If your dog has fear/behavior issues during a thunderstorm you need to desensitize him/her from the event.
(Typical thunderstorm season runs June through August on average.)
Start by playing thunderstorm sounds on a cd. Increase the volume over time.
During the sound listening or during a real storm, distract him/her by playing then rewarding the good happy playing behavior with a treat.
Don't pet or stroke your dog to sooth him/her during a storm. This just reinforces their fear.
Go about doing your regular everyday business ignoring the outside happenings. Eventually your dog will catch on that there is nothing to fear.
If none of these work, talk to your vet. Your vet may prescribe a short acting medication that calms your dog.
Here is another article with a bit more info.
Also -- there are many comments/stories by other owners on how they cope.
Showing posts with label behavior. Show all posts
Showing posts with label behavior. Show all posts
The Urge to Bite Anyone!
Joanielim asks:
We have a problem with our Bichon. We bought him at eight weeks old. He is now one and a half. We are seniors so we are at home and not out alot. We didn't take him out in other company much. Now, he wants to bite everyone. He is so loving and cuddly with us. We have never spanked him or mistreated him. When we take him for walks, he wants to bite anyone and everyone we meet. We have him on a leash. We tell him no but it makes no difference.
How to we stop this bad attitude? We need your help. Thank you. Joaniekim
Kristens Sled Dogs responds:
In my opinion, biting should not be tolerated at all. I've used these methods with my Inuit Dog and others, and they've helped a little.
1) Hold the dog's mouth closed and say "no" in a firm voice when the dog bites someone. Then ignore the dog for a while.
2) Fill a squirt bottle with cold water (not freezing, just a little below lukewarm) and a few drops of lemon or bitter apple. When the dog attempts to bite, squirt the dog in the face and say "no" in a firm voice. Use the squirt bottle until the dog understands "no", and will not bite if told "no".
I used method #2 on my Inuit Dog puppy, and it helped a lot.
She only got sprayed once before she figured it out.
Kristen & The Dog Gang
Fudgie responds:
Hi, I have a 3 yr old Bichon who hates men and I mean hates them!!!
She has bitten 3 repair men and one of mygirlfriends"s husband.
I am at my wits end with her (otherwise she is a perfect fluff) I love her very much but I am to the point I hate to have company because she gets so upset.
Someone said a man must have been mean to her, but I have had her since she was 8 weeks old and it is only the 2 of us in thehousehold.
Naturally she is spoiled rotten!!!! I will try the bitter apple on her. thanks, Pat
GidgetLpM responds:
No tolerance for biting here!
Sorry but when Bailey nips the kids while playing, we shut him down right away!!
We say "NO BITE!!" (never use long sentences...two words max).... then we stop the play, we walk away, and thats it. He gets the picture!
He only ever nips while playing (as he would another dog), because that is how dogs play with each other.
I also heard of the lemon juice....it works! I even put it on my door frame now, when I go out so he won't chew it.
Just dilute it in case you get his/her, very sensitive, eyes.
Make sure you hold together that snout when they bite (as previously mentioned).
This is what the mom dog does to her pups. This tells him "enough".
So it would be like this: He bites...you immediately grab the snout holding it firmly for a minute while you say NO BITE!.... He may yelp, but that is okay, it won't kill him.... It lets him know that biting is not acceptable behavior.
They do sell little halties for small dogs too...this is not for biting like a muzzle but so they don't pull. The good thing is, I don't think they can bite while in it and its only used when taking them for a walk... its worth a look/see. Maybe try petsSmart?
Good luck.
We have a problem with our Bichon. We bought him at eight weeks old. He is now one and a half. We are seniors so we are at home and not out alot. We didn't take him out in other company much. Now, he wants to bite everyone. He is so loving and cuddly with us. We have never spanked him or mistreated him. When we take him for walks, he wants to bite anyone and everyone we meet. We have him on a leash. We tell him no but it makes no difference.
How to we stop this bad attitude? We need your help. Thank you. Joaniekim
Kristens Sled Dogs responds:
In my opinion, biting should not be tolerated at all. I've used these methods with my Inuit Dog and others, and they've helped a little.
1) Hold the dog's mouth closed and say "no" in a firm voice when the dog bites someone. Then ignore the dog for a while.
2) Fill a squirt bottle with cold water (not freezing, just a little below lukewarm) and a few drops of lemon or bitter apple. When the dog attempts to bite, squirt the dog in the face and say "no" in a firm voice. Use the squirt bottle until the dog understands "no", and will not bite if told "no".
I used method #2 on my Inuit Dog puppy, and it helped a lot.
She only got sprayed once before she figured it out.
Kristen & The Dog Gang
Fudgie responds:
Hi, I have a 3 yr old Bichon who hates men and I mean hates them!!!
She has bitten 3 repair men and one of mygirlfriends"s husband.
I am at my wits end with her (otherwise she is a perfect fluff) I love her very much but I am to the point I hate to have company because she gets so upset.
Someone said a man must have been mean to her, but I have had her since she was 8 weeks old and it is only the 2 of us in thehousehold.
Naturally she is spoiled rotten!!!! I will try the bitter apple on her. thanks, Pat
GidgetLpM responds:
No tolerance for biting here!
Sorry but when Bailey nips the kids while playing, we shut him down right away!!
We say "NO BITE!!" (never use long sentences...two words max).... then we stop the play, we walk away, and thats it. He gets the picture!
He only ever nips while playing (as he would another dog), because that is how dogs play with each other.
I also heard of the lemon juice....it works! I even put it on my door frame now, when I go out so he won't chew it.
Just dilute it in case you get his/her, very sensitive, eyes.
Make sure you hold together that snout when they bite (as previously mentioned).
This is what the mom dog does to her pups. This tells him "enough".
So it would be like this: He bites...you immediately grab the snout holding it firmly for a minute while you say NO BITE!.... He may yelp, but that is okay, it won't kill him.... It lets him know that biting is not acceptable behavior.
They do sell little halties for small dogs too...this is not for biting like a muzzle but so they don't pull. The good thing is, I don't think they can bite while in it and its only used when taking them for a walk... its worth a look/see. Maybe try petsSmart?
Good luck.
House Soiling
AgentDoggett88 asks:
Hey there!
Today probably isn't the day to talk about how much I love my Bichon, Riley.
I can't get him to stop urinating in the house. I want to kill him (ok, not really---but surely you can understand my frustration). He knows better---I mean, normally he'll go to the door and jump towards the knob--when he needs to go out. However, a lot of times he'll go out and won't "go" but will come inside and go (even when it's NOT raining).
Oh, do you let your Bichon sleep with you? I hadn't plan on doing so---but of course after one night of him being sick--- he was in bed with me and nothing has changed. I think I'm going to have to get him a smaller crate to sleep in (he has larger one for when I'm working ---he's about 25lbs) because I've noticed that he tends to "p" when I'm sleeping. I might as well by stock in my carpet cleaners as much as I used them. It's really driving me nuts and I don't know what to do.
Angelia and Riley
(an-ju-lee-uh)
Katizia07 responds:
I think you need to get Riley to the vet to see if he has a kidney infection. That's what was going on with my old boy a few years ago when he suddenly started soiling in the house after being trained for years and years. He would hold it forever...until he had a kidney infection.
Please, please give little Riley the benefit of the doubt on this and at least call the vet.....
LaceyJane responds:
Hi,
I have the exact problem with my 2 year old female bichon, and I took her to the vet but she checked out fine
She has even gone as far as peeing on my bed, my couch, and chair. She does sleep with us in our bed and once I left her out and 5 minutes later she jumped up on my bed and then she peed on my bed!!
She is a wonderful dog and I dearly love her but I cannot understand why she will do just fine for weeks then she will pee on my bed or pee on my t-shirt if it happens to be laying on my bedroom floor! It seems so strange that she will do just fine and then there are times she will pee in the house. She has never gone in her cage. Once she jumped on my bed and peed on my nightgown that was laying there!!
Any suggestions or help would be so much appreciated...
ShirleyMae63 responds:
Dogs never like to pee where they eat.. Try putting little treats or a little food on the places she likes to pee,,, Sounds like she is marking out her territory,,, Yes females can do it too.. Maybe you could confine her to smaller areas of the house for a period of time or you could put some panties on her. They do make them for female dogs... I do have a web site that makes them for males(belly bands)... A lot of persons that foster dogs use them for dogs that come in for foster that are not house trained... It really helps to get them on track and keeps mom happy. The site is on my home computer if you wish it let me know and I will send it to you or anyone else that think it would help to train their dog. So many people give up their pets because they can't train them... This is an ideal method to keep dog and pet owner together.
GidgetLpM responds:
Reading some posts on peeing and poop'n in the house. WHAT???
I would be taking Bailey right out the door!! I watch him when I let him out, even though we have a fenced in backyard. When you need to RE-TRAIN your pup.....reward him/her when they do it outside.
What do you do when they are "bad"? I used to take Bailey to his poop, show him...make him smell it....then I say..."WHat did you DO????" and I immediately take him outside, rain or shine. If he poops or pees again OUTSIDE I give him a treat.
He hasn't ever had another "accident".
Peeing on the bed? Who is the Alpha Dog here? (The leader)....you or him/her? Get that dog out of the bed and onto the floor (into a crate) if they are peeing!!
I let Bailey up on the bed, but if he even peed once, he would be off, in NO TIME FLAT!
You are not doing them any favours by letting them think they are running YOU. YOU have to be the Leader of the Pack...show him what to do. He will love you more for it.
Just my opinion.
Gidget
AgentDoggett88 responds:
Hello all! I actually purchased a belly band for Riley and that lasted all of about two days--until he chewed it in half. I can't seem to stop him from peeing in the house.
Every now and again I'll see a new spot--not knowing when he did it.
It's driving me nuts to say the least. I guess I'm going to have to not let him out of my site like I did when he was smaller. That way, I can catch him before he does it.
I love him to pieces but I can not let him destroy my house.
He's a year and a 1/2 old, I'm praying he will grow out of this.
Hope everyone is have a great weekend!
Cheers!
Angelia
GidgetLpM responds:
Yup. That is the ONLY way. You will have to RE-TRAIN your dog. It can be done! It just takes a LOT of time. Make sure you have a treat in your pocket though, when he pees outside. NO treats for peeing inside. Just a scolding, and right outside!!
Good luck....be persistant...it works.
Hey there!
Today probably isn't the day to talk about how much I love my Bichon, Riley.
I can't get him to stop urinating in the house. I want to kill him (ok, not really---but surely you can understand my frustration). He knows better---I mean, normally he'll go to the door and jump towards the knob--when he needs to go out. However, a lot of times he'll go out and won't "go" but will come inside and go (even when it's NOT raining).
Oh, do you let your Bichon sleep with you? I hadn't plan on doing so---but of course after one night of him being sick--- he was in bed with me and nothing has changed. I think I'm going to have to get him a smaller crate to sleep in (he has larger one for when I'm working ---he's about 25lbs) because I've noticed that he tends to "p" when I'm sleeping. I might as well by stock in my carpet cleaners as much as I used them. It's really driving me nuts and I don't know what to do.
Angelia and Riley
(an-ju-lee-uh)
Katizia07 responds:
I think you need to get Riley to the vet to see if he has a kidney infection. That's what was going on with my old boy a few years ago when he suddenly started soiling in the house after being trained for years and years. He would hold it forever...until he had a kidney infection.
Please, please give little Riley the benefit of the doubt on this and at least call the vet.....
LaceyJane responds:
Hi,
I have the exact problem with my 2 year old female bichon, and I took her to the vet but she checked out fine
She has even gone as far as peeing on my bed, my couch, and chair. She does sleep with us in our bed and once I left her out and 5 minutes later she jumped up on my bed and then she peed on my bed!!
She is a wonderful dog and I dearly love her but I cannot understand why she will do just fine for weeks then she will pee on my bed or pee on my t-shirt if it happens to be laying on my bedroom floor! It seems so strange that she will do just fine and then there are times she will pee in the house. She has never gone in her cage. Once she jumped on my bed and peed on my nightgown that was laying there!!
Any suggestions or help would be so much appreciated...
ShirleyMae63 responds:
Dogs never like to pee where they eat.. Try putting little treats or a little food on the places she likes to pee,,, Sounds like she is marking out her territory,,, Yes females can do it too.. Maybe you could confine her to smaller areas of the house for a period of time or you could put some panties on her. They do make them for female dogs... I do have a web site that makes them for males(belly bands)... A lot of persons that foster dogs use them for dogs that come in for foster that are not house trained... It really helps to get them on track and keeps mom happy. The site is on my home computer if you wish it let me know and I will send it to you or anyone else that think it would help to train their dog. So many people give up their pets because they can't train them... This is an ideal method to keep dog and pet owner together.
GidgetLpM responds:
Reading some posts on peeing and poop'n in the house. WHAT???
I would be taking Bailey right out the door!! I watch him when I let him out, even though we have a fenced in backyard. When you need to RE-TRAIN your pup.....reward him/her when they do it outside.
What do you do when they are "bad"? I used to take Bailey to his poop, show him...make him smell it....then I say..."WHat did you DO????" and I immediately take him outside, rain or shine. If he poops or pees again OUTSIDE I give him a treat.
He hasn't ever had another "accident".
Peeing on the bed? Who is the Alpha Dog here? (The leader)....you or him/her? Get that dog out of the bed and onto the floor (into a crate) if they are peeing!!
I let Bailey up on the bed, but if he even peed once, he would be off, in NO TIME FLAT!
You are not doing them any favours by letting them think they are running YOU. YOU have to be the Leader of the Pack...show him what to do. He will love you more for it.
Just my opinion.
Gidget
AgentDoggett88 responds:
Hello all! I actually purchased a belly band for Riley and that lasted all of about two days--until he chewed it in half. I can't seem to stop him from peeing in the house.
Every now and again I'll see a new spot--not knowing when he did it.
It's driving me nuts to say the least. I guess I'm going to have to not let him out of my site like I did when he was smaller. That way, I can catch him before he does it.
I love him to pieces but I can not let him destroy my house.
He's a year and a 1/2 old, I'm praying he will grow out of this.
Hope everyone is have a great weekend!
Cheers!
Angelia
GidgetLpM responds:
Yup. That is the ONLY way. You will have to RE-TRAIN your dog. It can be done! It just takes a LOT of time. Make sure you have a treat in your pocket though, when he pees outside. NO treats for peeing inside. Just a scolding, and right outside!!
Good luck....be persistant...it works.
Unrelentless Barking!
Suzz asks:
Belle was spayed on Thursday. I was quite worried about her but she seemed to turn the corner on Friday afternoon.
Here it is Sunday morning. She cannot stay still!
She has been in bed with us since her surgery.
The first night was ok because she was still snowed.
She will not go back to her crate but that is not the problem.
The problem is as soon as she gets herself comfortable, she suddenly stands up and runs across the bed. It's almost like she's itchy or something.
Anyone come across this? We are exhausted. (please don't tell us to send her back in her crate. She is relentless and barks for hours.)
Suzz and Belle
Jean replies:
Hi Suzz --
I hope Belle has progressed and is doing better and you have gotten some rest!
You might want to get a spray mist bottle and fill it with water then just give her a squirt and say: "No Bark".
Only squirt and give the command, do not hold the bottle and say "no bark" then give her a squirt. Do both together.
She will get it eventually. When she sees you reach for the bottle, she will stop.
Then you won't need the bottle after a while, she will stop when you say "no bark" because she does not want you to get that darn bottle out.
Belle was spayed on Thursday. I was quite worried about her but she seemed to turn the corner on Friday afternoon.
Here it is Sunday morning. She cannot stay still!
She has been in bed with us since her surgery.
The first night was ok because she was still snowed.
She will not go back to her crate but that is not the problem.
The problem is as soon as she gets herself comfortable, she suddenly stands up and runs across the bed. It's almost like she's itchy or something.
Anyone come across this? We are exhausted. (please don't tell us to send her back in her crate. She is relentless and barks for hours.)
Suzz and Belle
Jean replies:
Hi Suzz --
I hope Belle has progressed and is doing better and you have gotten some rest!
You might want to get a spray mist bottle and fill it with water then just give her a squirt and say: "No Bark".
Only squirt and give the command, do not hold the bottle and say "no bark" then give her a squirt. Do both together.
She will get it eventually. When she sees you reach for the bottle, she will stop.
Then you won't need the bottle after a while, she will stop when you say "no bark" because she does not want you to get that darn bottle out.
Nipping and Biting
Malshop asks:
Our dog when it does not want to do something it starts to nip and tries to bite. Has anyone had this problem?
DarStar responds:
Our Domonique does that nipping and grabbing your pants leg when he wants your attention, wants to play, etc. He also does this to our Golden Retriever. So I assume this is a doggie way. After all doggies don't have hands. It must be very frustrating to be so small that if you don't want to do something someone can just pick you up and put you where they want you, stop you from what you were doing, etc.
What I do, which work sometimes and sometimes it doesn't, is to say "no bite" and gently open his mouth and remove him, then walk away as though it wasn't a big deal, but I don't expect him to do that again and then I give him his favorite chew toy. I don't know about your dog, but Domonique HAS to chew quite a lot. Also, whenever I want my dog to stop doing something I always say NO not all that loud but deep. And very importantly--in my mind I picture him behaving how I want him to. I think it is really important to not give much importance to the naughty deed or behaviour. Instead, after giving the no command, which all doggies know very early, I focus on the way I want him to behave. I form a picture in my mind of what I want him to do.
It is like training a child. Punishment doesn't work--reward does. Building up their confidence and self esteem works. So put your thoughts and energy in what it is like to be that little doggie and then what does he/she really want? The closer we can come to being in their "shoes" the easier it is to understand what they need and the better our relationship with them becomes. It is why we have relationships with the little darlings, isn't it? Because interaction with them is so fascinating and fulfilling.
Maybe the reason your little doggie is biting when you are "wanting him to do something" is because he wants you to listen to what he is saying. It can't hurt to explain why you want him to do something and maybe it will bring about a better understanding and more compliance.
Do you have the book How To Train Your Bichon Frise by Liz Palika? I just got it and it is excellent. She knows Bichons! She describes much of the behavior if not all, that my buzzer has.
She has a section on biting, nipping & snapping: p. 85
Quote: Teach your Bichon not to use his mouth by not allowing it to happen. Whenever he turns his mouth toward your hand or arm, even in play, use your deep voice, "No Bite!" and move your hand away. If you are playing, stop the game immediately after the correction. If you were giving him a toy or a treat when he used his mouth, take it away. Make sure he understands that using his mouth will not get him whatever he wants and will result in a correction and your displeasure.
If he does not react to the verbal correction, you can use your hand to close his mouth when he tries to bite. Simply close his mouth with your fingers as you tell him, "No Bite!"
If he protests or tries to bite again, repeat the correction. If he works himself into a temper tantrum, take him back to his crate and give him a time-out for 15 or 20 minutes. Let him out when he's calmed down.
When correcting biting, keep in mind that with some dogs, aggression begets aggression. If you show aggressive behaviour toward your dog, he may respond with aggressive behaviour of his own. Therefore, correct the dog enough to stop the biting, but stop the correction as soon as he gives up. Do not hold a grudge, do not rant and rave at your dog, and do not hit him."
Our dog when it does not want to do something it starts to nip and tries to bite. Has anyone had this problem?
DarStar responds:
Our Domonique does that nipping and grabbing your pants leg when he wants your attention, wants to play, etc. He also does this to our Golden Retriever. So I assume this is a doggie way. After all doggies don't have hands. It must be very frustrating to be so small that if you don't want to do something someone can just pick you up and put you where they want you, stop you from what you were doing, etc.
What I do, which work sometimes and sometimes it doesn't, is to say "no bite" and gently open his mouth and remove him, then walk away as though it wasn't a big deal, but I don't expect him to do that again and then I give him his favorite chew toy. I don't know about your dog, but Domonique HAS to chew quite a lot. Also, whenever I want my dog to stop doing something I always say NO not all that loud but deep. And very importantly--in my mind I picture him behaving how I want him to. I think it is really important to not give much importance to the naughty deed or behaviour. Instead, after giving the no command, which all doggies know very early, I focus on the way I want him to behave. I form a picture in my mind of what I want him to do.
It is like training a child. Punishment doesn't work--reward does. Building up their confidence and self esteem works. So put your thoughts and energy in what it is like to be that little doggie and then what does he/she really want? The closer we can come to being in their "shoes" the easier it is to understand what they need and the better our relationship with them becomes. It is why we have relationships with the little darlings, isn't it? Because interaction with them is so fascinating and fulfilling.
Maybe the reason your little doggie is biting when you are "wanting him to do something" is because he wants you to listen to what he is saying. It can't hurt to explain why you want him to do something and maybe it will bring about a better understanding and more compliance.
Do you have the book How To Train Your Bichon Frise by Liz Palika? I just got it and it is excellent. She knows Bichons! She describes much of the behavior if not all, that my buzzer has.
She has a section on biting, nipping & snapping: p. 85
Quote: Teach your Bichon not to use his mouth by not allowing it to happen. Whenever he turns his mouth toward your hand or arm, even in play, use your deep voice, "No Bite!" and move your hand away. If you are playing, stop the game immediately after the correction. If you were giving him a toy or a treat when he used his mouth, take it away. Make sure he understands that using his mouth will not get him whatever he wants and will result in a correction and your displeasure.
If he does not react to the verbal correction, you can use your hand to close his mouth when he tries to bite. Simply close his mouth with your fingers as you tell him, "No Bite!"
If he protests or tries to bite again, repeat the correction. If he works himself into a temper tantrum, take him back to his crate and give him a time-out for 15 or 20 minutes. Let him out when he's calmed down.
When correcting biting, keep in mind that with some dogs, aggression begets aggression. If you show aggressive behaviour toward your dog, he may respond with aggressive behaviour of his own. Therefore, correct the dog enough to stop the biting, but stop the correction as soon as he gives up. Do not hold a grudge, do not rant and rave at your dog, and do not hit him."
Dog Training and Obedience
Resources to help train your Bichon:
Clicker Solutions
DoggieDoor.com -- A most promising site for aggressive and all other "mis"behaviors. There is an ongoing message board and many, many articles; all sorts of stuff to peruse through.
The Dog Patch -- Best forum on the net for Dog Obedience/Training. Includes message boards to discuss training or behaviour problems. Check out all the links by clicking on "Basic Training" if you need immediate help/advice. Teach your dog tricks by clicking on "Other Links" to find other sites that offer instruction.
DarStar noted:
Jean Donaldson's book Dogs Are From Neptune for dog aggression and also Jelly Bean VS Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde written by C.W. Meisterfeld, Ph.D. His philosophy of teaching based on mutual respect & trust
Clicker Solutions
DoggieDoor.com -- A most promising site for aggressive and all other "mis"behaviors. There is an ongoing message board and many, many articles; all sorts of stuff to peruse through.
The Dog Patch -- Best forum on the net for Dog Obedience/Training. Includes message boards to discuss training or behaviour problems. Check out all the links by clicking on "Basic Training" if you need immediate help/advice. Teach your dog tricks by clicking on "Other Links" to find other sites that offer instruction.
DarStar noted:
Jean Donaldson's book Dogs Are From Neptune for dog aggression and also Jelly Bean VS Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde written by C.W. Meisterfeld, Ph.D. His philosophy of teaching based on mutual respect & trust
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