Ask the Expert Archives
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Dear Susan,
I have a 2 1/2-year-old Weimaraner who is very hyperactive. She is mostly outdoors during the day and sleeps inside at night in her kennel. She has a big chewing problem, and it's very hazardous. She rips the wood fence down a board at a time and chews the boards up. We really need help. I was wondering if your workshop would cover this behavior problem. We don't know what to do anymore.
Thank you so much,
Kelli
Dear Kelli,
Any dog left to her own devices is going to cause trouble to her humans. In short, your dog is very bored and doesn't know what else to do. Hyperactivity is not at all uncommon in Weimaraners, and they are a lot of dog to handle. Barring any medical problems, my suggestion to you is to run your dog five miles each morning and then put her in a kennel before you leave the house so she won't destroy anything.
You have to accept the fact that Weims are hunting dogs with boundless energy and intense drive. You can't train them to be something they are not. Almost every dog in America is suffering from being underexercised.
Playing fetch, going to the dog park and romping in the back yard are not enough exercise for her. Those activities usually just "stir the pot." She needs to be trained how to walk at your side properly. Then the two of you can go for long, beautiful walks together, and maybe someone in the family will take up jogging with her. Come to a workshop, and I'll teach you how to make her walk at your side, along with a few other things, and then you'll have somewhere to start with her.
Susan Strough
Dear Susan,
Pepper has always been very playful and tries to dominate. I think he knows his place in our house now, and that isn't a problem with me, my husband or my two kids. The problem is when my kids have friends over. We've had two birthday parties and a week off school with lots of friends over. Pepper spends most of the time tied to the couch or in his kennel whenever other kids are over because I don't trust him.
I have let him be free in the house when it was quiet and only one friend was over spending the night. One of those times, he attacked a child's feet and ankles, broke the skin, brought blood and had to be pulled off [the child]. Pepper ripped his pants, and now this kid (who is 11) is scared of him. Pepper has been in the attack mode at least three times before with other kids, ripping their clothes, but not to the point of drawing blood. Is this something that can be fixed, or is this a dangerous situation? He has bitten my kids in the face before while playing, and I don't want to risk that with other kids. My husband and I are very concerned. Thanks for any help. We don't know what to do.
Jennifer B.
Dear Jennifer,
Put a prong collar around his neck with a leash attached to it. Find a brave kid who will act as bait. Keep the leash loose. The very instant Pepper exhibits aggressive behavior toward the child, set off the collar. He will yelp, but don't say a word, and don't stay mad. Let go of your anger immediately, and let Pepper deal with it. He will probably slink around, trying to figure out what just happened. Don't coddle him. Just leave him be. You may have to do this a few times.
Once you think you've got it under control, attach the leash to his regular collar, and let him wear the leash around while the child is there. If you have to do it more than three times, we need a different tactic. Here is a link that shows how to fit a prong collar properly. If you want me to do it, give me a call at 214-760-8677. How to Fit a Prong Collar.
Susan Strough
Dear Susan,
I have two purebred golden retrievers: One is a 2-year-old female, and the other is a 3-year-old male. Neither one is fixed. My male, Baily, has been my baby forever. He is the only male in the house and is very attached to me. He has separation anxiety. When we leave, we put my four dogs in the basement. We have a tall baby gate that he has learned to jump over and/or tear down. If he manages to get upstairs, he tends to have accidents on the floor. He only does this upstairs. As a solution, we bought a Great Dane-size indoor kennel. He ate through it. He bent the walls down. So we bought an outdoor chain-link kennel. The rods that pull the ends of the fence together — he actually bent those up and ripped the chain link apart in four different places. I am absolutely lost on what to do with him. I am extremely frustrated, and we keep sinking more and more money into confining him. We can't do much more of that either. Do you have any suggestions?
He is also very gun-shy. When there are fireworks, gunshots or loud noises outside, he goes ballistic! He hides, shreds things, jumps in people's laps, barks and starts to shake. When we were moving about a year ago, we were staying with some friends, and we believe that one of the teenage boys there was shooting a gun beside his kennel. I'm not sure what happened. We moved out and haven't spoken to them since. He was never physically harmed, but I want to get him to be able to hear these things and not be so scared. We have tried putting him on a leash and setting him in front of us and just comforting him. And he's OK, but it hasn't made things better. It only works for the time being. Is there anything I can do to help this situation?
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter,
Tessa
Dear Tessa,
I hope I can speak bluntly with you. Sweetheart, you've done everything wrong. You can't allow a dog to be so attached to you. That is why he has separation anxiety. He thinks that you belong to him instead of him belonging to you. You see, he thinks that he is responsible for your survival and therefore has a panic attack every time you confine him and leave him.
Does he sleep in your bed? Does he lay with you on the sofa? Does he lie on top of you on the floor? Does he pull you when you go for walks? Does he sit on your feet? All of these things are classic examples of a dog that has tried to communicate with you that you are his subordinate, beta, underling, second-in-command, however you want to say it.
He needs a lot of exercise and a lot of training from you. You need to get him into obedience class right away. Find a good trainer/behavior expert, and don't give up on him. You need to get him another kennel and desensitize him to it. Put him in it for minutes at a time (after he's been exercised) to teach him to tolerate it. Once he's comfortable with his kennel, start running very short errands while he waits for you in his kennel. You can start by just stepping out your front door for a few seconds. Don't fuss over him before you leave, and don't fuss over him upon your return. Above all, don't let him out of that kennel until he has calmed down. You've got to remain cool and calm around him. He will absorb that state of mind from you.
About the sound: The worst thing you can do is put him in front of you and pet him when he's scared. You believe that you are soothing him but what you are really doing is praising his frightened state of mind. But don't take it to the other extreme by scolding him when he acts afraid. If you know he is going to be hearing loud noises, take him for a long run beforehand and when he acts scared just let him be scared. Don't coddle him. Dogs don't work like humans. They can't be taken from scared to comfortable with physical touch. Tessa, you really need to learn what makes dogs tick. You could stand to read as many books as possible on the topic. Start with Cesar's Way, by Cesar Milan. There are dozens of books about dogs written very recently. Good luck, dear. Keep me posted.
Susan Strough
Susan,
I recently read an article about you in a neighborhood magazine. I clipped the page with your web address and found it in the bottom of my purse today.
My issues center on five Italian greyhounds: one alpha female and four neutered males. Two we acquired as puppies, two we have adopted at ages 1 and 2, and the last is a long-term foster. Right now my biggest concern is housebreaking the three newer arrivals (all male). We use belly bands in the house, [and] close off all areas except the kitchen, den and sunroom/dog room. When I am gone, they (all five) stay in the dog room with access to the back yard. If I leave them confined to the 150-square-foot dog room, one of them often pees on the doors or wall. Even with access to the outside, they still pee in the house even when the door is open. Part of my problem is that I do not know if it is one or all. Also, when they go outside, they often stop and pee about five steps out the door on the deck instead of going on out into the grass.
Any suggestions will be gladly appreciated and used.
Thanks,
Cindy R.
Dear Cindy,
They are marking their territory. Yes, they are urinating to do so, but their main purpose in this behavior is to mark their territory. Your answer to this problem for now is crates, crates, crates. When you leave them together, the behavior of marking spreads like wildfire from one dog to the next, and even though they are neutered, the behavior becomes habitual. You have got to start at square one with these guys in regard to housetraining. You are literally going to have to walk them from their crate out to the grass to use the bathroom. This is a very in-depth topic.
If you find you need more help than this email provides, let me know, and my assistant will schedule an appointment for you.
Susan Strough
Susan,
Do you think it's worth setting up a couple of sessions to teach the kids how to behave around dogs, specifically my Ridgeback, Simba?
A client
Dear client,
Don't let the children annoy Simba. It is not in the Ridgeback's nature to be tolerant of children. He needs a "safe" place when he's around them, such as a dog bed away from the flow of traffic. Praise him when he does display tolerance, and diffuse tense situations by sending him to his bed to lie down. Simba doesn't know that children aren't just annoying puppies, and he will discipline them as only dogs know how. Unfortunately, this can be dangerous to a child's health and well-being.
It probably wouldn't hurt to have one session with Simba and the kids. That way I could evaluate him around them to be sure that his reaction is mild.
Susan Strough
My Border Collie, Molly, has had three successful training sessions at PetSmart. She is 4 years old and still obeys each command. She just sits at the door until I notice her. There are two other dogs, neither as sharp as Molly. They do the same. We never discussed the bell for "out." What is the process for this?
Peggy G.
Fort Worth, Texas
Dear Peggy,
Here is a perfect scenario: You hold the bell by a string in your hand, and in the other, you hold treats. The first time you show a dog anything, in this case a bell, she is usually curious enough to touch it. The instant she touches it, you reward her with a treat. This usually gets the ball rolling. The next time she touches it, you say "outside?" and give her a treat. You repeat this until you are able to say "outside?" and this word incites the dog to ring the bell. At this point, you are ready to hang it from the knob of the door she will exit to relieve herself. Make sure the bell is at her nose level. For the final phase of this behavior-shaping process, you will escort your dog to the door every time she or you decides she needs to go out. You give her the cue "outside?," she rings the bell, you give her a treat, and open the door. After several successful attempts at this, you may phase the treat out of the equation, because the opening of the door becomes its own reward.
For more information on housebreaking, see my Tips.
Susan Strough
Susan,
I adopted a mixed-breed dog about 11 months old from one of my patients who could no longer care for her. She was going to take her to the pound, so I told her to bring her to me. She is a great dog, but scared to death of her own shadow. She is fine around my wife and me and gets along with our other dogs, an Aussie and a Boston Terrier, ages 9 and 10, respectively.
She is a great trainer for them. I need to help her with her fear of both people and dogs and potty training.
I would like your input.
Fred H., Ph.D.
Dear Fred,
Potty training is a broad topic. I might need to talk to you about some specifics regarding your situation with housebreaking, but here are some general rules: Dogs that are not housebroken should not be left unsupervised. They should be in the eye line of their owner when they are loose, and if their owner cannot maintain direct eye contact with them, the dogs need to be confined until their owner is able to give them their undivided attention again. Secondly, dogs can benefit from a way to indicate the need to go outside. If I find that is the case with one of my clients, I help them teach their dog how to ring a bell to go outside. For more information on housebreaking, see my Tips.
Fear: The only way for dogs to get over their fear is to confront it. They need to get out around people and dogs in safe environments.
BUT, their handler/owner needs to be their helper by providing them confident support. This is technical. Owners tend to always do the wrong thing when their dog exhibits fear. They usually either coddle them with baby talk and touching, or they reprimand them. Both of these methods worsen their fear and will eventually turn their fear into fear-based aggression. I always recommend to my clients who are dealing with fear to have at least two private consultations and then get into a group class so that they can practice their techniques in a controlled environment.
After they've learned how to help their dog overcome their fear through their consultations and group class, I encourage them to continue to be as social as possible with their dog for the rest of the dog's life.
Susan Strough
Hi Susan,
How do you prevent male dogs from urinating in the house?
Thanks,
Angelica
Dear Angelica,
We need to distinguish between urinating and marking. Urinating relieves a bladder. Marking, while it can have the added benefit of bladder relief, is designed to leave a scent behind as a message to all inhabitants and guests of the dog's territory. If your dog is squatting to urinate and seems to urinate for an extended amount of time, he is probably struggling with housebreaking. However, if he is raising his leg and urinating in short bouts, then he is marking.
If you are dealing with housebreaking, there are three general rules to follow: First, supervise or confine your dog. Then teach him to ring a bell to indicate the need to go out. Finally, make sure you catch him in the act when you reprimand him. There is no need to reprimand a dog after the last drop has hit the ground; otherwise, you teach him that the presence of urine is the problem, and you will create a hostile situation. This is why you must constantly supervise your dog when he is loose in the house. You need to make a sharp loud sound to startle the dog when he is in the act, and then quickly usher him outside (accompany him) and encourage him to finish his business outside. For more information on housebreaking, see my Tips.
Now let's talk about marking. All male canines living indoors must be neutered before we can expect them to not have the hormonal need to mark.
Once we've gotten rid of the hormonal need by neutering our male dogs, we are left with dominance and habit issues. We must reduce the dog's level of dominance and at the same time break his habit of marking. To reduce your dog's level of dominance, take your dog through an obedience course and follow these basic guidelines. Don't allow your dog to lay, sit or stand on top of you. Do not allow him to demand things of you. Do not allow him on the furniture or in your bed until the marking is under control. It is helpful to have him wear a leash around the house so that you can remove him from your furniture without touching his body. And again, supervise your dog at all times to help break the habit.
Susan Strough
I have two dogs that are constantly fighting. The older dog, Chance, is 12 years old, a mutt and is rather small. The younger dog, Tytan, is almost 1 year old, a Catahoula, and tall and lanky. Tytan is always biting Chance's tail and ears as if they were toys. We have tried to shave Chance's ears, but Tytan keeps biting them. Chance is old and doesn't like to play, but Tytan does, which we think is annoying Chance. We have to separate them when we feed them because Chance will stare Tytan down the whole time. At night, we have to bring Chance in the garage because they fight all night, and we can't sleep. We don't know exactly what to do anymore. Please give us some suggestions.
Thanks,
Chelsea B.
Dear Chelsea,
What you are experiencing between an older dog and a younger dog is quite common. It is not as serious as it seems and requires only a little management and training. Tytan needs some training, rules, boundaries and limitations administered by his owners so that he will obey you when you tell him to leave Chance alone. You've got the right idea regarding splitting them up at night, but I would recommend that you give Tytan the restriction instead of Chance. If you have a crate, I would have Tytan sleep in it overnight, or at least tether him to the bed so that he cannot roam around at night.
Secondly, feeding should be a ritual in a dog's everyday life. Put enough distance between each of them. Ask them to sit and stay before they are fed. Feed Chance first, and then Tytan, since Chance is the alpha. Don't leave the room. Insist that they eat all of their food right then and there. If Chance can't get the hang of it, feed him in another room until you have some training in place for both of them.
Finally, what you may think of as fighting between dogs is probably not fighting at all. As long as Chance is not suffering from injuries, hair loss (other than shaving) or loss of appetite, you don't need to worry. Chance should take up for himself when he has had enough of Tytan. It does little good for owners to interfere during a physical confrontation because humans are not innately good communicators for dogs.
Also, adult dogs can be very tolerant of puppies, which is what Tytan is at 1 year old. What you might see as suffering abuse might just be Chance being tolerant of Tytan. Young dogs love to play and have boundless energy (especially Catahoula). If you have a runner in the house, then he or she needs to be running with Tytan. Teaching him to run on a treadmill can also help with his energy levels. Tytan needs a lot of exercise right now. Almost every dog in America is suffering from being underexercised. Dogs were born to work and not necessarily just be our house pets. Underexercised dogs can get very frustrated, and this frustration can cause them to exercise themselves in ways we find unacceptable, such as badgering the older dog all day long. Remember, a tired dog is a good dog.
Susan Strough
Hello Susan,
I have a 3-year-old English Mastiff who is left out in the back yard with our English Setter during the day. He runs and headbutts the fence whenever anyone walks by it. We had to replace sections of our fence and are now getting complaints from people who are scared he is going to break through the fence. Is there any hope for us?
Thanks
Tiffany W.
Euless, Texas
Dear Tiffany,
Thanks for writing. Your problem is very common. Your Mastiff is doing this because he has nothing else to do. He is bored, and without guidance, he is doing what comes natural to him: guarding. Your neighbors have a legitimate concern. This situation will only get worse as his level of agitation rises. The unfortunate outcome will be aggression followed by a lawsuit. The solution to this problem is to confine your Mastiff when you are not able to supervise him. This can be very hard for people to hear, but once I am able to help them understand the process of confinement, they become very comfortable with the idea.
It is a widespread misconception that dogs should be content spending their day in a back yard. A back yard is not much more than a cage to an animal that was designed to migrate every day for many miles. Although some dogs can adapt to this way of life and rarely show signs of distress, many dogs find ways to expend their frustrated energy, and these ways are almost always unacceptable to humans. The only way to combat this problem is to walk your dog every morning before you leave the house. If you walk him properly, you leave him with a reminder of who the pack leader is (you), and you leave him tired. This helps to dissipate his desire to guard the manor so voraciously while you are away.
You may think, "Well, if I walk him, won't that be enough to keep him from headbutting the fence?" The answer is this: The walk will help, but your dog has created a habit, and habits are hard to break. This is the second reason he must be confined in your absence to get this problem under control. If you need help in deciding the best way to confine him, please call me so that we can discuss the specifics of your situation and decide what is best for you and your dog.
Susan Strough
Susan,
All of my dogs are crate- and leash-trained. I just let them out the front door, and they go out in the pasture to do their business and come back (I live on 20 acres). My problem is that when I travel with any of my Pembroke Corgis, they will not go to the bathroom on a leash, because to them, leashes are for walks. How do I get my dogs to go to the bathroom while on a leash when I travel?
I have tried using a leash in the pasture while they use the bathroom to get them used to it, but they end up going in their crate because they just hold it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Deborah M.
Dear Deborah,
As you know, dogs are creatures of habit. It is for this reason that they do not want to use the restroom while wearing a leash. They are not accustomed to doing so. In order to solve this problem, you are going to have to train them to use the restroom on a leash while at your home. To ease them into this, you might let them drag a light leash/rope/twine on their collars when you let them out to use the restroom. You need to go with them to make sure they go. When they get into position to use the restroom, give them a cue such as "go potty." That way, they will develop an association with that phrase and using the restroom. Using this phrase will urge them to take care of their business when they are traveling with you.
Once they seem comfortable enough to use the bathroom while feeling the weight of a leash, only then can you move to the next step of holding the other end. If they are not used to you being so close, you may want to begin with 20 feet of leash and gradually work up to shorter distances. This particular behavior-shaping takes a little time and patience, but I bet you'll have it done in 14 days if you are consistent.
Good luck,
Susan Strough
Dear Susan,
I have a German Shepherd, and she always goes nuts when she spots other dogs in the area, especially at the vet's office. It's kind of embarrassing because she howls and cries, and the other dogs are calm and just kind of look at her. She is not aggressive; she just wants to be near the other dogs. She almost drags me when we get to the gate at the doggie park.
How do I get her to overcome her overwhelming feelings?
Antonio
Dear Antonio,
Here is a checklist to consider:
- Is she too young to expect her to act calmly around other dogs?
- Have you been proactive in her training?
- Do you get excited/agitated/frustrated when she acts this way?
- Are you using a prong collar on her?
If you haven't taken her to a canine behavior workshop, I suggest you do so. If she's already been through a group class, it will help her even more to attend one of my workshops.
Your dog might benefit from the use of a head collar, but you must know how to use it properly in order for it to be effective. The Gentle Leader head collar is my favorite brand.
Until I can evaluate you and your dog interacting together in a social situation, I can't give you any specific instructions.
If I can help you any further, please let me know.
Susan Strough
Susan,
I'm thinking of adopting a 5-year-old Brittany rescue dog who is very shy and afraid and aggressive with other dogs, but great with humans. Is there somewhere in the Dallas or Plano area I can take her to deal with this problem before adopting her?
Thank you,
Lynda
Dear Lynda,
My workshops are the ideal place for dogs to deal with their fear and aggression. I'm not sure whether or not you can rehabilitate her before you officially adopt her, but I can assure you that fear-based aggression is something that can be remedied.
The alternative to a workshop is to have a private consultation in your home. A behavior expert can teach you some techniques regarding handling her before you take her into public and work on her social skills. Dog parks are a great place for her to work on her social skills, but again, you need the help of a professional either at home or at the dog park before engaging in a rehabilitation program for her.
Susan Strough
Susan,
My dog used to love to run in the back yard at night when we let her out, but now she is afraid to go in the grass even if we stand outside with her. Nothing has changed, other than we cut down a tree next to the patio. We have to actually walk out in the grass and call her to us. Once it is daylight, she is OK and will run, bark at the birds and do what she needs to do.
What do you think could be the problem? What can I do to let her know it's safe?
Avis S.
Dear Avis,
She has probably been scared by something in the yard at nighttime. If her temperament is stable, you can put a leash on her and walk her into the yard from another entrance. Do that without talking or showing any emotion. Be strong and confident so that she'll understand there is nothing to fear.
If she's comfortable with that, then you can walk her on a leash into the back yard from the house. Don't coddle her. Just stand there with her and allow her to overcome her fear. You can also walk around with her on the leash in the yard if you'd like.
Susan Strough
Hi Susan,
Snickers and I took your obedience class a couple of years ago at the recreational park in Richardson. I was excited to get your email about your new website and services.
My question is this: How do you teach a dog to sleep the whole night without him getting up and wanting to go outside? He sleeps with me, and when he was little, I took him out quite often so that he would not tinkle in the bed. Now I'm getting sleep deprived. Do you have any advice?
Thank you,
Toni S. (and Snickers)
Dear Toni,
You need to wean him off this unpleasant habit. For example, if he wakes you three times during the night to use the restroom, answer him only twice for one week, once for another week and not at all after that.
If you fear that he will use the restroom in the house if you do not answer his call, then you need to confine him in a kennel overnight (you can put the kennel by your bed). He will be less likely to use the bathroom if he is in his kennel.
Once you've broken this habit, you should be able to allow him to sleep in the bed once again without being awaked in the middle of the night to let him out. Give both of you about two weeks to break this habit. Expect that he may throw a fit about being put in a kennel to sleep, but there is no other way around it if you feel he will go to the restroom in the house if he is not confined.
Susan Strough
My boyfriend and I are moving in together, and we both have dogs that are very different sizes. What is the best way to introduce them so we can all live in harmony?
Jill L.
Farmers Branch, Texas
Dear Jill,
The size of the dogs shouldn't make any difference, unless one or both of them has a problem with a particular size of dog, which can sometimes happen if a dog has a negative association with a particular size. But assuming both dogs are comfortable around dogs of all sizes, all you need to be concerned about is making sure they meet on neutral territory before going into the new home together. It would be wise to walk them together for about 30 minutes before entering their new residence. Set boundaries for them within the home immediately, and provide a refuge for each, such as their own separate crate. The two of them will work out their pack structure by themselves. There is no need to interfere unless aggression becomes an issue. Just make sure that both you and your boyfriend are above both dogs in the pack structure :)
Susan Strough
What is the best way to break my dog of begging at the kitchen table?
Tom H.
Austin, Texas
Dear Tom,
The best way to break a dog of begging at the kitchen table is to not feed the dog from the table ever again from this day forward. It is also important not to acknowledge the dog while you're eating at the table. Eye contact, touching and speaking to the dog will send the dog the idea that his or her begging behavior is acceptable. If you want to take it to the next level, tether your dog several feet away from the table where he or she can still see you. This will let the dog know that he is not welcome in the vicinity when the leaders are eating. Furthermore, it will create the habit of the dog lying and waiting away from the table while you eat your meal.
Susan Strough
How much exercise is my dog supposed to be getting every day?
Scott A
Dallas, Texas
Dear Scott,
Dogs can walk for miles. On average, the size of the dog will determine how far he can walk. Additionally, different dogs have different energy levels, and sometimes the breed of the dog can be a factor. Let's assume you have a Labrador Retriever. If your Labrador is in good health, your dog could walk or run at least one hour per day. If you are just beginning to exercise your dog, take it easy and gradually increase the amount of time that you and your dog walk or run. Many behaviors can indicate that your dog is not getting enough exercise. Underexercised dogs can be anxious or destructive. An exercised dog is a happy dog, and a tired dog makes a happy owner. Toys and backyard access do not provide adequate exercise. Dogs need to walk every single day. If you can't walk your dog, teach him to walk on a treadmill. If you need help learning to walk your dog properly, hire a professional. Finally, if your dog is overweight, he is not getting enough exercise for the amount of calories he is consuming.
Susan Strough
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