BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Dogs Dog behaviourist needs your help!!

Ok, guys: Long Post.

As some of you may know, I am taking a course to enable me to become a Dog behaviourist.

Let me just give you an outline:

I recently attended a 'Dog Listener' Foundation Course here in the UK, which was quite a financial investment for me. I made a commitment to pursuing this career quite some time ago, and had to put funds aside in order to fulfil my own personal desire. I wanted to do this in order to give myself some public credibility and accreditation, to show my own abilities were not imaginary!

I won't go into detail about how precarious my financial situation has been for a while. Suffice to say it's been a bit of an uphill struggle. (And though there is some light at the end of the tunnel, there is some uncertainty still remaining, with it possibly being an oncoming train....)

But I digress.

Whilst the Foundation Course was to the greater part, enormous fun, I actually learnt nothing from it that I could not have gleaned from a book -and indeed, I had done so already. So it was very much the same as going to a restaurant and enjoying an identical meal to one I had enjoyed previously.
An Advanced Course followed immediately (there are others fixed for during the year) and it costs almost double that of the Foundation Course.
I was unable to commit to this one, but wanted to perhaps arrange for a subsequent participation.
However, some factors have dissuaded me from following up on this:

ONE:
Having spoken to a fellow aspiring dog behaviourist who managed to attend this Advanced Course, I find again, that the majority of the material is available elsewhere. At a much reduced financial output!

TWO:
The Organiser was extremely insistent on pointing out that anyone taking both courses would have to submit to further 'Testing and Appraisal' (more financial outlay)and to being included on a register, whereupon any clients this new member would advise, would be sent a feedback questionnaire by the Organiser. All responses would serve to help the Organiser decide whether the member was suitably adept to hold the Official title of Dog listener. This title is only bestowed after 2 years of practising. And then it seems it is given to the very few "Chosen Few"! It was all put forward in a very - Masonic - kind of way!! Exclusivity was emphasised, and the talk, far from being inspirational, was actually presented in an off-putting manner....

I subsequently discovered that the Certificates/Diplomas/Awards/Titles bestowed by this company or organisation, have absolutely no accreditation or qualification value whatsoever, and mean completely nothing under British Law. They have absolutely no academic or business value at all.
I could be 18, have never owned a dog, and I could legitimately set myself up as a Dog behaviourist.

However, I have now spoken to an educational establishment(BellaOnline ALERT: Raw URLs are not allowed in these forums for security reasons. Please use UBB code. If you don't know how to do UBB code just post here for help - we will help out!

OK Dog Behaviorist, here's your chance. Hubby and I adopted an 8-year old Cockapoo from the local shelter approx three years ago. Somewhere in her former life she was taught to bark when she needed to go out, and then to bark again when she needs to come back in. Here's the problem - just one bark isn't sufficient for her, and she has an extremely piercing bark that settles right at your tail bone...but I digress (See we Americans can wander in our thoughts, too!). I have tried to praise her when she scratches at the door instead of barks in order to encourage the behavior I want from her. I have also noticed that when I have been gone for awhile (like when I'm out of state visiting grandkids) she pulls the "I have to go now" bit every 15 minutes - and that is no exaggeration. Suggestions? BTW, I would be more than willing to do anything you need in the way of written information so you can get your accreditation. You can answer me here or in a PM, whichever you prefer.

Ok, well, basically, she knows she's yanking your chain, and that her behaviour gets a result.
By rewarding her when she scratches, instead of barking, you're rewarding one kind of behaviour, but she doesn't associate this praise with trying to stop her barking.
When she barks and won't stop, hold your hand infront of her nose, index finger raised, and shout a good firm 'NO!' at her... if she persists, take her by the collar, and calmly, without speaking to her, or making eye contact, lead her to a room, and close her in there by herself.
This is going to take some persistence from you, because if she's managed to develop this behaviour over three years, then she knows exactly what your limits are going to be.
If she keeps barking, open the door, Look her straight in the eye, say no as before, and close the door again.

Try to ignore it, until you realise she's wavering... after a while,she'll see that her actions are getting no result.
Wait until she is completely silent.
Then, time FIVE FULL MINUTES of no barking, no whining, no scraching....

some dogs have got this refined to a fine art by timing it to 4 minutes and 55 seconds.
if she 'breaks this 5 minutes, wait again until you get silence then time it again.
Once the 5 minutes are up, open the door. Don't look at her, talk to her or stroke her. Open the door, and walk away.
Ignore any bouncing behaviour or attention-seeking behaviour. Push her away firmly, and don't make eye contact, talk to her or stroke her in any way.
If it becomes excessive, repeat the whole thing:
Collar, lead gently to the room, and close her in.
In a while, she will realise that her behaviour is getting her 'negative' results.
her antics will take less time this time.
Again, wait five minute when you hear she has gone completely quiet, and only when the five are up, repeat the door opening exercise.
this time, she will show some hesitation, probably. She's assessing what's happening, and reviewing the whole scenario.
What you are doing, is taking Control of the situation.
and it's a puzzle to her.

More later... I have to go - but I promise, I won't do this every 15 minutes!!

Ok, speaking of barking. We have a 3-year-old male basset that we adopted from the local pound. The problem is his nightime barking. He seems to be barking at the sounds resulting from the wind (i.e. barn door creaking, branches hitting the top of the carport, etc.). We go outside (all hours of the night) and tell him to stop, to no avail. We believe that he was previously abused and so we do not raise our voice to him at all. Any suggestions on how to stop this barking so that we can get a good night's sleep?

I will also do what is needed by providing written documentation to help with your accreditation.

Thank you!!

Rhonda:
Well, your telling him to stop isn't going to work, because as far as he's concerned, this is what's happening...

"bark bark bark bark bark!!"

Translation:
"It's my job to protect you guys, and I think I just heard something, so I'm just keeping you alert and on your toes...

Out you go....
"Quiet now, there's a good boy. There's nothing there, you'll wake the whole damn neighbourhood!"

Translation (to the dog)
"Oh my goodness, thanks for that, gotcha, yes we're pretty damn stressed about it too, you're quite right to have warned us.!"

he doesn't understand why you're so tense though...he's not making the noise, so why are you taking it out on him? he's just got to keep warning you, that's all there is to it, because obviously, whatever is making the noise, is making you pretty nervy too...
He doesn't associate your tension directly with his behaviour. he just thinks you're as upset about it as he is, but that he's
getting it in the neck for not dealing with it.

You say you don't raise your voice to him.
You don't need to. He picks up the fact that you're tense, just by your attitude and body langauge.
You dread going to bed at night, because you know exactly what's coming.... and your tension communicates itself to him as fear. Not of what you have in store, but of what might be out there....
He believes he has the position of Alpha male. And as Alpha male, he's in charge of protecting the pack, and is constantly vigilant. it's his job. That's what Alphas do.
As Alpha male, he's got you exactly where he wants you too.
He barks, you appear.
How cool is that?
You may not think you have given him this post, but I'm sorry, I'm afraid to say it's true. I guess it's not so much that you've given him the job. He's had to take it.
because you see him as a family member... but he sees you as 'weak pack members'...
By 'sympathising' with his possible negative past experience, and keeping him in a vulnerable state, by being overly gentle with him, he has perceived a weakness in you.
there is no sentimentality or prolonged perception of a bad state, in the dog world.
It used to be bad, and now it's good. End of story.
Sure, dogs have feelings and emotions. but they don't hang baggage onto it. They don't have an agenda.
But unfortunately, you're associating current behaviour with previous conditions. And in trying to be gentle with him, you've just succeeded in elevating his position.
A Pack Leader isn't given to sentimentality. So you can't be pack leaders.
I know nothing of your home life with your dog, how long you've had him, how many family members you have (Children? Ages?) or the details of any other pets (like cats or other dogs. terrapins don't count!! ) but I would suggest that you will have to go back to square one, and re-establish boundaries.
If he sleeps outside, you may have to start by bringing him in during the day, and redefining who's boss....

If any of this is hitting the nail on the head, let me know.
I'm here to help, but I can only give answers based on the info available.
I hope I haven't been too far off the mark!

Kathi, her needing to go every 15 minutes is just her way of reinforcing to you that she's boss. Again, if she gets you to pander to her every whim, it means she's got you back in line....

Thanks, Alexandra! I really do appreciate your help, and I promise (with my paw firmly on my Bible and my other paw upraised in the "oath" position) that my husband and I will take action immediately. Yours is the first advice that has made sense. I asked the same question once before on this forum and had a couple people tell me I need to get her one of those shock collars, or throw noisy things at her when she exhibits this behavior. I refuse to shock any of my pets or throw things at them, unless it is Buster's rag toy, which he adores playing fetch and tug-of-war with...I will keep you posted on our progress with Miss Callie. Thanks again!

P.S. Be sure to let me know via e-mail if there is anything I can write and send on your behalf for your certification!

Oh, please, people, never resort to shock collars... or any devices which have an intention of educating your dog by inflicting pain or discomfort!
I know (bless his cotton socks) that Cesar Millan has used them - but I have only ever seen him use a 'shock' collar once, as aversion therapy for a dog that chased vehicle tyres and kept getting run over! - And throughout the programmes people are urged to 'never try these techniques without consulting a professional'....

I personally do not agree with them, I find them ineffective, because as a sole means of attempting to train your dog, they do not work in isolation. You have to first understand why your dog is behaving the way it does.
And once you understand a dog's behaviour, and you are able to modify it (trust me, you can!) an object like his becomes redundant!

I always say one thing to people hell-bent on using them:
YOU PUT IT ON - NOW HAND CONTROL TO ME.....!!

Good on you Kathi for ignoring those folk. I'm sure they meant well, but hey....!

Would you like me to send you details of the Alpha technique?
It puts you naturally in charge of your pack....

RHONDA, I can do the same for you.

Please ladies, just fill me in on the family/other pet details, if you would.
Could you also give me an idea of your living arrangements...?

High-rise apartment in Manhattan, or somewhere along the Oregon Trail....?

I will need details of your e-mail addresses, but I don't wish to be intrusive....
If you'd rather not, that's ok....

Wow, what you say sounds logical and makes perfect sense. I never thought of it this way.

Gus is 3-years-old and we have had him since Sept 2007. He was at the local kill pound and was days away from being killed so we adopted him. We also have a 6 1/2-year-old female Basset, Dolly, and a 1 1/2-year-old male Jack Russell, Riley. No children living at home and no cats. We live in the country and Gus sleeps outside. Unfortunately, bringing him inside during the day is not really an option.

One of Gus' other traits is that he is an escape artist. If given the chance, he makes a run for it. When we first got him we met many of our neighbors (who live quite a distance) because Gus would run away to their house and they would call us to come get him. We now have him in a large, very secure yard and he has to always walk on a leash.

Thank you so much for your help!

That would be great!! Thank you!