Don't Bite the Hand That Feeds, Part II of IV

I must open this second part of how to help your "food-aggressive" dog, with a warning:  If you haven't looked at, or worked through Part I, please don't jump in with the exercise here in Part II.

Letting go of what is a very natural behavior for canines, can be challenging.  We are essentially rebuilding damaged trust, or instilling a trust that was never there to begin with.  Maybe your dog came from a situation where they actually had to fight to eat.  Or something traumatic happened, and suddenly, they've developed this horrible reaction to you when their bowl is full.  Sometimes, it starts as a growth period; a young dog tries on his big-boy pants, and it worked, so they repeat it.  Usually amplifying their threat displays with each passing day, until they've become dangerous.

In any case, here we go...

Part II, Phase A.

For the intention of saving some words, we will refer to your dog's food as "kibble."  If you are feeding a Raw, or pre-made 'fresh' meal, be sure to only provide a portion that he can finish in one or two small bites.  

When choosing the "reward" for your dog, look for something extra tasty.  Think chopped chicken breast, or cheese cubes.  As long as the dog LOVES it, and it won't take more than a second or two to ingest, that is an appropriate reward.

1. Ask your Dog to do a 'Sit, Wait.'  Step a few paces away from him, and pick the bowl off the counter.  Put only 2-3 pieces of kibble, (1-2 tablespoons of 'fresh' food for med-large dogs) in the bowl.  Reinforce the "Wait" cue if he tries to stand up, or gives any indication that he will break the Sit due to the food's presence.  Do not move forward unless he is sitting and waiting politely.

2. Place the bowl, with the small amount of food in it, on the floor a few feet away from the dog.  If being too close to the bowl is causing tense behaviors, work on your 'sit and wait' so that you can put it down all the way across the room.  Distance can be your friend.  The Dog should not break the Sit as you do this.

Practice with an empty bowl if necessary.  Build the behavior in anticipation of the reward.

3. Say "OK!" and allow him to go eat those few pieces of food from the bowl.  Call him back to you, give him a reward, and ask him to Sit and Wait again.

4. Go pick up the bowl.

5. Return to Dog, and hand him 1 piece of Reward for staying still while you picked up the bowl. Encourage him to be free from the sitting position, with a cue such as "Break" or "Free."  Let him sniff around (he'll most likely go investigate the area where you set the bowl down before) a few moments, before asking him to "Sit" and "Wait" again.

6. Repeat a few times, as long as Dog remains calm--showing no signs of tense body posture, or "aggression."  If you do notice any signals that he might be feeling his inner Golem rising to the surface, go back to Part I, and continue to desensitize him to the bowl's influence.

Part II, Phase B.

Your dog is now seeing this silly Sit, Wait, OK get the snack and come back routine, as something Fun!  There should be a lightness, almost playful (depending on his normal personality, age, etc) attitude about this game.  Time to increase the amount of kibble/food offered in the bowl...a tiny bit more.

Up until now, we've kept to only offering 2-5 kibbles in the bowl.  This keeps the dog from falling into the Gollum State, but we gotta move forward.

1. Give a small handful of food in the bowl (appx. 1/8-1/4C of 'fresh' food for med/large dogs).  Not enough to give him too much time to think about "the precious," but enough to keep him eating for more than just a bite or two.  

2. Use the same routine as before:  

* Sit, Wait.  

* Place bowl across room. 

* Return to Dog.  Say "OK!" 

* Dog goes and eats amount provided.  

* Call Dog back, give reward, and have them Sit, Wait again.  

* Go pick up the bowl.  Place it on table or counter out of dog reach.  

* Return to Dog, give small reward for Waiting.  

* Encourage dog to be free from the Wait behavior.  

* Repeat.

It is Very important at this stage to NOT move any closer to dog while they are eating.  We are building a behavior foundation, not testing to see how much we can push or get away with.  Please do not use Dog's full portion yet either.  Slowly building the amount of time Dog's face is in the bowl is how we avoid the stress of his inner Gollum coming out.  We stress that if Dog is stressed, this won't help.

Go back to whatever stage your dog was having success with, if need be.

Part II, Phase C.

Alright!  Dog thinks this game rules.  At this point, you have a choice:  You can either choose to continue to work on slowly increasing his portion, and NOT moving closer to him while he eats it (in some cases, not moving at all is a great plan.  Be sure to talk to the dog though...don't make it weird with silence).  Or you can choose to focus on his being more comfortable with you closer to the bowl while he eats from it.

Either is an OK decision, but you should only work on one at a time.

Increasing Portion and NOT Threatening his zone:

If your dog grasps the Sit, Wait routine and you want to get back to offering him the whole meal, the following steps are recommended.

1. Continue to play the Sit, Wait go eat and return game.  With each day (as long as you see zero indication of tension) give him just a few more kibbles in the bowl.  The goal being to reach his full, normal portion of food, eventually.

2. Do Not attempt to go pick up the bowl, until you've placed Dog in to a Sit, and Wait, at a safe distance* from the bowl.

*When we describe "safe distance," we are referring to whatever distance the bowl is at, that doesn't cause any of the aforementioned tension indicators -- See "Don't Bite the Hand That Feeds, Part I"

3. Swap your reward for something New and Novel and exceptionally tasty.  If you've been using chicken jerky, for instance, try using freshly cooked, warm bits of chicken breast.  Get them back into the OMG zone about the reward.  It MUST be better than whatever you are placing in the bowl.

4. After a couple days incorporating this New Reward, experiment with calling him away from the bowl while he is actively eating.  Up 'til this point we've been waiting for him to finish what we have offered, thereby giving him less incentive to feel the need to protect it.  Calling him while he is still eating some kibble can help you see just how close to the Gollum State he may be.

If he comes zooming over when you call, give him the Good Reward, and allow him the freedom to rush back to finish whatever might be left in the bowl*.  Once bowl is empty, call him away from it, as before, and set him back into the Sit and Wait.  Only when he is waiting politely, should you go pick up the bowl.

*This is crucial to helping Dog see that you have no interest in "stealing" his food.  By building his trust that he can move away from food in the bowl, and you won't get near it when he does, he lets go of more and more of the need to guard it.

Clearly nervous.

Same dog...no food bowl present.

A stiffened posture, if he stops eating but stays haunched over the bowl, any sudden increase in eating speed--as if to gulp it down and Then responding to you, instead of a more relaxed response, are all indications that you will need to decrease the amount of food offered for this exercise.  We are going for almost instant compliance to your call, regardless of there being food in the bowl or not.

Decreasing the Distance; Encroaching upon "his" Zone:

Keep the portion at an amount that only takes your dog a few seconds to finish.  Even if he's worked up to almost his full ration, you are now changing the exercise, so we need to go back to the 'safe zone' of not giving him enough time to think about 'the Precious'.

1. Begin with your regular Sit, Wait, return for the extra tasty morsel reward.  Make sure your Dog is feeling relaxed, even a bit excited about the snack.

2. After one or two successful rounds, place the bowl down a bit closer to where you've previously asked for the Sit and Wait.  Even if it's only a few inches at a time, that's ok.  We are rebuilding the idea that it is Safe for you to be near him while his face is in the bowl.  Or while he is actively eating.

Pro Tip:  Using an elevated feeding riser, can help keep your Dog further from
the haunched over, defensive, guarding posture. Not a 'magic bullet' but a helpful ingredient to this recipe.

...."Now wait a minute, Rose.  You initially said to hold the bowl and give him 1-2 kibbles from it...what's up?"  Well, to a dog, the moment you set that bowl on the ground for him to eat from, he no longer sees it as Yours.  He is more likely to "go after you" if it is on the floor.  

3. Go Very Slowly with this.  It might take you days and days to get to where you can ask for the Sit, and Wait, then allow him to eat from the bowl on the floor, only a foot or two away from where you stand.  That is asking a lot for him to feel safe with you encroaching that far into his 'safe zone' of space.

4. Once he's gotten used to the idea of your standing next to the bowl, while he quickly devours the smaller portions, this is where it can get tricky.  Up 'til now, you should be making an effort Not to move your feet, or attempt to touch him, or the bowl, while he has his face in it.  That's about to change.

As soon as he finishes the small portion (5-7 kibbles, or 1-2 tablespoons of 'fresh' food), and looks to you for the 'yummy' treat, shuffle your feet, or gently march in place as you give it to him.  You are helping him associate your movement near the bowl (now empty) as Safe.

5. Try to continue these gentle foot motions as you do the next round of Sit, Wait, Eat, Reward.  Stop moving and be calm if you notice ANY tension that might indicate his falling into guarding, or Golem State, if you will.  Do your best not to move farther away in these moments, unless you absolutely do not feel safe yourself.

This is why it is so important to keep the portion small during the Decreasing Distance phase, at first.  Allowing him to 'get possessive' by giving him too much time (too much food) to think about your being close, will put you back WEEKS in this rehab.  Better to be slow.

If need be, as dictated by Dog's responses and/or tension level, you can toss his yummy reward away from your body space.  This will move him away from the bowl, and give you room to call him back in to a polite Sit and Wait, before you pick up the bowl.

Alternatively, you can also walk away from the bowl, once the small bit of food is eaten, then call him to you for the Sit and Wait.  Give yourself space that feels comfortable for both of you, before you pick up the bowl.

Pro Tip:  Some dogs will let go of this behavior faster, by moving their bowl
(or using 2 or 3 different bowls on rotation) to a different feeding location at each meal.  
Simply shifting the bowl to the other side of the space, can upset their idea of what "belongs" to them.

6.  If Dog is handling this well, you can now begin to slowly increase the portion, but don't change anything else you are doing.  Do not assume he is 'fixed.'  Remember, he is just barely beginning to trust that you are not trying to steal his food, or accost him while he is eating.  This tenuous trust can snap at any moment; take care of it.

And that is Phase II.  Next time, we'll get started working to help him be ok with your touching him, or even the bowl, while food is in it.  Phase II is a long one folks.  Most dogs that are working through this issue, are not granted the time and patience they need to fully let go of this complicated issue.  

To be frank, if you have a busy household, and you've found something that "works," you may not even want to fix this...But beware, your dog may well hurt somebody, over something completely unrelated to dinner.

Don't Bite the Hand That Feeds: Part I of IV

Some dogs just didn't read the memo about not biting the hand that feeds you.  If you, and your household, are dealing with a dog who tries to eat you, before he will eat his dinner, this article is for you.

We are going to focus primarily on "Food" as a trigger, but this nasty Resource Guarding behavior is not limited to just food.  Canines have a natural desire to protect what they see as "theirs."  Whether it's a bone, toy or even a favorite space, this kind of behavior needs to be addressed.  At the very least, we want you, and everyone in your home, to be safe.

Helping a dog let go of the idea that he needs to protect his food from the very person providing it, is similar, but very different than getting him to stop trying to fight another canine sibling for it.  This will be presented in four parts, as this is a truly large issue to work past.  Some dogs will move through these steps in a matter of days...others, it may take a year, or longer, to claim that he can be trusted not to attempt a bite.

These methods are designed without physical force.  This is to ensure that just about anyone can do them.  There are other ways to help this kind of issue, but they are better handled by trained professionals, as they come with a significantly higher risk of harm:  To both Handler (that's you) and to the Dog.  If going about it in this way is not for you, please contact a good teacher.

We will take a closer look at how to work with a Dog who guards "his" favorite spaces at another time.  This series will not include working with a kennel, gates, or a pen to assist you in this journey--If you've got kids or a very busy house with other dogs, we highly recommend using those tools as safety is priority. We will do a follow up on how to get "Polite Mealtime Manners" where we will address how to incorporate those tools in safe ways for all involved.  

For now, let's focus on Meals.

Part I, Phase A.

1. Set Yourself Up for Success.  Teach your dog to Sit for Love.  Spend the first week or more, asking your dog to Sit, before they get petting, snacks, or other attention.  Make that your new semi-permanent routine.  Making them Sit for what they want is an easy way to make them work for it.

"Did you want something?  Sit."

We give our dogs too much for free--Especially our Attention.  We upset their idea of how the Pack (your family) is organized.  If they show up lookin' cute, try asking for a Sit, before you pet them.  While this seems silly, you are actually enforcing your role as their leader.  In essence, you are teaching them to politely ask for your attention, as a lower-ranking pack-member should, instead of getting it for free...or worse, demanding it.

Giving too much free attention, can give them a false sense of being your boss.  Thereby leading to other unwanted behaviors.  

2.  Stop free-feeding*.  There are numerous reasons to put your dog's intake on a real schedule.  It's better for his overall health and well-being.  

A dog in a constant state of "grazing" is at risk for increased weight-gain, digestive issues, and missed health cues.  If you don't actually know the amount your dog is eating each day, you may miss when that amount is off in some way.

Unstructured eating, especially in large or deep-chested breeds, combined with exercise, can increase your dog's risk of Bloat (gastric torsion).  If you've never heard of this, I recommend doing a bit of research, or talking with your vet about this potentially fatal condition. 

Missed training opportunities abound with a free-fed dog too. Everything is a Resource.  Your dog needs things.  They cannot get these things without your help.  Leverage this to your advantage.  Giving your "food-aggressive" dog free access to the thing that puts them into that heightened state of agitation, can also cause increased anxieties and overreactions in other areas.

*There are some cases that medically need a "free-feeding" schedule.  Unless it actually IS a medical need, feeding 1-3 times a day is appropriate for most adult dogs.  A lot of dogs have done a great job of convincing their people that they "just can't" or won't eat on a schedule---they are lying.  They may not like it at first, but stick to it; they will eventually get on board.  

3. Expand your "Sit" into a "Sit and Wait, OK!"  Once you've taught your Dog to Sit politely for attention, you can start incorporating a bit of a "Wait" cue.  

Ask them to Sit, but instead of immediately petting, or otherwise rewarding, tell them "Wait" and then pause for 1-2 seconds.  If your Dog handled that well, say "OK!" (or other release cue of your choosing) and give the affection, or snack reward.  

Build up to about a 10 second pause between Sit, Wait and reward, before moving on to Phase B.

Part I, Phase B.

1.  Put a couple small, delicious treats or kibble pieces in your pocket*.  Choose your reward based on what your dog can actually handle.

2.  Ask for the Sit, Wait.  At the 10-15 second mark, tell your dog "OK!" and offer the reward, while giving some affection.  Repeat a few times.

*If your dog is so triggered to aggression, that the very smell of something good to eat, turns them in to a monster, stick to affection and petting.  If you are dealing with a dog at that level of problem; please contact a professional to help you. 

Helpful Tip:  Put your dog's food portion in a hip-bag, or Fannie pack and do this exercise throughout the day, preferably around meal times.  This usually helps to satisfy a "Grazer" who may not be too pleased about not having a bowl of food available at all times, while still allowing you to monitor how much, or how little your dog eats.  While meal times are preferred, working for the small amounts here and there ultimately helps put you in the Leader seat.  

Some people have opted to feed their dogs in this manner, and not actually tackle 'fixing' the guarding issue, because the quick-fix of removing the bowl removes the aggression response.  This doesn't make your dog Safe, but it may help if you've got a busy life and no time or resource to work on this.

Part I, Phase C.

As your dog becomes more proficient at Waiting for attention, and/or a few pieces of kibble or treat, we can begin to incorporate his bowl.

1.  Ask him to 'Sit, Wait.'  Put two or three kibbles in his bowl, as you carry it--Do Not put the bowl on the floor yet.

2.  Give him the "OK!" and allow him to eat the few pieces from the bowl, in your hand.  This should only take a second or two.  As soon as he has eaten those few pieces, set the bowl on a table or counter out of reach, and ask for the 'Sit, Wait' again.

If he seems relaxed, you can repeat the bowl-kibble routine again.  Should your dog exhibit ANY signs of tension, or adopt that 'protective stance,' go back to giving him snacks from your hand again.  This might be an indication that even the sight of the bowl is too much.

3.  If the sight of the bowl itself is "triggering" the aggressive/protective/guarding responses, begin Phase C by leaving the empty bowl in sight, but out of reach.  Toss the yummy snack in the opposite direction of the bowl when you give the "OK" cue.  This reconditions his brain to start feeling good, and more relaxed around the bowl.  He is also learning to move away from the very thing that makes him feel as though he needs to be right on top of it, protecting.

As Dog gets the hang of it, you can move the empty bowl to the floor, or into a riser (for our big giant breeds) and continue to reward the Sit, Wait, OK! by tossing kibble or small treats AWAY from the bowl.  

I've worked with dogs that have taken a week or more, to figure out that the empty bowl, on the opposite side of the room, is nothing to worry about.  Trust me, the time spent tossing alternative treats around a room, to get the dog moving away in many directions from the bowl, is absolutely worth it if you really want this problem to go away.

Only when you feel confident that the dog is not showing signs of tension, should you try holding the bowl and allowing the dog to eat those few kibble pieces from it.  Go little steps at a time:  If you started the week with an empty bowl, on the opposite side of the room, the goal should first be to work up to standing next to the empty bowl while you toss treats around.  Whatever level your dog is at, meet him there and gently grow that trust together.

OK!  That should be enough to get you going on this sometimes very long journey that is the rehabilitation of a Dog who mistakenly thinks they need to protect "their" food resource, from the very person providing it.  

Stay tuned for Part II in this series.  We'll be teaching you how to move from offering only a few kibbles in the bowl, to allowing him to eat it from the bowl on the floor.

Do I need to upgrade my dog's collar band for the e-collar?

It came with one that is waterproof, mud proof, and basically indestructible, but has no stretch or anything, so I know my dog can't get out of it...as long as I tighten it down.

Short answer?  Yes.  You should improve your dog's level of comfort, and safety, by changing the collar band to one that has elastic function.  Some come with just a 'loop' of elastic installed, and some are actually made of elastic.  

This stretchy-section serves three very important functions for your dog

        1. To create enough pressure to ensure the collar box points are making good                                   contact, without need to cinch the collar too tightly.

2. To enable dog to pull free of the collar, should it become entangled in brush, or 

    hung up on anything else in the environment.

                3. Prevents Dog from becoming 'caught' on another Dog.  If you've ever tried to 

                    free a panicked animal, that has it's lower jaw caught in another dog's collar,                                  while the dog they are caught on freaks out because they can't get away...

Your e-collar should Never have a leash clipped to it.  Use a different collar or slip-leash for actually attaching a lead, or tying the dog to anything.

We are not going to get into too much detail here, as these collars are controversial enough.  They can be an exceptional tool for some dogs, and their humans.  But, as with any good tool, one must take some time to Learn How to Use it Properly, to prevent injury.  Or desensitization. 

Stop turning the collar up just because your dog has grown used to the "low level" stimulus.  You are only teaching them to tolerate more and more discomfort, and they are learning to ignore you altogether.  Most people "teach" with this tool in backwards fashion, and they don't even realize they are doing it until it is too late.

Start with Larry Krohn's book:  "Everything you need to know:  E-Collar Training" 

Get yourself some knowledge and know-how, before you start using a vibrational, shock, spray, or any other electronic collar.  Find out if this is really Your method, then check and see if your dog is Actually a good candidate for this kind of tool.  

Some are not.  Plain and simple.

If they are, let's at least make sure the collar band is comfy, and that they can get free in an emergency.

Redirected Aggression and the Importance of Knowing Your Name

Your dog is intensely pawing and digging in to a woodpile.  He is after a Chipmunk, and bent on getting in there.  You don't think that is a safe activity, so you reach in and grab him by the collar to pull him free.  He whips his head and bites your arm, the moment he feels you touch him.

Your two dogs get in to a fight.  You grab the instigator, to stop the violence, and he freaks out and bites the snot out of your hand, while Still trying to get at the other dog. 

That darn neighbor's dog is out there snarling through the fence at your dog.  Your sweet, fat ol' lab has had enough, and is snarling and barking and hurling drool, as he frantically paws at the fence.  You run out there, and touch him on the bum to get his attention, only to find yourself facing his fangs as he whirls around to protect himself from that touch.

Or this commonplace scene:  You and your two dogs are out for a walk.  You know one of them doesn't like other dogs, but he puts up with his brother pretty well.  Here comes another dog out for a walk with her person.  Your dog sees her, and loses his cool.  He lunges to the end of the lead, and then suddenly turns on his brother!  OMG! What the heck is Wrong With These Dogs?!?

They are experiencing Redirected Aggressive Response, due to an overwhelming amount of frustration.  This can be driven by many factors, depending on the individual situation.  

• Pack Status Confusion; changes such as moving, bringing in new dogs, or losing a member of the pack can cause some serious upset to a dogs' idea of Who Belongs Where in the pack order.

• Age; be it a young dog becoming an adult, or a senior whose joints hurt and they are just sick of the other dogs jumping on them, age is a factor to consider.

• Breed; Hounds, Terriers, and some of the Working Class dogs (such as Border Collies, German Shepherds, or Rottweilers) can be a bit more prone to redirected aggressive issues.  This is because they are genetically designed to be INTENSE.
  

• Pain; an animal suffering can react in scary ways, in order to protect itself.  A normally calm dog who suddenly presents as a 'fight starter' or a 'biter' should be considered as a potential pain patient.

• Lack of Routine, or Training; dogs left to their own choices all the time are not great at managing themselves without fights.  Most domestic dogs are not great leaders, and if we are not teaching them to do our bidding, they start to feel like they need to fight to lead us.  Watch any documentary on Canids in the wild (coyotes, painted dogs, etc) and you'll find they sort things out rather violently.  While this is understandable, it is certainly Not the recommended way to solve things just by letting them 'figure it out.' 

• Too many Intact Animals in the same place; Boy animals fight for Girl animals.  It is nature's way.  I am not saying all pet dogs must be 'fixed.'  Some intact animals, both male and female, simply cannot stand to share space with another member of their same sex, especially if a member of the opposite sex is present.  They cannot handle their own hormonal urges, and this can lead to heightened states of stress, which can lead to fights, which brings us to our redirected aggressive issue.

They are so intent on the "THING" that they are just putting their teeth into whatever they can.  But does this mean that your dog is truly 'aggressive'?  Not really.  What he is, is lacking impulse control in that moment.

Have you ever been so mad, but feeling like you can't do anything about it?

Looking for some place to put that HUGE emotion, and then possibly snapped at someone?  

So amped up, that any little intrusion has you yelling (or worse) at anyone who happens to get in your way?

Well, in essence, That is Redirected Aggression.  The person or thing happened to 'trigger' the reaction from you, just because they bumped into you...or got into your line of sight, when you were in a state of extreme frustration. That poor person or thing, is now the recipient of all that emotion.

How do you deal with it?

For starters, teach your dog to play The Name Game.  I know, I know, baby stuff.  But building an 'automatic response' to the sound of their name, can be a real game changer for dogs that get too focused on things that feed the prey drive, motivate their hormonally driven behaviors, trigger Defensive or Offensive reactions, or if they are working from a place of fear.

Imagine, how much you would bring down that kind of intense energy, if you could only get the dog to look away from it....This is exactly what The Name Game teaches.

Not only is it the foundation for teaching a rock solid recall, it is the opening of the door to whatever 'next command' or 'cue' you want your dog to follow.  

"Randy.....Come" away from the woodpile.  

"Randy...Leave" your sister alone, or "Randy...Come" away from your sister--thus avoiding the fight.

"Randy...Leave it" alone, there is no reason for you to respond to the dog on the other side of the fence.

"Randy...Here's a snack" while the other dog is walking towards us on our walk.  This will help distract you, but should be geared towards your learning that dogs that get closer to us, actually mean good stuff for you.

There are of course differences in every situation.  For instance, Randy's people should probably walk him without his brother, until he can respond to his name and ignore other dogs.  Then maybe he should be slowly exposed to the idea of walking closer to strange dogs, until he no longer feels elevated when he sees them.  At this time, he can then start a walk with brother, but someone else should walk brother, so Randy can get used to the idea that adding brother to the walk, does not mean revert to reaction.

Randy should also be on a long leash in the yard, until he doesn't need the physical assistance of being pulled off the fence fight.  Using Randy's tennis ball to throw the OPPOSITE DIRECTION of the angry neighbor dog, can help him think that the neighbor dog's overreaction, is actually a good thing for Randy...But be careful, in using intense play as a reward, you may be ramping up his energy.  Start slow and work up to it.

Randy's fights with his sister, can be avoided by putting up a pen, or gates to keep them separated, until Randy can be trusted to respond to his name and allow you a chance to stop the fight before it happens.  If you have a small dog, an oversized crate (of the wire variety) can work as a wonderful "indoor pen" to prevent fights, as you work on this.  ***Note:  It can be tempting to muzzle dogs that start these kind of problems.  A dog in a muzzle cannot defend himself.  Even if he starts it, he won't be able to finish it.  So please do this with Extreme Care.  Use a basket muzzle, not a cloth grooming muzzle.  They cannot breathe/pant properly in those if they are in too elevated a state:  This can cause brain aneurysm, and/or aspiration on their own fluids.  

We get it; sometimes they go to level 11 before we can stop them.  The least we can do is set them up for better chances at success, by teaching them behaviors we want instead.  

So how do we teach The Name Game?

OMG, it is suuuuper simple.  I am glad you asked!

Start indoors, with your dog on a leash, or inside a puppy pen, so they cannot wander too far away.  Try not to have too many distractions around to start.  In training, we start with boring, predictable places, and work up to the intense distraction.

Be close enough to your dog to reach out and touch them.  Have some wonderful, stinky amazing treats handy. Or just use the regular food kibble, if your pup will eat it joyfully.  If your dog is the picky sort, choose a reward that you KNOW he is crazy for; a tennis ball is a fine reward, if that is THE THING your dog normally goes bananas for.

Say your pup's name.  Give them a treat within 1.5-2 second of saying the name.  That's it.

Remember, you are not asking or anything else.  Not a Sit.  Not "come," not anything but 'I say your name, and give you a treat.'  If you are using a reward such as a Tennis ball, your dog also will need to know how to Drop It....Or you can start with a Bucket Full of Balls.  Who cares if he won't drop the first one, toss another!

After a few repetitions, test to see if it is working.  Wait for your dog to lose focus a bit, like looking away from you.  Not too big a distraction, like another puppy, or a cat, or another person they really want to see.  Just looking away.  When they do, say their name One Time.  Wait a second or two.  If the pup turns to you at the sound of the name, Yay!!!  It's working!  Say "Good" and give the pup the treat.

Once your dog gets the idea, and you find that you can say his name Anywhere in the house, without other dogs or big distractions, and get a good response, go ahead and unhook his leash.  Now say his name from a slightly farther away distance.  Don't hide from him in the other room, he's not ready for that yet.

Just start small.  Randy the Dog wandered over to the window, in the room with you...now say his name.  If you've done this right, he should quickly look at you, expecting that reward.  Offer it to him, but do not go to the dog.....Randy should have heard his name, looked at you, and realized he cannot receive the reward from that window.  Randy the Dog is now crossing the room to get his reward.  Guess what?  You just opened the door to work on "Come" when called. 

Ultimately, dealing with Redirected Aggression is a process.  Safety first, for all involved.  Hence the need for leashes, puppy pens, or crates.  It won't go away overnight either.  This is one of those, set up your environment for the routine that may become the way of life for your dog...at least for a while.  As your dog gets better at responding to you, in more "intense" situations, the routine can change.  Go at the speed of success, not at the speed of expectation.

How to Play Fair in a Multi-Dog Household: reprinted from 2014

 How to Play Fair in a Multi-Dog Household.

You don't.

ok, allow me to expand on that. Having multiple dogs in one house is usually a great idea. So long as you are prepared for it, and are providing structure and good leadership. Dogs are pack animals. And in a pack, there are leaders, and there are followers. And those furry guys sleeping under your chair? They are not wolves.

Contrary to the traditional mindset, wolf packs are nothing like our dogs. The only true similarities are that they are of the canine variety, and they live in packs when left alone. Your dogs, need you to tell them when they are doing right, and when they are doing wrong. They need you for food. They need you for affection, they need you for everything.

A dog needs a provider. And he needs a boss. The degree of control, and the severity of your delivery, depends greatly on your individual dogs' personality. His personality dictates how well he will respond to your style of leadership. You, being the reasoning species who is the Leader of this pack, must determine who needs what, and when.

Your "alpha" dog may be pushing your other dogs around a bit during playtime, but what you may actually be witnessing is a slightly more subordinate animal attempting to dominate your other dogs due to insecurity about her position in the pack. Meaning, she may not actually BE an alpha at all. A true alpha does not need to enforce it all the time. The other dogs just 'know.'

If you aren't filling that position, one of the dogs will attempt to do it for you. I mean, someone's gotta be steering the ship, right?

"ok, so I'm the Leader. And I've just added another dog to my household, and I think the new dog wants to be alpha over the older dog; how do I make them get along?"

They might never like each other. Wrap your head around that, and then begin managing the situation. You, being the actual Leader, holds all the cards. Start by managing the dogs. Call a professional, and have them observe the interactions between you; all of you.

Make sure you are providing the proper levels of exercise for all the dogs in your household.

A dog who has an excess of energy, will put it somewhere; usually where you don't want it. As you begin to build better, more predictable structure for your dogs, they begin to fall into an order that may even branch into liking each other.

Be as consistent as possible with the rules and regulations of your home. Teaching the dogs good manners, first individually, and then with each other, is paramount to your success as a leader. Good management helps as well. If your dogs can't seem to get along when left alone in the back yard, do not leave them alone in the back yard. Rather, go out with them, and put your troublemaker to work!

A dog who is too busy working with you, and focusing on a task, is going to be too busy to pester the other dog. If you must, leash that guy and ask him to do things on the other side of the yard.

When you are indoors, if need be, use crates, pens, gates, or a leash to separate the troublemaker from the other animals. If there is fighting, whether over resources, or just picking on each other, please work with a qualified professional to help your pack learn to function together.

If you are not dealing with aggressive reactions, and just want to be more "fair," don't. If you are doling out attention to one dog, and the others just rush over to shove her out of the way, and you respond by petting the pushers, you are giving them the false impression that They run the show. You are setting yourself up for tension. The dog who got shoved, now feels "lower" and less important than the ones who got to DEMAND your attentions.

You are the Leader. You get to decide who gets attention, and when. If you are petting one, and another rushes over to shove her, use a Body Block (placing yourself like a goalie between the petted dog and the other dogs) to enforce that they must not shove her away. Give her the attention, and then, when you decide to call the other dog(s) over, that is when the "shover" can get some love.

You wouldn't allow children to punch, shove and kick each other to get to you for attention, don't put up with rudeness like that from your dogs. There is a reason we teach young children "Wait your turn," the same goes for your furry kids.

"When I give out treats, I have one dog who just runs in there and tries to take the treat. No matter which dog I am handing it to."

That is potentially a nightmare waiting to happen. Again, proper training/handling can help alleviate some of this stress. Asking the over-enthusiastic animal to sit and wait his turn, is a good move. That way, the dog you are handing a treat to won't feel the need to either snap and defend his treat, or bite it so fast that he grabs your fingers.

If you have one dog who seems to pester and pick on the other dog, more training is called for! If your dogs know things like "Away" or "Leave it" or even a simple "Come," you can diffuse a situation before it happens.

I have seen situations where the owners got a new dog, and tried to enforce that the new dog needed to be subordinate to the older dog. But the older dog was more than happy to BE sub to the new guy, so the Humans were only creating a bigger issue. The fights were getting worse. As soon as the Humans began to just let the old guy do what he was comfortable doing, i.e. allowing the young dog to do almost everything first, the fights subsided.

To some degree, dogs do have a good idea of how they'd like the structure to run. But they aren't really all that good at just "workin' it out." In the case of the older/younger dog, the Humans had to learn when to call the younger dog off, or away, so that the older dog could more effectively (and safely) show young dog that he wasn't being a challenge.

This won't always work in every situation. You may have a severe case where one dog is being so intimidating to the other, that you have one dog who just leaves the room every time the "bossy" one shows up. In this instance, call that professional.

Some dogs are just not cut out for living with other dogs. Period.

Just as some people can't stand other humans, some dogs just prefer to be left alone. Now, this does not mean you should just tolerate aggression. What it means, is that you may be faced with a dog who will either require a lifetime of management, to keep everyone safe, or you may consider placing that animal in a new home where he/she will be the only dog. Most issues of this nature can be worked with, but if your professional suggests a re-home, it may be because the dog would have a better, less stressful quality of life, should she be Queen of everything.

I have met many a happy, well-mannered, good canine companion who just wasn't all that comfortable with other dogs. This meant that dog could handle going for great, long excursions, and can pass a dog on the street without "blowing up" or getting tense, but wasn't all that great close up to other dogs. The Human had worked with the dog to get all those manners, and was rewarded with a wonderful, sweet companion.

The Human had also accepted that the road to having a dog she could trust to play with others, was a long one, and had chosen to allow this one thing to stay as is. This doesn't mean that particular dog couldn't be "fixed," it just means that the Human has decided not to deal with that stress, nor put it off on her dog, because the dog was Safe Enough.

Exercise, consistency, boundaries. These are the things that set up a multiple dog household for success. Dogs do have a sense of 'fairness,' but how you enforce it, is up to You. The Leader and controller of all resources. Use them.

Finally, ensure that each of your dogs gets the one-on-one time they crave. Just like Human kids, our dogs love it when we make special time for them. Each dog has a different "favorite" thing, and making time to do that without his annoying brothers or sisters, can help him stay balanced.

If you take breed tendencies into thought, you may take your scent-hound (Beagles, Bassetts, Bloodhounds, etc) on a new walking path, or to a Nose Work class. Your Pointer may loooove a long romp in a field, while your Cocker may just want to sit and watch people go by at a ball game or something. Doing special activities is not only good for their bond with you, it also teaches your dogs how to be without each other, which is healthy too.

I enjoy group activities with my household, but sometimes, I just want a walk in the woods. Alone. With my dog. One of them.

**Author's Note:  We used to have 5 dogs...now we have one.  Such is life and the passing of time.  These articles are being re-published for educational purposes.

Pack Status Confusion

What the heck is Pack Status Confusion??   Well, I am so glad you asked!  A dog who is suffering from Pack Status Confusion can be a real pain in the neck.  This dog is constantly feeling anxious, because he is always in limbo.  He doesn't understand his role in the family unit (i.e. your household and the Humans who live in it).  This is usually because he keeps getting mixed signals from you, or someone else in the house.

They have a routine, but it's too loose for their personality.  They get to choose where they sleep.  They get to choose whether or not to eat what's provided.  They choose when to get or give any affection.  They "ask" or "beg" for the things they want, but will not allow you to touch them when you want to.  They seem to be elevating their responses to different situations, even preempting them with barking or growly behaviors when they don't know what's going to happen.  They get to choose when to initiate play.  Etc, etc.  

When you start thinking about your dogs' normal day, how many of those 'normal' things is the dog allowed to choose?  Some dogs cannot handle these mundane things, because they have such a keen sense of pack status.  When they see you allowing them to choose the best sleeping spaces (the couch) or providing them food when They beg/demand for it, they see you as potentially lower than themselves in the pack status.  They may try to assert this new position by offering a growl, or a snap when you try to physically push them off that sofa, or give you "the look" when you try to pet them. ***please note:  A lot of these "rude" behaviors can also show up if your dog is in pain or discomfort.  If your dog is presenting new, sudden bouts of aggressive responses, rule out discomfort First.*** 

These social cues can be where these dogs get confused.  They start thinking that you do not have it all under control.  They start seeing you as Less Than a Leader.  Worse, some of them start feeling like They have to take control, because in their doggie souls, a pack needs a leader.  

If you're leaning on the Positive Reinforcement fence, your dog needs The Ultimate Resource Provider to have it under control, or they will feel as though they have to take control.

No matter what training philosophy you are using, the bottom line is that in order for your dog to feel secure, he has to know that what you are telling him to do, is trustworthy.  That you will follow up and follow through with the things you ask/tell him.  Canines thrive on predictable routine.  Some breeds are so genetically designed to take orders, that allowing them to make their own decisions can create behavioral issues, such as aggressive responses, extreme stubbornness, or unpredictable behaviors with people and animals outside the home.

Dogs that fall in to this sort of confusion are usually of the fearful variety.  They may do things to make themselves appear big when they get nervous.  Barking and growling in efforts to police a situation, but when confronted, are more likely to snap and run away, because they truly don't want anything to do with the "scary" situation.  They are a shy kid being forced to become a bully....

These dogs do not know how to Be.  So it is up to you, oh Leader, to start setting them up for success by taking the burden of decision making off their shoulders, and putting it back where it belongs, in your hands.

This does not mean you will need to get big and scary.  It means that for a little while, you may have to abandon the idea that the grown up dog you have, is capable of making any choices.  If you've got a dog that is "out of control" there are some steps you can take to bring them back to center.  Most of this can be applied to almost any dog, but please keep in mind that if you are dealing with an actual dominance issue, these suggestions are only a starting point.  Work with a qualified Teacher (a good dog trainer) to find the best ways to help your individual dog.

Start by creating routine.  We know you already feed them breakfast at a certain time, and there's a predictable exercise excursion, but what about the basics?  

1. Where does dog sleep?  A dog suffering from Pack Status confusion should really be kenneled at night.  Even though your dog has outgrown the chew everything stage, treating their kennel much like a child's bedroom, becomes a familiar and safe feeling place.  

2. Is your dog on a feeding schedule?  Dogs who free-feed (meaning the bowl is always available and always full) are not reliant upon you...They see the bowl as the Resource that provides.  Change this up and provide meals as often as is appropriate for the dog's age.  A puppy will need to be fed 3-5 times a day.  A grown, mature dog might do better on a twice a day, or sometimes even just once a day.

No Free-Feeding.  A Dog with a full bowl does not need you.

If you've got a dog who "refuses" food when it is provided:  Set a timer for 15-20 minutes.  Leave the food available for only that amount of time.  Pick it up when the timer sounds, and do not provide it again until the next scheduled mealtime.

As long as you aren't sneaking the dog some alternative food sources, they will usually begin to eat when you provide it, after 2 or 3 days.  Choosing to skip a meal or three will not harm your dog.  Some dogs do have medical conditions that do not allow for the missing meals, but otherwise, please do not free-feed.

Use part of the food portion as snack rewards.  When working in your home, using the dog's food portion as rewards can be a great alternative to commercial treats.  If you are transitioning from free-feeding, to feeding on a schedule, this can also be a good way to make sure the dog is taking in some calories throughout the day, without creating a situation where they are skipping the dog food to get to the chicken bits.

Those higher-value rewards are for tougher situations; off property, or when guests arrive.  

Should your household be feeding a raw diet, it is even more important that you do not allow the food to sit; this can lead to bacteria growth and health issues for your dog.

4. Does your dog know how to Say Please?  Asking your Status Confused pup to Sit before receiving Anything they want, is an easy way to get them to realize that You are the Leader.  They are adorable, and we know this...But leaders get to choose the affection, not them.  

When they come up looking cute and want affection, tell them to Sit or Down or Shake...Anything! Make them work for the affection.  You may find that they refuse to Sit at first...guess what, you have exposed that he thinks he's better than you.  Assuming he knows how to Sit, if they are used to getting affection for free, and suddenly you are making him work for it, he may not like that initially.  Be patient.  Try not to repeat yourself, and wait him out.  Do not touch or force him to Sit.  

If he stands there staring at you, he is working out in his head just Why Exactly you are telling him to Work.  He is the boss, right?  Why should He do anything for some affection?  This is usually a passing moment of cognition, and they should Sit.

Should he stare for a moment and then walk away, you now must put a leash on him and ask for that Sit again.  Follow through.  He doesn't get to choose to ignore you.  

If he complies and Sits when you ask, feel free to pet him.  Or let him outside.  Or throw his toy.  Or place his food dish down for him, you get the idea.  Asking for that Sit, is teaching him to Say Please.

5.  Do Not Allow a Status Confused dog to greet your guests first.  Putting an insecure dog out in front is just asking for trouble.  The dog may make bad choices, but your guests might make it worse by trying to make friends with him.  Better to kennel him, or leash him, and tell the guests to Please Ignore Him.  A polite dog doesn't bother the guests.  If yours is confused about his role in your pack, it is unfair to allow him to make choices about the visitors.  

When the dog has calmed a bit, if you want to allow him to sniff their feet/legs a bit that's ok.  It is Your choice, not his.  Putting him to work in these situations, such as asking for Sit or Down, or even tossing treats on the floor to encourage his nose to work, can be great ways to help him relax.

This will not diminish any protective instincts your dog may have either.  In fact, by choosing how and when he is allowed to interact with visitors, you are showing him what is appropriate.  This gives him an understanding of "normal" vs. someone breaking in at night, or threatening you.  A dog who learns to ignore welcome guests, be it laying politely on a dog bed, or hanging in their kennel, is more likely to bite someone breaking in because That now feels abnormal to him.  

6. Take away your dogs sleep spot choice.  In addition to kenneling a confused pup at night, it is a good idea to stop allowing him to choose the couch.  Some dogs cannot handle the social disruption that being allowed to sleep in an elevated position can cause.  They are not dumb.  They know how comfortable the couch is.  You, as the Leader, have access to the best, most comfortable places to rest...This is one of them.  

Feel free to provide the dog with comfortable beds, a blanket, even a pillow on that bed if you so desire, but stop letting them up on the furniture.  And no, you cannot skirt this by giving the dog their own recliner.  The idea is to gently remind them that they are a Dog.  

This rule does not have to apply to your run-of-the-mill dog personality, so please know that we do not believe that all dogs must live on the floor.  Dogs who cannot handle the social implications that being allowed "Up" are the dogs we are discussing here.

If you choose to use the crate as his new place to chill, keep the door closed until You choose to put him in there.  Remember, this is about gently controlling all the things that are good in your dogs' life.  Gaining access to a comfy place to lay down can be another way to show him that You are the Leader.  

Don't just leave the kennel door open for him either.  If you have chosen to put him in the crate, you can also choose when to let him out.  Ask for a Sit or Down first, make him work for it.

7. Teach basic obedience.  If your dog doesn't already know a few things, teaching basic things like Sit, or how not to jump on you, goes hand in hand with showing them what their role is.  Jumping all over you is a social no-no.  Respecting the Leader's body space means they don't get to pummel you with paws, or give you the standing "hug." 

To help a Status Confused dog figure out their role in your pack, is about gentle control.  It's about setting up boundaries that cannot be moved, by creating predictable situations for your dog.  If you aren't sure whether or not your dog is struggling with Pack Status Confusion, a Dominance Issue or is just a Wild Puppy who needs some rules, get with a qualified Canine Professional who can help you sort out just what you're dealing with.

Aggressive responses do not always mean you have an Aggressive Dog.  Jealous behaviors may indeed be an indication that your dog does not know his place, or he feels as though he owns that person and is actually struggling with Resource Guarding.  Still further, if your dog is not sure of his role, and is also terrified....He may have a combination of social conditions he is struggling with.  

These suggestions are only a baseline.  They are good for most dogs, and most situations.  Most dogs will start to relax after the first 2-3 weeks of this new routine, as long as the routine is actually being followed.