviour as long as it is being rewarded. However, if something bad happens to the dog when he goes to steal the food, then the behaviour will stop.
WAYS TO CORRECT STEALING FOOD OFF THE COUNTER
1. Keep all counter tops clear of food. When the dog goes to jump up on the counter, there will be nothing to steal and therefore the behaviour will stop.
2. Don’t turn your back on the dog or leave the room when you are preparing food on the counter. If you do have to leave the counter area, then you can crate the dog, place it in a different room, or bring the dog with you.
3. Create a negative association when the dog jumps up on the counter. Example: Place some food on the counter and leave the room. When the dog goes to jump up on the counter, run into the room banging pots together. If your dog is noise sensitive this will be enough to scare the dog and he won’t repeat the behaviour. Or you can place food on the counter and pour tabasco sauce on it. When the dog goes to steal the food, he will burn his mouth, and never want to take food off the counter again.
4. If you are going to use a negative association to correct this problem, then you will have to set the dog up (don’t do it while you are in the middle of preparing dinner), you will have to repeat the exercise several times in order to make an impact, and you have to make it negative enough to deter the dog from ever jumping on the counter again.
*Using negatives with a nervous, shy or sensitive dog should be done under consultation of a trainer.
WAYS TO CORRECT STEALING FOOD FROM THE GARBAGE CAN
1. Do not place the garbage can where the dog can reach it.
2. If the garbage can cannot be removed from the dog’s sight, then place something heavy on the lid in order to deny the dog access.
3. You can repeat step 3 as listed above. Creating a negative association will deter the dog from repeating the behaviour.
STOPPING DOGS FROM BEGGING
1. Don’t feed them from the kitchen table. Again, dogs learn quickly that it is very rewarding to sit beside you at the kitchen table – they get rewarded.
2. If you have already started this habit, then immediately stop. Ignore the dog throughout your meal. They will soon learn that it is no longer rewarding to beg.
3. Place your dog in a down stay on the other side of the room. They then are fair enough away from you and cannot beg. They should not get out of a stay position until you are finished eating.
4. Only give table scraps in their food bowl.
Remember that it could take a long time to untrain a dog not to steal or to beg. Practice these exercise daily, and remember not to give the dog any opportunity to steal food, or you will be undoing what you are trying to accomplish.
Fear Towards Strangers
There are many different reasons why some dogs react fearfully towards strangers. It could be because the animal has been abused, poorly socialized, had a negative experience upon meeting a stranger or is genetically predisposed to having fear issues. Whatever the reason, it is a problem that needs to be dealt with as soon as the behaviour is observed.
The most important time in a dog’s life is between 2 and 5 months of age. During this time period, if a puppy isn’t socialized to many people, places or other animals, they can grow up to be fearful. This critical time period sets a precedence for the dog’s future reaction to daily situations. That is not to say that you cannot socialize a dog after this critical time period, it just means that the dog will already have some preconceived ideas of strangers, and therefore may be more difficult to change the dog’s mind about strangers.
People also tend to generalize when socializing their new dog. They think that because their dog is good with their children it will mean that the dog will be good with all children. This is not the case. Dogs need to be socialized to every age group of children, from babies to teenagers, if you want the dog to like all children. The dog also needs to be exposed to adults of all shapes, sizes, and skin colours, as well as hats, sunglasses, baggy clothes, canes and walkers.
When choosing a puppy, you want to pick a socially outgoing pup. A reputable breeder will spend time socializing the puppies from birth, and will therefore have confident and socially outgoing puppies. It would be advisable to avoid the puppy that is hiding in the corner. This behaviour is a sure sign of future fear issues in this dog. If you do choose to take on a pup like this, early socialization classes are a must. If the animal was born predisposed to this tendency, you may never create a socially outgoing dog, but rather, a dog that will tolerate being in the presence of strangers.
If fear issues do arise in your dog, there are several things that you can do to help the problem. Firstly, have a professional dog trainer come to your home to assess the dog. They will be able to observe the dog’s behaviour and determine the protocol to take to modify or correct the behaviour. They will be able to teach you important steps to take to deal with the fear. Without professional help you may make matters worse. You must deal with this problem soon after the first time you see the dog exhibiting fear. The longer you leave the problem, the longer it will take to correct it.
Secondly, it is advisable not to punish the dog for showing signs of fear. This will only make matters worse because the dog will associate punishment with strangers, and will like them even less. Instead, redirect his focus on to you if the dog is shying away or growling at a stranger. Your other option is to remove the dog out of site of the stranger. Similarly, you do not want to reassure the dog if he is showing signs of fear. Humans find reassurance comforting, whereas dogs find it rewarding.
And thirdly, you must work on this problem just like you would if you were training your dog to sit or lay down. Put aside time to expose the dog to strangers, making sure that all experiences are positive ones. Try to set realistic expectations so that the dog succeeds at the exercises. Do not work on this problem if you are not in the mood, and most importantly, do not force the dog into meeting people. You will only be setting the dog up for failure and making matters worse.
The following is an example of what a trainer might teach you to do with your dog;
If your dog exhibits barking and lunging behaviour on lead when he sees a stranger approaching. Here are the supplies that you will need.
1. A 4’ or 6’ lead – NO RETRACTABLE LEADS. You need your dog in control beside you, not 15 feet away.
2. Very delicious treats that your dog loves and only receives when working on this problem. A good choice would be Rollover or liver treats.
3. A favourite toy that your dog loves and will only receive when working on this problem.
4. A head collar (a Halti or Promise Collar). This training tool gives you a lot more control over your dog’s head movements and takes some of the worry and responsibility off of the dog. He will be more inclined to look to you for guidance when wearing a head collar.
The key to success is preparing the steps you are going to take well in advance of meeting the stranger. As soon as you see the stranger approaching, place a food treat in front of the dog’s nose and lure him across the street. You should be talking to the dog to keep his attention and rewarding him for following. Make sure that the leash has some slack to it. A tight leash creates tension and could make matters worse. Crossing the street creates distance between you and the stranger which will make your dog a lot more comfortable than passing closely beside them. Once you are on the other side of the road, you can either have the dog sit down as the stranger walks by, or continue walking. If the dog starts to get out of control, then placing him in a sit would be preferable. Keep rewarding the dog the entire time the stranger is in view. As soon as the stranger has gone by, stop rewarding the dog. The dog will soon learn that treats come out in the presence of a stranger, therefore it is a good thing to see a stranger. You should repeat this exercise every day and with at least 100 people before increasing the difficulty of the exercise.
Once you are having success with the dog ignoring strangers and is focused on you, then try walking down the middle of the street (make sure that it is a very quiet and safe street) and eventually walk directly beside the person. This is where a trainer would come in handy because they could advise you if you should proceed to this step or not. If you move too quickly, you could undo all of the preliminary work that you have done with the dog.
For dogs who can tolerate passing by strangers, but won’t allow them to pet them, you can try the following. With your dog on lead for control, start giving your dog treats in the presence of the stranger (again, we want to make a positive association). Tell the stranger to turn their body off to one side, not making direct eye contact with the dog. Direct eye contact can be very intimidating to a nervous dog. Ask the person to gently toss the treats in the dog’s direction. If the dog is eating the treats, this is a good sign. If the dog will not eat the treats, it means that he is too stressed to eat in the presence of the stranger. If the dog doesn’t eat, create more distance between you and the stranger. You may also want to continue to feed the dog yourself, but have the stranger stop tossing the treats. You should also stop the exercise, and continue the next day. If the dog is eating the treats, continue to verbally praise the dog for being brave. After a few days of tossing the treats, the next step would be to have the person hand the dog a treat (have them turn side ways and not looking at the dog). Verbally praise the dog when he complies. Eventually you might be able to get the dog to the point where he might allow the stranger to pet it. Do not do this step unless you have professional guidance.
The exercises outlined above are for dogs who are fearful but are not aggressive towards strangers. It is a huge liability if your dog bites someone not to mention the negative affects it might have on the victim and on the dog. Professional help is the best route to take if you are not experienced with this behaviour. Fearful behaviour can easily escalate to aggressive behaviour if handled improperly.
Training your dog will not necessarily “fix” the problem. It will hopefully make the dog more comfortable and tolerable of strangers. If you catch it early enough, and if you proceed gently and slowly with the dog, you have a greater chance of success.
Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is one of the top reasons why people give up their dogs. The most common symptoms are excessive panting and barking, salivating, pacing, destructive chewing, urinating and defecating in the house, and an overall high anxiety level. Some dogs have one symptom and others have several. It can be caused by the following:
1. The dog has a poor confidence level
2. The dog may be too strongly bonded to the owner
3. The dog may have had an unstable upbringing or multiple homes
4. The dog may not be used to staying alone
5. The owner may be leaving the dog for very long periods of time
6. The dog has a genetic predisposition to this problem
Identifying the Problem
If you think that your dog may be suffering from this problem, try asking yourself the following questions.
1. Does your dog seem anxious as you are getting ready to leave the house? Does he look depressed, follow you around, appear restless, pace or salivate?
2. Does your dog bark when left alone?
3. Does the dog get overly excited when you return home, possibly taking a long period of time before he settles down?
4. Does your dog destroy the house when you leave?
5. Is your dog relieving himself in your home when you are gone? (If he is relieving himself while you are home, this could be more of a house breaking issue).
6. Does your dog follow you everywhere and consistently bother you for attention?
7. Does your dog have a previous history of having one or more homes?
If you have answered yes to more than one of these questions, your dog is most likely experiencing separation anxiety.
Solutions for Mild Separation Anxiety
The key to solving separation anxiety is desensitizing your dog to being left alone. Try the following exercises:
1. Only give low key greetings on leaving and on arriving home. For severe cases you may even have to ignore the dog when entering or exiting the home. When the dog has completely calmed down you may acknowledge him.
2. Teach the dog to accept being in a crate or room when you are home so that when you leave he will feel more secure in his environment and won't become destructive. You must get the dog use to this before leaving him alone for long periods or it will increase the dog's anxiety. If you need instructions on crate training, please contact the shelter. We do not want your dog traumatized by putting him in the crate and closing the door.
3. When you're at home, practice having the dog a distance away from you or in different areas of the house so that he is unable to follow you around. To teach your dog to accept separation by being in the room with you, teach a stay command and have the dog lying a distance away from you. Start with the dog quite close and gradually increase the distance when the dog is reliably holding position. When you are close, work distance and length of time separately.
4. Once your dog is comfortable about being separated from you in your home, try leaving the home and returning in short intervals. Start off for a few seconds and only build up the time if your dog is not displaying any signs of anxiety. You may have to repeat many, many times before getting success.
5. Provide lots of mentally stimulating toys such as a kong or activity balls. Put these in the room or crate 20 minutes before you leave so that the dog is preoccupied when you leave.
6. Increase exercise prior to departure. A tired dog is more likely to remain calm when you leave.
7. If your dog is having accidents in the house, put elimination on a verbal cue so that your dog can empty its bladder and bowel prior to departure. You may have to change the dog's feeding schedule to accommodate perfecting the elimination schedule.
8. Train your dog daily whether it be obedience or trick training. This provides mental stimuli for your dog. Ask your dog to perform a command such as come, sit, down, etc before giving attention. This is really important when the dog is pushy and demands attention from you. The dog needs to learn to work for attention rather than getting it on demand.
Solutions for Severe Separation Anxiety
For severe cases, a more intensive training program should be implemented.
1. During the training period, it is best not to leave the dog alone or you might undo what you have accomplished, or make very little progress.
2. Dogs are great at reading environmental cues that predict when you are leaving the house. Therefore you have to practice all of your pre-departure rituals in order to desensitize the dog to your leaving. Example: you get out of bed in the morning, you let the dog out, feed him, eat breakfast, take a shower, blow dry your hair, put on make up, get dressed, pick-up keys, put on your coat, and finally leave the house. When you are doing all of these tasks, observe when your dog starts to get anxious. Once you have identified the anxiety, practice this area of preparation over and over again your routine until the dog doesn't look anxious anymore. Example: If your dog gets anxious at the point when you blow dry your hair, go through the routine until you get to this point, then stop it once you have finished your hair. Your dog will suddenly realize that you are not leaving the house and will begin to relax. Do this for several days and then move on to the next step of your routine (which would be putting on your make up).
3. A lot of effort has to be made in the beginning stages before leaving the house. This is very labour intensive but is critical for success. Once you have gotten your dog relaxed with the beginning stages of leaving, the rest is easy. All of a sudden everything will come together when you leave.
4. Once your dog is no longer anxious about your morning routine, then try leaving for short periods of time and returning.
5. When working with separation anxiety, long training sessions are much more effective than short 10 minute sessions, unlike in obedience training.
6. In severe cases it is often helpful to obtain an anti anxiety drug from your veterinarian. This drug will take away the panicky feeling your dog experiences when you leave the house or shortly before your return to that house. This drug therapy can be used in conjunction with changing your behaviour around the dog (as discussed in the last couple of pages). In tough cases it can be quite successful. If you feel your situation would benefit from drug therapy, discuss the pros and cons with your veterinarian.
7. You may also need to look into dog day care options if you are not able to work on the problems due to a work situation
A lot of people think that they can solve the problem by getting another dog to keep the existing dog company. Although this seems like a logical solution, it rarely ever works because a dog who is suffering from separation anxiety is wanting human companionship, rather than animal companionship.
The key to controlling this problem is to be very consistent and patient. This problem is emotionally driven and must be dealt with in a delicate manner.
If you are working on this problem, please contact a trainer who specializes in behavioural problems and your veterinarian. It is always advisable to have the help of a professional whenever you are dealing with behaviour issues.
Excessive Barking
Excessive barking can be cause for concern in some dogs. It is very important to stop the behaviour before it becomes excessive, and the best time to start is the minute the barking begins.
At the Oakville & District Humane Society, we receive many calls from people in the community who are disturbed by barking dogs. The Town of Oakville By-Law Department is responsible for responding to barking complaints and enforcing the by-law. The Town of Oakville’s by-law states
"Any sound made by an animal or bird, which disturbs the peace, quiet, comfort or repose of any individual shall be deemed a nuisance and a fine may be imposed if no effort is made to control the noise. If legal action is necessary, a fine up to $5000 may be issued".
Barking starts for several different reasons:
1. It can be an inherited drive in dogs.
2. It can be a learned behaviour. Example; your dog might start to bark to get your attention, and if you give into that attention, you are essentially rewarding it for the barking behaviour.
3. A dog may bark to protect it’s territory.
4. The dog may bark when playing.
5. The dog may bark when it is left alone (separation anxiety).
There are several things that can be done to control the problem.
1. When the dog barks, firmly tell the dog "quiet". If the dog stops barking, pause for a moment to make sure he doesn’t start to bark again, then praise him for being quiet. By using this command every time the dog barks, he will learn the word "quiet" so that once the command "quiet" is used, he will know to stop barking. Immediately praise when he complies.
An alternative to this is to use a squirt bottle to punish barking. Follow the same instructions as described above, but after you tell the dog "quiet", squirt the dog directly in the face several times until the dog stops barking. When he stops, give him praise. This method would be implemented if using the verbal command doesn’t work. The squirt bottle makes more of an impact. If you have no other animals in the house you can put pennies in a pop can. When you say "quiet" follow the command by shaking the can until the dog stops barking.
2. When your dog starts barking, redirect the dog’s focus by calling him come to you and sit/stay beside you.
3. If the dog is barking at people out your front window, then reduce the stimuli by closing the blinds.
4. If the dog barks at every noise it hears, then put the radio on to muffle the sound.
5. If the dog is barking in the backyard, then bring the dog in. Your dog should not be left outside unattended if he has a tendency to bark. If you are outside with the dog and he is barking, call him to come to you (again this will redirect his focus).
If he won’t come to you and continues to bark, then he should be on a long line at all times so that the minute he begins to bark, you can easily grab him. Tell him quiet, then praise him by releasing him again. If he continues to bark, then it’s time to bring him in. Most dogs will learn that as soon as they start barking, they lose their backyard privileges.
6. Teach your dog to bark on command. That way he will only bark if he is told to, otherwise he should remain quiet.
7. There are many products on the market that are designed to help people with their barking dogs. The most common of these is referred to as the "bark collar". The bark collars come in two varieties. These are citronella and shock. We do not recommend using the shock collar.
The citronella collar has a box filled with citronella that is released when the dog barks. For some dogs the deterrent is the spraying sound and for others it is the smell of the citronella. Some pet stores and trainers will rent these to you on a trial basis to determine if the product works for you.
There are two types of collars. There is the type that automatically sprays citronella when the dog barks and there is the kind that is triggered by you. You are better off with the automatic variety as timing is critical in solving this problem. When you put the collar on the dog and s/he barks, the citronella is expelled and has a startling affect on the dog. When the dog goes quiet, then you reward him for quiet behaviour. You should seek the assistance of a professional when using these products.
Barking can be a difficult behaviour to change, but through consistent training you can get results. The key is to not allow the dog to nuisance bark or the behaviour will only strengthen. We all have to live in harmony with our neighbours, and not allowing your dog to bark excessively is a sign of respect for them.
Passing Other Dogs without Barking and Lunging
The most frustrating and embarrassing behaviour a dog can exhibit when out on a walk is lunging and barking when passing other dogs. This can happen for various reasons:
1. The dog wasn’t properly socialized to dogs and doesn’t know how to react around them.
2. The dog loves other dogs and is frustrated that it can’t get at them to play.
3. The dog may have had a negative experience with another dog when on lead and now it reacts poorly when on lead.
4. The dog started doing this behaviour to get the other dog’s attention and was never stopped by its owner. Therefore the behaviour became a learned response.
5. The dog is aggressive and doesn’t like other dogs.
Whatever the reason for the behaviour, it has to be controlled right from the start or the behaviour strengthens. There are several things that you can do to retrain your dog to walk by without barking and lunging. It can be very challenging and time consuming, however incredibly rewarding in the end.
Keep in mind that all of your training should be of a positive manner. If a dog has had a negative experience with another dog, the worst thing you can do is reprimand your dog when he begins to bark and lung. His resentment will increase because he will learn that in the presence of other dogs, he gets in trouble.
Training Exercises
1. HEAD COLLAR (Halti or Gentle Leader) – You can purchase a head collar from your veterinarian or from your local pet store. Please take the dog with you in order to have the head collar fitted properly. A head collar is a great training tool that will provide you with better control over the dog when he exhibits his barking and lunging. It is not designed to stop the dog from barking, however it will enable you to pull his head around and get him focused on you. Before you place the head collar on the dog and go for a walk, he must be accustomed to it first. Try putting it on for short periods of time and rewarding him before then taking it off. Once he is accepting of it (he probably won’t like it but will eventually accept it), try going for a walk, but at a time when there are few distractions around. You don’t want to stress the dog on his very first walk wearing a head collar.
2. GETTING YOUR DOG’S ATTENTION- Before you can expect your dog to walk by other dogs and be paying attention to you, you must first train him to acknowledge you when you ask for it. In a very quiet environment, have your dog on lead and a lot of treats in hand. Say your dog’s name and when he looks at you, reward him with a treat. If the dog doesn’t look at you right away, wait. The minute he looks at you reward. The worst thing you can do is keep repeating his name over and over again until he responds. You will be indirectly teaching him to ignore his name. Repeat over and over again until the dog is looking at you immediately upon your request. Practice this daily for about 5 minutes and at least 5 times per day. Once you are having success, start training in different areas. Your dog might regress a little because dogs do not transfer information well. Also begin by adding small distractions and building it up to larger distractions. Again, you may see the dog regress because it is like a brand new exercise once distractions are added. Now you are almost ready to take it on the road.
3. TEACH YOUR DOG TO SIT ON COMMAND – You need to have your dog under control, and he will tend to get less aroused if he is in a sit position. He cannot lung in this position, and he is more likely to give you attention if he is sitting in front of you. With a food lure in your hand, place it in front of the dog’s nose. Bring your hand up and slightly back towards the dog causing his bottom to hit the floor. Reward with a treat. Repeat several times until the dog is readily following the treat. Next step is to add the command. Say "sit", lure and reward. Eventually the dog will learn what the word means and you will no longer have to use a lure. If when your dog is under stress he cannot listen to the command sit, then you can also gently guide his head up and back using a leash and halti to physically place him in a sit. Reward him for sitting.
4. IMPORTANCE OF THE MOTIVATOR – Dogs need motivation in order to listen. A motivator can be a treat or a toy. If you use a treat, find something that your dog absolutely loves and only give it to him when you are out on the street training him to walk by other dogs. You want to keep the value of the treat high, therefore limiting when he gets it will keep his interest on the treat. You want to find something strong smelling and quick to chew i.e. Rollover, freeze dried liver, puperoni, hot dogs etc. If you decide that your dog is better motivated by toys, then find a favourite toy and again, save it for when you are training. You don’t want the novelty of the toy to wear off.
5. PUTTING TO ALL TOGETHER – Once you have your dog use to the halti, you are able to get his attention when requested, and he is fixed on a motivator, then it is time to put it all together. There are three main things to remember when training for this problem. Firstly, you need to anticipate far in advance that a dog is approaching so that you will be prepared. Secondly, create a lot of space between you and the approaching dog. Dogs will react worse, the closer you are to the other dog. Thirdly, always walk on a loose but controlled lead. Tight leashes cause tension and tension creates a natural instinct for a dog to pull.
Begin by getting your dog’s attention and reward him for acknowledging you. Ask him to sit then reward. Place your body in front of the dog so that you are blocking his view of the other dog. Reward him the entire time (or take out the toy and play with him) as the other dog is walking by. If your dog reacts negatively, do not yell or reprimand, instead try to get him back in a sit. Once you are having success, then you can try to lure the dog using your motivator (with the dog at you side, begin walking forward with a treat in front of the dog’s nose encouraging him to follow), as you walk by the other dog. Do not close the gap between you and the other dog until you have had complete success at luring. You can regress very quickly if you move to fast. Be patient and practice each step many many times before moving onto the next step.
Soon you should be able to walk by without needing to lure your dog. Instead, the treat will come out after you have passed the dog successfully. Eventually you will want to wean the dog off of the food treats, but do it very gradually and never eliminate the treats completely. The best system is an intermittent one where by the dog gets a treat after passing every third dog, then every sixth dog, then every second dog and so on. This will keep the dog always guessing when is he going to be rewarded so he remains motivated to listen. If he begins to struggle again, make things easier so that the dog doesn’t get discouraged.
Tips
* If you have multiple dogs, you must train them to walk by other dogs individually before you place them together.
* Set realistic goals. If your dog doesn’t like other dogs, don’t expect this training to cure him of that. Instead, be content that your dog behaves when passing other dogs.
* If your dog has been doing this behaviour for the past 6 months, be prepared to spend at least the next 6 months undoing the behaviour.
* Don’t set your dog up for failure. If you don’t have any treats left, don’t go for a walk. If you are not in the mood to train, don’t go for a walk, or go where it is quiet and where you won’t run into other dogs.
* If you are not getting anywhere with these exercises, you may need to add punishment to your training. You can use a squirt bottle filled with water to help to deter your dog from barking. When your dog starts barking, firmly say "quiet" then begin squirting the dog in the face until he stops barking. Reward him when he is quiet. Eventually you should only have to say the word quiet and the dog should stop barking.
Or you can try using a citronella barking collar. They can be purchased from pet stores or some vet clinics. It is a little box filled with citronella that is attached to the collar. The box sits under the chin of the dog and when he barks, the battery run box squirts up citronella into the dog’s face. Sometimes when you take away the barking from the dog, he then has the capability to listen and to focus on what you are asking from him.
We recommend that you get the help of a professional dog trainer to help you with this problem. It takes a lot of skill and coordination to work with this problem, and getting some guidance can be a great help. Remember to work on it daily and be very patient with your dog.
Dogs who Chew
One of the biggest complaints we hear from people is that their dog chews destructively. Whether it be a puppy or an adult dog, this is a behaviour that you can control.
Puppies chew things for a variety of reasons. The first reason is because it is an exploratory behaviour. Just as children touch things with their hands and put things in their mouths, puppies use their mouth to explore. Puppies will also chew when they are teething. Chewing relieves the pain that they feel as their new teeth grow in. Other reasons include boredom, it’s entertaining, and it gets them attention from their owners.
The best way to control a chewing problem is to place your puppy in a crate when you are not home, over night, or when you are unable to monitor the pup. If you prefer not to crate your puppy, then confine the dog to a room where he has limited access to chew things; i.e. a laundry room or a spare bedroom. That way he will be unable to get into things that he shouldn’t have. When he is confined, provide him with toys of his own that he can chew.
You should also leave a number of toys on the ground for when the pup is not confined. It is important to rotate the toys on a regular basis so that the pup doesn’t get bored of the toys and decide to chew on something else. Make sure the toys are NOT the type that he can chew and swallow.
It is also imperative that you pick up all items off the floor or in areas that the pup can reach. Put shoes away, hang up clothing and don’t leave anything lying around. If you don’t give an opportunity for a dog to chew, then the behaviour will not strengthen.
If your puppy accidentally gets a hold of something that he shouldn’t have, you can only reprimand him if you catch him in the act. Firmly tell the pup “no” or “ah ah” and remove the item from him and replace it with something he can chew. If he decides to run away from you with the item, do not chase him, rather, encourage him to bring you the item. When he does, verbally reward him for complying, and then exchange it for something that he can chew. Be careful not to over reprimand your puppy for chewing. This can result in a dog who chews things outside of your view, or it can make him protective over items.
Many puppies out grow chewing once they have all of their adult teeth (approximately 6 months of age), however it can continue into maturity. Some owners report a second chewing stage from 9-12 months. This is more common in some breeds than others. If a puppy has been allowed to chew anything he wants, this behaviour will definitely continue into adulthood because it has become a learned behaviour.
Exercise and training can also help a chewing problem. Exercise will burn off excess energy, and training will provide mental stimulation for the dog.
If you have an adult dog that has a chewing problem, you can follow the same suggestions as listed above. If the chewing occurs only when you leave your dog alone, you could be dealing with a separation anxiety issue. This will require you to seek professional advice. (see separation anxiety).
The key to success is supervision and a well organized home where the dog as little opportunity to chew. If your problem persists, contact a professional dog trainer for more advice and guidance.
How to Prevent Food Stealing in Dogs
A common problem we get asked by dog owners is how to stop dogs from stealing food off of counter tops, coffee tables or out of garbage cans. Dogs are opportunists, and because they love food, they will take advantage of any opportunity to steal.
Dogs also do not learn right from wrong. Therefore they never learn that it is wrong to steal things off the counter or from the garbage can, but rather, it is “wrong” to get caught. They will even wait to steal something when your back is turned or when you have left the room. Therefore it is hard to correct a dog who steals food.
Dogs learn through positive and negative association. If a dog steals food from the counter, it associates this with something positive and it feels rewarded. Therefore the dog will keep repeating the behaviour as long as it is being rewarded. However, if something bad happens to the dog when he goes to steal the food, then the behaviour will stop.
WAYS TO CORRECT STEALING FOOD OFF THE COUNTER
1. Keep all counter tops clear of food. When the dog goes to jump up on the counter, there will be nothing to steal and therefore the behaviour will stop.
2. Don’t turn your back on the dog or leave the room when you are preparing food on the counter. If you do have to leave the counter area, then you can crate the dog, place it in a different room, or bring the dog with you.
3. Create a negative association when the dog jumps up on the counter. Example: Place some food on the counter and leave the room. When the dog goes to jump up on the counter, run into the room banging pots together. If your dog is noise sensitive this will be enough to scare the dog and he won’t repeat the behaviour. Or you can place food on the counter and pour tabasco sauce on it. When the dog goes to steal the food, he will burn his mouth, and never want to take food off the counter again.
4. If you are going to use a negative association to correct this problem, then you will have to set the dog up (don’t do it while you are in the middle of preparing dinner), you will have to repeat the exercise several times in order to make an impact, and you have to make it negative enough to deter the dog from ever jumping on the counter again.
*Using negatives with a nervous, shy or sensitive dog should be done under consultation of a trainer.
WAYS TO CORRECT STEALING FOOD FROM THE GARBAGE CAN
1. Do not place the garbage can where the dog can reach it.
2. If the garbage can cannot be removed from the dog’s sight, then place something heavy on the lid in order to deny the dog access.
3. You can repeat step 3 as listed above. Creating a negative association will deter the dog from repeating the behaviour.
STOPPING DOGS FROM BEGGING
1. Don’t feed them from the kitchen table. Again, dogs learn quickly that it is very rewarding to sit beside you at the kitchen table – they get rewarded.
2. If you have already started this habit, then immediately stop. Ignore the dog throughout your meal. They will soon learn that it is no longer rewarding to beg.
3. Place your dog in a down stay on the other side of the room. They then are fair enough away from you and cannot beg. They should not get out of a stay position until you are finished eating.
4. Only give table scraps in their food bowl.
Remember that it could take a long time to untrain a dog not to steal or to beg. Practice these exercise daily, and remember not to give the dog any opportunity to steal food, or you will be undoing what you are trying to accomplish.
