Your Dog — November 2017

46 Your Dog November 2017 TELL US YOUR PROBLEMS. EMAIL [email protected] — FACEBOOK WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/YOUR D

If you have a query about

your dog, drop us a line

and we’ll get one of our

experts to come up with

some solutions.

Email your problems,

with a photo if it’s

relevant, to editorial@

yourdog.co.uk

Alternatively, post your

letter, with an SAE, to:

Dog Answers Extra,

Your Dog Magazine, 1-6

Buckminster Yard, Main

Street, Buckminster,

Grantham, Lincolnshire

NG33 5SB.

You can also post your

question on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/

yourdogmagazine and

on the Your Dog Forum

http://www.yourpetforums.

co.uk

GOT A

PROBLEM?

WE CAN

SOLVE IT!

Training & Behaviour

THE YOUR

DOG EXPERTS

Claire Arrowsmith

BSc, MSc, CCAB,

is a member of the

Association of Pet

Behaviour Counsellors.

Steve Goward is

behaviour development

manager at Dogs Trust.

Tony Cruse is

a member of the

Association of Pet

Dog Trainers and the

Institute of Modern

Dog Trainers.

EXTRA

Dog Answers

I have a two-year-old Jack

Russell. She has always been

possessive: of her toys, her

position on the sofa, her home, and

certainly of me. She bit our next-door

neighbour; I know this behaviour can’t

be tolerated.

We recently got a puppy. It took

her a while to get used to the pup

but now they are great mates. I guess

she feels she has even more reason to

protect her family now.

We are also in the process of

moving home.

I know I need to get a dog

behaviourist to help us, but I don’t

know whether it is better to wait

until she is a little more settled. I’d

appreciate any advice.

Polly Phillips, email address.

Claire says: There have been

events in your dog’s life which

she has struggled to manage,

and these have contributed to her

behaviour. Aggression is a response

any dog can potentially express if he

perceives a threat, which he doesn’t

feel he can manage through passive

signalling or avoidance behaviour.

Your dog should have a full

assessment performed by a specialist.

They can take everything into

consideration and help you to make

changes that will help her to settle,

feel safe, and ultimately reduce her

level of anxiety. It is never too early to

seek help. Talk to your vet as soon as

possible or fi nd a member of the Animal

Behaviour and Training Council to whom

you can request a referral.

Q

My nine-month-old

Cavalier has started

barking when he is

on his lead and sees another

dog. It isn’t aggressive; he

wants to play. How can we

stop him doing this? If he’s

off his lead, he’s fi ne, and

only approaches if allowed.

Lisa Wildish, on Facebook.

A

Tony says: Being

denied the chance

to play can build

frustration and this often

manifests in an unwanted

behaviour, such as barking

and lunging. You can change

this pattern so that when

your dog sees another dog,

he looks at you for a treat

instead. This is far better, as

you then have his focus and

he is not lunging.

First, give your dog as much

space from others as possible,

and remain quiet. As soon as

he sees a dog, and before he

barks, fi nd his mouth with a

treat. Perform this every time

he sees another dog.

You can then start delaying

the treat until he looks at

you in anticipation. Build up

to delaying until you have

moved away safely from the

other dog.

TRAINING

Barking

on the

lead

Being on the lead can

frustrate some dogs.

TOP TIP

Teaching a reliable

‘Stop’ command

when your dog is

young may help to

prevent possessive

behaviour over

toys developing.

Possessive behaviour

can be linked to anxiety.

BEHAVIOUR

What’s mine is mine!

Behavioooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

e behaviour

ked to anxiety.

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