Your Dog — November 2017

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

Dog Answers EXTRA Training & Behaviour

BEHAVIOUR

TRAINING

Boisterous behaviour

could be the result of

excitement or frustration.

I have a problem, which

has been bothering me

since my Westie was

a puppy. When a dog comes

on the TV, she gets angry and

shakes the rug as if it were

a rag doll. I consulted a dog

behaviourist when she was

young, and it was suggested

I take her out of the room

until she calms down. I’ve

tried this but it doesn’t solve

the problem. Also, she can be

dozing and all of a sudden gets

up and shakes the rug. Help!

Violet Innes, email address.

Steve says: It sounds like

she is frustrated and the

shaking of the rug is an

outlet for that frustration.

I would look at getting her to

engage in a favourite game in

the lounge, and gradually start

adding the stimulus that triggers

her undesirable behaviour. Dogs

on the TV can be recorded and

used in your training for very short

periods with the sound off, then

gradually increase the intensity.

It may be easier for two people

to do this, so one person is in

charge of the training while the

other plays the

recorded images.

The important thing

is to make sure she is

calm when you reward

her and that you are

working with her during

the gradual introduction

of the triggers. If you get

a reaction then you have

gone too quickly. Try recording

dogs further away or moving

more slowly at fi rst.

If you are doing something

she really enjoys while showing

the video, she should prefer to

engage in what you have to offer.

Regular sessions and gradually

increasing the diffi culty level will

help her start to associate the

images and sounds with a really

positive interaction with you.

Easing the frustration

Q

We have two old

female Shelties and

a three-year-old male

Border Collie. The Shelties

don’t like being loose with the

Border Collie, but when we go

out they are fi ne.

All three bark like crazy

when someone comes to

the house, and the Border

Collie also barks at other

dogs on TV. He also wouldn’t

stop barking at a fun dog

show, but he wags his tail

so there doesn’t seem to be

aggression. I just want them to

be calm together.

Susie Jackson Tower, on Facebook.

A

Steve says: The girls

might be worried by

the Collie’s charging

around, and maybe his herding

of them.

His barking behaviour may

well be excitement at someone

returning home, and possibly

frustration at the fun dog

shows. Dogs who are frustrated

can become vocal; the trick is

to understand what they are

frustrated about. It may be he

doesn’t get enough play with

other dogs and therefore is

frustrated at not being allowed

to interact with other dogs at

the show.

The wagging tail is not always

what it seems, but if he is

a generally sociable dog, it may

be that he needs an alternative

outlet to help him deal with his

frustration. Try to make sure

he has enough play that he

enjoys. Try also teaching him

a settle command, and gradually

build up this training so it can

be done in more distracting

environments. Getting some

help from your local training

school may provide you with

suitable play friends and some

help with his self-control.

A TV nightmare

g

is

ard

e

uring

ction

ou get

have

The television can trigger

unwanted behaviours.

46-49 T&B Ant+CS SWCC.indd 48 22/09/2017 13:25