Training and Behavior

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Comment by Nancy Westrell on November 6, 2009 at 12:51pm

Just wanted to let you all know that I started a PDXdogs group on Rally Obedience, for those interested in more formal training applications. Fridley and I just completed a Novice class this week, and it's been both fun and beneficial for his (and mine) obedience skills. Rally Obedience is a competition event offered by AKC, UKC, APDT, and Mixed Breed Clubs of America - and soon to be offered by ASCA.

Comment by Linda Watkins on August 30, 2009 at 12:32pm

Need Best Friends Sanctuary connection: Does anyone have a connection to BF for submitting a dog for their consideration? It's either sanctuary or euth, I'm sorry to say. Denise Mullinex, will you e-mail me at: lindacwatkins@live.com ? Thanks.

Comment by Linda Watkins on August 9, 2009 at 4:30pm

This is the contact information if you're interested in the internship opportunity:
Denise Mullenix, owner of Behave Canine Solutions in Portland, is offering an internship in reactive/aggressive behavior to a dog trainer who is willing to foster and work with Dusty, a border collie mix. If you are interested in the internship, please contact Maryann at 541-619-9960 or mlresendes@comcast.net.

Here is a link to the Behave website: http://www.behavetraining.com/

Comment by Linda Watkins on August 9, 2009 at 2:27pm

TRAINER INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY: Pet Adoption Network has a younger female border collie/catahoula mix who has been in several shelter situations for over a year. While she was in Safe Haven shelter her two rescue angels discovered her and for the last seven months have been paying her boarding fees, taking her out for walks, and recently started taking some training lessons with Denise Mullinex at Behave! dog training in Portland.

Until we can get Dusty into a real foster home and begin teaching her what life is like with a loving family, she is going to be very difficult to place.

Dusty's luck is still holding though, as Denise has made the generous offer of an internship for an individual who is working on their trainer credential -- IF you will foster Dusty and work with her.

For more information, please contact me directly. Thank you.

Comment by Andrea Schneider on August 9, 2009 at 1:48pm

I need your help! Could you take a few and take this Survey?

All your ideas will help me develop pdxdog to an even better social network. Thanks!

Comment by Christine Chambers on August 6, 2009 at 6:19pm

Thank you both for your comments, they were very useful in easing my perhaps overly-reactive concerns.

Comment by Rushdoggie on August 6, 2009 at 2:08pm

BTW: I just realized that I wrote: "I'd bite Stella too" and what I meant was "I'd bite Gracie too." I'm sure Stella is annoyed as all heck at being chased while shes trying to be serious and *Play Ball.*

Comment by Jett on August 6, 2009 at 12:27pm

Hi, Christine! Sounds like Beth has everything covered, but I did want to comment on your question about always reinforcing the dominant dog. The biggest problem I see with that is that we humans always get "dominance" wrong so you could actually be making things worse by attempting to do that. As Beth mentioned, dominance is fluid and frequently circumstantial (Kiva is my "dominant" dog but surrenders tug toys to Jester readily because they are worth fighting over for Jes, but not Kiv...). What I do, with 3 dogs in the house, one of whom is a recent adoptee, is to connect the dog's name with the reward. So if I'm giving treats, I say the dog's name just before I hold out the treat and they learn that only the named dog gets the treat. I do random order so no one gets the idea that they are privileged. You can do the same with throwing balls (one, then the other, gets to retrieve) but will probably want to start with the non-retrieving dog on leash until they get the picture. ;-)

A good reference is Karen London & Patricia McConnell's "Feeling Outnumbered" booklet (http://www.amazon.com/Feeling-Outnumbered-Manage-Multi-Dog-Household/dp/1891767062/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249586650&sr=8-1). My goal is to get my dogs to release one at a time at the door...must have goals! ;-) Kiva is going to be the hopeless one as he firmly believes that rules are meant for lesser dogs! And, yes, I indulge that fantasy of his much too often but then he is a really well-behaved dog.

Comment by Rushdoggie on August 4, 2009 at 6:56pm

Well, its great to hear that these don't sound like "kill each other" fights, more like "jockey-ing for position and attention" squabbles.

I suspect that *they* don't know who's alpha either. Pack dynamics are fluid, and the relationship is new for everyone.

Ideally the alpha in your home is the humans, and it might be time to tighten up on freedoms and control resources for both girls a little tighter, and to really work on some obedience training, to help them realize that you are the leader...I have lived with multiple dogs a long time and I believe that inter-dog jostling decreases when they know that I am the only in control of resources, so theres no point in squabbling anyways.

Look up some leadership programs such as Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF), Leading the Dance, Mind Games, etc. The goal is to increase structure and get them to focus more on you, as each other, because by doing so they get more access to their favorite things. You can find some great stuff on the web, and theres some good books.

I always get antsy when I hear people go on and on about being Alpha human etc etc. because often its paired with stupid dominance games about going through doors first and rolling dogs on their backs. You don't need that, but you need to assume leadership and earn their trust that you will make good decisions for them.

The longer I work with and live with dogs, the more I am convinced it is TRULY all about the relationship...that takes time and effort, just like human relationships. Think about your life with Stella when you first got her and how it is now.

This is a stressful time and so you are experiencing tension and changes.

As tempting as it is, its wise to not comfort the attack-ee because sometimes the stuff that goes down before the squabble is subtle and hard to pick up and the attacker had been subtly harassed long before they had enough. I would also not yell or scream if you can help it (I know your adrenaline is flowing too) because sometimes it will only help amp the girls up....try to stay calm and stick something between them or use the noise to distract them into separating. After these altercations, I would quietly take each dog by a leash or collar to their crate and turn your back on them...a time out. You don't have to pick sides but you can make it clear by your body language, facila expression and time that you do NOT approve of this stuff and you are NOT happy and it will not result in a positive outcome for them.

Ideally you can head off altercations before they happen by watching and separating them when they get overexcited, or when there is company etc, things that you know might set them off...get them each on a leash, have each human take a dog and go in separate rooms, time out in a crate with a distractor, etc. Its better to not let them practice this behavior.

Gracie chasing Stella running after a ball: is there any doubt that Gracie is part BC or Aussie? lol. Really, lets put a stop to that. Its not fair to Stella and it is tension inducing. I'd bite Stella too.

Does Gracie chase her own ball or frisbee? You can teach your dog to play with you in a group setting and wait for "their" ball. If you want me to I can show you how to do it, its not very hard. In the meantime, let Stella have 1:1 time for her ball time...no one should have to deal with an obnoxious herding dog breathing down her neck.

Finally tired, well exercised dogs (both mentally and physically) have less time for petty squabbles. Spend time training to tire them out, and get them some individual exercise time.

I'm sure others will have helpful information.

Comment by Christine Chambers on August 4, 2009 at 5:14pm

Hi Beth. I guess there was only one "proper fight" that resulted in minor injuries...a small scratch to Stella's face and a surface scratch to Gracie's lateral neck. And actually, this fight did have some instigation as we had people over and someone threw the ball for Stella (when we were inside and after our request not to). As a bit of background, Gracie has a tendency to hover behind Stella as she's waiting for the ball, and then chase after her barking once Stella moves to chase it...which is obviously very annoying for Stella. This night was also a bit stressful as there were more and new people - so that one I can understand.

The other two instances have been short lived with no sustained injuries, but with relatively rapid initiation and without preceeding warning growls or hard stares. Making a loud distracting noise has stopped these two minor events. Unfortunately, during the more advanced fight, Stella was picked up (I know...a cardinal sin as far as reactions go..what can I say but if I could control other's actions I would be very rich!)

I am hoping that this is just an adjustment period of the two establishing their positions in the home. I have found some research stating that the humans in the home should not try to equalize treatment to the two dogs, but to accept and maintain the more dominant dog in that position. Any thoughts on this? And if so...I know this sounds a bit silly, but I'm not sure which one is the dominant? Thanks for your input.

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