Secrets to Dog Training Weekly Newsletter
Crazy about visitors
Eddie writes: We have a 4.5 month old female golden/poodle. I have raised 5 Goldens in my time and never had a puppy like this.
I recognize that she is very much the Alpha dog and we are working on turning that around with her. To be fair, she does seem to be getting better about many of her early issues.
Despite all this progress, however, there is one problem that we still don't know how to deal with.
When friends come to visit, she becomes very excited, jumping, nipping, running, barking (not now, since she we got her a bark collar) piddling on the floor, basically out of control and completely unmanageable. This crazy behavior goes on for a while and then slowly she calms down.
How I currently am dealing with her is – I put her on the leash, command her to "Down", and, after a few minutes, I let her off. If she goes to bother the visitor/s, back on the leash she goes.
I am afraid to bring children to the house for she is terrible. She doesn’t do this out of anger – she just gets way too excited. Please help us sort this out.
Kingdom of Pets Replies:
Excitable behaviour for young dogs is not unusual, however it is a good idea to tackle any outlying issues whilst she is still young to avoid a harder habit to break as she gets older.
It is definitely a good idea to enforce that you are the Alpha dog, and I am certain that you will notice that many of her current issues will be solved once she realises that you are in control.
My advice for the dog’s behavior around guests would be to place her in a different room when your friends arrive, preferably a room with a floor that's easy to clean initially, and ignore her until the yelping and unmanageable behavior has significantly lessened. Only then do you lead the dog to your guest, and if she pulls on the leash put her into a ‘time-out’ zone. This should be a quiet place away from any noises or distractions, so that she will realize that by misbehaving, she gets the opposite of what she most desires, which is your attention. Repeat this until she is completely responsive and calm. When you bring her out to meet them, ask your guests not to pay any attention to her initially and to continue to speak to you, which will reinforce your Alpha dog status. If she remains calm, either you or your guests should give your dog a command, such as ‘sit-stay’, and when she obeys, offer calm praise. If the dog begins to act inappropriately, reprimand her by growling at her with a low guttural sound, as she would be treated by her mother or siblings. If she continues to misbehaviour, take her straight back to ‘time-out’. Although this will be tedious at first, if it is followed consistently, I guarantee that you will notice a change in your dog’s behavior for the better.
When around your dog, do everything you can to remain calm yourself, as dogs are very sensitive and will easily pick up on any tension. Squealing and high pitched noises are signs of inferiority in the pack, so by doing this, you could be sending a message for your dog to take control. Getting worked up while dealing with your excitable dog will only encourage her hyperactive behavior and worsen the situation. In the wild the Alpha dog determines how the pack will react in various situations, so she will look to see how you react to things and follow suit, thus the importance of remaining cool, calm and collected in all situations.
A lot of owners will find that their dogs jump on people, particularly smaller children, to dominate them. When she jumps up on you, do not look at her but push her down at the same time, as this is how a misbehaving dog would be treated by the Alpha dog in the pack. It is also a good idea to constantly reinforce the Alpha techniques with her, to make sure she realizes that you are the leader of the pack. These include simple actions that can be incorporated easily into your everyday routine, such as walking through doorways in front of her, making her walk to heel when on a leash and feeding her after you have eaten. This should help with her obedience, as she will always look to you as the Alpha dog for commands.
Your pup seems to have more than enough energy to burn, so make sure she gets plenty of play and exercise. A young dog should be exercising daily for about one hour in order to gain optimum fitness. By also carrying out daily obedience training with her to help with her obedience, you will keep her both mentally and physically stimulated. Not only will she be a happier dog and you a prouder owner, but also there will be a stronger bond forged between you two.
When your dog’s behavior is starting to improve, particularly in situations when she would have reacted differently in the past, reward her with something that is of value to her, such as a tasty treat or a toy. This will not only clearly indicate what is desired behaviour, but also acts as an incentive for good behavior in the future.
If you continue to introduce your dog to your friends in this gentle manner, you should find that soon she will learn that the best way to get their attention is to be calm and well behaved, and so her hyperactive behavior will become a thing of the past.
All the best,
Daniel Stevens and the Secrets to Dog Training Team
"Secrets to Dog Training - STOP Dog Behavior Problems!"
http://www.kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/
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