Quote: linda west

.... I just try to act as soon as see any reaction from him but I don't feel like we are getting ahead much.

Act in what way?




eta
Sorry .... I hadn't seen Tammy's post ....


another eta

Also, how long does this take?

"There was a gust of wind outside and he went berserk. When he realized that nothing was happening he calmed down and went to his crate."

And during this time, what are you doing?

Does he react to all these noises, all the time? How long before each reaction is over?

I say "Quiet" and as soon as he stops I say "Yes" and then reward. I feel like he has gotten tad bit better but not much.

Have you posted about this guy's exercise and training routine?

He's an adult, right?

How much structured exercise a day?

You've done no training at all, right? No basic ob?

Also (sorry, I forget) .... are you familiar with marker training?

Is this the same dog who goes crazy when people come to the house? Is he crated now, before they arrive?

If it's not raining I take them for 30 min walk every day and the little one gets a trot on the treadmill. The male is too afraid of it.

I have been working on desensitizing him and he is doing sit, down and touch while sitting on the treadmill now. I tried turning it on while he was next to it the other day and he immediately went into avoidance.

I have been trying to teach him to sit every time I stop during our walk but he really does not like sitting down on the pavement. So I gently pull on the leash to sit him, then I say OK and then I have him do it again. If it's at an intersection I use chicken as his favorite treat to reward.

I can't take them out when it rains for a bunch of reasons and I know that someone will tell me I have to but it simply is not happening, it's not because I don't want to it's because of their needs as a hairless breed.

So when it's not raining I will do some sit, down, focus, and touch in the back yard with him and reward with a ball. He actually has gotten much better with that. First he was so overstimulated by the ball that I just used it to drain his energy. Now he will do sit and down and wait for me to release him.

The ball routine happens about 3 times a week. The treadmill on Saturdays.

I have the marker training DVD.

Yes, it's the dog who goes crazy when people come to the house. The other day my husband's friend came over without calling and luckily they were in crates already for a different reason. They again acted up.

Hopefully this new trainer will work out, he is a graduate of the Tom Rose Dog School.

If it's not raining I take them for 30 min walk every day and the little one gets a trot on the treadmill. The male is too afraid of it.

I have been working on desensitizing him and he is doing sit, down and touch while sitting on the treadmill now. I tried turning it on while he was next to it the other day and he immediately went into avoidance.

The ball routine happens about 3 times a week. The treadmill on Saturdays.

The dog we are talking about is the male who is afraid of the treadmill, right? So he is walked for 30 minutes some days and "ball routine" three times a week?



I have been trying to teach him to sit every time I stop during our walk but he really does not like sitting down on the pavement. So I gently pull on the leash to sit him, then I say OK and then I have him do it again. If it's at an intersection I use chicken as his favorite treat to reward.


Is this a real walk, with march-right-along kind of pace/speed?

Also, why the sits along the walk? Any reason besides teaching "sit"?


I can't take them out when it rains for a bunch of reasons and I know that someone will tell me I have to but it simply is not happening, it's not because I don't want to it's because of their needs as a hairless breed.


Is there then an opportunity to march along briskly throughout the house, up and down stairs, varying routes? Is there a cellar or indoor hallway?


I have the marker training DVD.

Have you watched it? Are you planning to watch it before the new trainer comes?


Yes, it's the dog who goes crazy when people come to the house. The other day my husband's friend came over without calling and luckily they were in crates already for a different reason. They again acted up.

Acted up how? Barking from crate in different room?

Can you crate them before letting anyone in?


Hopefully this new trainer will work out, he is a graduate of the Tom Rose Dog School.

Is he aware of the fearfulness? When is this happening?

 Quote: Linda West

What I really don't like is his dog aggression and people aggression.

I've seen dog/people aggression successfully addressed by the method Connie talks about as well as with expert use of an e-collar.

However, I think your best bet is to find a trainer with loads of experience (and success) and a great reputation to help you work through this problem. ETA: NOT to say you can't get good advice here - you can! But I would also enlist the help of a good trainer in-person. Personally, I think my first approach would be to use his excitement towards a ball to make a positive association with things that cause these reactions. For example, if everybody who comes to the door plays ball with him, then his perception of the event of people coming to the house will change. That's assuming his positive feelings about a ball override his negative feelings about strangers though.

Reading Connie's comments above, I think it would also be a good, rainy day activity to teach this dog to scent/find his ball in the house.

JMO.

 Quote: Konnie Hein

I think it would also be a good, rainy day activity to teach this dog to scent/find his ball in the house.

JMO.

Great suggestion!

This aggression, BTW, is fearful. This isn't an e-collar situation, IMO. (And now the dog has been subjected to e-collar escape training.) JMO.

Lenka, the new trainer knows about the fearfulness as well as the escape training session?

When is this happening?

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

This aggression, BTW, is fearful. This isn't an e-collar situation, IMO. (And now the dog has been subjected to e-collar escape training.) JMO.

I agree with you.

I just try to act as soon as see any reaction from him but I don't feel like we are getting ahead much.

Hi Lenka, with all due respect, it sounds like your boy is in charge and has taken the lead on this one, driving the behaviors and causing a frustrated reaction in you. He acts and then this motivates you to react. This needs to get turned around. He's always prepared to bark and you need to be one step ahead of him always prepared to distract the barking.

Often when they are young or with small dogs especially, people initially think this is cute, reinforcing the behavior until it turns into this kind of learned, reactive, unwanted behavior.

Yes, it's the dog who goes crazy when people come to the house. The other day my husband's friend came over without calling and luckily they were in crates already for a different reason. They again acted up.

How do you and hubby feel when people come over unexpectedly? Personally, I hate it. Happens all the time though. I’ve got to stop what I'm enjoying and entertain somebody else for a while. The boys now need to get shuffled around unexpectedly and there’s a few moments when I may not be in the best frame of mind. I know the boys feel this and want to make the object of my temporary distress go away. (Sometimes I want to let them. :grin But I do like our friends and unexpected company is a necessary evil.

Because we are so dog oriented though, we have very well trained friends. Yes, I’m sorry, the dogs do come first. When I take that first couple of minutes to get everyone settled, showing the boys that I’m in control, calming any anxiety they may be feeling with a few quick routine commands (further building their trust in me as their leader - under distraction) the rest of visit is a pleasure for everyone.

Using the ball, in your case, is a great idea. I would be the one using it though, not the company. You want him realizing that the company is sparking fun things in you. When you are calm, fun and in control he will quickly follow your lead. Distraction and desensitization - all focus on you. If he is trembling and truly fearful, remove him and put him in his crate. He sounds a bit more like a sharp, reactive boy though.

It was a lightning split-of-a-second reaction from him and I was simply too slow with a headcold.

Even without a head cold, it's really hard to be faster than any dog. He feels it’s his job to react to every sound he hears. He’s disbursing a lot of energy through this reactive barking and I think you hit the nail on the head when you said it’s self-satisfying.

I have been trying to teach him to sit every time I stop during our walk but he really does not like sitting down on the pavement .

I don’t think this is a matter of like or dislike. I think he’s confused. With the lack of training to this point, seems to me he’s taken on a bit of a leadership role. You are now asking him to submit by your side. This is very uncomfortable for the more dominant dogs – and I don’t mean butt to pavement. How’s the pack structure work going? Are you practicing NILIF (Nothing in Life is Free)?

I tried turning it on while he was next to it the other day and he immediately went into avoidance.

Avoidance is not fear. It’s more like ignoring, a conscious effort not to pay attention. Again, it sounds like he’s more confused and frustrated with the whole process. He’s not trusting that what you are asking him to do is a good thing. And the more he’s able to blow you off, the more ingrained this behavior becomes. It sounds like you’re working on quite a few things with this guy and not getting a lot of positive results. I would stop the treadmill work for now and work on things that he’s going to be successful at.

First he was so overstimulated by the ball that I just used it to drain his energy

Sounds like a pretty high drive little guy. This is where I would be putting all my attention right now. Work simply on solid obedience commands (sit, down, come, stay). Once he has these proofed, you’ll be amazed how nicely this translates into all the areas (the walk, the treadmill, the barking, etc).

As soon as he started I said "Quiet" but by the time I got to say it he was at the door already. This time it was a short quiet bang so it was over within seconds. It all depends on how loud the noise, how long it lasts

Does he really know the command “Quiet”? What happens when it is people talking? Does he continue to bark even after you’ve given the command? Or does he stop barking immediately and stay quiet throughout the longer noises.

If he doesn’t truly know and perform the expected behavior, I wouldn’t be naming it just yet. When he barks, I would stay calm and say nothing. Bring out the ball, distract him to a calm, quiet state, then say “Yes” and toss it. When this conditioning has him looking to you instead of barking when he hears a noise (this may take a while if it’s as bad as it sounds) you can start to say “Quiet” before the toss. You want him actually performing the behavior when you name it. You also may want to change this command, Hush or Shhhh or something.

I can't take them out when it rains for a bunch of reasons and I know that someone will tell me I have to but it simply is not happening, it's not because I don't want to it's because of their needs as a hairless breed.

It sounds like you’re a little bit sensitive about this issue. But you know me; I’m all about addressing those fears. And don’t worry, I’m not going to suggest that you take them out in the rain but can you explain what the “bunch of reasons” is. I’m more curious than anything. They sound like really interesting little guys; I know nothing about the hairless breeds.

And the best of luck to you with your new trainer. Sounds like he comes with the right qualifications.

---