My dog attacks the tv. need help please

[kmathis]

My dog Daisy is a Min Pin/Manchester mix. She's about 2 years old and we rescued her almost 1 year ago.

Daisy has always attacked the tv. If she sees a person she doesn't like (Judge Judy, Neil Patrick Harris, and others), or any kind of animal she charges the tv and barks in an aggressive way. She likes to be under a blanket when we are on the couch, so if we want to watch certain programs or channels (Animal Planet) we try to make sure she is asleep, but if she hears an animal she wakes up and charges. We have never encouraged this. We were told to spray her with a water bottle or use an air hoen by a local trainer, neither are working. We have another dog and she is starting to react the same way because she sees Daisy doing it.

She also has problems outside when she sees dogs, cats, birds, ect. I'm worried because I would love to take them to the dog park after we move (not one where I live now). I tried to socialize them when we first got them, but there aren't many places to take them where I live (very small rural town), and no leash laws so there are a lot of big aggressive dogs that roam.

I'm at a loss as to what to do. My husband thinks we need to put her on anxiety meds. She does have some other anxiety issues (storms, fireworks) and barks incessantly at times. Will the meds help, or is there something else I can try. I want to help her.

We feed Blue, walk for an hour twice a day, and play around the house.

[maximoo]

There was an ep of this very problem on IMOTD last yr with a jrt. 2 methods were introduced by VS. The 1st one was to remove the dog & place in a time out room. When dog stopped barking (3/4 sec) it was allowed back out. If dog barked @ tv again back it went. This had to be repeated over & over. However the owners were too impatient & wanted to try something else. So VS then told people to leave. The dog was barking for an audience, once the audience was gone it had no reason to bark. I suspect your dog is doing the same. The humans did have to leave several times daily but it eventually worked. Remember do not speak to or make eye contact with the dog whatever method you choose to do. Remain silent, calm & remove dog to time out remove or yourselves. It will work if you remain consistant.
GOOD LUCK!

[Fundog]

You may have figured out already that spraying her with water and/or using an air horn and other "scary" aversives only serves to heighen her anxiety, not help it.

Do not go with the meds just yet at this point. I really think (and I'm sure others will agree with me) that there are other things you can try first that will be not only more effective, but less likely to harm her little body. Medications do serve a purpose for *some* dogs, and can be helpful in extreme cases, but even the best, most modern medicines will not work without a consistent program of behavior modification therapy and change in lifestyle and environment.

Okay, so some ideas as to actually addressing the problem at hand: would Daisy be calmer if she were put to bed in another room while you watched television? Or does she insist on being near you? If she needs to be near you, that's okay. We need to do what makes her feel secure, since a lot of this has to do with insecurity. What about a little crate in a cozy corner of the room, and covered with a blanket? Another thing you can do is, when the sound of Judge Judy's voice comes on, if Daisy wakes up, immediately change the channel (or use the mute button) until she calms down again, then put the channel/volume back again. Repeat this as often as needed until she gets used to it. Same with Animal Planet, and any other programs that bother her.

I remember when we got Dottie she also had a problem with hearing barking dogs on television. She would leap up, and run out into the backyard (we had a doggy door), barking her head off. Believe it or not, it was just a little bit funny, even though it was not really "okay." So we always had to go get her, and tell her over and over, "it's just on tv! Come look. See? It's on tv!" We would show her by using the mute button or changing channels, then flicking it back to the barking dog program. I remember one of the very last times Dottie reacted, she was curled up at my feet sleeping, and when the tv dogs barked, she raised her head and opened her mouth to bark. I put my hand on her to keep her on the bed with me and spoke soothingly to her. She must have figured it out, because she doesn't react to barking tv dogs anymore.

[kmathis]

I will definitely try the time out method. She doesn't like being in a room without us when my husband and I are home. We do have a crate that the girls sleep in, but they usually like to nap on the couch if one of us is home. I would like to stay off the meds if possible, and I am willing to try anything else to keep her calm. I wish I had been able to watch the episode you referred to, but it is very rare I get to watch IMOTD with her in this condition. I am open to other suggestions as well for travel anxiety. We will be making a major move across the country (Alabama to Washington). All 4 of us (2 dogs and 2 humans) will be in a uhaul for approx. 5 days. any natural ways to keep them calm?

[Fundog]

Oh boy! My family and I recently moved 500 miles-- last June. It was a HUGE undertaking. To complicate matters, Dottie's original owners had moved, abandoning her in the backyard on a chain. She was near death when the rescue found her. Poor baby, when we started packing up our house, Dottie was convinced she was going to be left again. She holed up on my son's bed, shaking violently with fear. Annie, on the other hand, sprawled out in the kitchen, totally underfoot, seemingly to make certain we did not "forget" her!

Anyway: Before our move, I had come on here asking for advice. Mattie sent my girls Reiki. Nettle recommended an herbal remedy. I did not have the one she suggested, but I did have a lavender bush that was in bloom at the time. I brewed up a pitcher of iced lavender tea, and dropped a healthy splash of that into the girls' water bowls every day. Regardless, moving is extremely stressful on the entire household, both human and not. Many pets will behave out of character for the first few months after a move, even leaving house training and having accidents inside. They may display some separation anxiety, or start resource guarding. If your dogs go through any of this, we will be able to help you address it when the time comes.

As for my household: when the moment came to get into the car and truck and drive away, we got the girls' harnesses and leashes. Up to that moment, they were very nervous and stressed, very anxious and worried. When we called them to us to get geared up, they were soooo happy! We had a U-haul truck towing a big monster size SUV. I was driving that, with one human son riding passenger with me. Our main vehicle was a little Firebird. Mr. Fundog drove that, with our other son riding "shotgun," and he had fixed a bed of a pile of blankets and pillows in the backseats for the dogs. Our dogs are NOT "small," being 40 and 60 lbs. respectively! We made plenty of stops for fuel, restrooms, walkies, and water, meals, etc. Given that, it took us 12 hours to get to our new home. But wow, were the girls soooo happy and ecstatic that we took them with us!!! Once we got all of our stuff moved into the house and put away, and had our new house smelling like "home" once again, they settled right in. Obviously their biggest fear was the idea of getting left behind. All of those fears disappeared when they were loaded up into the rather cramped backseat of a 2001 Pontiac Firebird.

[jacksdad]

I would also echo Fundogs caution about meds. it is very possible the high level of anxiety is due to the squirt bottle and horn. Once those go away and things like Fundog suggests are tried you might fine the anxiety levels in your dog drop. If something suggested to far doesn't seem to be working do check back in with us, there is always more than one way to approach a problem.

IF the time does come that meds do need to be considered, there are people floating around here who can guide you in how to have that conversation with the vet.

As for the storms and fireworks. here is some really good blog posts by a top trainer behaviorist who specializes in fearful dogs about thunder, but the same concepts would apply to fireworks and just noisy storms.

http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/yo ... nderstorms
http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/th ... ia-in-dogs
http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/re ... phobia-iii

[Nettle]

Bach Rescue Remedy is good for humans and dogs, and I'd recommend starting a course for everyone a few days before you start the move. Bach Walnut is good for changing circumstances.

If you use lavender - and it is a great calmer - make sure the dogs have access to pure water as well. Then they can choose. It's preferable to have as a room diffuser ie a few drops in water in a dish high up somewhere, and again the dogs need the option of being able to get away from it, as their sense of smell is so much better than ours and so smells are stronger to them.

What an adventure! All the best with the move.

[kmathis]

Thank you to everyone for the helpful advice.

Taking her out of the room when she charges the tv doesn't seem to be working just yet, but I am consistent and hopeful. She is a very stubborn girl, so I'll give it a couple more days.

I will most definitely try the herbs for the move. It's 4 weeks away, but I will let everyone know how she does

[Noobs]

Thank you to everyone for the helpful advice.

Taking her out of the room when she charges the tv doesn't seem to be working just yet, but I am consistent and hopeful. She is a very stubborn girl, so I'll give it a couple more days.

I will most definitely try the herbs for the move. It's 4 weeks away, but I will let everyone know how she does

The family in the IMOTD episode found the same thing, that taking the dog out of the room didn't work. But the dog was so motivated by the family's presence that do you know what did work? EVERYONE walking out and leaving the dog in the room. He followed them out like, 'Hey, where are you going?'

Food for thought. Good luck.

[runlikethewind]

Hi Kmathis

As you said that she likes to be with you, Fundog offered the following as a solution.

a) having a crate or safe place in your lounge with you
b) turning the volume down when she starts barking, turning it up again when is is quiet - great to twin with rewards when she is quiet

Another extension to that is recording an episode and playing it at low volume so as not to cause her to react and slowly increase the volume over time....desensitising her to it.

With the wildlife and cats etc, try to work on this as a training session - a LEAVE IT. So if you see a cat and she sees it too, stand still.. eventually she should give up and look away - big praise and a lovely treat. And repear the command LEAVE IT. You should work on this sort of thing during walks.