9 month old Sprockerpoo problems

[Mum of Ted]

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Hoping someone can help us. Our Teddy is 9 months now and seems to be causing us so many issues we are at our wits end. He has began barking at literally anyone on a walk, anyone who knocks at the door, anyone who we actually let in the house and even when there are sitting down, we can't take him down the seafront, sit outside a cafe ( probably never inside!) and after we have tried to follow helpful guides and advice he just doesn't give up. We try to stand between him and people, we've tried just a 'stop' or a 'thankyou'...we end up at home having to put him in another room because even if he goes up to someone in our home he will lick their hand but then still bark. He is an anxious little boy, husband works from home but when we leave him for a while he's fine he doesn't whine, we have a camera to check this. He doesn't chew things amd is very loving but seems very nervous or heightened when out...nothing has ever happened when out on a walk amd he has only just started, probably a month ago. He has just been neutered and other than when people ring the door he is quite calm at home. He pulls when he walks, his nose is permanently to the floor, he never just seems to walk and enjoy his surroundings everything is so hyper all the time on walks..he pulls to get to other dogs, we've tried all leads and paid for a trainer 1 to 1 but although he taught us some good things Ted seems to now be ignoring it all..so when he pulls we stop, we wait for him to come back to us in his own time, give a treat and then we carry on but it's near enough permanent. Would anyone recommend Yucalm? I've read that he seems to think he's the Alpha and protecting us, and we need to reverse the roles but walks are so hard. Would a creche help or would that be too much for him...he comes back off the lead but if another dog is in sight it's harder to get his attention...I've orderd a whistle to maybe help with this. He responds to treats and so we always have a bit of cheese of sausage when walking but his concentration doesn't last and a high value treat doesn't seem to keep him nex to us long. We can't afford any more training although we know we need help with him. Will he ever calm down on walks...should we just take him down the seafront and sit on a bench as its busy and allow him to take it all in? Would a muzzle help with barking? I don't like them though. Please help.
Sorry about long message. And it's all a bit muddled

 

[JoanneF]

I think you have a combination of things coming together all at once. One, a blend of high energy dogs. Two, adolescence. And three, possibly a second fear period. And, maybe some giddy brain cells for good measure.

So, a few thoughts. A basket muzzle won't stop him barking, and the fabric ones should only be used for moments at a time (like vet procedures).

He doesn't think he is alpha (unless he has taken money from your purse and stolen the car keys). That theory was well and truly discredited some years ago.

For the barking, I suggest having a "stop barking” or ”quiet” cue. I would train it like this.

Get a yoghurt pot, and smear the inside with wet dog food, squeezy cheese, yoghurt or anything else your dog likes. When he starts to bark, you can offer the pot to lick - he can't bark and lick at the same time.

As he is doing that, repeat the word that will become your ”quiet” cue.

After some repetitions and you think he has got it, give the cue and if he stops barking, give the pot as a reward (if he doesn't stop barking, stay at step 1 for longer).

When he is stopping on cue, gradually increase the delay between the cue and reward.

Once it is reliable, you can start fading the reward to something more convenient.

For pulling, I like kikopup's method in this video (she has a Stop Barking video too)

He probably would also benefit from calming activities - scent training would be a good one for his breed mix.

And, most dogs could use help with impulse control - another video for you

I don't think a creche would help. You want to get his focus on you, not be magnetised to other dogs. Equally I don't think a whistle would help, it won't make you more exciting than other dogs. And that's what you need. You want you to be the centre of his universe.

I bang on a lot about engagement. You can't train a dog that isn't engaged with you. So I recommend rewarding every time he offers engagement - if he looks at you, tell him good boy and give a treat, a toy or an ear rub. Mix it up to keep the ”what will it be” element.

Outside, don't just walk, play with him and be more fun. Give yourself more distance from other dogs - that will make it a lot easier. If you do meet another dog, allow a 5 second greeting and then say "let's go” and walk on.

Sorry, I've probably missed out stuff but I'm on my phone and being driven so it's not as easy as normal to reply.

 

[Mum of Ted]

Thankyou for reply, the yogurt pot trick seems good and will definately try that at home. About to watch the videos.

 

[JoanneF]

I edited to add more thoughts, hopefully something in there will help.

 

[Victoria Salter]

Hoping someone can help us. Our Teddy is 9 months now and seems to be causing us so many issues we are at our wits end. He has began barking at literally anyone on a walk, anyone who knocks at the door, anyone who we actually let in the house and even when there are sitting down, we can't take him down the seafront, sit outside a cafe ( probably never inside!) and after we have tried to follow helpful guides and advice he just doesn't give up. We try to stand between him and people, we've tried just a 'stop' or a 'thankyou'...we end up at home having to put him in another room because even if he goes up to someone in our home he will lick their hand but then still bark. He is an anxious little boy, husband works from home but when we leave him for a while he's fine he doesn't whine, we have a camera to check this. He doesn't chew things amd is very loving but seems very nervous or heightened when out...nothing has ever happened when out on a walk amd he has only just started, probably a month ago. He has just been neutered and other than when people ring the door he is quite calm at home. He pulls when he walks, his nose is permanently to the floor, he never just seems to walk and enjoy his surroundings everything is so hyper all the time on walks..he pulls to get to other dogs, we've tried all leads and paid for a trainer 1 to 1 but although he taught us some good things Ted seems to now be ignoring it all..so when he pulls we stop, we wait for him to come back to us in his own time, give a treat and then we carry on but it's near enough permanent. Would anyone recommend Yucalm? I've read that he seems to think he's the Alpha and protecting us, and we need to reverse the roles but walks are so hard. Would a creche help or would that be too much for him...he comes back off the lead but if another dog is in sight it's harder to get his attention...I've orderd a whistle to maybe help with this. He responds to treats and so we always have a bit of cheese of sausage when walking but his concentration doesn't last and a high value treat doesn't seem to keep him nex to us long. We can't afford any more training although we know we need help with him. Will he ever calm down on walks...should we just take him down the seafront and sit on a bench as its busy and allow him to take it all in? Would a muzzle help with barking? I don't like them though. Please help.
Sorry about long message. And it's all a bit muddled

First of all, the whole alpha dominance thing is false and is based on flawed research done on captive wolves. Wolf packs in the wild don’t generally have alphas, except, in rare cases, when a stranger joins the pack. It’s usually really just that the parents are in charge of their pups. Wolf packs are usually just families.
Also, as for barking, a good thing to do would be to try verbally correcting him (not yelling, scolding or abuse), taking him away, ignoring him, turning your back and waiting for him to calm down before you go where you were again. Keep doing this until he eventually just calms down when you are where you want to be walking him. When he is good and calm, heavily reward him with praise, petting and treats.
Keep exposing him to other dogs and people coming over. Don’t ever let him stop you from having visitors over unless it is truly unsafe.
For when you do have people and/or other animals over, whether for training purposes or otherwise, I would advise creating a sin bin for him. Just a pen, in a quiet part of the house, where he will be put if he misbehaves, after being corrected verbally or with a sound-based correction (e.g clapping your hands, ah-ah (like Victoria Stilwell!) or with a horn or even a puff of air (not into his face, but right by him), take him to the sin bin and lock him for a few minutes, completely ignoring him. It is important that you don’t pay him any attention when he is in the sin bin (no treats, no petting, no talking to him, not even any negative attention) whilst he is in the sin bin. He has to learn. Also, don’t give in and let him out of the sin bin whilst he is whining and creating, otherwise he will learn that that is a great way to be let out and get what he wants! Only let him out when he is good. When he is good, also heavily reward him with treats, praise and pets. If you keep on having visitors over, both with and without other animals (if safe - please also make sure that any other animals that are brought in are good with other animals on neutral territory and that he will not actually be aggressive to them either), and keep up with this training, eventually, he may learn to behave.

 

[JudyN]

For when you do have people and/or other animals over, whether for training purposes or otherwise, I would advise creating a sin bin for him. Just a pen, in a quiet part of the house, where he will be put if he misbehaves, after being corrected verbally or with a sound-based correction (e.g clapping your hands, ah-ah (like Victoria Stilwell!) or with a horn or even a puff of air (not into his face, but right by him), take him to the sin bin and lock him for a few minutes, completely ignoring him. It is important that you don’t pay him any attention when he is in the sin bin (no treats, no petting, no talking to him, not even any negative attention) whilst he is in the sin bin. He has to learn. Also, don’t give in and let him out of the sin bin whilst he is whining and creating, otherwise he will learn that that is a great way to be let out and get what he wants! Only let him out when he is good. When he is good, also heavily reward him with treats, praise and pets.

This is quite outdated advice, and Victoria Stilwell has changed her methods a lot. We are dealing with the dog's emotions here - the aim isn't to make an overaroused, anxious dog 'behave', but to change his emotions, so he's calm in the situation. Yes, we should reward calm behaviour, but not punish unwanted behaviour, because this, if anything, will just teach him to suppress his emotions... like putting a lid firmly on a boiling pot.

A safe, calm place is good, but to be used as a refuge, not a punishment.