Frequently, a client’s dog will herald my approach by barking furiously while standing on the back of a couch in the window. Often enough this very client wants help teaching this dog not to bark at passing pedestrians with or without dogs of their own.

As with most behavioral challenges, there are both active and passive solutions that might be employed. Passive solutions range from the obvious if impractical — move the couch — to the absurd. One’s mind boggles at the complex arrays of blackout curtains, baby gates and portable fences humans contrive, impeding human mobility while making a mockery of interior design.

One can teach one’s dog that she is not permitted on furniture that enables her stints on sentry duty. I have yet to meet the dog that patrols windows or perimeters for entertainment.

Since, however, the perch or place by the screen door may be a source of warmth and/or fresh air of which Fifi is not to be deprived (during more clement seasons than our current deluge), I prefer that my clients teach her not to be on sentry duty even in that location.

This in turn can be taught using both active and passive approaches. We must teach Fifi when she signals her intention to ward off threats by going from relaxed posture to “battle stations”. At that point we might correct Fifi by warning her and then praising her when she “stands down”, the active approach. Or we might call Fifi to us in warm and excited tones, the passive approach.

I witnessed a dog who, after a single active correction, “checked in” by making eye contact with my client the next time she jumped up. The client praised her; she relaxed, and ignored subsequent passers-by.

Not every dog learns as quickly, not every human teaches as effectively so quickly either. Patience, persistence and flexibility, however, always carry the day. It’s just a matter of time. (Apologies to Brook Benton).

— Submitted by Peter Levy, Bark Buster’s Certified Trainer

Many people take their dogs to obedience class, spend hours teaching the dog to walk at heel, and promptly abandon the technique. I’ll be told, for example, “my dog is all over the place on walks, sniffing and marking on everything.  If I stopped him from doing that he wouldn’t have any fun.”  Others have told me: ” I prefer that she is in front; that way I have warning that she is going to misbehave”.

We are taught to heel the dog as a way of managing behaviors, not merely to equip us to participate confidently in doggie parades and other. Quite simply, a dog that is even a step in front of you is under the psychological impression that he or she is leading; when you are in front, they are much more likely to defer to your wishes.  This is true even if the dog has learned not to pull.

Keeping the dog in the heel position (and educating your dog) enables you to dissuade dog-aggressive dogs from challenging other dogs you encounter; it assures passers-by who may be leery of dogs despite Fido’s sweet disposition that Fido will neither lunge at them nor jump up on them for attention.

While we still allow opportunity for sniffing and marking (or not), we actually give our dog more stimulation, and she’ll arrive home more tired and happier, when we challenge her to respond to what we ask her to do.  Similarly, if we keep her next to us, and watch for abrupt shifts in her body language as we walk, we will equip ourselves to modify her behavioral choices as opposed to being alerted that she’s ready to lunge and yank our arm from its socket yet again.  Last but not least, if I need to go to a mail box or a waste receptacle, I know that keeping the dog in a psychologically subordinate position will enhance the brevity and harmony of that trip.

— Submitted by Peter Levy, Bark Buster’s Certified Trainer

Is your dog the Maître D’ of your household?

On more than one occasion, I have walked into a home to be greeted by jumping dog. “If you just pet Sergei, he’ll stop jumping” the client will suggest. I experienced the darker side of this human behavior pattern last weekend when I worked with Sadie, a fearful German Shepherd Dog, and her owners, Sally and Martin. As I walked into their yard, Sadie was barking furiously. Martin suggested showing me what he typically does to manage Sadie around visitors. He ushered me into the kitchen, had me sit in a chair at the table, muzzled Sadie and led her in. He invited her to sniff me, suggesting in soothing tones: “see, Sadie, Peter’s alright”. Sadie, extremely agitated, butted me repeatedly with her muzzled snout until Martin led her away.

I explained to Martin that his approach was teaching her that he and/or Sally wanted Sadie to decide if visitors were welcome or not. She had already voiced her opinion in the yard. I predicted that Sadie would be calmer and happier if she had no responsibility for greeting and assessing visitors. We invited Sadie in a second time. This time Martin made her stay about fifteen feet from where I sat. He corrected Sadie with his voice tone every time she focused on me, praising her promptly as soon as she looked away. Once Sadie understood that she was not responsible for me, she accepted my presence quite comfortably; eventually sniffing calmly on her own terms (which meant a shy approach until she was confident that she wouldn’t be rebuffed).

Just like Sadie, the jumping toy breeds are trying to establish the same primacy with visitors that they feel they “enjoy” in their own household. This leadership position is neither comfortable for the dogs, nor a matter of their ambition. Like Sadie, almost every dog would rather that their humans took charge; we’re much too complicated and unpredictable for any dog to feel comfortable with humans as his or her subordinate.

Submitted by Peter Levy, Certified Bark Busters Trainer