Uncomfortable with Strangers & Biting

Question
QUESTION: I have a male German Shepard/Black Lab mix.  He is around 1 year old.  He has been neutered.  He is easily exciteable.  Sometimes he begins to run through the house and will not stop.  If I try to stop him, he snaps at me and runs faster.  When strangers come into my home, he jumps for them.  He doesn't try to bite them, but he tries to jump on them and sometimes hurts them with his claws.  He also pees on the floor and sometimes my guests as well when they first arrive.  When he gets out of our home without his leash, he runs rampid, and refuses to come.  When I do catch him, he begins to knaw and bite my arms.  He leaves bruises, and sometimes blood.  He also does this when I try to put him in his kennel when guests come over or when he does something wrong.  My husband was very rough with him when he was first training him, but I never raises a hand against him.  Our dog never bites my husband, only snaps at him.  The dog is only violent to me.  Is this behavior a result of my husband's violent training?  Why does he only try to hurt me?  How can I stop him from hurting me all the time?  Is there anything I can do to calm his erratic behavior?

ANSWER: Dear Tribble,

Thank you for writing to me about your puppy.  Thank you for your patience in waiting for my response.

What is essentially happening is that you have a young dog who is in desperate need of basic training and puppy manners.  When your husband is "very rough" with your dog, this is a sure way to breed confusion and possible aggression.  The 21st century approach to training is prevention and positive reinforcement.

Here is a list of books that will help you to understand your dog and to address many of your concerns:

-Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson

-Dogs are from Neptune by Jean Donaldson

-Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor
 
-Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs (Getting Started) by Karen Pryor

-How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks by Ian Dunbar

-Doctor Dunbar's Good Little Dog Book by Ian Dunbar

All these books emphasize positive approaches to training your dog.  Essentially you want your dog to want to do what you ask.  Dogs are genetically constructed to want to please you.  You just have to know how to communicate with them so they understand exactly what it is you want from them.  There is no need to be harsh...as the saying goes, you can catch more flies with honey.  This applies to dog training as well.

When a dog is housebroken he never uses the house for
his toilet.  

Many people do not understand why their dog does not know what to do when taken outside. Just turning a dog out in the back yard by himself a few times a day for a few minutes is not the way to house train a dog.

Merely taking him outside also does not mean he knows what he's being taken outside for. The biggest problem between your dog and yourself is that your dog would love to please but he doesn't know how to communicate with you.

Housebreaking in theory is very simple. It is a means of preventing your dog from doing his business in the house and only giving him the opportunity to do it outside. It also means that your dog learns to communicate with you about going when told to go and about letting you
know when he has to go outside.

A dog is a creature of habit and because he learns by association, if his training is consistent he will quickly learn there is no other place to relieve himself other than outdoors.

We take advantage of a very natural instinct of a dog - the desire to keep his sleeping quarters clean - i.e. not to mess the bed. We offer a dog a den in the form of a dog crate. This becomes the den that he cannot get
out of. If the dog crate is the right size your dog will not soil it. Puppies may not initially like it but within a few days they will accept it without a problem.  If you can't crate train your dog then create a small area by either tethering him, buying an x-pen (J&B Wholesale Pet Supply) or using a baby gate in a bathroom or small kitchen.

Dogs are and always have been den and pack animals. Canines naturally and instinctively prefer the shelter of a den. In the wild the young are raised in dens. They spend a great part of their first year very close to their den. In homes, dogs often choose their den. They will get under a
desk, behind a couch, in a closet. ect. etc

A dog crate is a perfect, natural bed for a dog and a safe, natural spot to put your pet whenever necessary for the dog's safety or the owner's peace of mind.

You are catering to a very natural desire on the part of your dog when you crate him. In a wild state, where does a dog bed down for the night? Does he lie down in the middle of an open field where other animals can pounce
on him? No! He finds a cave or trunk of a tree where he has a feeling of security - a sense of protection. The correct use of a crate merely satisfies your dog's basic need to feel safe, protected, snug and secure.

Keep a bowl of all-natural dog treats near the crate. Every time you put your pup in the crate give a "CRATE" command and toss 3 or 4 liver treats into the crate. It gives your pup a nice reason to go in. You will be surprised how quickly he expects to get a treat when he goes into his
crate. Going in becomes a positive experience.

As your dog ages and learns, give the "CRATE" command before tossing the treats in. Expect your dog to go in on his own. This exercise is the beginning of teaching your dog to go to his crate when people come to the
house. Dogs that bark and act stupid when they hear the door bell need to be told to go to their crate. This is how that training is started.

When thinking of the size of a crate needed for your dog, think small.Think den not condo! The use of too large a crate for a puppy will encourage your pet to use a small portion of it for a bed and the remainder as a relief station!

Your puppy should only be allowed to relieve himself out doors. It is OK to place the crate in your bedroom for that early morning trip.

A crate is never meant to be used as a place of punishment for your puppy, so a couple of safe toys would be welcome for crate-time. A kong filled with peanut butter or cream cheese goes a long way towards keeping a puppy quiet in a crate. Be careful of the toys you choose to leave - soft squeaky toys with bells are not healthy for pups. To often pups chew up these soft toys and get parts of them stuck in their bowels which often kills them.

Start crate training while you remain in the same room with your crated dog, frequently praising him and letting him know clearly it is pleasing to you that he remains in the crate, quietly. Frequent trips out of the room with quick returns with a treat through the bars will condition your dog to your comings and goings.

Gradually extend your absent periods, and in a short time, you can be gone several hours. While in the crate, your dog should not be scolded.

Crate confinement works so well that most dogs soon choose the crate for naps and, in general, consider it their own private domain. They learn that they can go into their crate and sleep and no one will step on them or jump on them. Feed your dog in it's crate.

At night take your puppy out and give him an opportunity to do his duties. If you are in a protected area (a fenced back yard) let hiim. Lavishly praise on him with GOOD
BOY when he has completed his duties. Take him inside at once and put him in his bed.

A puppy is NEVER ALLOWED TO HAVE FREE ACCESS TO THE HOUSE unless you have your eyes on him at all times. If he poops on the floor because you turned your back for 45 seconds - you made a mistake, not your dog.

The only time pups can be loose inside is just after they come in from going outside and then only for short periods of time.  NEVER leave a dog unattended and loose in the house until it is 18 to 24 months old and then only for short periods.

Pups must go out first thing in the morning (and I mean first thing) take your dog outside. He's been clean all night - and holding it all night - he will do his business and only then, you can bring him in and give him freedom, but in the kitchen only.   A child's gate at the kitchen doorway is an excellent barrier to the other rooms in the house. Give him freedom while breakfast is being prepared and while you are eating breakfast. After your breakfast, and when you have time to take him out, feed breakfast - and take him out immediately. Remember the rule - outside after each meal. Do not leave food or water down as he will do his business immediately afterward, when you aren't there to take him out.  Dogs relieve themselves after SLEEPING- EATING AND HAVING EXERCISE.

Now bring your dog in and put him in the crate and go about your normal routineof the morning. He should stay in the crate until about 11:00 to 11:30A.M. Then out of the crate and outside. Bring him in, and while you are
preparing and eating lunch let him have the freedom of the kitchen but only when you have "eyes on your dog".

At dinner time as soon as your dog has finished his last mouthful - take him outside. After he has completed his business, bring him in and again give him the freedom of the kitchen while you are preparing dinner and during
the dinner hour. Give your dog another trip outside about 8:00 P.M. - and again just before your bedtime. Some pups need to be exercised more than others to get them to relieve themselves. Exercises always increases the urge to
pee or poop. Keep your dog outside for up to 30 minutes to insure that he will go.  A dog as young as your puppy should be taken out every 4 hrs so as to avoid any mistakes.  Prevention is the key to success.

The bottom line is you cannot take your dog outside too much. If you take him out every hour then he learns that he is going to have a chance to go outside to do his business. So when someone tells you to wait for 4 hours - I would ask WHY if you can take him out more often? Why wait that long if you are home. We want to establish a pattern and what better way than to take your dog out all the time. Also do not underestimate how important it is to ask your pup if he WANTS TO GO OUTSIDE just before going out and praising GOOD BOY when HE DOES GO.

One last point on your dogs house breaking. A commercial kibble diet takes 14 to 15 hours to go through a dog. An all-natural diet goes through the dog in 5 to 6 hours. I strongly recommend that you consider doing your
research on all-natural diets.

A couple of points on how to housetrain your dog:

1. Do not vary your dog's diet.

2. Snacks or treats are forbidden.

3- Bring him in as soon as he does his business.

4- Praise every time you see him pee or poop. Do this forever. Reinforcing good behavior never hurt anything.

5- Dogs who go out and just dink around and then go in their crate need more exercises when they go outside. A long walk will often cure the problem. BE SURE TO PRAISE   -then when you have your dog in the houseand say "DO YOU WANT TO GO OUTSIDE" he will learn what you mean.

6- Older dogs are house trained exactly like young pups.

Using An Odor Neutralizer such as Odoban (Walmart/Sam's Club), Vinegar, Nature's Miracle and lastly apply vanilla.

When a handler makes a mistake and allows a dog to pee in the house, you have to get rid of the odor.  This is accomplished with an odor neutralizer, which is available in pet stores or you can try using straight vinegar or vanilla. (Do not use household cleaners as they contain ammonia and will attract him back to the same spot.) When used properly it will completely eliminate these odors, discerned only by the dog, by neutralizing the scent. When areas previously used by the dog have been neutralized the incentive for using the same spot will be eliminated.

Proper Correction

Under no circumstances should your puppy be punished for relieving itself in the house, unless you catch him in the act. The punishment should be a verbal scolding not physical harm.

A puppy has no mental capacity to connect your wrath with whatever it did wrong, even a few minutes earlier. If you cannot get to your puppy while he is doing his business then you have screwed up. Pups simply cannot put two and two together to understand why you would be mad about him peeing on the rug. It is confusing to him and you only get a puzzled whimper. Catch him in the act or scolding is no good. I don't recommend scolding at all but only prevention as it is not his fault at all.

The old adage of rubbing a dogs nose in it is stupid. We don;t do this to our kids and we should not do this to our dogs. Anyone who recommends this needs a good swift kick.

Many people are mistakenly convinced that a dog messes in the house for spite or revenge, usually for having been left alone. This is incorrect. It is for reasons of anxiety, nervousness or fear that he behaves this
way...or simply that he is not properly housebroken. Very often the owner comes home and finds the dog behaving in a fearful, shameful, or generally guilt-ridden manner. It is because of this that the owner is convinced the
dog has messed in the house for spite. It's simply not true. The dog cringes when you come home because it associates your arrival with punishment. YOu have conditioned him (and it only takes ONE TIME) to be
afraid when you came home in the past.

Are you picking the water up at 6:30?

Are you giving your pup enough exercise to make him tired before he goes to bed?

Any healthy pup 8 weeks of age or older, even in cold weather, can go outside. Of course you don't leave him out long enough to get chilled and you must put a sweater on him. You can take him out just long enough to do his
business.

With a little effort on your part and the use of this method your puppy can be housebroken very quickly. But remember there is more than peeing and pooping in the house that goes along with housebreaking. Allowing your
dog to be loose when you are gone is not going to work unless you are 100% pure the dog will not chew your walls, your shoes, your furniture or anything else it takes a liking to. SO KEEP YOUR DOGS IN DOG CRATES until
it is completely trustworthy. At that time you can use a baby gate in a very safe area of the house.  Remember that couches and chairs seem to be a delicacy.

House Training :

House training should only take approximately two weeks to establish as a routine provided;

a) you must be consistent and committed
b) you are prepared to train your pet from the moment you take possession. Have a leash, collar, a designated area and are prepared to maintain a schedule.

Retraining a dog that has already established bad habits can take six weeks or more.

As soon as possible get your puppy to the vet for a complete check-up. This will assure you that you have obtained a healthy pup and alert you to any medical complications that can make house training more difficult.

Situations such as intestinal upset, intestinal parasites and urinary tract infections can make house training difficult to impossible.

The designated toilet area can be as general as outside of the house or as specific as a particular corner of the backyard.  You must have a specific plan as to what the designated area is going to be.  You can not teach the
dog what is acceptable if you are uncertain.

Your attitude is one of the most important ingredients in house training your dog.  Your puppy does not know what is wrong.  If there is a mistake tell him "no" but do not discipline too severely.  You only want him to
know that you are displeased, you do not want your pup to feel that you are the source of pain.

When your pup has done well, pat him, praise him, let your dog know that you are very pleased.  Your pup will want to do things that please you.

House training can be a foundation for all future training.  Affection and praise as a reward for proper response - "no" signaling displeasure and guidance to show your dog what you do want.

Scheduling:
1. Create a schedule that is practical for you to maintain.  If you can not stick to your schedule - you can't expect your dog to adhere to it.

2. Do not allow your dog to free feed until house training is well established.  Be very careful of your dogs diet - avoid foods and/or snacks that can be upsetting to her digestive tract.

3. Schedule your dog's bed time and waking-up time.  Adhere to these times as closely as possible.

4. Young pups will require frequent nap times, be sure that your schedule can accommodate the pup's naps.  Remember that your pup will need to be taken outside after each nap.

5. Emotional intensity - after intense emotional stimulation (badly scared, frightened, or a particularly rowdy play session) your pup may need to relieve herself.

6. Within two to three days, most dogs will be able to "control themselves" for eight hours during the night.  You must keep in mind that your daytime schedule will need to be somewhat flexible.  By paying attention to your dog, you will learn her nap requirements.  Your dog will
learn "the routine" and you will both have a schedule that you can live with.

Supervise in the House :
1. By knowing where your dog is at all times, and what she is doing, you can avoid mistakes.  When a pup stops playing and starts to look around for a "good spot", he needs to go out.  By observing your dog you will quickly learn to tell the difference between the pup's exploring him new
universe and his searching for a "good location".

2. If your pup starts to make a mistake, firmly but quietly say "No" and take him straight to his toilet area.  Do not yell at your dog.  Do not chase your dog.  At this point it is up to you to be observant of your dog.  Any mistakes that are made are due to your not paying attention.

3. If you can not supervise your dog for a period of time, put him in a confinement area (prepared with papers) or confine him to the room where you are.

4. When you are relaxing (watching TV, reading or on computer), have your dog with you.  Give him some of his toys to play with.  Have your dog on him leash or confine him to the room where you are, so that he doesn't
wander out and have an accident.  Teach him that it can be enjoyable just being with you. When you can't be with your dog:

1. Provide a small area confinement area (bathroom with all "chewable" items removed, fenced off area of the garage, or a crate).

2. Do not leave food and water with your dog, or fill her with cookies or snacks before you leave.  You should schedule your pup's breakfast to be at least 2 hours before your planned departure time.  That way he can
eat, digest his food and relieve hinself prior to your departure.

3. Ideally, if you are going to be gone for more than eight hours, someone should give the dog a drink and an opportunity to relieve himself several times during the day.

Taking your dog out:
1. Take your dog on leash to the designated toilet area.  Stand quietly, so that he can find the right spot.  Do not distract your dog.  Do not praise him during his search.  If after about a time your dog hasn't gone to the bathroom, return him to the house (keeping a close eye on him) for
about 1/2 hour, then try again.

2. When he does go, calmly praise him.  Use a chosen word or phrase (good potty or wonderful potty).  This phrase will only be used for praise in going potty.

3. When your dog has finished relieving himself praise his very enthusiastically.  Let him know that you are very proud of him.

4. Remember your dog's routine. Some dogs will "potty" two or three times per outing in the morning, but only twice per outing in the evening. Urination is often followed by defecation, while other dogs will do the
reverse.

5. Even if the weather is foul, do not let your dog know that you don't want to be going outside with her.  By teaching your dog that even in bad weather going outside is "the thing to do", to please you, then he will be
more willing to convey his needs to you.

6. While you are learning your dog's "time table", take him out immediately after he wakes up, after he has eaten and after all play sessions.

Catching your dog "in the act" :
1. Without yelling, firmly say "No".  If you still don't have your dog's attention, clap your hands.

2. Get your dog outside, to the designated latrine area.  If your dog relieves himself outside praise him.  Proceed with the potty routine.

3. Clean the mess with a deodorizing or odor killing cleanser or vinegar. If your dog smells his own scent as having been used as a bathroom area, he will continue to use the area.

If the cleanser is not able to eliminate enough of the scent so that your dog can not detect it, you can help mask the scent over with vanilla extract.  Just one or two drops will make it impossible for your dog to smell any lingering odor.

Be sure that you give your puppy a ton of exercise.  Take him for long vigorous walks or to a fenced area where he can play with other puppies.

As far as his "biting" or social mouthing is concerned, this is a natural behavior for dogs. Since dogs don't have hands like primates, they primarily use their mouths to pick things up.

A dog's mouth is designed to be particularly good at grabbing and holding. In wild dogs play biting had a good deal of survival value attached to it. In fact domestic dogs learn important Life Skills though play biting, just as wild dogs do.

Dogs learn many social rules through play. Play biting teaches bite inhibition, social status, to be pushy, easygoing, or fearful, appeasement behavior, and how to respond to appeasement behavior.

However, you don't want your pup to be biting you or your guests.  Let's start by avoiding activities that encourage unacceptable mouthing.

One activity that in some dogs can greatly increase the desire to grab with their mouths is tug of war. Until the dog has developed appropriate social skills, such as bite inhibition and knows a command for don't touch (I use "off") do not play tug.

The next activity to avoid is roughhousing and wrestling. Again, these activities can heighten the dog's natural tendencies to grab at hands, arms, feet, and your face.

When interacting with your puppy or dog don't make quick movements around the dog's face. This could be deliberate such as teasing the dog, or it could be unintentional such as with drawing you hand quickly as the puppy's mouth moves toward you. If you have an orally oriented puppy, (such as a Lab) it may be prudent to avoid putting your hands or face in or near your puppy's face.

The next thing to consider is don't reward mouthing, snapping or grabbing behavior. An example is a puppy that grabs at its leash and owner, while getting ready for a walk. In this scenario don't reward the pup for grabbing and play biting with a walk. If your puppy is very intense, you may need to find a way to break this association of biting with the leash and walks. Try getting the pup to hold a chew toy or look in to formal dog training.

Now that you are not encouraging mouthing, you will start to find times when the dog would like to mouth but chooses not to. DON'T IGNORE GOOD BEHAVIOR, INSTEAD REWARD IT. Some good rewards are food and playing retrieve.

To get the most benefit from playing retrieve, your dog should learn to get its retrieve toy on command. This way when your pup starts to get mouthy you can give it something else to do. It is much more effective to have your dog get its toy, than for you to give the toy to the dog for mouthing.

An exercise that can be effective for controlling social mouthing is sending the puppy (the biter) away from the person (the bitee). Two of these exercises that are commonly taught are "place" sending the pup to it's bed, rug, or crate, and "out" to send the dog outside.

A somewhat similar approach is for you to leave the puppy. When the puppy is too mouthy, terminate the social interaction and ignore the dog. This is a good general rule, people initiate and terminate interaction with the dog.

With puppies that are extremely mouthy avoid physical contact during times of the day when the pup is most active. Instead play retrieve or ignore the pup, or just let it run. The exception to this is if you are in a formal training program with the pup and you have specific training exercise to use at this time.

Don't encourage your pup to grab at toys by holding them just out of the dog's reach.

Bite inhibition
The first thing to consider in teaching bite inhibition is the avoidance of games that teach a puppy to bite its owner hard. The two games most detrimental to bite inhibition are tug ( especially when the dog wins the toy) and roughhousing. Both of these games can teach your dog to bite you harder. The best game you can play with your pup is fetch.

To teach bite inhibition allow your pup to mouth your hands and only your hands, while petting or playing with it. When the pup bites too hard shout "OUCH", and terminate all interaction with the pup. I usually rate the mouthing an a scale of 1 to 10. 10 being the hardest. If a dog usually mouths at a level 5 on the scale of 1 to 10, I will tell it "OUCH!" when it mouths at a level 6. When it is no longer mouthing at a level 6 I will restrict the criteria and start telling it "OUCH!" when it mouths at a level 5. In this manner I will work down the scale until the pup is only touching me with its mouth at a level 1.

You have a lot to work on.  When you know that your guests are about to arrive, put your puppy into his crate or a confined area at this time. YOu want to prevent his jumping on guests until you have him under your control with all his basic commands.  At that point you can put him on a sit/stay and then have your guests enter your home.

I wish you all the luck with training your precious puppy.    Everything you do for the first year sets the tone for the rest of your dog's life

Best Regards,
Shelley Davis



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: He is housebroken, very well actually.  He hasn't had an accident in the house for months.  When he pees, it is when there is a guest and he is very excited.  It is never very much.  He is also very well broken to his kennel.  He goes into it when we are prepared to leave, and has no argument over sleeping in it at night.  He volunteerly goes in when asked, and stays if we tell him.  The only time he does not go is when I tell him (just me, he obeys my husband) to for misbehaving or when there are people he does not know in the house.  He always goes when my husband tells him.  He also never bites when playing.  It is only when I am trying to stop him from doing something he does not want to stop.  I have tried saying ouch, or crying out.  It has no effect.

Answer
Hi Tribble,

Your dog is engaging in submissive peeing.

The genetically shy dog is a super submissive type and unlike many dogs are quite sensitive to any forms of "dominant" behavior in humans. Even ordinarily submissive dogs can become extremely submissive if its owner misunderstands and unintentionally forces it to increase its submissiveness. Mistreated dogs may also become excessively submissive.

First, tone down any aggressive behavior -- with a submissive dog there is no real need to consciously dominate it. Examples of dominating behavior include:

Direct eye contact
Standing over the dog
Walking towards the dog while looking at it

Tips:

Wait when you come home. Say "hi" and be verbally friendly, but don't touch or pet it for about 5-15 minutes. Try not to make the moment more exciting than it already is.
When you greet it, get down on its level.

Rather than standing and bending at the waist, bend at the knees (or sit) so that your face is about level with his and you are not looking down on him. This is a less dominant position, and less likely to trigger a submissive posture.

Don't pet it on the head. Rather, tell it to sit, maybe "shake hands", then scratch it under the chin and on the chest. This is less dominating than the pat on the head (because you avoid standing over it).

When you correct this type of dog, do so with your voice only (avoid direct eye contact). If it starts to urinate, then say immediately, "OK, let's go out!" in a happy tone of voice -- and take it out. Or, take a toy out (something it likes to do) and play with it. What you are doing here is telling your dog, "OK, I see your submissiveness. That's good."

When guests come over, ask them to ignore your dog and not look at it even if it comes up and sniffs them. After a bit, when people are sitting down then have them gently put their hands out and talk to your dog, without looking at it. Usually after about 15 minutes or so everything is fine.

In general, show signs of low-key approval immediately when your dog becomes submissive. Then distract it with something else.

When you ignore submissiveness or get mad at it, you're in effect telling the dog "You're not submissive enough!" so the poor thing intensifies its efforts -- and submissive urination is about as submissive as it gets.
Be really positive with your dog, this type lacks self-confidence and will look to you quite often to make sure everything is OK.

One technique that helps many dogs with this problem is called "Flooding." You need a group of people, preferably ones who will stimulate the undesired response (in this case, peeing). You find the least intimidating step for your dog (the point at which your dog does not submissively urinate), one. If your dog urinates, you've gone too fast and you should back up a step until pooch more confident. This process will take a while.

Have your dog sit with you on leash (preferably not on carpeting!)

Have the group of people walk past your dog without looking; when they can do this without your dog peeing, move on to next step (this is true of all steps)

Next have the people look/smile at your dog when they walk past

Next have the people say something to her ("Hi puppy") as they walk past

Next have the people give your dog a treat as they walk past

Next have the people touch your dog (ex. pat on the head) as they walk past

Next, repeat the previous 5 steps but with the people stopping instead of walking past (ie, stop but don't look, stop and look, stop and say hi,...)


I think that the reason he pees while waiting to go out are the cues, like putting on your shoes, are exciting to him.  You might want to crate him until you are ready to walk right out the door.


Best of Luck,
Shelley Davis