Expert: Cassie - 1/5/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi my 15 week puppy tala is an Inuit and we're having quite a few problems with her. I read your comment about how treating a dog like a child is wrong.
tala tries to dominate me and my two young children by nipping, barking jumping up, she doesn't do this to my husband and i'm running out of patience because nothing I try seems to get through. Please can you help me because I have so much love to give her but am starting to regret getting her. thank you Lisa.

ANSWER: This is very common for a dog her age.

Follow these tips:

When she does something you don't approve of...

1. Lay out a flat hand, with your palm facing the floor

2. Curl your fingers, but not to the point of making a fist

3. Now very firmly nudge your dog with your fingers

4. Snap and point at the dog while saying loudly, with a deep voice "Chtt". You must stand up straight, shoulders back, with no fear whatsoever, or your dog will sense it.


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Take your dog on daily walks and be sure to use a Gentle Leader® Headcollar.

The Gentle Leader® Headcollar is NOT a muzzle. When fitted properly, your dog is free to open his mouth to eat, drink, pant, fetch, bark and even bite - except when you close his mouth by pulling on the leash.

The Gentle Leader® Headcollar features two soft nylon straps - the collar portion fits high at the top of the neck, and the nose loop fits loosely and comfortably across the base of the muzzle. Each strap has a distinct and important effect.

The Nose Loop - Dogs are naturally "pack" animals with a highly structured social order. One of the ways the "pack leader" will demonstrate his position is to gently but firmly grasp a subordinate's muzzle in his mouth. This is a non-aggressive, very clear signal regarding who's the boss! The Gentle Leader®'s nose loop encircles your dog's muzzle in this same manner, letting him know in his own language that you are his leader. Dogs feel more secure when they know who the leader is.

The Neck Strap - Gentle Leader® applies pressure to the back of the neck rather than the front of the throat, working with your dog's natural relaxation instinct with an amazing calming effect. Also, dogs tend to pull against pressure so the gentle pressure at the back of the neck causes the dog to pull backward, not forward. This means an end to leash-pulling forever!

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Follow this plan in order: discipline, exercise, affection

6. If your dog isn't provided with plenty of exercise, both physical and mental, she will become unbalanced, bored, and frustrated. That's when she starts doing undesirable behaviors, such as barking non-stop, jumping, and chewing.

7. Show your dog that you're the boss. Don't let her push you around.

8. Never put her in time-outs.

9. Don't crate train.

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This is what famous canine behaviorist Cesar Millan has to say:

Dogs become aggressive out of frustration and dominance. The frustration comes from a lack of exercise, and the dominance comes from a lack of calm-assertive leadership.
When dealing with red zone dogs, I start by working with the owners, explaining how to establish themselves as pack leaders and to understand the animal in their dog. This is a crucial part of rehabilitating your dog: changing your behavior. If you revert to your old ways, so will your dog.

For many of these dogs, it is a lack of adequate exercise that is the root of the problem. Physical activity burns the dog’s excess energy and helps maintain his healthy state of mind. This is important because, in order to talk to the mind, you need to remove the energy from the body.

If you live with an aggressive dog, I urge you to find a professional dog trainer to work with you and your dog. Most cases can be rehabilitated with time and dedication, and we owe it to our dogs to try.

Visit this website for more information:
http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/tips/

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QUESTION: thank you for your advice we will give it a try, we have noticed that she behaves better when getting more exercise such as at weekends so the comment about being frustrated rings true, can I just ask though why you have advised against time outs and crate training because we've been told using the crate is very effective. thank you again Lisa

ANSWER: I do not support the method of "time-outs", because it has proven to be unsuccessful when dealing with dogs. Dogs and cats alike can remember major events from the past, but most of the time have trouble remembering small things they consider unimportant. This means that if you put a dog in a crate or lock it in the bedroom for say...10 minutes, chances are that it will have no clue why it is being separated from it's master. It will get stressed out and in turn will chew up furniture or anything that can help ease the stress. Are you referring to the use of crates for "potty training", or punishment? I have never used the method of crate training for potty training, so I can't really help you much on that issue. Wish I could be of more assistance! Let me know if there is anything else I could help you with.

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QUESTION: Hi, thanks again for replying to my Q's recently we paid for and downloaded an e book on puppy training and it tells you to use a crate for training purposes and to keep tala on her lead at all times where ever I go she must go including taking her outside for the toilet, i'm a bit baffled by this because isn't it keeping her a prisoner just as much as putting her in a crate? what do you think of this? I also find this very unpractical as I have two young children one of which is also potty training, I feel like i'm being pulled every which way at the moment. Tala seems to be responding to the cchtt noise you suggested so thanks for that. I look forward to reading your next reply as you are my saviour at the moment. Thank you Lisa.

Answer
There are so many books and DVDs on puppy training, it probably seems so difficult to pick the right one. I get most of my knowledge not just from experience, but from this book too: http://cesarmillaninc.com/products/cesarsway.php
It's a great book and I look forward to reading Cesar Millan's other books, and I hope you read Cesar's Way as well. I do not know why the book you bought states that she must go everywhere you go. I have no clue why such a book was published, but it was a big waste of money. Crates are not a good method of training for many reasons, and your dog DOES NOT have to go wherever you go; you're right, it is very unpractical.