[
]My "perfect little boyz" are turning 2yo at the end of the month, and seem to be developing some ugly behavior issues despite my training and socializing efforts. I'll start with the most annoying issue that is coming from Sam; I will make a separate post for Willie, since they are completely different issues.
In April of this year, my sweet little submissive Sammy "found his voice" and I unintentionally re-inforced it. I was outside with my foster dog when I suddenly heard what sounded like an animal caught in a trap. It was an extremely high pitched screaming and whining inside the house (my dogs are not yappy and normally do not bark without good reason). I panicked, thinking the 2 Tzus may be having their first fight, or maybe one of them had somehow been hurt and I rushed into the house - (thus the first re-inforcement). I ran inside, and there they are, just sitting there, looking so innocent, as if nothing had happened. [:@] The behavior was also reinforced by others at different times; they too were tricked into thinking someone was being tortured. Nevertheless, it subsided after the foster was placed and he had no reason to "scream to get his way".
That same behavior has recently re-surfaced in an attempt to get us up and him out of his crate about an hour before it is time to get up. He will wake up and scream bloody murder from his crate.(poor Willie is right next to him!) When it first resurfaced, my husband was giving him a stern NO! and covered the crate (that used to work). Since that is not working (and was probably reinforcing it anyway since it was attention), I have convinced him that we need to do
nothing so that he learns it does not get him any attention and will give up. My husband is trying really hard not to respond, (it's really ear-piercing!);
we are waiting for the extinction!! But OMG - WHEN will he give up?!?!?!
I want to make sure we are doing this correctly, so I could use some insight from you positive trainers out there[
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When it begins we ignore it as long as possible, but DH usually gets up and closes our door to lessen the volume
Does getting up and closing the door count as attention?
Also: Sam has started taking like a 5 minute break in between screaming sessions :
Should I get up and reinforce the quiet behavior with a treat or just ignore him until the appropriate time to get up?
This
almost always occurs in the morning while in the crate (they both love their crate, and run to it when the word is mentioned, so I'm sure it is not a crate issue).
He did start the behavior last weekend this while playing with Willie in the hall; I calmly picked him up and put him in his crate for a time out for about 5 minutes. He was quiet in there and didin't do it anymore during playtime. It feels like I'm giving both dogs a time out though, because Willie just lies outside of Sam's crate and looks at me like "Why did you take my playmate away?"[
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Any insight or recommendations are welcome.[8|]