Meet Finn, Our May Pet Of The Month!

This May, our Pet Of The Month is Finn!

Finn is an eight-week-old Australian Shepherd, and the newest addition to the Sabal Chase pack. Tiffany and her family brought Finn home yesterday, and this bundle of cuteness has kept everyone on their toes and entertained.

Congratulations, Finn and share with all your new friends - you're our Pet Of The Month!

Ask the Advisor: Stranger Danger Part 2

When you use a toy/ball to trigger prey drive and reduce defense drive, does the dog ever perceive the toy as a reward for the defensive behavior? She has the same problem with her 2 year old rat terrier, so she was very intrigued by your advice. But she is also concerned that she may inadvertently reinforce the barking. Does that ever happen, or does the shift take place on a more instinctive level?

-Tiffany

Tiffany, you have a very valid concern b/c done with the wrong timing in a consistent manner, the ball / toy can become a reward for bad behaviors.. people do this with praise towards their dogs at the wrong time all the time and the results are usually an increase in the dog's bad behavior simply b/c they are being rewarded for that same bad behavior.

If the dog does a bad behavior and you reward the dog for that bad behavior, he is likely doing it again... this goes whether you use balls, toys, treats, or praise.

However, if BEFORE the dog does the bad behavior (but shows signs such as a closed mouth or stare down, indicating the bad behavior is about to be exhibited) the dog gets a surprise positive trigger (such as the squeaky sound of a toy or ball), you can quickly divert the dog's attention and get him to focus on the toy / ball therefore stopping the bad behavior from ever occurring.

Also, if you know that meeting certain people or in certain areas is a problem, then you may set up a mock meeting where the greeter has the squeaky ball and that ball / toy is used initially (BEFORE the dog is even triggered with any defense mechanisms) to make the positive association.

In short, the timing of the positive trigger item (such as toy / ball) is very important so that it is not turned into a reward for bad behavior.

Some things are just easier to demonstrate and teach hands-on than to explain them in writing.

Edel Miedes
K9 ADVISORS
954.923.3440
786.419.3647
www.K9ADVISORS.com

Ask the Advisor: Stranger Danger Part 1

Dear Edel,

Zohan is a year old now, and starting to display some obnoxious behavior on walks. Specifically, he lunges and barks hysterically at anyone that walks towards us. It's especially bad if the person makes eye contact, and once the behavior stops, it's very difficult get him to snap out of it. I know this "teenager" phase is challenging, but I worry he is going to become aggressive. What should I do?

While eye contact may play a role in all this, the actual approach of the person onto Z's space may be enough to trigger his defensive reaction. Test it out with a new person approaching and not having any eye contact. He will likely respond the same. There are a few things you may do differently when greeting a person (given that you have the time and availability from that person to take a little longer in the greeting). To create a greater interest in the person, reduce Zohan's defense drive by increasing his prey drive. Do not let him greet the person until you are ready for Z to do so. This adds a level of pack leadership on your end that will later give him the confidence to not have to react defensively.

I have seen his reaction around strangers coming to greet him. While it may come across as "aggressive" in some people's view, he is really being defensive - not aggressive. His defense drive (one of two key drives that a dog has innately) kicks up a notch when he is uncertain. For some dogs, when they feel uncertain about a new place or person, they go into a fearful-submissive state and other dogs go into a fear or anxiety state that shoots up their defense drive. This seems to be more like Zohan.

In order to change this reaction, you must change his perception of the situation and of the new person he will greet. Then add a little control once the perception is changed. By this, I mean that you may associate the new person (greeter) with a positive trigger for Z. For example, you may use a treat and squeaky ball that you can just carry with you whenever you are walking Zohan. When you approach a potential greeter, you ask them to hold the ball and squeak it a few times while keeping the treat in another hand. Perhaps, have the new greeter bounce it a couple of times to really spark his interest in the new person. Focusing on the ball and its motion should trigger his prey drive, whilst blocking his defense drive. Prey and Defense drive are inversely proportional. The higher the prey drive, the lower the defense drive and vice versa. So, two key things that you are doing by using an interesting toy or ball, (1) creating a more positive association with a new person and (2) increasing his prey drive, thus reducing his defense drive. Once you get Z really interested in meeting the new person and really excited, through his prey drive, to get that ball, you have him sit and stay a few feet away from you while you greet (or pretend to greet) the new person and then you give him the "ok" to greet the person. When he comes in for the ball, the greeter may then hold out the treat in a flat palm, low to the floor (since Z is a low rider ;-)). You don't want people going over his head to pet him, as most people do, because that may trigger his defense drive. So, Zohan should come in towards the greeter after you gave him the ok to go greet. The greeter has their palm flat for Z to come get his treat and make the positive association, then the ball comes out and he gets to focus on the ball and go get it (not too far - within the vicinity of the greeting). While keeping him on prey drive mode, you subdue his defense drive. Finish the exercise with lots of praise!

It is important to have several interactions like this before you even get people to pet him. This will allow for many greeting events to be positive with low to no defense triggered, and will make it easier for Zohan to make a clear and consistent association with a more positive way to greet.

Hope this helps. It is so much easier to show you all this than to write it down. Whew!

Cheers,

Edel Miedes
K9 ADVISORS
954.923.3440
786.419.3647www.K9ADVISORS.com

Ask the Advisor: HELP! My puppy is a teenager

Dear Edel,

When we brought Zohan home at eight weeks of age, I thought I had hit the puppy jackpot.    He never barked, he played quietly in his crate, and learned quickly.  By twelve weeks of age, he had mastered basic command obedience.  He was the perfect puppy!

When he hit ten months of age, the honeymoon ended.  He is now 13 months old, and continues to vex me.  He runs when I call him, charges through doorways, barks at strangers, eviscerates toys - yesterday he stole a banana from my coffee table and glared at me when I took it away!  Is this normal?  What happened to my perfect puppy?!?!

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While your puppy may have been calmer as a pup, he is coming into his own now.  As a teenager, in dog years, your puppy's development will take a few turns before it all evens out with some proper training and structure.  As most dogs enter their teens (at about 10 months to a year of age), they will "test" their pack members and try to get away with things they might have never done before.  It is important to give those dogs that test their pack members, more daily structure.  Things like staying on top of their bad behaviors, like barking when they are not supposed to, and pulling on leash while on walks are crucial to their understanding that YOU are the pack leaders and not them.

Edel Miedes
K9 ADVISORS
954.923.3440
786.419.3647
www.K9ADVISORS.com

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Ask the Advisor: HELP! My puppy is a teenager

Dear Edel,

When we brought Zohan home at eight weeks of age, I thought I had hit the puppy jackpot.    He never barked, he played quietly in his crate, and learned quickly.  By twelve weeks of age, he had mastered basic command obedience.  He was the perfect puppy!

When he hit ten months of age, the honeymoon ended.  He is now 13 months old, and continues to vex me.  He runs when I call him, charges through doorways, barks at strangers, eviscerates toys - yesterday he stole a banana from my coffee table and glared at me when I took it away!  Is this normal?  What happened to my perfect puppy?!?!

---

While your puppy may have been calmer as a pup, he is coming into his own now.  As a teenager, in dog years, your puppy's development will take a few turns before it all evens out with some proper training and structure.  As most dogs enter their teens (at about 10 months to a year of age), they will "test" their pack members and try to get away with things they might have never done before.  It is important to give those dogs that test their pack members, more daily structure.  Things like staying on top of their bad behaviors, like barking when they are not supposed to, and pulling on leash while on walks are crucial to their understanding that YOU are the pack leaders and not them.

Edel Miedes
K9 ADVISORS
954.923.3440
786.419.3647
www.K9ADVISORS.com

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