Poodle needs pack leader

Question
Dear Ms. Downes,
Thank you for taking the time to read my questions. I will try to be brief. Loki is a neutered male black standard poodle aged 11 months. We have had him since he was 10 weeks old (purchased from a breeder, we met the mom and the dad). I thought we followed the advice on choosing a pup; he was friendly, playful, came and sat in our laps and yet was relaxed enough to let us pet his belly and examine him, etc. He is a high energy dog and I try to give him at least a 20 minute walk, if not a 40 minute jog, per day--but that is not always possible. I also pet him calmly and play short games of fetch.(Extenuating circumstances: I have 3 boys ages 4,7, and 12, and my husband is currently deployed in Iraq. Loki, unfortunately, sometimes gets the short end of the stick when the day is done.)
He is very relaxed and easy going when he is home alone with me, but when the boys are around it is like a switch flips. He steals food out of their hands/off their plates; steals and destroys their toys and books (they try to keep their doors closed and things picked up, but Loki will take things off shelves and flip lids off boxes!); he barks at cars driving by at night; shoves his toys and chew things into my lap repeatedly (only at night). Perhaps worst--and scariest--of all, he has growled and snapped at the kids when he is resting and they step near him. This behavior has tapered off, but still happens once in a while. He is also very mouthy with everyone, not really biting, but holding body parts in his mouth like a dead duck he has retrieved. He also races all of us up the stairs and then prances and barks like he wants to play, but I am afraid he could knock one of us back down again.
He went to a reputable puppy training class at 4 months and did well as long as the treats kept coming.
I guess what I'd like to know is:
1)Do I need to get a pro in here to help me? Do I need to send him to board and train considering my limited time and many distractions/little saboteurs running around?
2)Is there something you can recommend right now (even a book or dvd) to help me gain control of Loki and stop our evenings from the constant chaos of thievery, yelling, barking and nipping? Sometimes I feel like he spends more time in his crate than with us and that is not what we wanted. I thought the crate would be long gone by now but I just can't trust him.
I'm sorry this is so long and disorganized. I really look forward to your response.
Meredith


Answer
Hi Meredith, Standard Poodles have been in my family for many generations. We currently have a yearling who is also quite exuberant. They are highly intelligent dogs, as you know. They are also high energy dogs and require much exercise and discipline. We walk our std. poodle 5 miles a day. The first order of business is for you to establish yourself as the pack leader. This means that you must sit your children down and explain to them what it means to be a good pack leader so that they can learn from your example. Read some of my prior posts regarding pack leadership, most are under problem dogs and fear aggression. The fact that Loki has snapped, growled and put his mouth on humans is a big red flag in my mind. Loki sees himself as pack leader in your home and this can lead to biting and severe aggression if left unchecked. Fortunately Std. Poodles are kind dogs. They were originally bred to be duck retrievers in Germany. There is nothing French about our Standard Poodles at all. Because they were bred to be retrievers, we can use this to our advantage. He is already bringing you his "prey" by bringing you his play toys. Teach him the commands "fetch", "bring", "give", "drop", and "leave it" when he is engaged in this activity. The "leave it" command will be a big help when you are done playing the game. So give lots of praise for a "leave it" well done. This command is also good for teaching Loki to leave the food, trash, and toys of the children alone. Also when he has anything in his mouth, teach him to "be gentle". Poodles learn easily how to gently hold items in their mouths. My poodles can actually carry a long balloon without puncturing it. As you also know, they can be very vocal. You can be ready when he would normally bark at something, such as the school bus, and correct him from barking. Put him on a leash and have him sit at your side. When the trigger happens, calmly say "easy", "quiet", or "shhhh" in a low tone. If you yell it will sound like you are barking as well and will work against you. Be prepared with a training treat and when he sits quietly as the cars or bus pass, give him praise for being quiet and give the treat. Eventually you will be able to simply call him to your side, say "shhh" and he will sit quietly rather than act up when things pass by. It will take some work, but he is young and will learn quickly. Don't waste any time, as this is a valuable age for learning. You should order Cesar Milan's book on Pack Leadership, it is available on the web at ngcdogwhisperer.com. Read it with your children as they must learn to be pack leaders as well. You must meet Loki's needs for exercise, discipline and lastly affection. When you walk him, do it at the heel at least once a day. Teach your children how to walk him at the heel, and do not ever use a flexi-leash. This way you will be exercising his mind and body together, making the best use of your time. The kids can also learn how to bike ride, skate board, roller blade...with the dog on a leash. This is a great way to exercise him, and the kids will get a kick of it. A Standard Poodle can easily pull a small child on a skate board or roller blades. Crates should never be used to punish a dog and the time in the crate should be limited to bed time or when you go out for short periods. If you do hire a professional to help you, please get a canine behaviorist, as many trainers are not well educated in solving behavioral problems. Of course, the more obedience classes you can attend with Loki, the better and I highly recommend it. But  a behaviorist can help you learn ways to solve the problems you listed in a very short time and probably cost less than you expect. Plus they usually have payment plans and you do not have to have them come every week. Many times a good behaviorist will only see you and Loki once or twice to solve all of your problems. Engaging Loki's mind in exercise and games that challenge his mind is going to be the key to a happy poodle. Please leave me some feedback and a follow-up to let me know how you are doing. Thank you for writing. Warm Regards, Susan