Breaking Your Dog's Bad Habits (4 page)

If the dog’s behavior is not recognized as a bad habit and goes uncorrected, it will gradually escalate from obnoxious to intimidating. The dog may stare, growl, bare his teeth, snap, or even bite the interloper.

If a dog is jealous, he is usually far from subtle in making his feelings clear. At first he may simply rest his head on your knee when the “interloper” is nearby. Or he may nudge his way in between a hug. Some couples report that the dog will not allow them to hold hands, hug, or kiss in his presence. Some dogs have even gone so far as to try to keep the interloper out of the bed or bedroom! At this point, the dog’s bad habit is clearly out of control.

As the owner, you may initially find your dog’s behavior endearing. But your loved one is not likely to be pleased with playing second fiddle to the dog.

Sometimes a dog who thinks he’s in charge will focus his possessiveness on the children in the household. Their small size, high-pitched voices, and uncoordinated movements signify that they are the pack’s young and therefore defenseless, so the dog appoints himself their bodyguard. As with possessiveness of an owner, bodyguard behavior is a bad habit with serious consequences. For example, the dog may think someone is acting in a threatening manner toward one of the kids and will therefore act to protect her. He may snap at, bite, or assault the offender, even if the person in question is actually a harmless parent or playmate.

To break your dog’s bad habit of jealousy and possessiveness, you must restructure the hierarchy of the household pack. In the new order, the owner is the alpha dog and any other humans, regardless of age or size, are second in command. Dogs are last in the new hierarchy. The new order must be made clear to the dog in a nonconfrontational way.

Everyone in the household must abide by and reinforce the rules and expectations for the dog’s behavior. No mixed messages! The owner should use her alpha position to support the other household members’ interactions with the dog. The owner and all human members of the household must handle all interactions with the dog with calm confidence, firm but nonconfrontational. This may be hard to do at first if the dog has growled or snapped at anyone, so fake it until it becomes natural.

The following steps can be performed with the assistance of whomever the dog considers to be an interloper, whether a particular significant other, a baby-sitter, or a friend of the household.

Step 1.
You and the person your dog perceives as the interloper should arrange one or two daily retraining sessions with the dog. Make the sessions brief—10 minutes is plenty. During these sessions you will begin to share your authority as alpha dog with the other person. For the first few sessions, you should give the dog simple obedience commands—sit, stay, lie down, come. When the dog responds appropriately, praise him warmly and pet him. The other person should join in with warm praise, too. However, this person should not give any commands or try to reward the dog with petting at this time. After all, he or she is not the dog’s favorite person right now.

Step 2.
After a few sessions, the other person should take over the retraining sessions. The owner should be on hand for support. Again, the sessions should be brief and nonconfrontational and should cover
just the basic commands. The dog should be rewarded with praise and food treats. (Food will serve as a strong motivator to get the dog to accept this person’s commands.)

Step 3.
Once the dog is comfortable interacting with this person, the owner should not attend the practice training sessions. Gradually, over a few weeks, the dog will learn to accept the other person’s authority in this and other situations. Remember that the retraining sessions should be fun and relaxing for both humans and the dog. Interactions with the dog outside of retraining sessions should remain confident and friendly but nonconfrontational. For example, if the dog is doing something he should not or ignores a command, don’t try to force him. Instead, distract him with another activity or a toy.

Pulls on Leash When Walking

We’ve all seen or experienced this scenario: The leash is stretched as far as it will go, and the dog is straining against it as if he is pulling a heavy sled in the Iditarod. The owner is leaning backward in an effort to slow the dog or, worse yet, is being dragged along like a loose anchor. Such scenes make us wonder just who’s walking whom!

Amusing though the scene may be, pulling on the leash is a serious behavior problem for several reasons. A dog that pulls his owner along is either very anxious or is vying for the alpha-dog position. Either way, if the dog is in control of the walk, the owner is not in control of the dog. Many potential problems loom in such situations. The dog may suddenly lunge at a passing bicycle, runner, or child, or the dog may go after another dog or a cat. Serious injury could result to any or all involved. In addition, the constant tugging of a determined dog on a leash can cause stress injuries to the owner’s arm muscles and joints. There is even some possibility that the pulling could harm the dog’s neck or throat.

Taking control of walks is not always easy for the owner. Neither brute force nor begging is effective. To correct this bad habit, try a change in both “hardware” and technique. Use a collar or harness that minimizes a dog’s ability to pull—without choking him—and retrain your dog to walk with you. Here’s how.

Step 1.
Several types of collars and harnesses can minimize or eliminate pulling, and they are more effective than jerking on the
dog’s leash and more humane than choke or shock collars. Do some research. Discuss the pros and cons of various types of collars and harnesses with people who have had some experience with them—your vet, a dog behaviorist, other dog owners. Get their opinions on what works and why. Every dog is different, so what works well for one won’t necessarily work for another.

After you’ve done your research, select the type of equipment that you feel is most suitable for your dog (see pages 24–25 for suggestions). Consider your dog’s size and physique, personality and temperament, and dominance factor. Take your own feelings into consideration, too. If you feel that a particular collar or harness is uncomfortable or undignified for your dog, you’ll communicate that distress right down the leash.

Step 2.
When you first bring home the new collar or harness, don’t try it out right away. Put it down on the floor and let your dog check it out. As he does so, talk to him. Explain that this is something special for him, something to make walks easier for both of you. Use a cheerful tone. Don’t scold the dog or give the impression that the new item is a punishment. It isn’t. It’s a tool that will help you and your dog feel calm and confident so you can enjoy your walks.

Step 3.
After he’s had a minute to sniff the new item, offer your dog a treat. Set it down on the floor next to the harness or collar to help him associate good things with the new equipment right from the start.

Step 4.
Find a quiet time to try the new collar or harness on the dog. Use a casual, “nothing-out-of-the-ordinary” manner. Be sure to have several tidbits on hand to ease the experiment. If you are using a Halti or Gentle Leader collar that slides over the dog’s snout, put a tidbit in the palm of your hand so that the treat will slide into the dog’s mouth as the collar goes on.

Step 5.
Talk to your dog calmly and quietly. Tell him how good he is. Remind him that this new collar or harness is going to make walks more fun. He’ll most likely resist the device at first. Leave it on for a few minutes, then gently take it off and leave it on the floor. Praise your dog and pet him. Let him know you are proud of him. Offer him a treat from your hand, then set a second treat down on the floor near the collar or harness.

Step 6.
Later that day or the next, announce walk time. Be sure to put several treat tidbits in your pocket. Calmly, without a fuss, slip
the collar or harness onto the dog and in the same moment give him a treat. Spend a few minutes practicing walking back and forth near your home. Don’t head off for a real walk this time.

Step 7.
If the dog starts to pull on the leash, correct the movement according to the directions that came with the harness or collar. Tell him “No pulling,” but use a gentle, calm, and encouraging voice. You don’t want to baby him, but it is important to give him some time to get used to the change.

Step 8.
Once you’re back home, remove his new equipment and give him praise or a treat.

Step 9.
When it’s time for a walk again, plan a short outing of 10 to 15 minutes, just long enough for both of you to start getting used to the new equipment. Lead off gently. If need be, use an encouraging tone to prompt your dog to walk. If he is reluctant to do so, coax him along with a tidbit or two. He’ll get the idea quickly, though he may resist the new device at first. Don’t relent: No collar or harness = no walk. Once they get moving, most dogs get absorbed in the walk and forget about the harness or collar. If the dog pulls, correct him immediately using the proper technique for that device. Say “No pulling” in a firm, but not angry, voice. When he starts walking properly again, praise him for doing a good job and give him a treat. When you return home from the walk, reward him for a “good walk” with praise and physical affection, and give him a treat
before
you remove the collar or harness.

TOOLS FOR RESTRAINING YOUR DOG DURING WALKS

These items can be purchased from pet stores and animal supply catalogs and Web sites. Some veterinarians, dog trainers, and dog behaviorists sell them as well.

Step 10.
For your next walk and thereafter, follow your usual route. Your dog will learn quickly, within two or three walks, to walk without pulling, but it may take a few weeks before the new behavior is consistent. For the first month, reward your dog a few times on every walk when he walks properly. Pat him on the head and slip him a treat. Gradually, he’ll begin to take pride in his new behavior.

What if your dog absolutely refuses to walk after you’ve put on the new harness or collar? If she is small enough, pick her up and start walking. Put her down when you are a few yards away from your home, give her a treat, and start walking again. This tactic is usually enough to communicate to the dog that the collar or harness comes with the walk.

If your dog is too big to carry, spend a few minutes coaxing her to walk. If she still refuses, take her back into the house and take off the harness or collar without comment. If time permits, try again in another 15 minutes or so. Try this three times before you give up. If you strike out after three tries, put the harness or collar on your dog but don’t use them. Instead, attach the leash to her regular collar and take her for a short walk that way. This will let her get used to walking while wearing the device, but without any pressure. Since the leash is not attached to the restraining device, you will not be able to physically correct pulling, so keep these walks short.

After three walks in this manner, attach the leash to the restraining device and start out for a walk. By this time, she will be used to the feel of the new harness or collar. Now you can start working on correcting the pulling behavior. Be sure to praise and reward your dog when she walks properly.

Chases Cars

Cubby is such a feisty 5-year-old Pomeranian that it’s hard to believe she nearly didn’t make it to her first birthday. When she was just 6 months old, she was severely injured by a car. Cubby and her owners live on a side road off a busy country road. Because of the heavy traffic on the main road, her owners always put Cubby on a leash whenever she is outside. One evening, Cubby’s owner unclipped her leash just as they were walking up the front steps. At that moment a neighbor’s car turned onto the side road in front of their house. The crunch of tires on gravel startled Cubby, and she spun around to defend herself and instinctively went on the attack. She hurtled herself toward the car. The car’s front tire clipped Cubby and sent her rolling along the gravel, head over tail.

Cubby suffered extensive internal damage and severe abdominal lacerations from the accident. As a result of the accident she becomes enraged with any vehicle other than her owner’s that passes the house. Whenever she hears or sees a car, she breaks into frenzied barking. Even if she is inside the house when a vehicle is passing, she reacts with fury, racing around in the hope of catching the offending car.

Cubby’s accident and the behavior that resulted from it vividly portray the dangers for dogs who chase cars. But the behavior puts humans at risk, too. A dog hurtling out of nowhere can startle a driver enough to make him go off the road or into oncoming traffic. And many people are devastated when they accidentally hit an animal.

Desensitization is an excellent technique to use for banishing car-chasing behavior. Desensitization works by gradually exposing the dog to the stimulus that provokes his terror or aggression so that over time his reaction (sensitivity or overreaction) to the trigger will gradually decrease.