Love More. Bark Less.

Name(s): Huckabee (Tan) and Rainier (Black)

PET PARENT’S PEEVES: Over excited behavior, counter surfing, invades space, no recall, lack of control.

WHAT WAS PRESCRIBED: Unwanted behaviors, aggression, possessiveness, unruliness, are all by-products of a problem. The problem in most cases is a lack of effective discipline, lack of consistent rules, no clear boundaries, and confusing the dog by trying to apply human corrections. One example of confusing your dog is trying to reason or discuss the behavior with your dog. Obviously, they do not understand the words you speak. However, they can smell how you are feeling at any given moment. When they smell fear, frustration, anger, dogs will reject anything you do since these emotions signal danger to a predatory pack animal.
In addition, pet parents will usually reach down and give calm affection in an attempt to calm the dog down. Unfortunately, this touch is interpreted as being given affection for being in an excited state. The result is continued excitement since in the dog’s mind, it is being rewarded for being in an excited state.
The preferred environment of predatory pack animals is calm. Dogs will typically not want the alpha position in a pack since it is a position of direction and can be stressful to the dog. However, if an alpha is not present, they will assume the alpha position and start to create their own boundaries and limitations. This means counters with food are NOT off limits!

There is always hope to rehabilitate any dog. It truly depends on the owner’s commitment to change their habits. Any behavior is okay ON YOUR TERMS.

Love More. Bark Less.

Name: Vincent or Vinny

PET PARENT’S PEEVES: Loves to steal baby toys and eat my baby’s food and lick his face while eating.

The first thing I noticed when I met Vincent was his ‘claiming’ behavior. Dogs will touch new people or objects sometimes as a way of claiming. The touch comes by rubbing their body, licking, biting, or invading your space uninvited. In Vincent’s case, he rubbed his body against me and licked my hands. These are signs that he had not been shown boundaries or limitations.

In the home, he grabbed the mask hanging on my neck to attempt to take possession and assert his alpha status in the home. I held on to the mask with calm assertive energy until he released it which is follow through discipline to let him know it was my way only. I demonstrated claiming objects and toys. And showed the pet parents when they could let him have his toy.

Generally, Vincent had been allowed to get his way by manipulation. The pet parents are well on their way in gaining the upper paw!

There is always hope to rehabilitate any dog. It truly depends on the owner’s commitment to change their habits. Any behavior is okay ON YOUR TERMS.

Love More. Bark Less.

Name: BERENJACK

PET PARENT’S PEEVES: Aggressive lunging at people. Barking, growling at people.

The first thing I noticed when I met Berenjack was a serious lack of trust. She lunged at me a few times during the introduction and the walk up the stairs to the apartment.

In Berenjack’s case, the mistrust is the byproduct of a lack of boundaries and limitations. Typically, when she acts out, the parents would either lock her up or crate her. She was never allowed the opportunity to overcome or get passed the aggressive outbursts towards visitors or guests since she was always removed from the situation.

This becomes habitual since Berenjack is not asked to change her behavior or that the outbursts are not allowed. So, when the parents get nervous about the behavior, they are actually stimulating a ‘protect’ behavior. Berenjack only knows that the parents get nervous when people around from the way they smell. Berenjack will not understand the nervousness is because the parents think she will bite someone. This is why Berenjack will believe she needs to protect her pack from others.

I took a slow approach with a slip leash. I gave a slight physical suggestion to get her out of her crate. We then made a few rounds in the living room on the leash. This was a way to gain some trust from her so that she would stop barking, growling, and lunging at me.

Since the pandemic, I have noticed many dogs that have not been socialized frequently and since most people now are ‘work from home’ the pet is only comfortable around the pet parent. Persistence will change bad behavior. Consistency will create new habits.

There is always hope to rehabilitate any dog. It truly depends on the owner’s commitment to change their own approach. Any behavior is okay ON YOUR TERMS.

Love More. Bark Less.