NO! NO! NO!
January 27, 2011 11:41 AM Subscribe
Dog behavior resources?
I love my new dog of 3 months, but he's kind of a pain in the ass. He's stubborn for no apparent reason, stops walking in the middle of his walks and has to be bribed to continue, gets really jerky just before he's to be fed or walked, and eats random things seemingly for the joy of ticking us off. He's also extremely mouthy. He's part dachshund and part terrier, and I know that these traits are in some part endemic in these breeds. He's also a former stray, so I get why he might try to bite me when I put him in his crate. Nonetheless, I'd like to get this a little more under control. Aside from expensive hardcore training, do you know of any way to try to get him in better shape? Book or web site recs would be best.
I love my new dog of 3 months, but he's kind of a pain in the ass. He's stubborn for no apparent reason, stops walking in the middle of his walks and has to be bribed to continue, gets really jerky just before he's to be fed or walked, and eats random things seemingly for the joy of ticking us off. He's also extremely mouthy. He's part dachshund and part terrier, and I know that these traits are in some part endemic in these breeds. He's also a former stray, so I get why he might try to bite me when I put him in his crate. Nonetheless, I'd like to get this a little more under control. Aside from expensive hardcore training, do you know of any way to try to get him in better shape? Book or web site recs would be best.
And here's a pretty decent introduction to simple positive reinforcement training.
posted by muddgirl at 11:59 AM on January 27, 2011
posted by muddgirl at 11:59 AM on January 27, 2011
As said above, miracles can be accomplished with positive reinforcement training. That said, I feel like I understand my dog 100% better since I read Through a Dog's Eyes by Jennifer Arnold. She gave me the perspective to understand my dog's motivations, which was something that I honestly hadn't given much thought to.
posted by workerant at 12:05 PM on January 27, 2011
posted by workerant at 12:05 PM on January 27, 2011
And about your post title ("No! No! No!")? If you want your dog to walk with you, tell him so. Praise him when he does it. That's what positive reinforcement is all about - reframe your request to the dog so that he can be successful and rewarded instead of reprimanded.
posted by workerant at 12:07 PM on January 27, 2011
posted by workerant at 12:07 PM on January 27, 2011
rent some episodes of Cesar Milan "Dog Whisperer" - he's dealt with the same situation a number of times.
posted by noahv at 12:10 PM on January 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by noahv at 12:10 PM on January 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
How old is the dog? I'm thinking that you've had him for three months, but second-guessing myself that maybe he's three months old?
Yes, typical terrier behaviors. ;o) Trying to bite on the way into the crate is his attempt to intimidate you -- a lot of times it's better to distract them from the whole scenario. So instead of leading him to the crate and trying not to get bitten, walk over to the crate and tap on the top while saying "house", and then toss a dog treat inside and look at the ceiling while he goes after the treat. Close the door, shove another treat through the door and tell him he's a good boy.
Not sure exactly what 'acts jerky before meals/walks' means . . .
Other ways of establishing who's boss are to: make sure you go through doorways and up steps first (use a leash to keep him behind you if need be), not permit him on the couch/bed (at least for a while), and to make him sit before meals. You can google "Nothing In Life Is Free dog" for other ideas, but the basic premise is to teach him that all the wonderful things in the world come when he cooperates with you.
posted by MeiraV at 12:20 PM on January 27, 2011
Yes, typical terrier behaviors. ;o) Trying to bite on the way into the crate is his attempt to intimidate you -- a lot of times it's better to distract them from the whole scenario. So instead of leading him to the crate and trying not to get bitten, walk over to the crate and tap on the top while saying "house", and then toss a dog treat inside and look at the ceiling while he goes after the treat. Close the door, shove another treat through the door and tell him he's a good boy.
Not sure exactly what 'acts jerky before meals/walks' means . . .
Other ways of establishing who's boss are to: make sure you go through doorways and up steps first (use a leash to keep him behind you if need be), not permit him on the couch/bed (at least for a while), and to make him sit before meals. You can google "Nothing In Life Is Free dog" for other ideas, but the basic premise is to teach him that all the wonderful things in the world come when he cooperates with you.
posted by MeiraV at 12:20 PM on January 27, 2011
Since you specifically asked for book and web recs, check out the Monks of New Skete Art of Raising a Puppy book. Also search YouTube for Monks of New Skete training videos, of which there are several.
This might not be a concern of yours, but when I started training my puppy I was worried about the amount of treats she was getting. I asked my vet about it, and she said that it's more important to give the puppy tons and tons of positive reinforcement than to worry about the 1/5 lb. she might gain from too many treats.
posted by CheeseLouise at 12:44 PM on January 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
This might not be a concern of yours, but when I started training my puppy I was worried about the amount of treats she was getting. I asked my vet about it, and she said that it's more important to give the puppy tons and tons of positive reinforcement than to worry about the 1/5 lb. she might gain from too many treats.
posted by CheeseLouise at 12:44 PM on January 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
CheeseLouise - I know that a lot of trainers recommend "treating" some dogs with the hard kibble that they would normally eat, then feeding them less at meal time in proportion to how much you treated. Some dogs are not food-motivated enough to respond to "regular food", though. Really, you can do this with treats, too, but using the kibble they normally eat cuts down on the calorie counting.
posted by muddgirl at 12:51 PM on January 27, 2011
posted by muddgirl at 12:51 PM on January 27, 2011
That is a great point - all treats are not created equal and different dogs will respond to different treats. I don't think anyone would recommend going through a bag of liver treats a day, but it's not going to hurt your puppy's heath to give her a tablespoon of peanut butter in a Kong every time she goes in her crate, if peanut butter is what gets her to cooperate.
posted by CheeseLouise at 1:12 PM on January 27, 2011
posted by CheeseLouise at 1:12 PM on January 27, 2011
There are varying schools of dog training. I happen to like the methods of Ian Dunbar, a well-known dog behaviorist.
The link has some pamphlets on training basic behaviors with your dog.
posted by The ____ of Justice at 1:58 PM on January 27, 2011
The link has some pamphlets on training basic behaviors with your dog.
posted by The ____ of Justice at 1:58 PM on January 27, 2011
Take a class at Petsmart. It's basic and cheap.
posted by saragoodman3 at 2:43 PM on January 27, 2011
posted by saragoodman3 at 2:43 PM on January 27, 2011
Response by poster: Great suggestions so far. Dog is about 2 1/2, so I guess this is his teen rebellion.
We're big fans of positive reinforcement, and have been doing our best to stick to that, although it's not that easy to do that when he's trying to bite your hands.
"Acts jerky" in this context means that he intentionally gets into things, chews up things or destroys things that he knows full well are not his. He's actually pretty bright, and my guess is that he's just bored and acting out. I've been trying to teach him tricks to keep him occupied. He likes the treats, but has yet to pick up the behavior.
posted by Gilbert at 3:30 PM on January 27, 2011
We're big fans of positive reinforcement, and have been doing our best to stick to that, although it's not that easy to do that when he's trying to bite your hands.
"Acts jerky" in this context means that he intentionally gets into things, chews up things or destroys things that he knows full well are not his. He's actually pretty bright, and my guess is that he's just bored and acting out. I've been trying to teach him tricks to keep him occupied. He likes the treats, but has yet to pick up the behavior.
posted by Gilbert at 3:30 PM on January 27, 2011
At 2.5yo, your dog is well past his teens. He's been reproductively capable for almost 80% of his life! More like in his twenties.
Get thee to Petsmart, and take some basic training classes, then - this is the really important part!!! - follow through. Think of them, before you even start, as job training for *you*. Your dog isn't going to training; at the very least, the team of you & him/her are going to training. But really, you are the one learning - how to teach, challenge, and shape him.
posted by IAmBroom at 5:48 PM on January 27, 2011
Get thee to Petsmart, and take some basic training classes, then - this is the really important part!!! - follow through. Think of them, before you even start, as job training for *you*. Your dog isn't going to training; at the very least, the team of you & him/her are going to training. But really, you are the one learning - how to teach, challenge, and shape him.
posted by IAmBroom at 5:48 PM on January 27, 2011
Almost all dogs are mouthy/nippy until they are taught otherwise. Every time he nips/goes to bite you, say OUCH! in a loud voice and turn your back on him. Let him know that it hurts and that you take it personally.
Incentivize getting into his crate with a treat. For the first few times, throw the treat in ahead of him, saying "Crate" as you do this, so he gets an idea of what the word means. After that, hold it obviously in front of him and say "Crate" in a clear voice. If he goes in, he gets the treat, if not, the treat goes back into the jar. Remember that a rescue dog will have bad associations with a crate: their memory of being crammed into a crate was when they were being taken away somewhere by a total stranger. So they need to learn that the crate can be a place of refuge: their quiet place, where they are safe. Don't use the crate to punish your dog - only crate him when he needs to be left alone or quiet. We used this technique with our very stroppy rescue dogs and now both of them bolt to their crates when they think a treat might be in the offing!
The destructive/jerky behavior is probably separation anxiety. Dogs who have been abandoned expect that every time you leave is the last time they will see you. It will take a while for your dog to learn that this is not the case. In the meantime, when you leave him on his own, give him a Kong toy stuffed some of his regular dry food and topped with some peanut butter or Kong liver paste. Don't make a big deal about saying goodbye as you leave - give him the Kong toy and slip out. Once I started doing this, our manic border collie totally settled down and stopped chewing things - I use a variety of treat sizes crammed into the Kong sideways, so she spends some time puzzling out how to get the next bit out. By the time she has finished, she has forgotten that I just left. If there is anything that the dog has got into the habit of chewing, smearing it with solid deodorant will deter the dog from even trying to chew it.
Even though he is 2 1/2, he is still only just out of puppyhood. He is going through an entirely new learning curve with you - having to unlearn things that worked for him in the previous places that he has been kept. So be patient and think of him as a puppy. He will be feeling very scared, even after 3 months with you. Both of our dogs took about a year to adjust to us - and we are very kind, experienced dog owners ... :-)
posted by Susurration at 7:10 PM on January 27, 2011 [2 favorites]
Incentivize getting into his crate with a treat. For the first few times, throw the treat in ahead of him, saying "Crate" as you do this, so he gets an idea of what the word means. After that, hold it obviously in front of him and say "Crate" in a clear voice. If he goes in, he gets the treat, if not, the treat goes back into the jar. Remember that a rescue dog will have bad associations with a crate: their memory of being crammed into a crate was when they were being taken away somewhere by a total stranger. So they need to learn that the crate can be a place of refuge: their quiet place, where they are safe. Don't use the crate to punish your dog - only crate him when he needs to be left alone or quiet. We used this technique with our very stroppy rescue dogs and now both of them bolt to their crates when they think a treat might be in the offing!
The destructive/jerky behavior is probably separation anxiety. Dogs who have been abandoned expect that every time you leave is the last time they will see you. It will take a while for your dog to learn that this is not the case. In the meantime, when you leave him on his own, give him a Kong toy stuffed some of his regular dry food and topped with some peanut butter or Kong liver paste. Don't make a big deal about saying goodbye as you leave - give him the Kong toy and slip out. Once I started doing this, our manic border collie totally settled down and stopped chewing things - I use a variety of treat sizes crammed into the Kong sideways, so she spends some time puzzling out how to get the next bit out. By the time she has finished, she has forgotten that I just left. If there is anything that the dog has got into the habit of chewing, smearing it with solid deodorant will deter the dog from even trying to chew it.
Even though he is 2 1/2, he is still only just out of puppyhood. He is going through an entirely new learning curve with you - having to unlearn things that worked for him in the previous places that he has been kept. So be patient and think of him as a puppy. He will be feeling very scared, even after 3 months with you. Both of our dogs took about a year to adjust to us - and we are very kind, experienced dog owners ... :-)
posted by Susurration at 7:10 PM on January 27, 2011 [2 favorites]
Whoops - just registered the "gets really jerky just before he's to be fed or walked" part. OK - this is not separation anxiety, it's his way of getting attention. Our dogs stare at us for two hours (no, not exaggerating) before their dinner time, to try to hasten it. If a stare doesn't work, we get treated to a pat with the paw, then a bounce off the tummy, then a howl or bark ... Just put things he should not chew on a high shelf or try the dry deodorant trick. You could also remove his dinner for a while (say 20 minutes, just to make a point) if he is caught in flagrante chew while you are putting it out for him. The point is to communicate that you are miffed with him, without actual physical punishment, which will just frighten him. Or involve him in getting his dinner prepared or getting his leash out, talking to him and fussing him while you are doing these things, so he plays with you, not to get your attention.
posted by Susurration at 7:25 PM on January 27, 2011
posted by Susurration at 7:25 PM on January 27, 2011
If there is anything that the dog has got into the habit of chewing, smearing it with solid deodorant will deter the dog from even trying to chew it.
Susurration, thanks for that tip!
posted by IAmBroom at 8:24 PM on January 29, 2011
Susurration, thanks for that tip!
posted by IAmBroom at 8:24 PM on January 29, 2011
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For example, by "bribing" your dog to continue on a walk, you are actually reinforcing/rewarding the behavior you don't want! Instead, you need to reward him for "proper" behavior, which is walking while you are walking.
One structured method of positive reinforcement is clicker training, but it can be as simple as praising him when he acts good and ignorning him when he acts bad. The trick is to decide what you actually want him to do (instead of being "really jerky"), and be consistent in rewarding him when he does it.
posted by muddgirl at 11:49 AM on January 27, 2011