Cant really bring my mates around , due to the dog.

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loza123
Posts: 158
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 2:20 pm
Location: UK (Hull)

Cant really bring my mates around , due to the dog.

Post by loza123 »

Hello.
I have spoke alot my about dog Bob been .. not very friendly towards other dogs however this is about something different , you will be pleased to know lol.

I will get straight to the point with this. I can't really have friends around to my house, if i do we generally have to put bob in another room , but he will just bark the house down. I do warn my friends that his a big dog, he will bark and might jump up but just ignore him. A few weeks ago, my best mate came home from uni and came to my house I gave her the low down with bob , but as he came running, whenever the door opens he will always run or pace to the door while barking.So to stop him jumping up, I grabbed him by his collar, I sometimes don't know who he will react; smelling or jumping he apparently did nip my other mate once aswell. Bob became worse, on his hind legs , staring and barking at her, she had then moved into the house away from him near his food and water bowls.

Its the same with people who knock on the door or put flyers through our letter box,if he is loose as were in the house. He will run up to the door, jumping up on the glass and when he stands on his back legs he is about my chest height and I am 5ft 7. He will shake something but mainly just bite any post that comes through.

I find it really hard, not been able to have mates around, or having to lock bob up or always unsure of how he might react.

I aren sure how to handle it really.
runlikethewind
Posts: 1166
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 12:48 pm

Re: Cant really bring my mates around , due to the dog.

Post by runlikethewind »

Try not to grab his collar because that will make his reactivity worse. He doesn't sound like the type of dog who will settle well alone in a different room so everything you do with him needs to be managed very carefully so he is not put in a situation where he feels his only option is to bite.

Can you put a harness on him for starters - thiss will be more comfortable for him I think. When a friend comes over, put him away at first. Then settle your guest in - get him to sit down and be normal. Then go and get Bob with the harness and leash on and feed him lot of nice good quality treats or cheese in a tube as he is looking at your friend. This will take some time but you need to be in a position where you can have Bob in a sit next to you with you in full control and you feeding treats so friend = treats (nice things!) In time, you will able to instruct your friend to throw treats a long way away from Bob but ONLY when you are sure he will not come back to react at your friend. This is a type of Treat and Retreat method except you are not getting your friend to retreat...

If this is too much to work on and you don't have the time to get a friend over to help you, then you can look at training an alternative to reacting - and that would be something like teaching him to settle on a mat or in a crate (which has be be properly condititoned first so he is happy in it)

There's a lot of info on the net re visitor reactivity. Do a lot of reading up about the reward-based methods there are for this. What you want to aim for is for your dog to not feel he has to be scared or react - you can do this with toys/treats but the aim is to minimise his outbursts and then when he is calmer, you can work on introducing him to one or two friends who will take specific and clear guidance from you.

Others will be here to advise as well or recommend other things instead.

For the post, I would teach him the trick of bringing the post to you instead of reacting and shredding it. You can do this with clicker training so in time, sound of the mail arriving = his cue to get it for his reward.
Last edited by runlikethewind on Sat Mar 31, 2012 5:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
jacksdad
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Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:48 pm

Re: Cant really bring my mates around , due to the dog.

Post by jacksdad »

only thing I would add is to NOT have your friends/guest try and hand feed/offer treats. this lures the dog in way beyond what they are ready for. they focus on the treat, but when the treat is gone their stress/fear levels spike and you get a unwanted reaction. It really doesn't build the positive association people hope for.

This is why the treat and retreat method suggested above is the better way.
doggiedad
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 5:25 pm

Re: Cant really bring my mates around , due to the dog.

Post by doggiedad »

how old is Bob? is this a new problem with people? what have you done up
to this point to correct Bob's problems with people and dogs? i think
you should find a trainer and maybe a behaviourist. i also think you
need to train and socialize everyday. train in short sessions and conduct
a lot of sessions during the course of a day.
loza123
Posts: 158
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 2:20 pm
Location: UK (Hull)

Re: Cant really bring my mates around , due to the dog.

Post by loza123 »

Thank you,
Bob is now 5. Normally we do put him in another room but after a while, 15 mins or so he will play fetch in the other room. When we have had people around ,eg people to fix he boiler we have put him in another room and he would just bark and bark for a good 30 mins when we do let him out he normally come running out the door, and we either jump up or sniff the person. After that he is fine. We did have a trainer before but due to money we have had to stop that for now :(
runlikethewind
Posts: 1166
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 12:48 pm

Re: Cant really bring my mates around , due to the dog.

Post by runlikethewind »

I don't understand what you mean he plays fetch (with himself??) :?: Anyway, please try out what we said above. You don't need a trainer and you don't need a behaviourist. You can do a lot yourself.
loza123
Posts: 158
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 2:20 pm
Location: UK (Hull)

Re: Cant really bring my mates around , due to the dog.

Post by loza123 »

^^ no, what I meant was I was in the room playing fetch with him lol.

I have a mate who is coming around for the afternoon since I havent seen him in ages. Though I am unsure about bob, we have been training him to go on his bed while someone comes in the house, the back door leads straight into the kitchen which is were the dogs bed is, but its just i am unsure how he would react when my mate does come in, he has nipped a friend of mine before, but normally he will just jump up and sniff alot and then bring his toys to them. I am debating whether to put him on his lead and make him sit on his bed while my mate comes in but then I think if he is on his lead would he react in a negative way because he is on his lead. Then I think well what if i meet my mate outside with the dog then him me and the dog walk into the house that way but i have never done that before so again am unsure how he will react. There will only be me and the dog in the house apart from when my mate comes around tomorrow .
Ari_RR
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Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2011 10:07 am
Location: USA
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Re: Cant really bring my mates around , due to the dog.

Post by Ari_RR »

My 2 cents - tell your mate to wear old clothes.. Let him come in and stand still while Bob goes through his greeting routine.. Just stand still, no eye contact, no reaction to Bob, no talk.. Bob should figure out soon that this new creature is bo-o-o-o-ring, and settle down. You yourself be calm and quiet, Don't huff and puff, don't grab him by his collar... if you are nervous - Bob will sense it and it will fuel his anxiety.. And don't worry! A little doze of jumping dog won't hurt you mate, as long as he knows what to expect, and knows not to panic and not to react - he will be just fine! (I think...)
When Bob settles down - reward!!
loza123
Posts: 158
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 2:20 pm
Location: UK (Hull)

Re: Cant really bring my mates around , due to the dog.

Post by loza123 »

Thanks, I have firgured out bob is lab/GSD and I think the GSD part takes over as far as been protective in the house and out on walks. I will tell him to were old clothes , he is about 6ft and when bob jumps at me (am 5ft7) he is generally around my chest height. I'm just debating whether to put him on his lead or not i can't decide.
Ari_RR
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Re: Cant really bring my mates around , due to the dog.

Post by Ari_RR »

I wouldn't (unless you feel that he can really go after your mate with intent to kill, in which case it would be best to just lock Bob somewhere).
But if that would make you feel better, have him on lead but don't hold the lead, just drop it, let it simply hang loose.
You see, I'd want Bob to feel as relaxed and at ease as possible when your mate shows up, and having him restricted won't help.

Just like it's not such a great idea to have on-lead (restricted) dogs meeting off-lead (free) dogs...

What you may want to do is take Bob out for a long walk right before your mate shows up, tire him out, this way he will have less energy left to put on a show for the visitor...
loza123
Posts: 158
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 2:20 pm
Location: UK (Hull)

Re: Cant really bring my mates around , due to the dog.

Post by loza123 »

Thanks I was going to do that anyway. :) But with bob because he's such a big dog i worry lol. I will give me mate the low down , that he might bark, jump up etc but just ignore him lol. Though when anyone comes in the house if hes upstairs he will start barking and run down the stairs to see who it is.. its a bit manic which is why we dont have alot of people around lol.
Ari_RR
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Location: USA
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Re: Cant really bring my mates around , due to the dog.

Post by Ari_RR »

Yep, our 90+ lbs boy Ari has the same way of greeting visitors! But he quickly calms down, although sometime he follows the guest around for a while with a menacing look.. :roll:

Good luck, let us know how it goes and whether your mate survives the encounter :lol: :lol:
jacksdad
Posts: 4887
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:48 pm

Re: Cant really bring my mates around , due to the dog.

Post by jacksdad »

for meeting your visitors there are two options (well probably more, but these jump to mind) that you might consider for introductions.

Option 1.

Everyone meets outside, your dog gets lots of space from the new person, new person can turn their back to the dog etc. you reward your dog for calmly approaching, sniffing, showing interest, ignoring etc. and dogs stays on leash.

Then if things are going good, have your guest go into the house first and sit down. then you bring in your dog and asses. do you keep in on leash, let him walk around free that kind of thing.

Option 2.

Before guests arrive, dog goes into a safe place so dog does not see guest...yet. guest comes in, sits down. you bring out dog as ari advises above.

with both options do not have your guest give your dog treats directly. meaning treat in hand, hold out hand for dog to take treat. this can put the dog way over their threshold for "dealing" with your guest. The two best options is....

1. guest throws treats behind your dog so your dog has to move away from them to get the threat or just randomly drop treats relatively near and ignore the dog as it takes the treat. But don't drop them so close you run into the same issue as if the dog is taking the treat from their hand

2. only you treat the dog. every few seconds call your dog away to get a treat. this gives your dog a break from the guest, and it rewards your dog for checking out the guest, but then encourages your dog to keep the "checking out" brief and return to you for a treat...which also gives your dog some room and a break from the guest.

if your dog does looks like it wants a pet or a scratch, you know your dog best as in where on your dog is safest to start. But typically I would advise your guest to avoid the head, pet/scratch the chest, or shoulder areas. avoid the head, over the head or neck area until the dog is really comfortable with them. AND have your guests keep the touching VERY short in duration. couple quick pets/scratches and stop. don't overwhelm the dog.
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