Problems at the dog park!!

• 05-08-2008 10:05 PM

  mwilliams922 Joined on 10-13-2007 Posts 1 Points 0

  Problems at the dog park!! Reply Contact I have a 2 year old terrier mix. She's 14 pounds and FULL of energy. I've been working really hard lately on becoming the "pack leader" and making sure that she gets nothing for free (must sit for food, must wait to go out the door, etc). She's doing really well except for one thing...jumping and biting at my clothes. At home, I'm able to cross my arms and ignore her until she sits and then I praise her, but for some reason, at the dog park, she persists to the point of actually ripping my clothes. It's SO embarassing because I try to ignore and cross my arms and look away, but then she starts biting my clothing and has ripped it on a few occassions. It's not really aggression it seems, it's almost like she decides she's bored and wants me to pay attention or something. I don't know how to stop this problem and handle it swiftly and with confidence...any advice??

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• 05-09-2008 6:58 AM

  In reply to mwilliams922

  CoBuHe Joined on 08-03-2007 Magnolia, TX Posts 418 Points 35

  Re: Problems at the dog park!! Reply Contact She needs to understand that what she is doing is unacceptable behavior.  At the dog park, her excitement level is high, so sounds like ignoring and crossing your arms isn't enough.  Does she understand "no"?  If so, a stern "no" with a look of "I mean business" may be your next step.  Then, if that is not enough, you may need to accompany that with a collar/leash correction.   I'm sure others will have more suggestions for you...good luck!

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• 05-09-2008 7:00 AM

  In reply to mwilliams922

  mrv Joined on 09-10-2007 west central OH Posts 2,577 Points 745

  Re: Problems at the dog park!! Reply Contact Use a buckle collar and step on the leash.  When she has laid quiet and controled at your feet, then you can move off again.  Every time she jumps and bites at your clothes, you calmly stop, allow part of the leash to hit the ground so you can slide your foot.  Then slowly move your foot toward her collar.  Use a down command.  When she is down and calm, move your foot away from the collar so there is no tension.  Do some count (10 or 20 seconds and vary it) start moving again.  Repeat at necessary.  Although the first times you attempt this it will be time consuming, that stage will not last long.  The change in environment (which is far more stimulating to the dog) is making it harder for the dog to demonstrate the "home" level of control.  You change the environment by adding structure (limited movement by a shorter leash).  But you are controling attention by providing that control from an area of your body not typically involved in training and play/reinforcement.  That change will tyically be enough for folks to be succesful.  The dog learns very quickly this obnoxious behavior results in restriction.  Where is the fun in that?  Behavior is no longer reinforcing, it slowly fades out entirely.  Be prepared this behavior may show up in other locations.  Evaluate the situation and determine do I do nothing (ignore it and let the dog figure it out by removing attention) or do I add structure so bad behavior can not be practiced (step on the lead)

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• 05-12-2008 5:14 PM

  In reply to mwilliams922

  Ixas_girl Joined on 02-01-2007 Southern California Posts 2,391 Points 550

  Re: Problems at the dog park!! Reply Contact Hi there. Here's what your post brought to mind for me: Sometimes dogs don't know how to express their excess energy appropriately. It's kind to give them an outlet for that energy, a way to spend it: chasing a ball, running, playing with other dogs .... My dog used to be so excited when I got home that she'd jump up. I made a habit of helping her find better ways to spend that energy. Now when I come home, she runs a few laps in the back yard before she greets me ... she burns off her own excess energy. I also wonder, why is your dog bored at the dog park? Doesn't she like it there? Is she nervous? Doesn't she play? http://dogandgirl.blogspot.com/ You're Good Enough, You're Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like You! ~ Stuart Smalley ~~~ Mary Poppins: I never explain anything.

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• 05-12-2008 11:33 PM

  In reply to mrv

  spiritdogs Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 9,568 Points 710

  Re: Problems at the dog park!! Reply Contact mrv: Use a buckle collar and step on the leash.  When she has laid quiet and controled at your feet, then you can move off again.  Every time she jumps and bites at your clothes, you calmly stop, allow part of the leash to hit the ground so you can slide your foot.  Then slowly move your foot toward her collar.  Use a down command.  When she is down and calm, move your foot away from the collar so there is no tension.  Do some count (10 or 20 seconds and vary it) start moving again.  Repeat at necessary.  Although the first times you attempt this it will be time consuming, that stage will not last long.  The change in environment (which is far more stimulating to the dog) is making it harder for the dog to demonstrate the "home" level of control.  You change the environment by adding structure (limited movement by a shorter leash).  But you are controling attention by providing that control from an area of your body not typically involved in training and play/reinforcement.  That change will tyically be enough for folks to be succesful.  The dog learns very quickly this obnoxious behavior results in restriction.  Where is the fun in that?  Behavior is no longer reinforcing, it slowly fades out entirely.  Be prepared this behavior may show up in other locations.  Evaluate the situation and determine do I do nothing (ignore it and let the dog figure it out by removing attention) or do I add structure so bad behavior can not be practiced (step on the lead)   I like this idea a lot. One, because it prevents the dog from practicing the unwanted behavior without any repercussions.  And, two, because you are not speaking sharply to the dog, which, if she is exhibiting this behavior secondary to anxiety or excitement, you might be escalating her arousal by doing so.  Also, you can, once the dog is quiet, reward her for self-control. You get what you reinforce, not what you want. ~ Bob Bailey Disclaimer: The dog.com forum posting rules require that members post a disclaimer when linking to training or behavior sites. As a professional trainer, any advice or links I offer are based on my years of experience with my own dogs, rescued/shelter dogs, and my clients’ dogs, but still may not fit your individual situation with your dog(s). I advise that you seek competent professional advice before trying any training or behavior modification techniques on your own dog(s).

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• 05-13-2008 4:32 AM

  In reply to spiritdogs

  corvus Joined on 08-02-2006 Australia (NSW) Posts 1,957 Points 80

  Re: Problems at the dog park!! Reply Contact I know I'm always going on about being nice and understanding and not using force, but quite honestly, if my dog did that she'd get a growly, sharp "Outofit!". Then I'd tell her to sit, and then I'd crouch down with her and give her a stern talking-to at the completion of which we'd have a moment of calm, and then we'd go do something to run off that energy. If she's too revved up to notice me being angry, then I get the treats out, which is the only time I get the treats out for her because they're just so very exciting. That sounds a little counter-intuitive, but I need her attention to communicate anything to her, and if treats are the only thing that will get her attention, treats it is. Sometimes dogs are obnoxious simply because they don't know you really don't like their behaviour. Just ignoring something works most of the time, but sometimes when they're excited it just urges them to try harder to get your attention. Picture a hyped three year old with a burning need to express all that energy to you somehow. Ignore them and they just shout louder, or grab your sleeve and tug on it, or give you a great thwak with their little fist in some cases . There is something to be said for communicating your displeasure. After all, how are you meant to live in harmony with something if you're failing to communicate to them just how abbhorent their behaviour is sometimes? Melissa's family: Penny, Kit, Bonnie, Pyry, Jill "She's always talking about her hare."

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• 05-13-2008 8:38 AM

  In reply to corvus

  spiritdogs Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 9,568 Points 710

  Re: Problems at the dog park!! Reply Contact I think there are some dogs that would respond to being corrected, for lack of a better term.  But, with terriers, my feeling is that they sometimes meet aggression with aggression.  One alternative to simply waiting for the dog to stop is to step on your leash (so she can't jump up without SELF-correcting) and praise for "sit".  Granted, if you ignore a dog, they might get more boisterous and obnoxious (after all, biting you always worked to get your attention before), but if you keep ignoring, eventually the extinction burst occurs and the dog realizes that this behavior no longer works.  The dog will then try another behavior (yes, it could very well be an equally obnoxious one), but if the ONLY think that works to get the owner to give (praise, entry to the dog park, cookie, toy, or anything else the dog wants) is to be calm, then calm is what you'll get.  The problem is that most humans want the instant gratification of having the dog behave NOW.  So, they don't put the time, effort and consistency into training self control.  Keep in mind that any punishment must be severe enough to stop the behavior permanently.  Otherwise, you might as well try something more positive.  Takes a bit longer, but if you try to punish a terrier into behaving and get one with an attitude, you'll be wishing you hadn't gone that route.  True, they are more difficult to train in some cases, because they are tenacious, but they aren't stupid;-) You get what you reinforce, not what you want. ~ Bob Bailey Disclaimer: The dog.com forum posting rules require that members post a disclaimer when linking to training or behavior sites. As a professional trainer, any advice or links I offer are based on my years of experience with my own dogs, rescued/shelter dogs, and my clients’ dogs, but still may not fit your individual situation with your dog(s). I advise that you seek competent professional advice before trying any training or behavior modification techniques on your own dog(s).

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• 05-14-2008 6:38 AM

  In reply to spiritdogs

  corvus Joined on 08-02-2006 Australia (NSW) Posts 1,957 Points 80

  Re: Problems at the dog park!! Reply Contact spiritdogs: Keep in mind that any punishment must be severe enough to stop the behavior permanently.  Otherwise, you might as well try something more positive.   Well, it depends on what your 'punishment' is. I don't like to use punishments that actually stop behaviour permanently, but I do use punishments, or interruptors that stop a behaviour right now. As in, "Penny, QUIET! Now SIT! No, no barking, just sit!" Penny is a soft dog, but barking is what she does when she's extremely excited. She knows barking doesn't get us moving out the door faster. She knows it sometimes means she has to sit and be quiet before we go out the door, and that she'll probably end up being last out instead of first. But she still does it, because it's in her nature to bark in excitement. You should see her trying to hold it in. She has real troubles. Anyway, my point is, if I just waited her out we'd be there all day and she'd never figure out that we were waiting for her to stop barking. However, if she was barking to get my attention, she'd figure out quite quickly just from me ignoring her that it wasn't going to work and she may as well try something else. When she's excited, though, she'll bark to get my attention and we'll be back to her just doing it in spite of the fact it's not achieving anything. For me, excitement level changes my response to the same or similar behaviour, and I don't treat it like I would any other time. However, I'm not disagreeing with you! I just have a hang up about leashes and putting pressure on them. That's just me being weird. Melissa's family: Penny, Kit, Bonnie, Pyry, Jill "She's always talking about her hare."

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