Dog Talk Diva Responds to Reader Questions

Last week, we asked you to submit your doggie dilemmas to Camilla Gray-Nelson, owner of Dairydell Canine and author of the recently published “Lipstick and the Leash: Dog Training a Woman’s Way.”

Now the “Dog Talk Diva” answers your questions. 

Question: My 7-year old male PeekaPoo knows where he's supposed to pee but uses the carpet to punish us when he's miffed. And he's miffed whenever the world doesn't revolve around him. What to do? Your expert guidance is much appreciated!

Answer:  If your PeekaPoo is peeing on your carpet when you are gone or not watching, you will need to crate or otherwise confine him so that he had no access to your carpet while you are not around.  Generally, doggie “accidents” are due to the fact that the dog simply prefers doing his business indoors as opposed to out in the cold and if no one stops him, that’s exactly what he does.

If your dog, however, is peeing on the carpet when you are home and in full view of you, you may indeed have a case of dominance playing out. He may be “claiming” your carpet as his own. If the world does, indeed, revolve around him, this is certainly a possibility. Limiting your little prince’s freedom is the quickest way to bring him off his throne in a peaceful “coup.” 

Keep your dog on a leash or long-line while in the house with you, and do not let him leave the room you are in. This will automatically give you the power advantage in the relationship. A leash will also help you get him outside quickly if he needs to “go.”

When you leave the house, crate or confine the dog.  If you are gone more than five hours, have a neighbor or dog-walker take him out for a potty break.  Then back in his crate until you return.

In short, keep him in the room, praise him lavishly when he obeys; ignore him when he does not.  His ego will lead him to obedience! 

Q: My 6-month-old MaltiPoo male is a sweet, happy guy and I love him! But even though we've gone to training classes and I have tried and tried, he will not come when I call him if he's off leash (unless there's food involved). He runs away, most of the time he treats it like a game. For safety reasons, I need him to obey commands. Help!

A:  Dogs ask themselves four questions before they respond to a command under distraction:

1. Who’s asking and why should I care? -- Because I’m the Mom, that’s why – the Maker of All Rules.
2. Can you make me?  -- Use the Come command ONLY when you are in a position to follow-through.  If a dog knows that you are powerless, he won’t obey.  If he learns that you always follow-through, you become more powerful in his eyes and he will obey accordingly.
3. What if I don’t? -- A tug on a leash or long line, or simply walking away from your dog are two examples of “consequence” for not responding.  Not responding must be less fun than being obedient.
4. What if I do?  -- Being obedient must be more fun than not responding!  Praise lavishly, even if the response is slow.  If you scold, you have sealed your fate: your dog will not come if the result is unpleasant.  Make him glad he came!

For more helpful tips on teaching a reliable recall, go to my website, www.dogtalkdiva.com.

Q: We are the new owners of an almost 2-year-old Golden Retriever named Cali. For the first month with us, she was still trying to get used to her new situation and was sweet and well behaved. Now that she's settled in, she's still sweet but is a major chewer. She's very oral and has to have something in her mouth almost constantly. If she's not chewing on a shoe/sock/underwear, etc., she's constantly bringing us "stuff", obviously needing attention.

My husband and I work from home so she gets lots of attention and minimum 2 walks a day with one of those outings being with a "chuck it" on a field. I'm thinking she needs a project, like maybe I should I take her to agility training classes as she obviously needs to be busy. Any suggestions? Thank you!

A: Your first “project” with Cali is to clarify her relationship with you in the family.  A dog is driven by instinct to learn who is in charge of the group and to clarify their own role within it.  Her behavior indicates a sweet dog that at first was well-behaved, because when she first arrived she assumed an entry-level position in your family and expected you and your husband to begin leading the company.  You have given her play, exercise and love, but all these things do not fill a dog’s underlying need for leadership.

A dog needs to know who makes the rules, who sets the boundaries and who defines acceptable and unacceptable behavior.  They need to know who outranks them on the organizational chart.  If leadership and organizational clarity is missing in a dog’s life, anxiety often results and expresses itself in things like hyperactivity, excessive chewing or other obsessive-compulsive behaviors.  I don’t think Cali is looking for things to keep her busy; I think she’s looking for a boss. Bringing you things is not about needing attention; it’s a canine display of subordination.  “Please lead and I will follow!” she’s begging.  Add a good dose of obedience, rules and boundaries to your fun and games and see what happens.  With that as your foundation, adding an agility class would be great, too.

I have quite a few tips on achieving quiet leadership on my website, www.dogtalkdiva.com.  Check them out!

Q: I got my first dog three years ago. He was a rescue dog about 2 or 3 years old, a sweet non-hyper Chihuahua/Jack Russell but more the size of the Chihuahua. When workers/visitors are here he is fine except sometimes if they walk by briskly and it is in a smallish area he bites them on leg - mostly catching pants legs.  He will do this even to people he knows. If they bend over to pet him he just rolls over on his back. I think he feels vulnerable to be stepped on. Any ideas how to stop this? Thank for the opportunity to ask for help on this!

A:  Dogs are born with their personalities.  Your little guy was born with a shy-streak, but an inclination to “pretend” that he’s the boss.  I call this conflicted personality, a “Faux Alpha.”  Nothing you can do will change your dog’s basic personality.  You can, however, do many things that will help him feel less vulnerable …and less bossy.

First and foremost, keep your dog on a leash when workers or visitors come to call and keep him near you.  Being free to go wherever he wants (in his corner) and do whatever he wants (snap at visitors) gives your dog the impression that he is in charge of his territory and the protection of it. At the same time, unrestricted freedom makes him feel nervous – he knows his strength is all an act, but there’s no one to watch his back when he’s been left at the top of the pack. 

Quietly use the leash to correct your dog if he tries to bark or snap at passers-by.  Praise him when he stops.  This will send the message that you are in charge, not him, and that he can rely on your calm, confident strength.  Ask your visitors to resist petting him.  They could, however, offer him a tiny treat. 

Being in charge is a heavy mantle.  Take it from your dog and wear it yourself.  It will fit you much better and your dog will be much happier without the burden.