New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Share your favorite training tips, ideas and methods with other Positively members!

Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost

GoodPuppy
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2015 5:12 pm

New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by GoodPuppy »

Our dog is a 2 year old neutered male, a very small breed. He was surrendered by his owner to a local rescue. We adopted him about 7 weeks ago. The owner was not forthcoming about the dog's history. I do not want to say his specific breed because I would like a bit of confidentiality. What we do know for sure is that the dog has had a lot of training. He knows basic commands. He has at least spent nights in a crate, and he does with us, but with the door open. Closing the door induces anxiety, and he doesn't seem to require confining anyway. There was another dog in his previous home, a larger breed.

When the dog was surrendered, he was badly matted in places. His is not a breed that matts easily.

When he came to us, he was ok with strangers, but was starting to appear to be mildly 'protective' of me. He would growl softly if I was holding him and someone else approached.

His reactivity gradually escalated over the 7 weeks or so we've had him. It went from a bit of barking if someone new was in the home to loud, obnoxious almost non stop barking while the person was in the house. He had to be confined to another room so our security system could be repaired last week. We want the dog to tell us when someone is at the door, but to stand down once he sees we have accepted this person into our home...not continue to harass them, even when we reassure the dog that the person is accepted.

When it came to my husband, it escalated from growling and barking softly in the evenings when my husband moved around in the living room to very loud barking and growling any time during the day when my husband moved anywhere. This behaviour does not happen if I am not home. My husband is tall and outweighs me by 100 lb.

I wanted to work with our dog the way Victoria worked with the white GSD named Ben on an episode of It's Me or the Dog. My husband didn't like the notion of doling out treats constantly, so this wasn't workable. We tried suggestions I read about online on the subject of small dogs guarding their owners. If the dog was on my lap, if he started growling and/or barking at hubby, I would remove the dog from my lap and not let him back up, and we both ignored the dog. However, it was difficult to refrain from scolding sometimes. So the dog learned to remove himself from my lap when he barked and growled at husband, which he started doing whenever hubby changed position in the couch. (I have grown to really loathe our leather furniture, it is NOISY in addition to feeling uncomfortable.). Oddly, pup started spending more time lying on my husband. BTW, hubby does play with the dog and they get along just fine when I am not there. I can more freely handle the dog, though, in terms of play and tummy rubs and stuff. The dog trusts me. Hubby didn't move around so much when the dog was lying on top of him. But things didn't improve when the dog wasn't sitting on hubby.

We tried just ignoring the behaviour without my leaving the room, but again, this was inconsistent. Brief verbal scoldings were happening, it was hard not to. Patience wears thin, dog was getting louder. (Shelter staff had said dog "doesn't bark". Oh, he most certainly does!). We tried brief time outs. Both my putting him in another room and just leading him to another room. This was done with the command "quiet". I researched the use of time outs for dogs, advice was not to go too long, so we went for 15 to 30 second intervals. This didn't seem to working, we concluded after about a week and a half. Incidents were not decreasing. If anything, it was getting more frequent. I got the impression that the dog didn't understand the problem. But I think he figures when husband moves, dog gets punished. Dog sits on man so man won't move, but when man is walking around, dog gets FRANTIC because he knows he's going to be punished and he can't stop it. That's my theory anyway, I really don't know.

BTW, husband has lost patience and scolded in a loud voice a few times, which has probably done more harm than good.

We weren't familiar with dog training methods going into this. We were looking for an adult dog, a calm sweet dog, precisely because of our lack of knowledge about training. We are lucky we have a dog who has been very well housetrained. He is thoroughly potty trained and never touches anything in the house unless we give it to him. But these other things...we're floundering, and I think the lack of consistency has made things worse.

At the moment, I am working on counterconditioning (ie. Per Dr. Sophia Yin's methods) but it's tough because I have to basically second guess my husband's actions and try to catch the dog before he reaches threshold...which means I pretty much need to be psychic! The dog really loses it easily in the dining room. Hubby has tried giving a treat, even bits of cooked meat before he moves, but the dog still takes the treat, then flips out when hubby tries to move. I have had some success in the last 48 hours if I can get the dog pre threshold. When I can't, I leave the house entirely for a minute until the dog is quiet, then return and ignore the dog for a couple of minutes. And start again.

Now...as for the home alone issue...we've left a game camera on a few times. Pup stays at the door. I've tried leaving a stuffed Kong, he's ignores it until I am back. Behaviour has been whining, crying, pacing, scratching the door, screaming, howling. Not all the time, we thought he was improving, but today was not a good day. We were gone for about an hour and a half and he was settled for only a few minutes. It was more like he just flopped down in a state of exhausted depression for a few minutes. If this happens in our winter home, we are going to be in a LOT of trouble because we live in a multi home building there.

So I am feeling discouraged. I know it's in my husband's mind that this dog can go back to the rescue, but the dog is very strongly bonded to me and I love him, and I don't think he would emotionally survive losing another home. I think what we have here is a failure to communicate with this dog and we are really dropping the ball here. I also think this needs a lot more time and patience.

And from extended family I get "you should bring him places, he needs to learn how to deal with new people". But he also needs to learn to exist without me for a few hours. At home, he wants me in his line of vision at all times. I do shut him out of rooms, like the bathroom (but he stays outside the door). He also spends his nights outside a closed bedroom door and he's fine. In the past week, he has started playing with his toys by himself if I am busy, so I think that is progress from his obsessive watching of me.

Did I mention our one time at a dog park? He was rushed by larger dogs, did not go well. At the rescue, he was loose with other dogs of various sizes and he was fine. But he was only at the rescue for a few days...obviously shut down.

Umm...in a vehicle, he growls and barks at anyone who approaches.

At the vet, he growled and tried to nip the vet staff. He ended up wearing a cute little muzzle so they could vaccinate and microchip him. The vet described him as "a work in progress".

I was able to bathe him once just fine. He subsequently does let me know he doesn't care for being brushed or bathed, but I can do it with gentleness, care, and a lot of treats. The vet trimmed his nails. (Muzzle still on.).

So...reactive to people other than me. I don't expect him to tolerate other dogs either. Some separation anxiety symptoms.

But very smart, tries very hard to please, very teachable, adores me and I think my husband as well. The dog is also very gentle. I mean, he's 'mouthy' in play, but totally gentle with it. He really is a sweetie, fun and affectionate, but this other stuff is hard to take.

Children aren't a factor. There aren't any here and we won't allow children near him if/when the occasion arises. I just wouldn't trust him with kids, and he's small enough to be hurt by them as well.

We live in a rural area right now, no easy access to professional trainers. I would LOVE to get some professional advice, though.

As I write this, we're having a pretty quiet evening. Dog has been on husband or lying on the floor in front of the couch. Husband is moving slowly and letting the dog know in advance and the dog has been quiet.
ckranz
Posts: 1028
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:18 pm
Location: San Diego CA

Re: New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by ckranz »

It looks like you certainly have your hands full with multiple issues. Based on what you have posted:

Separation Anxiety
Reactive to Strangers
Reactive to Hubby when you are present
Reactive to Movement of people in the house

I would certainly recommend seeking a local professional veterinary behaviorist to assist with the sep anxiety as there are medications that can help. You can also look into things like DAP and other holistic treatments to see if they help while you are out. One thing to avoid is a regular routine when you are departing. The reason is dogs pick up o routine and can start reacting say when you pick up your keys as that means you are leaving in 5 minutes. You can also practice coming back at random intervals.

You and your hubby need to get on the same page when it comes to training and methodology. Having 2 different approaches rare works except in giving your dog very confusing signals. I would pick up "The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia McConnell and "The Cautious Canine" and "I'll be Home Soon: How to Prevent and Treat Separation Anxiety" Also by Patricia McConnell. These will give you a good understanding of how your dog is reacting to the world around him and strategies for helping to overcome fears. Both of you need to read each book. As far as treat dispensing...be very loose and fee with treats, but I think you mentioned he was 6lbs on another thread so filling up can occur very quickly and you do not want to over feed him.

Positive training is one of mind set. Its identifying an planning for the behavior you want and not focusing on the "bad" behavior. Frustration comes when perhaps what you are asking is too difficult for your dog to understand or he is confused about what is expected and explores other options...such as a digging that choose barking when given a stop digging type of command. Instead of focusing on stopping the digging, focus on what you would want the dog to do. Once you have the do's attention ask him to sit...when he does reward. I know your dog is not a digger but this example you can put barking for digging. Don't focus on "shut up" or other such command but focus on tasks your dog knows.

If you have watched the show for a while there is an old episode that was filmed overseas. I think the dog's name was teddy and the issue was not letting hubby in the bedroom. What I liked about this episode was it took a long time for the dog to "get it". It started with hubby walking in the doorway while the wife and dog were sitting in the bed. If teddy barked, the dog was removed to the floor and hubby stepped back out. It took something like 27 times before hubby could walk into the room. Of course some dogs it will be shorted and in other cases longer. Don't get frustrated, things can take time and you do have to think in terms of baby steps.

That should be enough to get you started. If you need treat ideas I can give you some you may not have thought of.
GoodPuppy
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2015 5:12 pm

Re: New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by GoodPuppy »

Thanks for your reply. Yes, we do have our hands full, which we weren't anticipating. I'm not ready to throw in the towel on this dog. He needs someone to love him and take the time and effort to help him, his problems are not going to go away if he leaves our home to go to another. The only difference for him would be that he would go with full disclosure about his needs and personality...which means he would probably be more difficult to rehome. We wouldn't have knowingly adopted a dog with these problems and I doubt the average person would. Having said that, I am not willing to abandon him to what would probably be a lengthy time in the foster care of a rescue organization volunteer. When he does bond with someone, this little dog's love is strong and fierce and he deserves a decent chance at a forever home.

My husband is simply not going to read a bunch of dog training manuals. The best I can do is find the information myself and pass it on to him. He's very old school about training dogs...ie, they should just listen and do what you tell them to do and it shouldn't be any more complicated than that. I think our new addition baffles and frustrates him, but he is trying. There is a relationship between the 2 of them, although I think the dog sees him as intermittently big and scary. My husband was very pleased this morning when I had him do a "sit" and "down" command sequence with the dog and the dog listened to him immediately. Hubby had to crouch and tap the floor to get the "down" position, which I also have to do.

I have Dr. Sophia Yin's book e-book, "How to Behave so Your Dog Behaves". I learned about counter conditioning from her work. I purchased "Train Your Dog Positively" by VictoriaStilwell in paperback so it would be handy should my husband want to read it. Certain passages are highlighted! :) I think I'll order the Patricia McConnell books, I've heard good things about her.

I have been busy on Amazon and Petland and on the way are calming collars and Rescue Remedy for pets. I have been considering the audio "Through a Dog's Ear" series as well. I also ordered a product called "Stop It" re the obnoxious barking, which is a spray with lavender and Chamomile. The sound of the spray itself is said to be a deterrent, with the essential oils being calming. This is more of a soft punishment approach, though, which as far as I am concerned, does nothing about the underlying issue and doesn't deal with separation anxiety. Not the best. DAP products are available from Amazon as well if the holistic remedies don't work.

I think part of our dog's problem is that he has likely never been completely alone before in his previous home. In our search for a dog, we avoided any that were "dog #2's" (and you wouldn't believe how many dogs being rehomed are second dogs...it is sad and worthy of another rant on my part...but that's for another post, LOL!). But this little guy was irresistible. We put aside our misgivings about his former second dog status. And maybe we shouldn't have...But yes, I am putting aside my ideas of the dog we wanted and dealing with helping the dog we have. He's got a lot of pluses, need to focus on that.

This dog is smart, I know he is. He tries so hard, he looks at me so intently and cocks his head and I can almost see the little wheels turning in his brain as he tries to figure things out. And he tries so hard to control himself. This is hard for him, but he tries. He is remarkably good at "doggie Zen" exercises to help him exercise self control.

A professional trainer is still the ultimate way to go, I think. When we're in our summer location, the one I've heard the best about is about 4 hours away. She does in home consultations but the distance is a big minus. We have a better chance at a selection of trainers when we're in the city for the winter...but gosh, we were hoping to have a better handle on this before we get there because if the dog is this way here, in the country where it's quiet, he's going to lose his mind in the city with neighboring people and animals in the same building plus traffic noise outside.

I have seen no treats that are tiny enough for our dog, so I cut up chewy treats into tiny little bits and dole those out. He just gets a tasty morsel. I don't think he gets enough to fill up, which is good, because he was quite the finicky eater when we got him home. Kibble is of little value to him, so it's useless as a form of treat. He eats it, but it doesn't motivate him sufficiently to be used as a reward.
GoodPuppy
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2015 5:12 pm

Re: New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by GoodPuppy »

Just ordered 3 McConnell books. :) Thank goodness for the Amazon marketplace, the budget is getting a bit thin for all of this! There's still one more I want to get, but as I said, the budget...

I would really love to find a small frisbee for our dog as well. He loves chasing bouncy balls, but I think a frisbee would be even more fun for him outside, and we have the yard space for it out here.
ckranz
Posts: 1028
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:18 pm
Location: San Diego CA

Re: New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by ckranz »

Toys and play also make great rewards.
emmabeth
Posts: 8894
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 9:24 pm
Location: West Midlands
Contact:

Re: New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by emmabeth »

I don't have a huge amount to add really - but a few things spring to mind...

Much of the reason he is this way is he is not at all confident in himself, in a healthy way. He will cling to old behaviour patterns because theyhave worked in the past, (shout at big scary people, its necessary, they are scary, it achieves something,they go away).. and because he has no other option. He may appear confident whilst performing these behaviours but its not 'real'.

So playing games where he solves problems, learns that trying new behaviours is safe AND rewarding, such as free shaping with a clicker, such as playing with puzzle toys = these will help build real confidence in himself and he can use that to try out new behaviours and leave those old behaviour patterns behind.

With your husband - I think I would have a discussion along the lines of 'ok you don't want to use treats... fine, don't use them, but don't use punishment either, leave the room instead of punishing the dog please' and if he can't do that, I would be asking him 'if you can't control your own behaviour, as a sensible adult human with a massive brain... why on earth do you expect better from a tiny fearful dog?'.. (feel free to paraphrase as you require. often peopl don't realise they are asking more from an animal than they are actually capable of themselves!)


Finally, treats - lickable treats are the future... honestly! Theres tons of licky stuff, you can get refillable tubes to put them in and make your own lickable treats up which won't fill him up or take ages to chew.
West Midlands based 1-2-1 Training & Behaviour Canine Consultant
ckranz
Posts: 1028
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:18 pm
Location: San Diego CA

Re: New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by ckranz »

If you can have him read "the other end of the leash". The most important thing about that book is the understanding there is a difference in how dogs communicate than how primates communicate. Its not a training manual per se, but rather a book about understanding and improving the relationship and effective communication between you and your dog. It's really a great read. The other 2 are specific for some of the issues you described.

You can also make your own "lickstick" rewards using things like old cleaned out salad dressing dispenser bottles. I have even seen someone use a cleaned out roll-on deodorant...(it was very clean and had a very liquidy bacon peanut butter flavored syrup.

The best treats are not what you typically buy at the store. They are things you can make from home. After serving something like a roast chicken...after you have removed the meat you want for left overs...trim further for dog treats. Salmon skins, hot dogs diced up finely, cream cheese, cheese sticks are all things I use. Find what things your dog goes crazy happy for and those are your best rewards.

Nina Ottosson puzzle toys are great things for building confidence
GoodPuppy
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2015 5:12 pm

Re: New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by GoodPuppy »

:D Oh, I think humans need as much training as their dogs, maybe more, since the humans tend to be more set in their ways and convinced they are right. While I find the situation exhausting and frustrating at times, I am also learning a great deal and finding it fascinating. This little dog has so much personality and character. I am seeing this as a communication issue and just a difference in the way we as species see the world in general, and we are trying to find common ground here.

We've had a day where I am seeing my husband make more of an effort with the dog and be much more patient. At the same time, I try to direct the dog's attention to me when I can see he is reaching threshold and I get the dog to focus on me and I tell him to sit just to give him something else to do other than bark at my husband. Then he (the dog) gets rewarded for calmly focusing on me instead of reacting badly toward my husband. I can see the dog struggle with it, though. A few times, I just have to lead him away from the scary stimulus so he can calm down. (The dog is perfectly fine with my husband when I am not present. My leaving the situation entirely also causes the dog to stop the reactive behavior, and I have done that when the dog just cannot focus calmly at all.)

My husband perceives that I am rewarding the dog for reacting. I explain that I am rewarding the dog for redirecting his attention to me. I don't reward the dog until he is calm and focusing on me sufficiently to follow a sit command. (I do want to make sure that the dog doesn't end up seeing the entire process of 'bark at man...woman gives me attention, then gives me a treat'. This means that we will have to make sure to associate my husband's motions with good things, which will mean being sure to reward the dog for being calm when husband moves. Whew!) The dog will also need to do that--listen to me and calm down-- when other people enter the home and he wants to react to them. I want the dog to focus on me and see that I am accepting the other people, so it's fine.

Oddly enough, the dog tweaks onto the phrase "trust me". It must have been something he heard in his previous home.

It would have been nice to know what words are in our dog's vocabulary already, but with a rescue situation, one doesn't always have access to this sort of info.

I had never heard of 'shaping' before, so I am just reading up on that.

The dog knows fetch sorts of games. He will fetch a bouncy ball and he absolutely loves a soft little squeaky toy we got him. He knows the commands sit, down, and stay. Stay is difficult for him, of course. I do doggie Zen exercises with him, and he caught onto that very quickly. I think he knows how to heel on leash as well. This seems to be natural for him, we didn't try to teach him that. He just does it. He also knows the word 'crate' and enters on command. He knows 'leave it', which is useful for the odd time he does pick up something he shouldn't. But really, we haven't had to puppy proof the house. He would be tempted by a kleenex if it was left on the floor, but he doesn't disturb garbage containers at all. Anything dropped on the floor during meal prep is fair game, though, so we have to be super careful with that, and when taking our people medications.

And you know, in less than 2 months, he has had to learn to respond to a new name, which is really something.

Yes, he's been through a lot, little wonder if he's fearful. I've seen a huge change in his attitude toward me in the last couple of weeks, that he is a lot more relaxed with me when I handle him and goof around with him. He seems to have come to a realization that I won't hurt him.

I can't use a clicker because hubby sometimes clicks pens when he's problem solving or thinking or watching tv, but the dog does respond similarly to my saying "yes!" in a certain tone of voice because I did that during doggie zen exercises. I use that as quick cues to him the way I would a clicker, and that seems to be working.
ckranz
Posts: 1028
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:18 pm
Location: San Diego CA

Re: New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by ckranz »

What is really interesting to note is the difference in a marker word vs the click of a clicker. The marker message with a clicker actually reacts within a more primitive side of the brain as opposed to yes or yep or other vocalization. What this can mean is that in high stress situations behaviors marked with a vocal marker may seem forgotten while those trained with a clicker are retained. At least that was the gist of what one of the trainers I had working with my dog Khan. We had a lot of issues that you could research under the success stories to get his story.


What is interesting about clicker training is you would think in a class with 8 people and dogs with everyone using the same style clicker that the dogs would respond to everyone's clicks. This however is not the case. The dogs learn to associate the specific click of their owners clicking as opposed to someone else. I think some of it is that people don't all click the same way and unless that pen is being used as his clicker, you shouldn't have a problem.

Always remember your clicking is a reward for your dog behaving as you desire. If you desire nothing...you need to click and reward the nothing. Let your dog know that being calm and relaxed at random intervals even when not in a training session. The fun part is when your hubby will ultimately exclaim "But he didn't do anything" you get to look calmly and state with a straight face "Exactly".
GoodPuppy
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2015 5:12 pm

Re: New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by GoodPuppy »

@ckranz, your latest reply didn't show up for me until after I had posted. Thank you for the information. I didn't know there were so many interesting toys for dogs, I'm just looking on Amazon now just to see what's available. I see a visit to a Petland or something similar next time we're in a city. :D

And it just happened again.

So a dog clicker doesn't sound like a clicky pen? (And the dog would be able to distinguish the difference?)
ckranz
Posts: 1028
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:18 pm
Location: San Diego CA

Re: New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by ckranz »

Context is everything. If your dog was given a cue and did as expected he will learn to anticipate the click and realize it will originate from who he is working with. A random click away from working will not be problematic in my experience.

The most important thing with clicks and markers is timing. You must mark the behavior as it occurs. Think about recall,

The behavior you desire is movement towards you. This means you click as the dog is moving towards and not after he has arrived.
User avatar
Nettle
Posts: 10753
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:40 pm

Re: New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by Nettle »

Well done - you really are making terrific progress - and so is your husband because he is having to rethink so many entrenched ideas.

Don't forget to reward him any time he displays crossover behaviour :lol: even if it means a celebratory chocolate cake ("Hmm, you're baking - you haven't baked in a while"....."This is to celebrate how much WE are learning from {dog's name})".
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
GoodPuppy
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2015 5:12 pm

Re: New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by GoodPuppy »

So we're kind of in a two steps forward one step backward kind of thing, and why my husband can't agree with what I am doing.

The dog reacts when my husband rises from a chair, whether in the living room or the dining room. I have been trying to catch the dog before he reacts, get his attention, and I reward him if he focuses on me and is calm rather than reacting by barking and growling at my husband. Since I don't have a clicker, I cue the dog with a soft "yes!" when he turns to me and looks at me instead. The dog expects a treat when he hears that cue, and he gets it. My husband seems to see this as the dog sort of blackmailing us into giving him a treat. If we don't give him a treat, he'll bark and growl, this is how my husband sees things. I have said that the dog is not aggressively coming AT him, look at the body language. The dog is running away and looking over his shoulder as he does so. My husband doesn't necessarily believe this and this is why my husband refuses to dole out treats--he thinks it is ultimately rewarding bad behaviour. And that now the dog is barking and growling when my husband arises from the dining room table because he expects a treat and he's going to bark unless he gets one. He's not buying what I have relayed about counterconditioning, even though we both watched that probably famous Sophia Yin video of her blowing in the face of a vicious dog and counterconditioning him to not snap at her.

This is basically what I am dealing with on the human front. The dog often immediately reacts with barking and growling the instant he hears my husband move in another part of the house, and I can't possibly anticipate that to try to head it off by counterconditioning. I simply can't anticipate each and every movement of another human being. Life in our house is something of a battleground these days, to say the least. Especially when I feel so much pressure and responsibility for the dog's behaviour.

And honestly, how much of this is pure fear and how much is this dog just being bratty? Right now we are in different parts of the house and the dog is reacting to every little movement of my husband's. The reactions are very slight but still there and he's getting a few seconds of time out for each one. Have I taught him that he gets to bark a few times, then focus on me for a sit command, then gets a treat? In the chain, has it gone straight from bark to treat?

He seems to tend to miss steps...or it's a case of him tending to associate externals with the consequences, rather than his own behaviour with the consequences. It wasn't 'I bark and growl at man, I get a time out' it was ''man moves, I get a time out". The bark/growl is the step that led to the time out, but he seemed to have missed that one. But we weren't consistent on the verbal cue, it tended to be both of us shushing and scolding, especially hubby. Now I am trying uh-oh immediately on the first sound that leaves the dog's mouth. So the word uh-oh means there's going to be a time out.

I am thinking that by the time he's had his first reaction, it's too late. Redirecting him to myself after the reaction is part of that chain leading to reward. Maybe for the dog, that chain starts with his bark, instead of with the movement. (The association I wanted in the dog's mind is that hubby's movements lead to feel good things, hubby's movements are good, yay, man is moving!). I was trying to associate a positive--treat--with my husband moving. And if I can catch the dog pre reaction, I can do that. But if he has already even chuffed in hubby's direction, it becomes a chain of 'reaction-focus on woman-sit in command-treat'. I think the dog is missing the point, the outcome WE desire. I was trying to teach him that if he can break off that urge to bark and growl at hubby, that's a good thing...but maybe by the time he's already reacted, I cannot allow the sequence of events to lead to a treat.

Such is life in the trenches. And I do feel like I am fighting for this dog's life.
Last edited by GoodPuppy on Mon Jul 13, 2015 12:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
ckranz
Posts: 1028
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:18 pm
Location: San Diego CA

Re: New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by ckranz »

I think you are expect far too much in far too short a time. Fear issues can take months or even years. Dogs of this type are a lifetime commitment and progress and seem extremely slow to perhaps non existent...then one day in the distant future. Suddenly you notice a huge improvements.

When I began with Khan...it took 13 months before we could get through a class with out being kicked out the first day because of disruptive behavior on his part. It took 3.5 years before he was able to consider passing CGC. And we still have our issues, even after 9 years he still is terrified of children.
GoodPuppy
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2015 5:12 pm

Re: New dog reactive, clingy, anxious when alone

Post by GoodPuppy »

ckranz wrote:I think you are expect far too much in far too short a time. Fear issues can take months or even years. Dogs of this type are a lifetime commitment and progress and seem extremely slow to perhaps non existent...then one day in the distant future. Suddenly you notice a huge improvements.
I agree about expecting too much too soon.

I know the subject of fear has been mentioned, and I can relate to that in the way he is upset about being left alone or if approached by people he doesn't know. But the behavior towards my husband only occurs when I am there, and my husband finds that utterly exasperating.
Post Reply