Common Struggles

Barking is related to an emotion that the dog is feeling e.g. excitement, fear, frustration, anxiety etc. The more they bark the more they choose barking in response to all emotions. We need to understand why they are barking before we can work out how to reduce it. However, we must use some management to reduce the opportunities they have to bark before change can happen. I can help with this.

Recall is way more than an obedience cue and we must work on a number of skills the dog needs to have recall back. This can be a bigger struggle during adolescence, and this is completely normal. I would be working with you on your reward strategy, building a cue, building disengagement skills (to the distractions/environment), when to use management and more. Drop me a message for some help with this.

This is such a common struggle that owners have and there are many components to improving this. My approach is building value in proximity, having different lead walking set ups (training v leisure), teaching games to stop the reflex pulling, lead mechanics and ensuring the walk is started when your dog is able to listen and not over aroused. (extremely common that their brain is already at the park, the minute you pick up the lead, leave the car etc). This can take a couple of sessions to get you on the right track.

There can be so many reasons for this but mostly it is driven by fear and pessimism. It can be worse on lead; it can be repeated as often the dog gets the outcome they want (dog goes away) and other things become the trigger e.g. owner tightening the lead and getting stressed. Dogs should not be labelled as ‘aggressive’ if doing this, it is driven by the emotion of fear, and we can work through this with counter condition and building skills.

This is definitely one to seek help from a behaviourist or specialist. Treatment always should start with presence doesn’t mean access in the house, building confidence in confinement or behind a barrier and building skills such as calmness, tolerance of frustration and general optimism. It requires owner buy in and takes time to improve.

This is a difficult time for dogs. Not dissimilar to human teenagers, they are going through a developmental phase where their brain is reshaping and they are testing relationships, pushing boundaries, looking for a mate, ignoring their owners, not recalling etc. It is a time to focus on relationship, build on what they know, adding in some management to avoid them rehearsing things you don’t want. It will pass….I can help with this or message me for a free handout.

Short answer, you rarely can stop completely as it is a developmental phase where they are losing and gaining ALOT of adult teeth. This is a painful process, and they get relief from mouthing. It coincides with the thinking part of the brain not yet fully developed so they don’t have the skills to control this.  The biting can worsen as puppies need much more sleep than they typically get, they are overstimulated and can’t regulate and it is their way of communicating to us. Try and interrupt it with a noise you have rewarded, redirect to a toy, some training, to a bed, roll food, trip to the garden or another room. Keep calm, don’t add energy to the situation by shouting and moving around. Ensure they have opportunities for rest, some appropriate chews or boxes to destroy. It will pass but it can be a really painful (literally) period to navigate.

There are some issues that you should seek advice from a behaviourist. I am training to be one but I’m not there yet. Examples would be resource guarding, separation anxiety, severe dog or dog human reactivity, obsessive compulsive behaviour, or severe noise reactivity. All dogs should firstly have a vet check or dynamic dog assessment for pain, any gut issues or itchiness should be treated as these can massively affect behaviour. Sometimes medication is required for brain health to allow a training window. I would recommend Behavet.