Hopefully One Last Joe Issue

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Joe is rapidly approaching his 1st birthday (officially the 24th but we're going with Halloween as it's easier to remember).

I continue to work with him daily while we walk and inside as well building on the foundation that obedience training gave me.  His behavior is night and day.  He is still a puppy, don't get me wrong but when he gets carried away with Jim most of the time a stern Leave It followed by Sit-Stay brings him under control.  When he's really owley, I have a rolled up magazine that I smack on the coffee table and that gets his attention quickly.  Some times I only need to show it to him. 

Putting the cats down was a definite game changer (positively).  Both because I refuse to live in a house that smells like cat p*ss and because it was pretty much a constant need for discipline as far as chasing, barking at the cats or yelling at the cats because they were screaming at Joe who had not done anything except for walking into whatever room they were in.

Walking has become pleasurable because he knows what is expected of him and comes through 85-90% of the time.  Has been housebroken for ages.

So, here is our last problem.  Joe loves to hang on the couch with me.  Sometimes if I reach for my coffee or whatever project I've brought up to work on or even to scratch Joe behind the ears or wherever, I'm rewarded with a growl or sometimes a sharp bark.  I wouldn't like it under any circumstances unless we were out in the yard playing but because of the dog attack issues from 4 years ago, I jump.  I think Joe keyed on that and likes the control that it is giving him over me (freaking me out).  I DO NOT think it even remotely a possibility that he would bite me, just that it is the only element of control that he has and he's loving it.  You have to remember that it was a ton of hard work to regain captaincy of our "ship" and Joe did not give up control easily.

Any suggestions as to how to break this.  "No" is not cutting it.  I am kicking him off of the couch for a couple of days to see if that helps and when I let him back up, I'm going to keep the magazine handy and if he growls/barks I'm going to smack that hard on the coffee table with a sharp rebuke.  Not sure what else to try.

Thanks for any suggestions.

I also have an adorable picture of Joe/Jim on the couch together that I need to get uploaded and linked to.  He's turned into a horse.  I haven't taken him in to get weighed but I'm betting close to 70 pounds.  We were told 40-45 pounds when we adopted him.  LOLOL.

Virginia

[kodydog]

Show Joe you are 100% alpha. This will be as hard for you as it will be for Joe. We like to think our pets are little people in fury suits. This growling issue needs to stop and now. It will only get worse. The obedience class was your first step to show who's alpha. Now comes the tough love.

You may already be doing some of this stuff. Never let your dog stand above you. No mater if your playing or relaxing. Any time the dog is on top he is in alpha position. This includes laying on your lap on the sofa. Or wrestling with him on the ground. You should take opportunities to assume the alpha position. Whenever you get the chance straddle him like you would a horse. While straddling him wrap your arms around his chest. Even pick him off the ground if you feel confident. I would make the sofa off limits to Joe. And just to show who's boss, you can let your other dog on the sofa while denying Joe the pleasure. If you see Joe lying on the ground you can climb on top of him and just smother him. He will squirm but make him stay and don't let him up until you release him. Stick his ear in your mouth and nibble on it. I'm not kidding this is what mother dogs do.

Make Joe do an obedience command before you give him anything.  Make him do a sit stay before you feed him. Make him hold that position while you set the bowl down and make him wait for the release before you let him eat. Same goes for hugs, petting, and rides in the car. Make him do a sit stay while you put the leash on him. And you always go through the door or gate first.  Make him do a sit stay when children come up to pet him. 

There are tons of books out there on alpha training and DVD's too. Cesar Millan is big on this and you can get his videos at the library.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Thanks!

Yup, some of this I do.  Never let him on top of me as invariably he goes for my pony tail and that HURTS!  Always make him wait for me to go in and out the doors and sit-stay are required before treats, etc.  Haven't been doing that for petting or hugs so will incorporate that as well. 

I can't pick Joe up due to his weight and my fused back.  I have straddled him while standing and as I recall he wasn't real fond of it.  I will definitely try ear nibbling.

I figured it was control/alpha male issues as that boy really didn't want to give up his control of the house.   To me the good news is that we have corrected a bunch of issues so obviously Joe is trainable.  I will redouble my efforts at breaking the alpha male behaviors that have cropped up.

It's hard work but he's definitely worth the time as he's basically a good dog and so funny.  Enlarging the fenced part of the yard was a plus as well.  He runs off a lot of energy.

Virginia

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Have been implementing your suggestions and have seen good results with Joe.  As long as I'm doing the dominant position on him at least every other day or so, I'm not having any issues with growling and/or sharp barking at me.  If I go much longer than that, I may get some very faint growling but nothing near what we were having before.

Only other issue I'm having is that from time to time, while we are walking, Joe will decide that he should charge a truck with trailer or SUV.  I've been tugging on the lead and telling him "Leave It", "Bad", "No Chase", "Stop" without much of a result.  He'll go maybe a week or so without even glancing at a car or truck and then he will want to chase every car or truck we see.

What should I do differently on the chasing vehicle stuff?

Thanks!

Virginia

[brmax]

Sounds like your enjoying all the work in it, and I understand there's plenty.
If it makes any difference I would like to share with you, I only used the heal command walking my dog max from the get go. I only did this with one dog and only the one I put the required time properly needed as it sounds you are doing.
Good day there

[kodydog]

This is where a ton of praise comes into play. When you see a truck coming, and I know they often sneak up on you, but put Joe into a sit stay. With both of you facing the street. Now remember you already gave the command, no need to give it again. But reinforce with corrections and the "anch" sound. Your looking straight ahead but watching him out of the corner of your eye. Split second action here, the second he starts to move he gets the correction.

But most important. The "week or so" he goes without needing a correction he gets huge praise just as soon as the truck passes. Do a happy dance and lots of high pitched noises. Make Joe think hes at the top of the world. Hes a smart dog, it won't take long for him to get it.

We have deer in our neighborhood and my girl had the same problem. She still gets excited and wines a little when she see one and that's okay. But the lunging has stopped. She use to get excited when Rose and little Rambo got to far ahead on our walks. When she did I simply did an about turn and kept going until she calmed down. It took a few months but she is broken of that too. She's a hunting dog, this equals high strung. And lot of patience from me.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Thanks!

I'll start implementing it.  You are correct.  Joe's a very smart boy -- just stubborn sometimes and I'm sure this is his trying to control something, in this case walking.  Just scares the crap out of me every time as he does it most on streets where cars are just whizzing by.  I've thought about switching our path to take us off of these streets but then the problem would still be there unresolved and I don't want him anywhere near a moving vehicle, just in case he would ever get off the lead or get out of the back yard somehow.

Virginia

[brmax]

In my neck of the woods are many of the same, cars, trucks and more important in my mind was cattle.
This is very hi priority to not have dogs runnin cattle as you I'm sure know west of here your way. They can get stressed and even in the best thoughts they lose the gain from that daily feeding. This is serious stuff here, so in that I used the sit with the dog for a time just plain old watching cattle, and the very same training watchin dump trucks go by as equipment was easy for me to be around. The farm implements and other equipment was a needed training also, that dang stuff is usually open type machinery. Comparing farm stuff to vehicles is a bit scary as it was there more than all other, except kids that rule was sit and take whatever the kids dish out period. omg it was fun, but it sure doesn't sound like it sorry for my penmanship. I had the most fun doing it all, seriously.
p.s. get the lawn chair and enjoy watching the cars : )

Floyd

[brmax]

  I thought of a few things funny as they seem, they sure were tough getting through.
The issues I struggled with could and I'm completely sure gave a laugh to any neighbors or drive bye's if noticed in some training, like ( what the heck is that contraption ). this will ring true in a bit!
First I'm not positive when is the best time to implement this but earlier than I when dog was knee high.
Anyway priority is as with us and like my Max having inherent fight or flight, Lucky as we and Joe are some parents, teachers, friends, mentors and bosses give training. Best friends filling the knowledge gap

Issue: walking with the dog happy as ever, Always required a tug to heel in general as keeping at knee side, great getting that done. Then always a tug for heel and total stop, great getting that done. ( I'm talking with no whistle ) though what I always used in field and much training.
But some training is seriously needed for areas not so kind to a blaring whistle.
Anyway the ring, as in a basic need for quiet yet eye sight ( Infantry, Ranger, Scout ) hand signals are by far and away best over any other as they are trained, discrete and clear when in eye range.

Training my dog with his (my fault) head forward of my knee and hand at my side promoted the jerk or tug on leash in initial training.
This required me to fix so I made a simple contraption that kept my dog Max on leash yet his head far back behind to understand I wanted him to see my hand signals without words, whistle, or tugs as always he was smarter and gave me the look "make up your mind".
  We did the training gottr done, as anyone knows it takes much time in training.
Like me its just the understanding what I need to learn and hopefully find the path of best.
One step at a time like running top speed down a vertical cliff face, This is what a Ranger taught me.
I would struggle to get that gumption back at my age though its buried deep and that's foundation.

Rock On
Floyd