Whippet Problems

[stanley1]

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Hi all!

My names Jo and I have a wonderful 1 and a half year old male whippet called Stanley. Who I adore. I knew before getting a whippet they were very clingly dogs. But I ran my own dog walking company and when he was old enough he used to join me on walks. But I have recently opened a grooming parlour and pet boutique where he comes with me. But he has started to bark frantically when people come into the shop, at first we thought it was because of the dogs but he seems to do it when people come in without thier dogs. So I brought a baby gate and put it so he was still in the shop area but unable to get to the customers, now he barks, screams and them poo's and wee's everywhere when I walk out from the baby gate. I have ignored it when he does it but when he barks and your trying to talk to people its hardfor them to hear me. He never does this at home. I have started leaving him at home with my mum and we have been going out for 10 mins at a time which works, but at the shop he is like a different dog.

Can anyone help?

Regards

Jo

 

[Nicola]

Is he crate trained? Maybe something has spooked him, and he doesn't like to be separated in the shop where he may have been frightened by a noise, and now wants to be with you at all times? Complete guess work...but sometimes if they feel they are in a place they know is secure, this will comfort them. A partly covered crate would be ideal, even if you leave the door open and keep the gate in place. It's somewhere he can retire to and feel safe. Just a thought....? :luck:

 

[jinnyfizz]

He sounds as though he feels extremely threatened and I wonder if the change of lifestyle has anything to do with this.

He obviously spent alot of time out walking when you were doing the dog walking but now he is spending time just sitting around in the shop and this may be the cause of the onset of this behaviour which has then escalated as he has convinced himself that there is something to worry about every time the shop door opens.

The crate is a good idea but it sounds as though he started off by "guarding" things in the shop and this has turned to fear aggression, hence the panic wees and poos when you go into what he considers to be the "danger area".

One way to try to desensitise him from this behaviour is to get a whole string of your friends, customers etc to keep coming into the shop and letting Stanley greet them, barking or not, ignore him and once he stops barking then ask them to reward him with a treat or stroke (whatever he likes most!) In time he will get the message that barking gets him nowhere but being quiet gets him a treat or attention.

There is also a chance that he is bored and has found out that barking gets him attention (albeit in the form of being told to be quiet) that is another possibility as whippets are extremely intelligent dogs and can devise various methods of demanding they get their own way!

I would provide a crate and abide by the old rule of ignoring bad behaviour and rewarding good behaviour. It hasn't failed for me yet :thumbsup: Good luck :luck: