When Your Dog Is Not A Fan

I worked with a client last week who asked that I share her story as she thinks others might benefit (and she loves my blog!), but she did ask that I change a lot of the details to protect the parties involved.  Happy to oblige given that her situation isn't the first (nor the worst!) I've seen in my 33 years in business.  So, here's the situation:

The client reached out because she's a widow and she's recently started dating again.  She's taking it slow, but has finally met someone she's interested enough in to have them over for dinner at her house.  The problem is that dinner was a disaster!  Her dog was openly hostile to this man from the moment he stepped into her house, something he's never done with anyone before.  I've known this owner and this dog for about 5 years, and I knew her husband as well as they both attended puppy class with the dog.  He's a well-socialized, friendly, though sometimes exuberant greeter.  We've worked on that though and he now doesn't try to jump up and lick every visitor, which is why when she said her dog froze, growled, and stared at this new man in her life, I was quite frankly shocked.  I went through the obvious things first:  Does this man like dogs?  Does he have dogs?  Did he act afraid?  Did he try to hug you or touch you when he walked in?  Turns out the man says he loves dogs, has an elderly dog at home, and wasn't a bit afraid. He knew not to touch my client when he came in and he even brought treats for the dog from a local bakery.  Her dog was not having any of it.  He sat down and blocked the guy from coming in AND he ignored the treats.  This dog LOVES treats, so the fact that he ignored them had me utterly gobsmacked. At this point my client was flustered, so she decided to put her dog in his crate and suggested they go out to eat instead, which they did.  When she got home, she emailed me.  

Generally speaking, I listen to dogs.  If one of my dogs had this reaction to someone, I, quite honestly, would try to figure out what it is I missed.  They are very good judges of character and like everyone, though Ozzie can be aloof at times.  If he was openly hostile to someone, that would be a red flag for me, not about him, but about the person!  In my client's case, however, I just couldn't figure out what he was seeing in this man that my client wasn't.  We decided it would be valuable to have me there for the next introduction.  I suggested we meet up with this man at a local park and the three of us walk with her dog together and see how he was off of home turf.  Again, this is a happy, non-aggressive, sociable dog.  We met at the park about 30 minutes before her date was to arrive.  Her dog greeted me, as he always does, with two feet up on me and kisses galore.  We walked around a bit and he let kids pet him, he approached a man on crutches to sniff and say hi, and he wagged his tail at a man who jogged by and told him "Hey there cutie!" So, nothing untoward with strangers at the park.  When her date arrived, he started walking toward us.  His body language was open and he was careful to give the dog space.  I swear, I watched that dog completely change before my eyes.  Gone was the loose body language and lolling tongue. In its place was stiff body language, a lowered head, and a direct stare.  Just in case my client's nerves were triggering her dog, I walked away with the dog and then walked back and he still wasn't having any interaction with this man.  I asked my client to walk the dog for a few minutes while I talked to her date.  We talked about dogs, dating, his elderly dog, etc.  I started to get the feeling that while he loves his dog, his relationship with the dog is very different from my client's relationship with her dog.  And when I commented on the treats he brought to the house for the dog he said, "I knew she'd like that, so that's why I picked them up."  Hmm.  OK.  That was interesting. I asked what he thought about why the dog was acting so weird with him.  His response?  "The dog doesn't like competition from another alpha male."  Sigh. Another red flag.  The concept of alpha male is so outdated in the realm of animal behavior to be laughable.  However, I certainly know there are people who like to think of themselves using that term, and this man was one of them.

I shook his hand and thanked him for coming and told my client we should get back to work, so she said goodbye to her date and that she'd call him later.  He seemed bewildered, but he walked off.  She said to me after he walked away, "I thought we were going to work together with him on this!"  At this point, I told her what I really thought was going on.  Her dog likes men just fine, he just doesn't like this man.  

As I said earlier, this is not the first time I've met a dog with clear preferences.  I've been to many homes where the dog prefers the wife or prefers the husband, listening to one more than the other, openly shunning one in favor of the other.  Often this behavior is based on experience; dogs love the people who feed, walk and play with them, but quite frankly, they also love the people who let them get away with stuff. Dogs, like toddlers, can be manipulative. In homes with two dog guardians, one who is preferred and one who's being snubbed, I advise putting the one who is being snubbed into control over all things the dog loves and relegating the favored person to more menial and less desirable (from the dog's point of view) tasks.  Usually, if the favored person takes a step back, the dog will (sometimes begrudgingly) take a bigger interest in the other human.  Sometimes all it takes is the less favored human creating a situation for the dog that is special and desired and thus creates a new bond; a trip to the beach, a trip to get a pup cup, allowing them to pick a toy at the pet store, etc.  And sometimes it's as simple as personality.  A dog just clicks with one person more than another.  But in some homes, as it was with the client and her new date, it's actually not that simple. 

Dogs are emotional, sentient creatures capable of empathy.  If they sense discord, disharmony, or unrest, they respond.  I've known dogs who, quite literally, choose sides in a divorce. I know, because I've been there to mediate a few divorces and custody battles over the pets. It's also true that dogs can smell fear and anxiety AND they know a belligerent drinker or a bully when they smell one. I think my client's new dating interest is a closet bully.  She hasn't seen his manipulative, controlling side yet as they've only been dating a few weeks, but her dog did, and I glimpsed it as well.  It was time for her to listen to her dog.  There was nothing I could do, nor that I wanted to do, to make this work.  This man wasn't a good match for my client and her dog, plain and simple.  She had chosen to date him because he was very different from her husband, but in choosing someone vastly different, she'd also chosen someone who was not going to be good for her long term.

I tried to lighten the mood by telling her that she now knew she could have her dog be the judge of her dates rather than her friends going forward. It will save her a lot of time! I know she will find someone truly worthy of her time and attention AND someone who her dog will like as well.  He loved chasing the ball and running alongside her husband's bike.  He is sweet and friendly to random male strangers he meets on the street and during pet therapy visits.  There will be someone he loves for his owner as well.  

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Some dogs are choosier than others, but with very good reason.

Your Dog & Your Garden

I am an avid gardener, spending hours working in my two gardens.  My collies often join me, hanging out in the shade to keep a watchful eye over my progress.  None of my current dogs are diggers, so I never worry about them digging up anything I've planted.  The only plants I have to watch are my strawberries as they all love strawberries and will pick the fruit before I ever get a chance!  And Henley did seem to enjoy the eggplant last summer, so I've not planted it again this year, opting for more tomatoes instead. 

If you do, however, have a dog who likes to dig, you will want to keep them indoors when you garden and here's why:  If you keep them with you when you are digging, you are basically showing them the best places to dig, and they will return there, often digging up what you just planted.  Dogs who love to dig will not be deterred, so providing them with an appropriate spot for digging is a must. You can cordon off an area of your garden just for them, or use a sandbox for that purpose.  Fill your dog's digging area with their favorite substrate (fresh dirt, sand, or even rocks) and then bury things there for them to dig up and eat like carrots, zucchini, chunks of apple, or dry cookies/dog biscuits and bones. If you catch your dog digging where they shouldn't, take them immediately over to their own digging area and show them why that's a better spot.  You can use fencing around or netting over your own garden beds to discourage digging there.  Water witches, basically motion-activated sprinklers, can also help to deter your dog (and neighborhood cats, squirrels, etc.) from entering your garden area.  Just remember if you do use a sandbox for your dogs to dig, you will want to cover it when not in use to discourage roaming neighborhood cats from using it as a litter box!

Digging is obviously a normal dog behavior, so it can't, nor shouldn't, be discouraged or punished. All dogs have the potential to be diggers and the behavior is quite adaptive as well. On a warm day, a dog may dig a hold in the cool dirt to lay in.  And if they are cold, they may bury themselves in a hole they've dug to retain heat. Many dogs with a prized resource like a bone, will want to save the treat for later and will cache the bone in a hole they've dug for that purpose. Finally, a lot of dogs dig because they see or hear moles, gophers, or other digging rodents just below the surface and they want to get at them!

So, embrace the digging by providing an appropriate outlet for the behavior AND reinforce and encourage your dogs to use the digging space you've created. While it is certainly true that some dogs can be encouraged to dig while on walks or at the beach, for example, this won't be enough of an outlet for the behavior.  You truly need a space appropriate for digging on their home turf. 

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

One of my gardening assistants on a break!

Getting What You Paid For

I got a call from a new client wanting to set up an appointment for her almost 6 month old puppy.  She'd gotten her puppy from a breeder that had been recommended to her by a close friend. She indicated that the puppy's behavior was not only causing her frustration at every turn, she was also on the outs with her friend as she feels like her friend "duped" her with regard to this breeder.  I agreed to meet with her and the puppy in person to see if we could sort this all out before she gave up on the puppy AND her 15 year friendship.

The puppy in question is a Maltipoo.  Right away I can hear some of you saying, well that's a mixed breed dog, so what do you mean by "this dog came from a breeder."  Well, this puppy is a purposefully bred dog, the product of a breeding between the breeder's two existing Maltipoos (Maltese x Teacup Poodle).  Yes, I know, Teacup Poodles are not a recognized size for Poodles as Toy is considered the smallest within the breed standard, but nonetheless, there are people out there breeding even smaller poodles, and thus smaller mixes. This client has had small breed dogs before, though none with an adult size as small as this puppy will be. She was frustrated because the puppy seems impossible to housetrain, won't come when called, hasn't even learned to sit or lay down, and nips at her hands and ankles relentlessly, leaving marks on her skin and clothing. When I gently asked her what her expectations were when she chose this puppy, I found out that she didn't, in fact, choose this particular puppy; the breeder chose for her.  And when I asked why she was so upset with her friend, she stated that her friend knows the breeder and should have made sure the breeder picked the "best puppy for her." I was starting to get the picture. This was a case of buyer's remorse, so to speak.  

It was clearly time for a reality check.  Puppies are a lot of work, regardless of breed or temperament.  These super small breed puppies are notoriously difficult to housetrain for everyone who owns one.  The rule of thumb seems to be, the smaller the dog the more difficult to housetrain completely. I've known many a Yorkie, Morkie, Maltese, Maltipoo, and Chihuahua that were never completely housetrained. Why?  It isn't just that their bladders are small, for example.  Actually it's about something called "neoteny," which is the retention of juvenile characteristics into adulthood. In the effort to breed these small, cute, puppy-like little dogs with their big eyes and even bigger foreheads, we're also breeding in puppy-like characteristics like lack of self control, housetraining mishaps, mouthy behavior, etc. Basically, a Labrador puppy will grow up and become a Labrador dog.  A Maltipoo puppy will grow older, but they will always be puppy-like in their behavior. To be fair, that's why many of my clients who've chosen these little dogs made that choice.  They like that puppy attitude and are willing to put up with the housetraining mishaps.

So, while I do blame the breeder for not making all of this clearer to my client/her puppy buyer, I also know that breeders are in the business of selling dogs.  She probably figured that this client understood what she was getting into, particularly since they share that friend in common.  But you see, a Pug (what she had before) is very different from a Maltipoo.  Pugs are relatively easy to housetrain and mature into dogs with a low exercise requirement.  Good thing, too, given their breathing issues, but that's a separate issue altogether!  

I reviewed with the client a fairly rigorous schedule to help with the housetraining and suggested she crate or pen the pup when she couldn't watch him to limit where the accidents occur.  I also suggested consequences for the mouthy behavior that a puppy can understand, along with handling exercises to get him better and more patient with the things that were making him mouthy in the first place.  As far as training obedience skills goes, she needs to set realistic expectations. I taught the puppy to sit and come when called, using high value treats, clicking fingers, and a high pitched voice.  While her Pug was able to learn fetch and a handful of tricks, I told her she needed to remember that this new dog was a Maltipoo.  We can teach some tricks, but these dogs aren't bred for their obedience skills or their intellectual prowess.  They're bred to be constant companions and lapdogs. Period.  I don't think her friend steered her wrong, I just think there was some miscommunication.  When my client indicated she wanted another small dog, and couldn't bring herself to get another Pug, her friend suggested a happy-go-lucky Maltipoo pup to cheer her up and that's exactly what she got.  A happy-go-lucky, the world-is-my-oyster little ball of floof that likes sitting on laps, will love riding in a stroller, and will likely never be fully housetrained. I told her that if that's a dealbreaker for her, she should return the dog to the breeder to give him an opportunity to find an owner who is a better fit for him.  And, of course, we can find a dog that's a better fit for her too.

I appreciated that this client was okay with me sharing her story.  She'd never heard of neoteny or the pitfalls of owning a pup this small, and she felt others could benefit from her story.  She's not decided yet whether she will keep this puppy, but she is more patient with him now that she understands him better. I think he could end up being a nice companion for her IF she's willing to keep to that strict schedule with respect to housetraining.

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

This little guy will probably be about 10-12 lbs. when he's full grown. 

 I think Henley's head weighs that much!

An Open Letter to Dog Owners

Hi, I'm your neighbor. You know, the one you see walking every day with my dogs on leash.  While I occasionally deal with them trying to sniff your free-roaming cats or chase a squirrel, they are under my control and we stick to the sidewalks as well as the trails of our local park.

I feel the need to write you this letter because I'm concerned and frankly a bit frustrated.  You see, despite the fact that our city and county have leash laws regarding dogs in public spaces, you are still allowing your dogs to charge off of your property and onto the sidewalk where we are walking.  Your dogs running at me with my leashed dogs is anxiety-provoking.  The fact that you can't get your dogs to come back to you when you call them, makes me even more concerned for my safety, the safety of my leashed dogs, and the safety of your dogs as well.

And when you say, "Don't worry, he's friendly!" that doesn't make it any better.  How do you know my dogs are friendly?  How do you know my dogs won't protect me?  In fact, how do you know I'm friendly? Just kidding! Sort of.  Anyway, your dog being friendly doesn't excuse the inappropriate behavior.  Your dog should not be outside of your house without a leash or tether.  Having them off leash in your garage or on your driveway or in your non-fenced front yard when you know they are territorial AND you know they won't come when you call them away from the city streets and sidewalks is not just un-neighborly, it's against the law.

I, like you, love our neighborhood park.  It's so beautiful, lots of green grass and open space to enjoy.  When you let your dogs run off leash, however, you are making use of that park restricted for the rest of us. See that family with the young kids?  They wanted to throw the ball around but they can't as your dog is running around on that grassy field off leash trying to take their ball, despite the signs that say all dogs must be on leash.  Also, I hate to mention it, but your dogs have now pooped twice while they were running around and you were looking at your phone.  Maybe you missed it? But you need to pick up behind them as that's the law too and those little kids shouldn't have to try to play around the poop on their playground area.

Did I mention that I like to run every day to clear my head?  That's a problem too, I guess, as your off leash dogs have chased me more than once and one of them even bit me.  I know you said you're sorry and that it has never happened before, but I'm still going to carry pepper spray with me from now on.  Next time, I will spray your dogs if they charge at me.  I can't afford to miss work again for a dog bite.

I feel bad that I had to write you this letter, but I felt like it was the neighborly thing to do.  I don't want to have to contact Animal Control about your lack of respect for the law, but I will if it means one more runner isn't chased, one more dog isn't attacked, and one more child isn't bitten.  You are giving dog owners a bad name and making our neighborhood unsafe.

Signed,

Your neighbor

P.S.  I really do love dogs.  They are my life and my livelihood.  I've spent the last 30 years helping pet owners.  So, if you are having a problem with your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

These two good boys are always on leash and they are friendly with dogs, cats and people,

but they don't appreciate being bum-rushed and they get scared when your off leash dogs 

body slam them to the ground.  Collies are gentle spirits, but their owner (me)

 is not going to be gentle when this happens to them again.

Pats, Strokes, Cuddles, & Nudges!

I received a call last weekend from a client who was interested in pet assisted therapy for her puppy.  I let her know that while most pet assisted therapy organizations require a dog to be over a year of age to begin volunteering, she can certainly begin training her puppy now with that as a long term goal.  She wants to work together to get her puppy ready as he will be the first dog she's ever had with a temperament for the job!  I can appreciate her desire to "do this the right way" as after years of educating new volunteers in pet therapy, and evaluating animals for the job, I can tell you I've met numerous dogs who weren't ready, as well as many who would never be ready for the job, and tons who just needed direction to be really good pet therapists. 

One of the very basic things I look for is a dog who doesn't shy away from new humans approaching them and petting them on the head.  See, here's the thing:  I KNOW dogs absolutely don't like being patted/petted on the head, however, I also know that that's the first thing a person will do when meeting a new dog, particularly within the realm of pet assisted therapy. People who don't know dogs always reach for their head, nose, ears, etc.  Even people who profess to knowing about dogs will reach for their heads, ears, etc.  which is frustrating as well.  I know we've talked about dog body language many times here before, but I want to specifically address head pats today.

Dogs do not inherently enjoy being patted on the head.  Looming over them, hands coming at their faces, accompanied by direct eye contact are all threatening behaviors in a dog's world.  Among dogs, coming over the head or neck of another dog, direct eye contact, etc. are all provocative behaviors that may lead to aggression. For dogs, unfamiliar humans doing these behaviors is anxiety-provoking.  You will see dogs widen their eyes, turn their gaze away, lick their lips, dip their heads away from those hands, and physically try to turn away. If their humans force them into the interaction, you may even see them stiffen, yawn, and pull away the first chance they get.  While your dog may be fully accepting of you petting them on the head, ruffling their ears, and hugging them, there's no reason to believe that they will accept such invasive behaviors from someone they've just met, and you shouldn't force them into accepting these things either.  And, do you REALLY think your dog enjoys it when you do them? Yes, I know there are some dogs who do seem to enjoy this type of attention, but I've certainly encountered enough dogs over the years who don't enjoy it all and are merely tolerating their owners doing it because it makes the people happy when they do.

I'm a firm believer in teaching every dog to accept brief contact with a new human that involves a head pat/stroke and ears being touched, I'm also a firm believer in teaching people the right way to engage a dog they've just met.  In pet therapy in particular, I try to train the new volunteers to make the greetings work for their dogs.  By bringing your dog toward a new person, telling them to say hi, for example, allowing a brief head pat and then turning them sideways or with their bottom toward that new person, thus diffusing any tension and encouraging the new person to scratch that bottom, stroke that side, etc. If your dog is good with face to to face approaches, then you can instruct those new people to pet your dog under their chin, across their chest, etc.  Those are non-confrontational face-to-face greetings that can be done with less looming and direct eye contact, so more acceptable to dogs.  And, again, dogs approach each other sideways, and tuck under each other's chins when behaving in a more affiliative manner.

It's also important to remember that people are less trainable than dogs...LOL.  You can tell people that your dog likes being petted under his chin, loves bootie scratches, and will shake a hand on command, yet they will, by and large, still reach over your dog's head, ruffle their ears, pet their face, and if they are really over the top, try to kiss or hug your dog! This is particularly true in the realm of pet assisted therapy, making it all that more important that your dog be accepting of poor human behavior if you are going to try to participate in this type of work together.  So, how can you prepare your dog?

As with so many behaviors, especially those in cooperative care, it's all about desensitization and counter-conditioning. You have to desensitize your dog to head pats, ear ruffles, eye contact, and looming and counter-condition them using high value rewards to view these human behaviors as desirable, or at a minimum, something they can tolerate without feeling anxious or overwhelmed.  You can even shape behaviors in your dog that encourage the people greeting them to do so in a more respectful way. For example, teaching your dog to put their head in someone's hand or on someone's lap or bed, allows you to position your dog in a way that gives them a choice.  They can choose to put their head in that position or not; if they choose not to, then you, as their handler, can move them into a position that they prefer, such as sideways, and have the person pet them there. If your dog will put their chin in someone's hand or on their lap, remind the person petting them to "go with the grain," that is, don't push their hair/fur or ears the wrong way.  Ruffling a dog's ears or fur often leads to excitement or them becoming over-stimulated, while petting them with the grain is more soothing and less stimulating. 

With my client's puppy, we are going to start with the basics.  We're going to work on sitting or standing calmly when people approach.  We're going to work on not pulling on the leash while walking in buildings and down hallways.  We are going to work on moving around in small spaces because this dog, when fully grown, will be about 90 lbs!  We will also work on shaping the head in a hand behavior and desensitizing her puppy to head pats, hugs, and kisses as this client really wants to work with children and teens on her pet therapy visits.  We will also be working on other cooperative care behaviors as this will ultimately be a big dog and we want trips to the veterinarian and groomer to go successfully as well. 

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Here's Henley!  He and I have big plans for him to be my next pet assisted therapy dog. He's not even close to ready yet, even though he's a year old now. He's still too bouncy and jumpy, but we're working on it every day.  My guess is he'll be ready to work by the time he's 2 years old.  I'll keep you posted!

Turn That Frown Upside Down: Part 2!

So many of you reached out to let me know how much you loved the idea of teaching a dog to pick up items and drop them into boxes or baskets from last week's blog post.  One of you actually told me that I was a genius to think of this and that really made me blush!  Not genius, just creative.  And the client with the resource guarding dog was desperate enough to try anything, including shaping an entirely new behavior, slowly, over time.  

There are other behaviors that your dogs might be doing that you find challenging enough to want to try shaping those behaviors into something more manageable for you.  For example: Does your dog bark and scratch at the door to get you to let them outside/inside your house?  How about teaching them to ring a string of bells on that door instead?  Basically, you just attach a single bell on a sturdy rope (you can buy them pre-made on Amazon, Chewy, Etsy, etc. or you can make your own with craft store finds) and tie that to the door handle of the door your dog goes in and out of the most. Every time you open that door, ring the bell yourself and say whatever you say when you open the door.  At my house, I say "Go potty!" when I open the door to let the dogs out and "Wait!" when I open the door to let them back in.  You can hang bells on both sides of the door so your dogs ring the bell to go out AND to come back inside. Timing is everything. You need to be there to respond quickly and open the door the first time your dog bumps those bells with a paw or their nose instead of pawing or nosing the door itself.  You definitely want to get there on the first ding so they don't escalate to barking!  You are trying to teach them that ringing the bell is enough to get the door opened, no scratching, pawing of the door, or barking is necessary.  

Ready for another one?  Does your dog jump up on people who raise their hands up to avoid getting jumped on or who raise their arms up because they are afraid?  Well, teach your dog that those raised arms and the frightened high pitch voices that accompany that behavior are actually just a different way that some people ask them to sit!  Have treats at the ready and get really excited, squealing with delight and throwing your arms up in the air.  Jumping dogs can't resist and will try to jump. Tell them to sit while your hands are up in the air.  The moment they do, give them a treat and repeat again with the squealing excitement and hands in the air. This is one of my favorite alternate behaviors to teach novice therapy dogs as a way to help prevent jumping on people during therapy visits. And a special thank you and shout out to Trish Wamsat for this exercise and helping me teach it to Henley!

One final example of shaping you might like to try: Ever been in a tight space with your dog where getting them into the heel position was difficult as people were walking on both sides of you?  Instead of shortening their leash and forcing them to stand next to you/walk next to you, try having them walk under you or  reverse sit in front of you, and wait at your feet.  Basically, you teach your dog to walk in the heel position first.  Then stop and have your dog go around behind you (use your hand to direct them around your body) and poke themselves through your legs.  Keep your legs a comfortable distance apart so that your dog can squeeze through and have them sit immediately when the front half of their body is through your legs.  They should be sitting right in front of you, between your feet, with their heads facing out. It's okay if they look up at you initially, but the goal is to have them go around your body, position themselves between your legs, and then sit calmly in your body's space at your feet.  You can even train them to walk with you, between your legs, much as some trainers do who teach dogs in the art of protection. The bottom line is that now people can move around you on either or both sides and your dog and you are sharing the same exact space, making those people around you less worried about moving around you and your dog.  

I've been continuing to work on the "don't jump up when people get excited and raise their hands or clap" behavior with Henley. It's a work in progress as he REALLY wants to jump on people.  What I don't want to do is pull back on his leash as that teaches him that whatever he's approaching is bad.  I can stand on his leash, but he's really strong and he's been known to yank that leash right out from under me to get to someone to say hi!  So, we continue to work on the sitting politely for greetings, even if people get excited to see him too. No surprise, Ozzie is great at this exercise.  And Ozzie loves the through-the-legs-sit-at-my-feet exercise too.  And if I walk with him between my legs, he grins from ear to ear with joy, prancing with every step!  That will be the next behavior I teach Henley; he can walk around and then through my legs, but sitting quietly at my feet will take practice.

Let me know if you try any of these shaped behaviors with your dogs too.  And as always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Here's what I see when Ozzie does the "sitting at your feet, sharing your space" behavior. 

 He makes this look easy.

Turn That Frown Upside Down!

Just because a behavior seems bad doesn't mean you can't turn in into something that's less bad or even something that's actually good!  This was how I started a recent appointment with a new client whose dog is a resource guarder.  If he gets a sock, a kid's toy, etc., he's not giving it up and he's escalating to aggression in his efforts not to give up what he's found in their house.  The owners are terrified that they'll get bitten or that he'll swallow something he finds and get really sick.  So, here's an outline of what we're going to try with this dog. 

We set up laundry baskets and boxes all over their house, one in each room to begin with.  Using toys, I taught the dog to pick up a toy and hand it to me, and then I gave him a small bite of mozzarella cheese.  He'd never had cheese before, so he was definitely interested in what I was up to!  Once he was able to pick up any toy I dropped and hand it to me, I walked over to one of the baskets/boxes and put my hand over it as I asked the dog to give me the item.  Instead of taking it, I let it drop into the container and immediately rewarded the dog with cheese.  I repeated this until he'd readily just drop the toy into the container and look at me expectantly for his treat.  This was phase one. The owners will keep working on these basic behaviors (pick it up, give it to me, and drop it in the bin with dog toys) until we meet next week for phase two.

For this next phase, I'll be using innocuous items that are too big for the dog to swallow, but also something he's likely to want to hang onto and not give up.  I'll start with a hard glasses case and a hair brush, dropping these items on the floor and asking the dog to pick them up. I'll start with having him hand them to me, rewarding with larger pieces of cheese when he does so.  Once he's handing them to me readily, I'll quickly move over to the container in the room and see if I can get him to drop it in the basket and step away for the treat.  Stepping away after he's relinquished the item is the key with this phase.  If he does, big rewards!  If all of this goes well, I'll have the owners start doing these same exercises for another week with innocuous items and we'll see how it goes from there.

What's the end goal?  My end goal for this dog is to let him pick up anything he wants IF he'll go and put it in one of the containers in the house. If he does, big rewards in the form of mozzarella cheese will be coming his way. Why do I want him dropping the items in the containers versus just handing them over?  Mostly because this dog has a history of dropping things in his owner's hands and then grabbing it back quickly before she can even get a hold of it, and he'll growl with a hard stare if she grabs for it again.  I want a completely different behavior to be trained so that we bypass that grabby business and get the dog into a working mindset.  Plus, as the client said, if she can get this dog picking up stuff around her house and putting it away in the baskets and boxes, he'll be better trained than her kids!

Yes, it's important to control defensible resources in a home with a resource guarding dog, but it's also possible that you can turn that behavior into something different IF the dog is willing to trade and IF you are willing to take the time to shape a different behavior.  And, yes, you can shape this same behavior in a dog who doesn't engage in resource guarding. When Ozzie was a puppy, I taught him to pick up laundry and help me stick it into my front loading washing machine! He loved this task and it kept him from racing around with socks and underwear. I no longer have that front loading washing machine, but he still stands at the ready when I'm doing laundry. I appreciate that about Ozzie.

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

My ever present laundry assistant, Ozzie. If I drop something, he'll pick it up for me!