Dog Owner Chat! (for-fun poll added) (new chat)

[Cardinal]

So, this morning around 2 o clock my bf and I were going to bed (We stay up super late.. xD). Dogs were fed, lights off.. Silent outside.. Until we hear this scraping sound come from out front. Lucky makes a gruff sound then Juniper just LOOSES IT. I've NEVER heard her bark like this. It was a howling baying yodel.. idk. and she sounded cray-cray.

We go outside to find the lid drug off the garbage can and a bag ripped open. The trashcan is in full sight of the gate. Whatever got into it had already fled. We searched around and finally opened the gate. Juniper dashed out and over to a tree, snuffling and looking into the branches, but no more crazy insane barking. xD Put her back, locked the gate and cleaned up what little mess there was. The rest of the night was quiet.

I was completely caught off guard because she's never barked like that. D: Was pretty hair-raising.

[MacGyver]

Dixie's been looking so pitiful all day. She knows my dad's upset. Poor baby's laying her head in my lap right now. I just honestly don't know what to do. I don't want to give up on her, but is there really any way I can teach her to get along with our other dogs? Or is it something impossible to change and would it be best for her if she were an only dog?
I just don't want to lose her but I want to know what's best. Is there anything at all that I can do?

[Cardinal]

Dixie's been looking so pitiful all day. She knows my dad's upset. Poor baby's laying her head in my lap right now. I just honestly don't know what to do. I don't want to give up on her, but is there really any way I can teach her to get along with our other dogs? Or is it something impossible to change and would it be best for her if she were an only dog?
I just don't want to lose her but I want to know what's best. Is there anything at all that I can do?

She sounds insecure. I'd work on desensitizing her to the other dogs. Good amazing things happen only when the other dogs are around, I'd find a really special treat like roast chicken or ground beef.. Or even a spoonful of canned food.

Check out click for calm or BAT system of training. Both are on amazon.

Or go to an actual behaviorist, thats really your best bet.

No idea if this will help: http://www.clickersolutions.com/article ... tizing.htm but it has some recommended reading that could help.

[~Serenade~]

Had a great day with Bella today! We went to this amazing pet store that only sold healthy stuff, almost everything that was there I would feed to Bella and that's saying something because I'm super picky! (I think "Sojo" was the closets thing they had to unhealthy food there) They had Stella and Chewy's, Wysong, Honest Kitchen, Nature's Variety, Bravo, Primal, ect. It's a heaven for people like me who are tired of seeing shelves full of Beneful and Royal Canin.

It was also a dog bakery, so Bella got to have a pup cake (A dog version of a cup cake) which she loved. Got some Answers raw pet food, which all the cats and Bella loved. It's surprisingly cheap there, the goats milk is a huge hit, so we'll have to go back and get some of that soon, especially since the one cat downed it, and he's having problems with not eating right now.

[MacGyver]

Dixie's been looking so pitiful all day. She knows my dad's upset. Poor baby's laying her head in my lap right now. I just honestly don't know what to do. I don't want to give up on her, but is there really any way I can teach her to get along with our other dogs? Or is it something impossible to change and would it be best for her if she were an only dog?
I just don't want to lose her but I want to know what's best. Is there anything at all that I can do?

She sounds insecure. I'd work on desensitizing her to the other dogs. Good amazing things happen only when the other dogs are around, I'd find a really special treat like roast chicken or ground beef.. Or even a spoonful of canned food.

Check out click for calm or BAT system of training. Both are on amazon.

Or go to an actual behaviorist, thats really your best bet.

No idea if this will help: http://www.clickersolutions.com/article ... tizing.htm but it has some recommended reading that could help.

Thanks Cardinal. I'm saving that page (will read tonight) and going to order that book tomorrow.

I've tried treating her high value treats and praising her when another dog is in the room, but she still appears highly stressed every time. Her ears lay back and her lips get very tight and tense; not always lifting, but tight. And she's constantly nervously looking at the other dog while I'm treating her. I know it's not something that will happen overnight; I've been working with her on this for a year and a half now.

I've found a highly recommended behaviorist (I really like her thinking and methods), but even though I'd be paying for everything, my parents think it's a "waste of money". I'm not making excuses, believe me. That's what they think of it. I'd do ANYTHING in the world to help Dixie.

[Cardinal]

Dixie's been looking so pitiful all day. She knows my dad's upset. Poor baby's laying her head in my lap right now. I just honestly don't know what to do. I don't want to give up on her, but is there really any way I can teach her to get along with our other dogs? Or is it something impossible to change and would it be best for her if she were an only dog?
I just don't want to lose her but I want to know what's best. Is there anything at all that I can do?

She sounds insecure. I'd work on desensitizing her to the other dogs. Good amazing things happen only when the other dogs are around, I'd find a really special treat like roast chicken or ground beef.. Or even a spoonful of canned food.

Check out click for calm or BAT system of training. Both are on amazon.

Or go to an actual behaviorist, thats really your best bet.

No idea if this will help: http://www.clickersolutions.com/article ... tizing.htm but it has some recommended reading that could help.

Thanks Cardinal. I'm saving that page (will read tonight) and going to order that book tomorrow.
I've tried treating her high value treats and praising her when another dog is in the room, but she still appears highly stressed every time. Her ears lay back and her lips get very tight and tense; not always lifting, but tight. And she's constantly nervously looking at the other dog while I'm treating her. I know it's not something that will happen overnight; I've been working with her on this for a year and a half now.

Have they ever gone on walks together? How do they interact outside?

Being in the yard together with a really high value toy may help, or going for walks together may also help.

Good luck!

[MacGyver]

They're fine on walks, but just occasionally okay in the yard. In the yard, it's Sherlock who plays too rough and he just generally gets on Dixiesp's nerves. He chases her and tries to take her ball. (Her ball is THE number 1 top reward EVER for her). She's went after him and Murdoch a couple of times in the yard when they get too close to the ball or keep sniffing her. She HATES her rear being sniffed.

[Imzadi83]

They're fine on walks, but just occasionally okay in the yard. In the yard, it's Sherlock who plays too rough and he just generally gets on Dixiesp's nerves. He chases her and tries to take her ball. (Her ball is THE number 1 top reward EVER for her). She's went after him and Murdoch a couple of times in the yard when they get too close to the ball or keep sniffing her. She HATES her rear being sniffed.

Sounds to me like the other dogs are part of the problem as well. Are you working with them too? Espically Sherlock who's as you put it is playing too rough. As much as Dixie needs to learn to not react to problem with her teeth other dogs need to learn their manners too. Here's an article you might find helpful. http://www.suzanneclothier.com/the-articles/he-just-wants-say-hi

[MacGyver]

They're fine on walks, but just occasionally okay in the yard. In the yard, it's Sherlock who plays too rough and he just generally gets on Dixiesp's nerves. He chases her and tries to take her ball. (Her ball is THE number 1 top reward EVER for her). She's went after him and Murdoch a couple of times in the yard when they get too close to the ball or keep sniffing her. She HATES her rear being sniffed.

Sounds to me like the other dogs are part of the problem as well. Are you working with them too? Espically Sherlock who's as you put it is playing too rough. As much as Dixie needs to learn to not react to problem with her teeth other dogs need to learn their manners too. Here's an article you might find helpful. http://www.suzanneclothier.com/the-articles/he-just-wants-say-hi

Saving and will read later as well.

Yes, when I'm working on that situation, I work with two dogs at a time.
Sherlock x Dixie
Murdoch x Dixie
Stitch x Dixie

(Thought I'd go ahead and list her reactions to each dog):
Stitch is never any trouble, because he respects her space (he's a 10 yr old Pekingese). The only time Dix scuffled with him, was when he didn't hear her growl. (His hearing isn't as good as it was.)
Murdoch's nose just gets him too much trouble. He's always wanting to sniff her and when she warns him, he lays down and whines or wags his tail which makes her heighten her warning. When playing, he knows now to leave her be.
Sherlock usually heeds warnings inside, but sometimes ignores her or wags his tail; wagging type: extremely fast. His tail curls over his back so it's hard for me to tell much about his "tail language" like I can with Dixie and Murdoch. Outside, he's an EXTREMELY excitable little dog. He loves to chase and Dixie doesn't like being chased. He backed her into corner once trying to get the ball from her and that didn't go over big.

So the only dog Dixie gets outside time with is Stitch. I only have Sherlock or Murdoch outside with her if I'm working with them.

How do I teach Sherlock to not play so rough, and how can I teach Murdoch to respect her space?
Murdoch learned his lesson outside the first time she went after him in the backyard but he still bugs her in the house even though she's warned him and had a couple of scuffles when he ignored her.
Sherlock is just a brat when it comes to dog rules and respect. He barks and snaps at strange dogs for the majority, and really just gets too rough with ALL of our dogs when he's out in the yard. The only one he doesn't bother is Stitch. They all respect Stitch from what I've seen.

[.Middy.]

Took Princess to the beach today (no pictures, sorry!) and she actually got in the water on her own! I mean she wasn't exactly happy about it, but atleast she got in! While it wasn't exactly a bath, she smells ten times better after being in the sea water, and her coat! It's so soft!

Anyways I then decided to walk Chewie up to Petsmart. (It's like a mile walk) Chew did amazing! He didn't try to to into the street (except once when there was a motorcycle, I had a good hold of his leash though) and at the petstore we passed atleast 10 people inside (Or the same person multiple times so it comes to passing 10 probably) and he only reacted to one lady! I was so happy I gave him half a bone when we stopped on the walk back.

Usually he would have reacted all ten times passing someone, so I am beyond proud of him. On the walk there and back we passed numerous people and he didn't react to any of them. Somehow I got glass up under my foot then stepped on it, so we only walked halfway back before sitting down and waiting for a ride.

I have discovered how to stop him from reacting! I just have to exhaust him on the way to whereever then he wont react when we get there! Sure it's kinda the lazy way out but who cares lol