Extra special surprise for DK members!!!!

[Jess & Stewart]

Boy do I have treat for all of you! I was able to get a video of Stew's guarding. The dog butt hook I have his leash hanging on fell to the ground & of course our lovely Stew couldn't resist guarding it.

Ironically, it actually wasn't too bad. I ended up able to redirect him into a sit, he dropped it, then went nuts over it again. Was able to redirect him again away from it & out to go for a walk.

Will post the video when I am back at my computer.

[Jess & Stewart]

Oh bummer. That's a great city, I love the Inner Harbor. It's crazy though with all the riots & stuff lately.

[Jennifer & Truffle]

I wonder whether someone like Doggy Dan would be able to do some personal Skype consulting with you, Jess. Our Truffle has food guarding issues and his videos addressing that issue helped us to effectively address the problem when Truffle was a puppy.

Adina - do you happen to know if Dan does that from New Zealand?

[Adina P]

I don't know, honestly.  Clark might.  I'll ask him.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Hi Jess

I have not chimed in yet.  You are really truly between a rock and a hard place.  Why are you so afraid of Stew?  Has he bitten you?  If he has actually bitten you as in drawing blood and tearing flesh, you need to turn him over to DRC because I think Lauri is right you and he are not a good match.

If Stew has not bitten you, what the heck is going on?  Something not related to Stew?  Were you once badly bitten as a child?  Stew does not appear belligerent in the video.  In the first video he is at first happy and then confused - too many words.  In the second video he just wants the hook, and he can not possibly pick out the word you mean from all the others. I do not see any evidence of aggression, just stubborn. 

Some hints to get you off the couch.  Unless you have previous experience with him attacking you for no reason, it will not happen.  He will get tired of whatever he thinks is his and leave it - pick it up and put it away.  So pick up and put away anything Stew cannot have.  Put it behind closed doors, in a drawer, etc.  For the time being all you care about is that he potties in the right place and begins to understand that a certain tone of voice means you are saying something important to him.

Assume all other things said around Stew are just talking and not telling or commanding and he is not listening.  You are basically starting over.  The voice you use in the videos and the words are perfect for puppies, they respond to high pitches, lots of energy.  Once puberty hits (even in a neutered dog) you must switch to a deeper, firm, this is one time only offer voice for obedience.  

Every day fill your pockets with very small treats such as Charlie Bears or his mealtime kibble, there is nothing wrong with making him earn it. Put a prong collar on Stew and attach a 15 foot rope to it.  It stays on him.  Prong collars have a place in dog training.  They are easy to use, do not choke or damage a dog's neck (like a choke collar used incorrectly might).  Do not pull on the rope and prong collar or even lead him around.  Do not leave him unattended with collar and rope on.  Put him in a safe place, crate, bathroom, laundry room, etc.  To come out he lets you put the collar on for a small treat. 

 When you want to go somewhere in the house and want Stew to come with you - as he must, since he can't be by himself in the rope and collar walk by him until the rope is almost tight, keep your back to him and say exactly this "STEW COME" once only.  Nothing else, not one word.  Use your Papa Bear voice, deep and firm.  Use this voice only for NAME and ONE WORD commands. 

  .    If Stew comes beside or very near you reward him with one treat and you may look at him and smile.  If he does not come, with your back still toward him, reinforce the command with one firm brisk tug on the rope and repeat the command "COME STEW" in papabear voice once only;  if he comes near you (don't you move close just keep wlalking slowly  away!!) and gets close enough treat, if he does not repeat brisk tug and command "Stew Come".

NEVER EVER LEAVE HIM ALONE WITH THE COLLAR AND ROPE ON _ NOT EVER.  Live like this for a week.  Smile, rub pet and make over him when he comes to you voluntarily just for a minute or two.  As you walk by him laying down, smile and pet him

If you don't make any progress with this in a week it is my inadequacy in explaining it and not your fault,  I truly mean this.

If you are pulling my leg with this, you did a good job.  If you are truly afraid, I feel so badly for you.  Get a trainer, not a behaviorist.  Keep trying trainers until you get one who helps you!  You must conquer anxiety, fear,  and guilt to get where you want to go. Dog trainers educate owners to train their dogs.  If the trainer does not work for you, get another one.  Even a good friend who is dog savvy could help you some.

[Jess & Stewart]

Maryann, I'm not sure if I'm friends with you but I'll send you a PM.

[Amy and Annabelle]

Jess, if you do go this route with the pinch/prong collar, it is for indoors only. Annabelle's has come apart while on her. It is not an if they get out of it, it is a when they get out of it. But it does work. When Annabelle has hers on, she is a perfect angel and does everything you tell her. But it is for inside and under supervision only. They are in links and you wouldn't want him to not only run off, but also possibly swallow a link.  It was the training collar of choice of our trainer. I was leery of it at first because it does look like a torture device.

[F, Calla & Luca]

There are ways to use a backup system, check out Leerburg.com. My dogs are always on their pinch collars when we go out. They have special closures so I never use the links which helps from having them open spontaneously.

[Amy and Annabelle]

Mine is not a leerburg but it looks just like it, so I am not understanding what the difference is. I have tried using the 2 collar thing, but that didn't work so well either.

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

After having a regular pinch/prong collar come apart on 2 different occasions while we were out walking, I finally got a Herm Sprenger Neck Tech collar like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Herm-Sprenger-Collar-Neck-Tech/dp/B004X71WBM

There is absolutely no way the links can come apart spontaneously. Plus, I like the fact that this collar looks more like a silver necklace rather than a traditional prong. :-)  The little "teeth" are a little shorter than a traditional prong, so it doesn't work quite as well if Winnie's neck hair is long.

[Amy and Annabelle]

Thanks, I like that one...well maybe not the price. I like that it doesn't look like a pinch collar and if the design is such that it doesn't come apart, all the better.

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

It is definitely worth the price!  I tried linking her regular collar with the prong, and couldn't ever get a good response.

It feels very secure- I can confidently take her on a bike ride with it.  Rarely do I ever have to give her a correction anymore as simply having the collar on reminds her that she needs to behave. :-)

[F, Calla & Luca]

The two collar thing is what I meant. But using a closure not by pinching prongs I think help keeps the prongs from becoming easier to open spontaneously.