Hi Guys,

I'm looking for some help identifying what my dog is experiencing so I can best work on the issue.

I adopted Wyatt 2 weeks ago. He is a 5 year old American Bulldog. I recently just put down my other Am-Bull I had for 12 years, so I am pretty familiar with the breed.

Wyatt came with a few issues that I've already worked through for the most part. He was afraid of stairs, but now he's okay with them. He was also afraid of shiny floors which he is working on, and improving daily.

The dog follows me from room to room, and prefers to sit in front of me facing out. When I sleep he sleeps in my open doorway and guards me. He sleeps when I am awake.

This is all well and good, but if one of my 2 roommate's come home, especially after its dark out, he goes nuts.. Barking and bouncing in there direction lunging in and out of the doorway. This continues until I get up, walk past him toward my roommate and command him to stop. It takes a few seconds for him to calm down and then he's back to buddies with my roommate.

Ideally I would like him to not bark at my roommates, guard the front door and not mine, and calm down when commanded.

BTW If I leave the house and come back, he does not bark once, he is not excited to see me, he's calm and relaxed.

I'm not sure if what I'm dealing with here is some sort of manifestation of fear, him protecting me and aggression, or territorial of my room.

John, hello and welcome to LB!


I know you will get lots of answers, but I wanted to say (briefly) that he is still a brand-new dog, only two weeks with you, knowing nothing about you, feeling his way, and with a bit of anxiety/fear history already.


IMHO, this is over-expecting, even from the most confident dog around:

"Ideally I would like him to not bark at my roommates, guard the front door and not mine, and calm down when commanded. ... When I sleep he sleeps in my open doorway and guards me. He sleeps when I am awake. "



I would close the bedroom door. I'd also demonstrate very clearly that I am in charge, that no guarding of anything is expected from this new dog, that I will investigate all sudden or scary noises, and that I will take care of everything.

I'd concentrate most right now on bonding and on confidence-building with marker training.


Again, welcome. You have come to a good place.

Connie, thanks for the kind words. I don't expect him to get there over night, but thats the direction I want to work towards.

I've tried closing the door and he gets more excited knowing there is something going on outside, and he can't get to it. Maybe you meant close it with him outside?

My first thought was confidence building too, my last bulldog got over his seperation anxiety by playing tug and me letting him win most times. He always worked in prey drive. Wyatt on the other hand will not drop a tug toy, and it doesn't feel like prey drive. I let him win a few times and he started becoming dominant so I gave that a break for now. I have no idea what marker training is, but I'm gonna look into that now. Thanks Again

I don't expect him to get there over night, but thats the direction I want to work towards.

I've tried closing the door and he gets more excited knowing there is something going on outside, and he can't get to it. Maybe you meant close it with him outside?


No no. I meant with him inside. When something is going on outside, I always (always, every single time, even with my dogs who have been with me for ages) go and check and tell the dog it's OK.

IOW, I checked, I assessed the "threat," I assured the dog that all was well, I took the lead 100%. With a "new" dog, I'd be sure to take a physical stance that demonstrates my being in charge .... I'd get in front of the dog before I even cracked the door open, and I'd be the "scouting party" in every way.


My first thought was confidence building too .... I have no idea what marker training is, but I'm gonna look into that now.

Marker training is the umbrella term under which clicker training falls. (The marker doesn't have to be a clicker.)

Please don't make the mistake of thinking that marker training is 100% no-corrections, or that it's somehow wussy training. The Ringsport and Schutzhund trainers who train with markers would snicker at that.

In fact, this is just last month, Mondioring and Rush. Rush is a Leerburg marker-trained Malinois all the way:

http://leerburg.com/flix/player.php/1026/Cindy_Rhodes_and_Rush_Team_Leerburg_Mondioring_2_Trial/lowres


And maybe Bob Scott will reply (his marker-trained GSD has his SchH 3).




But back to your new guy .... how are you currently doing basic obedience training with the dog?





Marker info:

http://leerburg.com/markertraining.htm

http://leerburg.com/markers.htm

http://leerburg.com/219.htm

Well luckily the dog was pretty well trained when I got him. So I've been working on his issues mainly.

I've been using basic obedience training drills to distract him when he's being over protective. Looks kinda like this:

He barks 3 times
Me - Enough
He slows down but keeps barking
Me - Enough
He stops but is still interested
Me - Come
He comes
Me - Sit
He sits BUT facing whatever it was that had his attention
So I walk him in loops around my house at heel until he has forgotten about the issue.

He's trained to run on a treadmill, and he absolutely loves it. When I walk into the basement he runs over to it, jumps on it, and centers himself on it. He does 30 min a day, sometimes twice if he's especially restless. He is much better behaved if he's ahd his treadmill!

I am working with him on walking at heel. Initially he pulls strong enough to move a car, but after about 5 minutes of persistence he walks at heel with nothing but corrections to a regular thick leather collar. He's not especially hard, I've used prong collars with dogs I've had in the past, but it's not necessary with him. I am going to incorporate marker training and use "yes" when he's in the correct position.

I've tried taking him down the road of basic bite work with a tug, but he goes between prey and _I think_ fight drive, and it honestly scares me. My last dog would hit a sleeve but never came out of prey drive. The last dog also NEVER barked unless told to, and loved EVERYONE. So some of this is new to me.

<sigh> I'm trying..

Im gonna check out that video you linked to now! I checked out marker training and realized it's basically the clicker training principles which I read about 10 years ago, and sort of half-assedly incorporated. Im excited about it though.

To say that video was inspiring is an understatement

John, the fact that the dog was trained by someone else often times means nothing. The dog needs to understand that you are the new one in command.
How well does the dog know your room mates? This has a lot to do with all the normal excitement when they come home.
All the "excitement" is also a training issue. He shouldn't be doing it in your particular situation because you have no control over the coming and going of the room mates.
What happens when one of them bring home a 'guest"?
I'm a HUGE fan of markers but, as Connie said, it doesn't mean no corrections and I believe this dog need a consequence for not responding on the first "Enough"! Needing a second command only teaches the dog that the first one means nothing and can be ignored.
Teach the dog to put it's attention on you. Super easy with markers but then you need to build distractions sloooly and with your room mates coming and going this is going to take some work. Hopefully they will be willing to help with this and at the very least, get to know the dog as part of your 'family".
Don't be shy about asking questions. There are a number of folks here that are more then willing to help.

 Quote: John Stowe

I've tried taking him down the road of basic bite work with a tug, but he goes between prey and _I think_ fight drive, and it honestly scares me. My last dog would hit a sleeve but never came out of prey drive.

He gets all growly and shakes the tug? That's a bully breed for you. Some of them get pretty wild with the tug. If it makes you uncomfortable you can teach him to not go to that level by freezing the tug until he goes back to where you're more comfortable.

Has he been taught specifically what "Enough" means?

Not responding to what he perceives as "threats" is unfair and bad leadership from the dogs standpoint. He is doing his job by letting you know that something is up. Your job as the leader is to investigate. If you don't he feels that it's his job. Just acknowledging his alert is enough for things like housemates coming in. He'll get more used to what's normal and what isn't.

If you haven't done a NILIF leadership groundwork/ boot camp period I'd look into doing one.
http://leerburg.com/groundwork.htm

Possessing or defending his prey is a progression in the prey drive. You can cap the drive where you want by teaching the dog an "out". One way to do it is with markers, using a rebite as reward. The dog learns through association that letting go when told doesn't mean losing the item, and you get your tug back.

 Quote: John Stowe

Hi Guys,

I'm looking for some help identifying what my dog is experiencing so I can best work on the issue.

I adopted Wyatt 2 weeks ago. He is a 5 year old American Bulldog. I recently just put down my other Am-Bull I had for 12 years, so I am pretty familiar with the breed.

Wyatt came with a few issues that I've already worked through for the most part. He was afraid of stairs, but now he's okay with them. He was also afraid of shiny floors which he is working on, and improving daily.

The dog follows me from room to room, and prefers to sit in front of me facing out. When I sleep he sleeps in my open doorway and guards me. He sleeps when I am awake.

This is all well and good, but if one of my 2 roommate's come home, especially after its dark out, he goes nuts.. Barking and bouncing in there direction lunging in and out of the doorway. This continues until I get up, walk past him toward my roommate and command him to stop. It takes a few seconds for him to calm down and then he's back to buddies with my roommate.

Ideally I would like him to not bark at my roommates, guard the front door and not mine, and calm down when commanded.

BTW If I leave the house and come back, he does not bark once, he is not excited to see me, he's calm and relaxed.

I'm not sure if what I'm dealing with here is some sort of manifestation of fear, him protecting me and aggression, or territorial of my room.

I know I sound like a Broken Record in here (even to myself) but it seems as if no one else except me ever points any posters to Ed Frawley's truly TERRIFIC article on how to establish Pack Structure with a New ADULT Dog in the house -- I volunteer with both Akita Rescue and Doberman Rescue, which are obviously guardian breeds, and I send a print out of...

http://leerburg.com/groundwork.htm

...home with each & every Foster or Adoption out-placement, as the best way to get an adult Rescue dog settled into the new Situation & Routine that will be expected of them -- This is NOT obedience training, and neither is it canine "Psycho-Analysis", but is just Basic PACK Structure protocol as the quickest way a new dog can learn to feel Safe & Secure, IMHO