Lots of problems with rescue dog - please help me make her a good dog.

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

Hello

I have a 2 year old rescue dog, she is actually my parents' but I live close by and share her care/walking/feeding etc.

She has come on enormously since we "adopted" her a year ago, has gone from not being able to make eye-contact to being smiley and waggy, and she now loves cuddles etc where previously she would cringe away :(

But we are still having several problems with her, and was hoping for advice/stories as to how to improve her behaviour. Specifically:

• barking in a really loud/shrill/panicky way at certain visitors.

• jumping up

• nipping at hands if holding a toy/stick/bit of food. Really worried about her doing that to a child :(

• running off after rabbits etc. Have had to put her back to walking on the lead which is sad as she loves to run.

Thanks so much :)

No-one? I have seen good advice on here and just don't know where to start with her.

Didn't want to leave your post unanswered. I'm sure one of the dog behaviour people will be along to help.

Fwiw I don't think anything on your list is unfixable at all. With some training I'm sure things will improve dramatically.

Have you read any books on dog behaviour and training? The Culture Clash is really good and covers things like recall and jumping up really well.

Have you got a clicker? They make dog training much more fun for both you and the dog.

I can have a stab at advising on the specific things but I'm not expert, just a newbie enthusiastic amateur

Well done for taking on a rescue and working hard with her over the last year

I think to really solve some of these issues, someone needs to see your dog and how you all are with her before giving you pointers which will really help. In your shoes I'd find a good local training class (check APDT where there are no aversives used (rattle bottles, water pistols, choke chains, etc) and go along and do your KC Good Citizen Dog Bronze with her. It will really help her confidence and you can get help on the issues you're having trouble with.

In the meantime, recall. I don't know what work you've done and whether you mean you need to teach a specific chase recall? If her recall is really poor then I'd go right back to basics. You can have her off lead on a walk (somewhere safe and not too exciting, no other dogs around etc) and while she's busy sniffing, run off and hide. Watch her and watch for that moment she panics. She will panic. Ooo unless she's a beagle. She's not a beagle is she When you see her think 'Ohhhhh bugger - she's GONE!!' only then do you call her. You might need to change your recall word if she has already got used to ignoring what you've called in the past. When she comes to you, BIG fuss and a REALLY GOOD TREAT! Then send her away. Repeat on every walk until the locals think you're insane. We did this and have a dog that will never let us out of her sight.

Teaching a chase recall is more advanced, and you really need a solid recall first.

If you think she's going to ignore you when you call her - don't call her! She'll just be learning to ignore you whilst having a handy fix on your whereabouts so she doesn't have to worry!

If you need her back and have to call, run in the opposite direction while calling her in an excited tone. She'll follow. BIG praise when she catches up again. Never chase her.

Jumping up - you need to only ever interract with her when she has 4 paws on the floor. The second she jumps, you turn your back and ignore her totally - no noise, no 'No!' - you just need to become the most boring thing in the world. When she's calm, then give her lots of lovely attention. Treat her regularly for having all paws on the floor.

Nipping - this is a worry. I'd teach a good 'leave' command (watch Victoria Stilwell - she demonstrates this v v well) and pre-empt any nipping with a firm 'LEAVE' in THE-VOICE-OF-GOD.

I'll answer briefly as am flitting between two appts. When you have visitors, put her in a separate room. When visitors are settled, if you want to introduce her, bring her in, and let her settle. Visitors politely asked not to fuss, shriek, hug etc. If she settles nicely great, if not, just take her back out. I have no problem with putting our three away when we have certain visitors - not everyone is comfortable around dogs even though they are generally well behaved and means there is less chance of coffee cups knocked flying by tails etc.

With the running off after rabbits - is she a sighthound? There is nothing wrong with her being on the lead if the alternative is her being out of control, lost or in danger. I'd recommend doing a class like Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen (actually I'd recommend these anyway) and I'd also suggest finding a safe place where you can practice recall without distractions. Depending on the place it might also be a safe area for off lead play.

Like many greyhound owners we very rarely let all of ours off simultaneously except in very specific circumstances due to chasing ability. So we go to specialist areas where they can play off lead to their hearts content and we know they are safe and won't interrupt the local Yorkshire Terrier convention.

She's a terrier, so has a compulsion to go after squeaking noises, interesting humps of grass etc. Her figure is not that of a greyhound, that's for sure :o

Thanks so much for replying - was beginning to think everyone had gone "oh no, what a naughty dog, there's no hope for her" :( She's a lovely girl really, not sure what was going in in her previous home but she was in a sorry state - overfed, nervous, unfit, shrill barking at everyone, hated any physical contact etc. Now she's fit and fast and waggy, which is something we never thought we'd see.

What is a clicker? (Can you tell I'm new to this?) And what is a chase recall?

Thanks for the suggestions of classes - I will see whether there are any around here.

Love the idea of hiding and waiting for her to start worrying. Not sure she ever will, but will try it out. "She'll just be learning to ignore you whilst having a handy fix on your whereabouts so she doesn't have to worry!" - hahahaha I bet that's just what she is doing, oh dear. :o

What sort of treats do you use? I don't want to overfeed her. And do you use specific words or actions too? or just a nice "good girl" fluff up?

:o BeerTricks

I have been trying to train her to a whistle (er, me whistling, rather than a PE style whistle IYSWIM) and she is picking it up. But last time she just buggered off and didn't come back for ages, hence putting her back on the lead. Neither she nor I are happy about this situation!

Oh good. The real trainers have come to answer.

this is a clicker. It's just a little plastic thing you hold in your hand with a button you depress and it goes "click".

It marks for the dog the behaviour you want. When you first get one you spend a few sessions (10 min ish) just clicking the clicker and then giving the dog a treat. Click and treat, click and treat. The dog learns really quickly that click means treat. Then you can start with the training, so with a simple sit (if your dog can sit to command already) you tell the dog to sit and when her backside hits the floor you click, and then treat.

The click tells the dog EXACTLY when they have done the thing you are asking for. Very quickly your dog is trying desperately to make you click the clicker. You can progress with training really easily as so long as you mark the desired behaviour with a click. You will actually see you dog have a BINGO! Lightbulb moments.

So with barking I am currently in the process of teaching my dog to bark on command, rather than just woof whenever she fancies it.

First I made her bark (by going woof at her) and then she barked back, click and treat. Did that a few times and then put a hand signal in when I woofed (just made one up, like a quacking duck hand).
Did a few of those (me woofing plus hand signal) and then her woofing back with instant click on HER woof, then treat.

Now I can give her the hand signal and she will do one woof back at me. Click on the woof and then treat.

Of course she TRIED to get me to click by just barking and barking at me, so I turned round and faced the wall and ignored her. I need to give the hand signal first and only then if she barks will she get a click.

Now if the doorbell goes (some of the time -it's a work in process) she will look to me, I'll give the hand signal and she will woof just the once.

So I'm slowly getting some control over that.

Sorry that is long. There are lots of reasons why dogs bark so going for an APDT traier is a really good idea. Just an example of how the clicker can work really well to address a problem without using adversives.

Really good article on stopping dogs chasing

Very apt post Kate as I spent a grim half hour waiting for her to return from her latest spontaneous jaunt last night

Did try the hiding etc first which was very funny and WORKED! You are all geniuses.

So where do you get a clicker from then?

Pets at Home or online.

Good books to get with your clicker are The Complete Idiots Guide to Positive Dog Training (not saying you are a complete idiot at all!, but it's a really good step by step book) and The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson which is a lot about dog behaviour, and how dogs learn with a good bit at the back about clicker training.

I also think it is really, really worth the money to try and either go to some classes with an APDT trainer or to get them round for a one on one session. They can give you some specific goals and training tips.

Good Luck

What a lucky little dog

I would concentrate on her general behaviour in all situations which will help with all the individual issues below.

So she needs to learn calm, she needs to de stress and if you can be the source of this rather than chasing after rabbits brilliant!

I would use a clicker and just start by click and then giving a treat do this loads of times a day - give her whole meal by this method for several days.

In the meantime keep her on a long lead and do not give her the chance to bog off after little furries!

Once she knows that click means treat you can click her when she is calm. So if she is lying down quietly after a walk click and treat her - make sure you are near her so she can have the treat in a calm lying down position.

Do this for several days calm = treat you could have a word - I use chill guys! If I say it to my lot they all go somewhere comfy and lie down or on a walk just stop chasing and gather around me. It will take time to get to this stage but by clicking an emotion your dog will soon respond by giving you the emotion in return.

• barking in a really loud/shrill/panicky way at certain visitors.

Meet the visitors outside if possible but does not really matter when the dog barks take him out into another room ask him to chill and when he is calm return him back to the room if he barks remove him etc. Is there a specific thing about these visitors that sets him off, what they wear, are they loud, a certain sex etc?

If he is calm let him stay in the room and get the visitors to drop treats on the floor but they must not look at the dog. Very very quickly the dog will learn calm = treats = visitors = treats (you will be back here asking how to make him leave people alone!)

• jumping up Just turn your back on him. Everyone must do this even the people that say I don't mind! Make every one do this and only strike him if all four feet are on the ground.

• nipping at hands if holding a toy/stick/bit of food. Really worried about her doing that to a child.

At this stage do not hold toys, sticks etc if possible if he is around. You need more general control of him. So if you are holding food send him to his bed treat him in his bed rather than let him pester you. Again if children are around with toys he can be having a chill out session somewhere else.

As he generally calms down you will be able to ask him to sit or down and then give him his own toy or treat and he will again realise four feet on the ground = his toy.

• running off after rabbits etc. Have had to put her back to walking on the lead which is sad as she loves to run.

I would walk on lead for a bit - he is just doing what terriers love best! However it can endanger his life if he chases with no control from you. I would leave this for a bit and concentrate on the above for a month and then revisit this. But in the meantime get him a toy he loves a furry tuggy toy is usually great for terriers tie it to a bit of string and let him chase it with you in the garden. Get someone to hold him and you run away and so when he is straining to get to you call his name and run and he will chase the toy.

So not leave the toy lying around he can only have it if he chased you for it and then it is put away. This will become the special toy!

Thank you minimu those tips are great!

I am going to print out this whole thread and go through it with my parents so we can all be consistent. Will be going "special toy" shopping at the weekend.

Have been practising hiding again today :o

She is now turning round to check I am still following her, and hardly leaving me alone when out on a walk! Will definitely keep this up, and the "four on the floor" thing which is easy to remember.

You lot are lovely :)

Got to the shops today and bought a clicker. Not sure where to start really!