Ask the Dog Trainer: Dealing with Fear of Larger Dogs

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Oliver (in the middle) Joins the Big Dogs
at the Park for a Group Greeting

Dear Michael,  

I have a toy poodle that is about 7 years old. She is prissy and fearful of bigger dogs. Our neighborhood is like dog central. Mostly larger dogs but a few small ones like Chihuahuas and a Boston Terrier, plus a few crosses or rescued mutts. When I walk Muffin she is always interested in visiting other small dogs. She’s not playful but she does sniff and sort of say hello in a doggy way. Sometimes she will even stop to see a medium-sized dog like one cocker that lives around the corner. But when we see a bigger dog she will snap and growl if we get too close. I have to avoid these dogs and their owners so that Muffin doesn’t get herself into trouble. I don’t want her to get hurt. Is there a way to help her understand when a larger dog is friendly and ok to say hello to? I don’t know how to help her with this. Any tips you have would be appreciated. 

Thank you, Janet

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 Dear Janet,

My heart really goes out to your little poodle. Life is complicated, so full of unknowns. I can really empathize. It’s hard to know who is safe and who is a threat. Why is he looking at me like that? Is she up to no good? Can I trust that one? While our brains are asking and processing all these questions, our emotions (think gut level) are sorting through memories and trying to fill in gaps where memories are lacking. We need to know how to handle every potential social interaction, and antisocial threat for that matter, and we sometimes only have seconds to figure it all out. It’s hard. And we are humans, supposedly the smartest animals on the planet.

Now scale all that down to your prissy little poodle (we really shouldn’t call her that, it’s not nice). But seriously, what’s a dog to think? She’s little. The big dogs, they’re really big (could be 5-10 time her size). And, who knows how the big dogs roll on any given day. One wrong choice can be fatal. For real. Better to be safe than sorry, right? Maybe that’s what she’s thinking.

But no one wants to live in fear. We can all agree on that. And you want to help, which is nice. And I want to help you, too. So, let’s sort this out.

Have your dog’s back. If you needed help with a tough situation, what would you want. An advocate maybe? Someone looking out for your best interests? A coach, perhaps? Exactly. Having your dog’s back includes two things. 1) Teaching her what do to at any given moment. I literally like to teach my dogs to look to me for instructions (like a friend asks for advice) when they are unsure of a situation. Don’t bite, don’t bark, check in with me. As you progress you can teach more advanced skills, like how to interact, sniff and otherwise greet dogs on a loose leash. The second part of having your dog’s back 2) Protect her from situations she’s not ready to handle yet. We humans are always in such a hurry. Hurry up prissy (seriously, no name calling) and get over it already. Well, let me tell you, that doesn’t work. If your dog looks unsure, steer her away from the big guys and gals. There’s no shame in that. Every growl-snap blow-up solidifies her fear and sets back your training considerably. Take your time. Work smart.

Teach her that she is safe. If you use reinforcement-based training to teach her how to handle herself when big dogs are around (look to you for instructions etc.), you can actually help her learn that she’s not in any real danger. A good qualified dog behavior consultant who understands desensitization and counter conditioning can help with this. All your dog needs to know is that you will protect her and that seeing big dogs means good things (not bad) are about to happen. Specifically, she’s going to get treats for following your simple instructions. Every encounter with a big dog comes with structure as well as your praise and treats. It’s subtle, but this teaches your dog that she’s safe (not in any real danger) when big dogs are around.

Support good choices. Let’s watch how this plays out. When you notice your dog making good behavior choices (especially when she sees big dogs), be there to support those choices. Praise her. Treat her. Smile and let her know she’s being a brave girl. Here are some good dog choices to be on the lookout for:

• Checking in with you on her own (not barking)
• Steering clear of the dog on her own (as you’ve shown her do to many times before)
• Approaching the other dog slowly on her own (don’t force this)
• Allowing the dog to sniff while she’s calm on a loose leash (your behavior coach can help you get to this level).

Oliver's Ears Tell the Story:
He's on High Alert Here

How do you measure success? At first, I look for lower intensity reactions from the dog, like less barking or choosing to walk away rather than snap. I also look for quicker recovery times from the dog, responding faster to your directions if she gets in past her comfort level and barks or snaps. In the long run, we aim for calm social interactions. There’s a lot we can do and there is help available to you. When all is said and done, though, it’s up to the dog. She may end up being more comfortable hanging with the little dogs. Maybe that’s just how she rolls.

© used with permission from Robyn Arouty Photography

Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA works with families with fearful and aggressive dogs in Houston, TX. He’s a regular contributor to allthingsdogblog.com, Chron.com and his own blog michaelbaugh.com

Michael's advice does not replace an actual consultation with a qualified trainer.

Ask the Dog Trainer About Fears

by Michael Baugh CDBC, CPDT-KSA

courtesy bennopictures via Flickr.com
Dealing with Dogs' Fears

Dear @AllThingsDog Daily,

Can someone give me a little advice on my buddy MEAT?? He's an almost 2-year-old 80 pound English Bulldog. For the most part he's an excellent dog, but he has some quirks that I just don't and can't understand. All of a sudden he's become spooked by just about every strange outside noise that he hears. A little bump or something that he doesn't know, and it's grumbling and fussing, all in the form of barking. Sometimes he'll look at me first and if I just shake my head no and tell him it's okay, he'll lay back down. 

And also, for some reason he believes in shape shifting, I guess. The other day he was laying in the floor looking straight at me while I put on a hat and looked in a mirror. I turned and looked at him and he starts growling at me. Sounded ferocious until I spoke to him and pulled of that hat. He doesn't think that hats are evil because my brother in law always wears a hat and he never gets that reaction. It's only when someone puts a hat on and he sees them afterward. Is he crazy or what??

Jerry Cartwright via @AllThingsDog Daily newspaper

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Dear Jerry,

Here’s how it goes with most of us humans. If you’re about as crazy as I am, then you’re pretty much normal. If you’re crazier, then yeah you’re really crazy. Not so crazy? Then wow, you’ve got your act together. So really, what is crazy? Is Meat crazy? I don’t know. From your letter he sounds like one of the many varieties of “normal” in the world of dogs. But, we can do better than normal. Hats off to you for reaching out for help (get it, hats off?)

Lot’s of dogs have fears. The ones you describe are pretty typical: sounds, and people who wear hats (yes, even if it’s you). Other dogs are afraid of children, visitors who ring the doorbell, people who deliver packages, tall men, women who wear sunglasses – the list goes on and on. Crazy? Sort of, but not really. You see, if I’m born a dog then there’s a 100% chance my mother was a dog. If I had siblings, they were all dogs too. I came into the world as a dog, expecting to be fully a dog and do dog things. But then, guess what? When I was a couple months old I was plopped right into a family of humans, full of human activities, and all the weirdness that comes with living with intelligent bipedal primates. How crazy is that?

Stay with me here. I’m still a dog, a puppy actually. Up until I’m about 4 ½ months old I’m taking in all this data and figuring out what’s what? Whoa, vacuum cleaner. Is that safe? Okay, maybe. There’s a visitor. Cool, she likes me. Now we’re on a car ride. It’s a bit scary, but then we end up at puppy class and that’s fun. So, car rides check out. They are good. As a puppy in this early stage of my development I’m constantly evaluating events in my life and I only have one criterion. Is this good for me, or not?

Why? Because I’m a dog. Like all animals, I have precious little time to experiment with things that might be dangerous. We expect most animals to be afraid of us and the things related to our human lives. Birds, squirrels, coyotes, and deer are all afraid of us and our stuff. The one’s who aren’t are the exception. Crazy bird, landing on a guy’s extended finger. Crazy squirrel, letting that lady pet him. Crazy coyote get out of here. And, oh deer. Why do our dogs’ natural fears surprise us? Should we expect anything else?

Let’s get back to the Meat of the matter. We have to work very conscientiously to introduce our puppies to the twists and turns of life with humans. Honestly, most of us do a pretty crummy job of it. We skip puppy class. We don’t give our young dogs a variety of experiences. We basically coddle and shelter him from the world he’s going to have to deal with eventually. We miss the importance of doing these things when he’s young, when it’s easiest, when our efforts have the most lasting impact. If this was you, you’re not alone. My guess is you tried your best, and maybe it just wasn’t enough. That happens to a lot of us as well. We have a few weeks to teach our dogs how to live with us in our wacky world, and then the fears start creeping in. I’ve been on this planet nearly 5 decades. I get it. Even that hasn’t been enough time to figure all this stuff out. How can a puppy do it in just a few weeks? Okay, I’ll say it. It’s crazy.

What happened? Our dogs missed experiences in their important early stages of development. Stuff we don’t understand scares us and the same is true for our dogs. They grow into their fears, not out of them. Around 6-18 months we might notice our puppies hiding from certain sights, sounds and experiences. It’s not a big deal. We do nothing, or maybe we think it’s cute. Worst case, we push our dogs to “get used to” the scary thing. We laugh at their fearful reaction. We shoot video. We post it on YouTube and get 17 million hits. It’s funny, until the dog starts barking, or growling, or worse.

I’m sure this wasn’t you, but it happens so often. Let me play the role of the dog again one last time. I don’t know what those sounds are; they scare me. I was born a dog so I’ll do the dog thing and bark to scare them off. I don’t know who that is – he looks different – why is he in my house. I’ll growl to make sure he doesn’t come any closer. Oh wait it’s you. Can you help me? I don’t understand what’s going on.

Of course you can help. Don’t let this blog post be a replacement for working with a qualified behavior consultant. I have some ideas for you, but you’ll need to get some in-person help to guide you through the process. We should teach Meat a few things right off the bat: 

• Dad’s got your back. This means you’re going to teach Meat some simple skills he can perform when scary stuff happens (usually this includes interacting with you in some way). Use food, toys and praise. Using any kind of force or coercion will only make the problems worse. Having his back also means you won’t force him to handle a scary situation he’s not ready for.
• Everything’s cool. Because we are teaching Meat using reward-based methods, we are automatically associating food, play and praise with formerly scary things. Your behavior consultant will call this counter conditioning, and it’s the path we want to walk with our fearful dogs.
• Meat has choices. I love teaching dogs to make appropriate choices to help them calm themselves. Again, this often means interacting with you – and it almost always means teaching calm relaxed behavior as a winning choice. Catch him in the act of getting it right and guide his behavior with your feedback.

Chances are these sudden changes in your dog’s behavior have actually been brewing for several months now. We frequently see a tip toward more offensive behavior related to fear at 18-36 months. That said, check with your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist to rule out any health problems.

Assuming that checks out, visit iaabc.org to find a behavior consultant in your area. You will be asking him or her about noise phobia, and sudden environmental contrast issues (hats off / hats on). Both are not uncommon issues. Your trainer / consultant will probably ask you several questions about other fears you may not have identified yet.

used with permission
RobynArouty.com

It’s not too late. Help is available. We just need to teach Meat that he’s safe – beef up his confidence a bit. (See how I did that?). I know. I’m crazy.

Michael Baugh CDBC, CPDT-KSA helps people with fearful and aggressive dogs in Houston, TX. He’s afraid of suspension bridges and reckless drivers in pickup trucks, the combination of which causes immediate emotional meltdown.

You may enjoy some of Michael's other posts that can all be found on the Dog Training archives page here, or check out these:

• Ask the Dog Trainer about Fearful Dogs
• Ask the Dog Trainer About Runners
• Helping Dogs with Thunder Phobia
• 5 Tips for Walking Multiple Dogs
• Quelling Puppy Biting Behavior

Michael's advice does not replace an actual consultation with a qualified trainer.

Ask the Dog Trainer About House Training

by Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Good Boy, Tanner!
You Don't Need the Bells

Here’s what I know about potty training dogs, and even young puppies. It can be as simple as we want to make it. It can also be as complicated as we want to make it.

That may seem a bit obvious, but think on that a minute (I’ll wait).

We worry an awful lot about our dog’s behavior when it comes to potty training. He won’t let us know when he wants to go out. He does his business outside when he wants to. Or worse still, he poops and pees in the house when he’s mad at us. My advice: let’s focus more on the behavior we can actually control – our own.

Successful potty training has everything to do with our actions.

• Let’s show up and notice when the dog poops and pees outside (and reinforce that behavior).
• Let’s supervise our dog carefully inside so he doesn’t “go” in the wrong place. And let’s set up a safe and comfortable area for him to stay in when we can’t supervise him.
• If that’s still too complicated, try this. To successfully potty train our dog or puppy, all we have to do is answer one question correctly: Where’s the dog?

Where’s the dog? He’s with me outside. I’m going to praise him and give him three treats right after I see him poop or pee.

Where’s the dog? He’s with me inside. I’m watching him carefully and will take him out regularly for potty breaks.

Where’s the dog? He’s in a safe room without carpet behind a baby gate. I can’t watch him now, but I know he’s not wandering around the house making messes. I’m also working on crate training my dog so he can stay there for short periods of time and maybe even overnight. Dogs who are crate trained have an easier time “holding it” in between potty breaks.

Maybe we get hung up on potty training because it is pretty straightforward and maybe we expect it to be complicated. That said, we could add a little flair to it. We can teach our dog to signal us when he wants to go out. Here’s how:

• Decide when we want to take our dog out for a potty break (every 1-2 hours in the early stages of training).
• Walk your dog to the door to exit, but ask him to “sit” before you open the door. (Use the same door every time for best results).
• When he sits, praise him and open the door. The back yard awaits him to trade in his (eh-hem) “precious products” for puppy treats. Ah, relief and snacks, that’s a good deal.
• Before long, you’ll notice your dog sitting at the door waiting to make that awesome deal over and over again.
• Now we have our signal – sitting at the door patiently. Notice when this happens – praise – let him out – treat him for doing his thing outside.

Used with permission
RobynArouty.com

Complicated? I think that’s really up to us. If we pay attention, see our dog potty outside, praise and treat, maybe it’s not so complicated. If we get the whole family onboard and keep asking each other “where’s the dog?”, it can be a delightfully simple team project.

Think on it. In the meantime, let’s take the dog out. Don’t forget the treats and the cleanup bags.

Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA helps clients who have fearful and aggressive dogs in Houston, TX.  He learned more than he ever wanted to learn about potty training from his Chihuahua Mix, Stewie.

Michael's advice does not replace an actual consultation with a qualified trainer.

Reviews, Giveaways, Advice: My Readers' Questions Answered

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
A Little Help?

I often receive emails and DMs about my reviews and giveaways. Likewise about my site's advice columns. It's time to come out of the closet. I'll try to answer all the questions I've been asked, but feel free to leave comments with other curiosities. I appreciate your interest!

• Why I never have negative reviews: I only review products that I can recommend for at least some of my readers who fit a certain profile (long ears, big, small, older, younger, whatever!). I NEVER review and slam a product that I do not like. It's not worth your time or mine.
• Selection of winners: Except in the case of a contest (I rarely do these), winners are drawn at Random.org. This is randomizer that selects a number from my total number of entries. If I have 87 entries and I place that number in the box at Random.org and it spits out number 43, that's the winner. And yes, sometimes that means counting down to the 43rd comment, Tweet, etc. #sigh
• Treats and Food:  I don't give away or review any food or treats that is not made in the U.S. #nuffsaid
• Grab bags, surprise packages, gift packs and more: Sometimes I have assorted items that simply cannot all be given away using a category. These are assorted into packages and given away as assortments. Each package is likely to be enjoyed by most any dog owner, as products included in these are of a general nature, useful to most, if not all, dogs or their pet parents.
• #PetCharityDonations: This is a Win-to-Donate program in which I draw names and donate specified products to a Petfinder rescue near me. This saves shipping and gas, while helping shelter pets. I am unable to ship many of these prizes to a shelter of your choice due to the cost of shipping. For example, the large dog crate that I gave away at the link above would have cost me $100 to ship. That cost would be prohibitive.
• Advertisers, Twitter Party Sponsors and Sponsorships:  When a company pays me to provide a social media service on their behalf, I only accept these jobs when I can, in my heart, share their product with you. Opinions provided in my articles about such sponsors are completely my own.
• Article choices:  I rarely share negative news about the pet industry unless it is a significant event related to pet health such as a recall. If the pet industry announced that peanut butter was deadly to dogs, I'd share this in an article to educate you. Otherwise, I generally share educational, fun, helpful topics. We are not a news blog.
• Weekly Wag Bonding series: Each Saturday I share tips across a variety of areas that are all focused on helping you bond more closely with your dog. My #doga series is often included in the Weekly Wag postings.
• Doga?  My yoga series that promotes bonding with your dog while you workout at home is simply that--a yoga workout program. If you choose to include your pet, please do it at your own risk, using the knowledge you have about your relationship with the pet.I have addressed some helpful tips for getting started here. I highly recommend that you and your dog or cat get your doctors' permission before beginning a yoga workout regimine of any kind.
• Ask the Trainer articles:  Over the years I have had several trainers write the Ask the Trainer column. Each may have had a slightly different take on a specified topic; however, they all agree on one thing--positive training works better than negative. My own articles on training topics follow this same pattern. Visit the link to look for articles on topics that appeal to you.
• Ask the Vet column:  Likewise, All Things Dog Blog has had several veterinarians who have penned the Ask the Vet articles. You'll find a complete list of these healthcare articles here.
• Organic pet food recommendations: Since day one I have fed and recommeded organic food for my readers. I only feed organic to my own dogs, in order to assure that they are not getting artificial ingredients, synthetic toxins, etc.  I understand that not all of you will choose to go this route, and I totally respect your decisions. Take my thoughts and tuck them in your memory banks for later.
• Fido's Freebie Friday:  This giveaway event is a Blog Hop which allows other pet-related sites that are running pet product giveaways to link up and share their event with you. This weekly event opens at 4 PM each Thursday and closes at 4 PM the following Thursday, therefore making it a 24/7/365 event. Giveaways may be accessed by simply clicking on the thumbnail image to visit the post where the prize is described. You may enter to win each prize per the instructions at that specific post.
• Photo Contests:  Winners of photo contests are judged by a panel of at least 2 judges that are independent of this blog. In other words, they do not work for me, and I am not the judge. Judges' decisions are final. Additional rules apply to each event.
• Rescuing Rover stories: These articles are written by my readers and published here to share their experiences. If you wish to submit a Rescuing Rover story, please send it to AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com, placing Rescuing Rover in the subject line.
• Pup Profiles: This series allows you to share a photo of your pup along with a very short bio that follows a specific pattern you'll find in the example at the link.
• Rainbow Bridge Memorial: Over the years I have published All Things Dog Blog, I have lost 3 pets and had many readers write to me about losing theirs. Some choose to share their pet's photo and a few words or a poem, as a way to memorialize their best friend. You'll find the memorial at the link. If you would like to include your own pet in our memorial, you need only write me at AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com with your pet's photo and the text you would like included. Don't forget Fido's name, and any dates you would like included.
• Tanner's Story: A good while back it was suggested that I write an interview with my dogs. Here's the result for Tanner.
• Oliver's Story: You'll find Oliver's interview here, and an update that includes the story about his latest skillset. It has been quite a ride!

Happy tails,

Ask the Dog Trainer About Runners

by Michael Baugh CDBC, CPDT-KSA 

Buffer

photo courtesy Adrian Midgeley via flickr.com
Runner Back!

Dear Michaels Dogs,

I live in a large residential area where many people walk their dogs and there are lots of joggers and runners. In some locations stepping off the sidewalk could be less stable footing for a runner so I generally step off with my 3 dogs to give way to runners as they pass. One in particular that I see regularly in our area has never passed us while we were walking until yesterday. I moved over as she approached to give her space to run past. 

My super friendly Goldendoodle moved toward her as far as the leash would allow in an effort to say hello and she began yelling at me, but did not stop to hear anything that I wanted to say. At this point she will probably be fearful of my dog if we pass one another again. Jinx is such a friendly boy that he never met a person he didn't like. He walks nicely with me and the other two calmer dogs, but he is enthusiastic about meeting people that pass. 

He doesn't jump but just wants to get closer to say hello and allow a petting. I think he assumes petting will occur with everyone since most people do choose to rub his back or "shake". When I walk past elderly people or small children I take a wider circle to avoid spooking them since he is a large dog. That is the only thing I could have done different for the runner who appeared  frightened of his friendly gesture. 

It was clear that she doesn't like dogs, but if she doesn't stop to talk I cannot help her understand or let her meet him in a calmer situation. Jinx would love to take off running with her! Can you help me figure out how to handle her if we pass again? I can't expect her to fall in love with Jinx but I would like her to understand that he wasn't moving toward her to attack. He was still at least 3 to 4 feet from reaching her and was on a leash; there was no danger, barking or disply of aggression. I hope you can help.

Anonymous from Hotmail

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Dear Anonymous,

What are the chances?  You actually stumbled upon (maybe I should phrase that), happened to meet a dog-training expert who is also – wait for it – a runner.

Surprise!

There are two things we runners fear the most: 1) Knee injuries and 2) Dogs.  Okay, we’re pretty iffy about cars and bicycles too.  Mostly we really want to steer clear of knee injuries caused by cars, bikes, or dogs.  Here’s the other thing about runners.  We spend a lot of time in our heads.  Running is a mental sport every bit as much as it is a physical sport.  Seriously, if you’re going to get up before dawn and run 5, 10, or 20 miles you’re going to have plenty of time to think.  (Here’s a secret. Mostly we’re thinking: I must be crazy to get up so early to run all this way with nothing chasing me).  Which brings me back to dogs.

Actually, that brings us to dog people.  We dog people don’t like it when other people yell at us about our dogs.  Right?  I know.  I absolutely believe that your golden doodle meant no harm.  And, how cool is it that you yield to runners on your walks?  It’s very cool.  Yes, you could have given that particular runner a wider birth as you do for children and senior folks.  And yes, you can do some nice training to improve your dog’s responsiveness to you so he doesn’t pop out to say “hi.” It’s a little like the goofy guy at the cocktail party who puts his arm around everyone and says “c’mon how about a little kiss?”  He means no harm. It’s just not polite.  Agreed?  We’ll get to that in a minute (the training not the goofy guy at the cocktail party).

But first, let’s talk about what’s really going on here.  The runner fussed at you and hurt your feelings, and that was rude.  She didn’t want to hear anything nice about your dog.  She didn’t want to listen to you at all. True?  Well, I’m listening.  I’m a runner and a dog person and I get it. 

If the runner had written me about this same incident (don’t worry she didn’t) I’d probably be equally empathetic. I’d write:  You were on mile 12 of a 15-mile run and some dog just pulled out towards you.  You lost your cool, but you had no time to stop and discuss it.  You were aiming for a negative split (google it), and you were in your head thinking that maybe your knees are getting too old for all this running nonsense anyway.  Dogs are always jumping out at you and when you tell people to control their dogs no one ever seems to listen.  Then I would type:  “I’m listening, though.  I’m a dog person and a runner, and I get it.”

Here’s my advice to you.  Let’s let this one go.  It was a bad moment for everyone involved and it’s best not to overthink it.  How about we work on training your sweet golden doodle to follow you off the path with the other dogs and pay close attention to you while even the most tempting of runners passes.  Use food and praise to let him know he’s getting it right.  He’ll love that.  For added safety, gather up his leash so he can’t spring away from you.  Practice a lot!  A lot!  Every runner every time!

And if you want to be really slick about it, call out “runner back!” right before you move off the path.  Then smile and say “have a good run.”  It will freak them out, which is fine.  We runners need to get out of our own heads from time to time anyway.

 

Robyn Arouty Photography

Michael Baugh CDBC, CPDT-KSA teaches dog training in Houston, TX.  He’s run five marathons and one half marathon (all of them rather slowly).

Michael's advice does not replace an actual consultation with a qualified trainer.

Help! My Dog Barks at the Mail Carrier

Michael Baugh CDBC, CPDT-KSA

Buffer

Fences Save Mail Carriers

Dear Michael,

How do I stop my dog from barking at the Mail Person so I won't get yelled at every day when the mail is thrown on the lawn?

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Dogs barking at the mailman (or postal carrier as they are called these days).  It’s probably the biggest cliché in the grand and celebrated history of dogs.  Of course, the thing about clichés is that they are rooted in truth.  Lots of dogs bark at postal carriers, and worse.  In fact, dogs bite postal carriers more than any other single demographic group.  It’s serious business.

That said, let’s get back to the cliché.  What better way to address a clichéd problem than with more clichés?

Good fences make good neighbors.  Please tell me your dog isn’t running free off-leash, outside a fence, harassing the postal carrier in the front yard.  I’m sure that’s not what’s happening, right?  Right…?  Postal carriers, like us dog trainers, don’t like to get bitten or “yelled at” by dogs.  It tends to make us yell back, and sometimes throw things – like your mail.  Let’s put a fence between those two warring parties, if at all possible.  It will help.

Distance makes the heart grow fonder.  Dogs tend to get less upset about things that are farther away from them.  So, for example, it would help a great deal if your dog were behind a fence (see cliché above) in your back yard rather than the front.  That’s a greater distance from where the postal carrier delivers the mail, in an orderly manner we hope – not throwing it anymore.

Out of sight out of mind.  This cliché is my favorite.  Yes, some dogs bark at sounds but most don’t bark at what they can’t see.  If that fence around your back yard were solid rather than chain link, we’d be in great shape.  Postal carriers come and go in peace and the dog is none the wiser. Heck, we could throw in a FedEx delivery or two as well.  No problem.

Home is where the heart is.  Cliché number four is the gold standard.  Bring that dog in the house in a room away from the front door.  The postal carrier is well protected (cliché one), far away (cliché two) and nowhere to be seen (cliché three).  No one is yelling, least of all your dog, and the mail is delivered safely and neatly.

I wish you and your dog the very best of luck. And, I offer best wishes to your snow-rain-heat-gloom-of-night mail courier.  I think we have a good plan now to keep everyone safe and happy.

But, that’s just one man’s opinion.

Used with permission
RobynArouty.com

Michael Baugh CDBC, CPDT-KSA is a writer and professional dog trainer.  He specializes in helping people with fearful and aggressive dogs in Houston, TX.

Michael's advice does not replace an actual consultation with a qualified trainer. Photo courtesy lupita.ala via Flickr.com