Post by DogGoneGood on Feb 1, 2009 14:02:22 GMT -5
A client of mine has a young dog who was taken away from her mother much too young (the family FOUND the puppy when she was a month old 
) and who is a very dominant dog. She lacks in proper social skills, has zero knowledge of bite inhibition, and will challenge anyone who tells her to do something she doesn't really feel like doing.
Specifically, the woman in the household has the most problems with the dog because the husband is a dominant figure, and the children are viewed more like playmates than someone with a real position in the household. When the woman gives an obedience command or is trying to get the dog to do something (such as going in her crate) the dog gets her "snarl face" on and will bite at the woman.
For this situation I prescribed continued obedience (she's a very smart dog who passed the obedience test with flying colours) as well as a very strict NILIF program. This is an example of how NILIF can be tailored to fit any dog's specific problems. Lilly's main problems being addressed here are: nipping and biting behavior, refusal to enter the crate, aggression towards strange dogs in uncertain situations (where Lilly feels nervous or threatened), mild food aggression, over excitement when greeting guests and general dominance.
[2] When Lilly Bites (more aggressive nipping/biting) give a very firm verbal and physical correction followed by a time out. This time out can be a down/sit stay or a time out in her crate. She must learn that this behavior is unacceptable and will end any fun she may have been having. If you were trying to tell her to do something (an obedience command or other) when this occurred, after the time out immediately bring her out and tell her to do what you asked of her in the first place. She MUST do what was asked of her, no questions asked. If she bites again, follow the same procedure; a firm no and correction followed by a time out. For repeated offences, you can lengthen the time out by 30 seconds to a minute.
[3] Door Ways and Stairs should always be entered by a human FIRST. Lilly is expected to sit and stay before a doorway or staircase until you tell her it is okay to move through. Until her dominance is controlled better, this is expected not just for doors leading outside the house, but doorways INSIDE the house as well. Once the dominance is under control, inside doorways aren’t as important, but it should still be asked of her from time to time. The best result would be if she sits and waits automatically, which can happen if the action is repeated consistently. If she passes through a doorway or up/down the stairs before a release command is given, give a verbal correction and place her back to the same spot or farther back (never let her gain distance; just like in the Stay exercise). If you find she is repeating the bolting you can add in a physical correction with the verbal correction to get your point across.
[4] Play time and Games should be kept short and calm. Excessive excitement will cause her to get the “zoomies” and she will most likely nip and bite repeatedly and you will loose all control over her. The best games to play would be fetch games (a standard fetch game or “Ready, Steady, Go!”). No tug o’ war and no razzle play. Play time should never be initiated by Lilly. If she demands for play while you would like to play with her, you must first get her to do an obedience command (sit, down etc.) before throwing the toy for her (this is where Ready, Steady Go can come in handy). If she is demanding for play when you do not have the time or will to play with her, give her a calm (not firm like a correction) “not now Lilly” or “no play time” etc. and ignore her. If she insists through pawing, jumping up, nipping, nudging etc. repeat your calm “not now” command. A third offence calls for a correction and reinforcement. “Not now Lilly” in a firm tone, followed by a light correction and then bring her away from where you were sitting, place her in a down and tell her to stay for a short time out. Same rules apply; if she moves she must go back to the same spot or farther back and the time starts all over again.
[5] Attention Seeking Behavior such as nudging, nipping, pawing, jumping etc. is not acceptable. Before she is given any attention such as pets and hugs she must work for it first. A sit or down should do just fine for working for it. If she shows attention seeking behavior while you would like to give her attention, give her a firm “no” then tell her what to do (“No, Lilly Sit/Down” etc.) once she has preformed this action she can be petted and praised. If you choose not to give her attention, follow the same drill when she is seeking to play and you do not want to play.
[6] Food and Treats should always be given by YOUR time, not Lilly’s. She must work for every treat and every meal by means of obedience. Begging is NOT acceptable. Remember; the best food is always reserved for the pack leader (who always eats FIRST)!
[7] Keep Lilly OFF the Furniture! Just like how the leader always eats first and gets the best meal, the best sleeping spots are also reserved for the pack leader. This means that all beds, couches, chairs etc. are off limits to Lilly. Prevention is the key, by keeping her off while you are in the room using a verbal command and keeping her off while you cannot supervise by putting her in her crate or in a room that does not have furniture.
[8] The Alpha always decides When and Who to Fight. Aggression towards other dogs or people is not acceptable for any reason. If you find a dog is following you on your walk it is YOU who decides to chase it off, not Lilly. You can accomplish this by putting Lilly in a Sit/Stay (hold her back or correct her to stay if you have to) and you step between Lilly and the stray dog and tell it to go home. If you wanted Lilly’s help, you would ask for it! This is why she needs to stay back and not take matters into her own “paws”.
[9] Greeting Guests at the Door should be done in a calm, controlled manner. If you know someone is coming over ahead of time, put the leash on Lilly for better control (a tab works great in the house, but a leash will give you a much greater range of control when needed). If it is an unexpected guest, you can use the tab or ask the guest to wait while you get the leash (keeping the leash accessible by the door may be the best option). Place Lilly in a sit and tell her to calm or “settle”. She should not be greeted by the guest until she is in a calm state. Ask the guest to reach out and let her sniff their hand, and if they would like to pet her to reach UNDER her chin or scratch her chest (reaching over the head is a dominant gesture and it is best to avoid any altercations between guests and your dog!). Once she has met the guest the guest should completely ignore her. If you have to, put her in her crate for a while (this is why a blanket over the crate can be so handy, so that she will not be stimulated by visually seeing the guest).
[10] The Crate Should be an Enjoyable Place. Every spare few minutes you have you should be teaching Lilly that her crate is her safe zone, and associate it with as many good things as possible. During time outs or at night she is FORCED into the crate because it is the best possible solution to contain her, but in the meantime she should also be learning to enjoy the crate (this will make it much easier to put her in the crate at night or during time outs)! This can be accomplished by throwing treats in the crate (or even hiding them amongst her bedding), or when you play fetch you throw the toy IN the crate. You can also feed every meal inside the crate if you would like. However, if she is displaying signs of food aggression still, I suggest placing the food in the crate before she enters and taking her out once she is finished before removing the dish. This will avoid any situation where she may feel threatened and bite. You should never remove your dog’s food bowl while she is eating unless you are going to put something even tastier in it when you return it!
[11] Exercise is so Important because Lilly is an extremely high energy dog. Indoor games such fetch, as well as 15 minutes of obedience every day will help tire her out. Of course, there is always the ever so effective nice long walk as well, but when weather does not permit it there are indoor games you can play. Physical activities as well as mental stimulation are both great ways to tire a dog out!
[/ul]
Good luck, and remember to be persistent and consistent! Constancy is the key to dog training and teaching proper pack behavior is just like training your dog. You want to always reward good behavior and punish bad behavior. You do not have to ENFORCE yourself as Alpha in a confrontational manner, but rather through these firmly structured rules you should be able to obtain a happier and much more enjoyable dog.
Just remember; Lilly must work for anything that she finds rewarding. It must always be on YOUR time, not hers and nothing in the house belongs to her. All of Lilly’s toys, dishes, food, bedding etc. was purchased by YOU and not by her. It is YOUR things, not hers and YOU decide when and how she gets to use them.
) and who is a very dominant dog. She lacks in proper social skills, has zero knowledge of bite inhibition, and will challenge anyone who tells her to do something she doesn't really feel like doing.Specifically, the woman in the household has the most problems with the dog because the husband is a dominant figure, and the children are viewed more like playmates than someone with a real position in the household. When the woman gives an obedience command or is trying to get the dog to do something (such as going in her crate) the dog gets her "snarl face" on and will bite at the woman.
For this situation I prescribed continued obedience (she's a very smart dog who passed the obedience test with flying colours) as well as a very strict NILIF program. This is an example of how NILIF can be tailored to fit any dog's specific problems. Lilly's main problems being addressed here are: nipping and biting behavior, refusal to enter the crate, aggression towards strange dogs in uncertain situations (where Lilly feels nervous or threatened), mild food aggression, over excitement when greeting guests and general dominance.
Lilly’s Rules:
These rules must be enforced by everyone in the household.
These rules must be enforced by everyone in the household.
[2] When Lilly Bites (more aggressive nipping/biting) give a very firm verbal and physical correction followed by a time out. This time out can be a down/sit stay or a time out in her crate. She must learn that this behavior is unacceptable and will end any fun she may have been having. If you were trying to tell her to do something (an obedience command or other) when this occurred, after the time out immediately bring her out and tell her to do what you asked of her in the first place. She MUST do what was asked of her, no questions asked. If she bites again, follow the same procedure; a firm no and correction followed by a time out. For repeated offences, you can lengthen the time out by 30 seconds to a minute.
[3] Door Ways and Stairs should always be entered by a human FIRST. Lilly is expected to sit and stay before a doorway or staircase until you tell her it is okay to move through. Until her dominance is controlled better, this is expected not just for doors leading outside the house, but doorways INSIDE the house as well. Once the dominance is under control, inside doorways aren’t as important, but it should still be asked of her from time to time. The best result would be if she sits and waits automatically, which can happen if the action is repeated consistently. If she passes through a doorway or up/down the stairs before a release command is given, give a verbal correction and place her back to the same spot or farther back (never let her gain distance; just like in the Stay exercise). If you find she is repeating the bolting you can add in a physical correction with the verbal correction to get your point across.
[4] Play time and Games should be kept short and calm. Excessive excitement will cause her to get the “zoomies” and she will most likely nip and bite repeatedly and you will loose all control over her. The best games to play would be fetch games (a standard fetch game or “Ready, Steady, Go!”). No tug o’ war and no razzle play. Play time should never be initiated by Lilly. If she demands for play while you would like to play with her, you must first get her to do an obedience command (sit, down etc.) before throwing the toy for her (this is where Ready, Steady Go can come in handy). If she is demanding for play when you do not have the time or will to play with her, give her a calm (not firm like a correction) “not now Lilly” or “no play time” etc. and ignore her. If she insists through pawing, jumping up, nipping, nudging etc. repeat your calm “not now” command. A third offence calls for a correction and reinforcement. “Not now Lilly” in a firm tone, followed by a light correction and then bring her away from where you were sitting, place her in a down and tell her to stay for a short time out. Same rules apply; if she moves she must go back to the same spot or farther back and the time starts all over again.
[5] Attention Seeking Behavior such as nudging, nipping, pawing, jumping etc. is not acceptable. Before she is given any attention such as pets and hugs she must work for it first. A sit or down should do just fine for working for it. If she shows attention seeking behavior while you would like to give her attention, give her a firm “no” then tell her what to do (“No, Lilly Sit/Down” etc.) once she has preformed this action she can be petted and praised. If you choose not to give her attention, follow the same drill when she is seeking to play and you do not want to play.
[6] Food and Treats should always be given by YOUR time, not Lilly’s. She must work for every treat and every meal by means of obedience. Begging is NOT acceptable. Remember; the best food is always reserved for the pack leader (who always eats FIRST)!
[7] Keep Lilly OFF the Furniture! Just like how the leader always eats first and gets the best meal, the best sleeping spots are also reserved for the pack leader. This means that all beds, couches, chairs etc. are off limits to Lilly. Prevention is the key, by keeping her off while you are in the room using a verbal command and keeping her off while you cannot supervise by putting her in her crate or in a room that does not have furniture.
[8] The Alpha always decides When and Who to Fight. Aggression towards other dogs or people is not acceptable for any reason. If you find a dog is following you on your walk it is YOU who decides to chase it off, not Lilly. You can accomplish this by putting Lilly in a Sit/Stay (hold her back or correct her to stay if you have to) and you step between Lilly and the stray dog and tell it to go home. If you wanted Lilly’s help, you would ask for it! This is why she needs to stay back and not take matters into her own “paws”.
[9] Greeting Guests at the Door should be done in a calm, controlled manner. If you know someone is coming over ahead of time, put the leash on Lilly for better control (a tab works great in the house, but a leash will give you a much greater range of control when needed). If it is an unexpected guest, you can use the tab or ask the guest to wait while you get the leash (keeping the leash accessible by the door may be the best option). Place Lilly in a sit and tell her to calm or “settle”. She should not be greeted by the guest until she is in a calm state. Ask the guest to reach out and let her sniff their hand, and if they would like to pet her to reach UNDER her chin or scratch her chest (reaching over the head is a dominant gesture and it is best to avoid any altercations between guests and your dog!). Once she has met the guest the guest should completely ignore her. If you have to, put her in her crate for a while (this is why a blanket over the crate can be so handy, so that she will not be stimulated by visually seeing the guest).
[10] The Crate Should be an Enjoyable Place. Every spare few minutes you have you should be teaching Lilly that her crate is her safe zone, and associate it with as many good things as possible. During time outs or at night she is FORCED into the crate because it is the best possible solution to contain her, but in the meantime she should also be learning to enjoy the crate (this will make it much easier to put her in the crate at night or during time outs)! This can be accomplished by throwing treats in the crate (or even hiding them amongst her bedding), or when you play fetch you throw the toy IN the crate. You can also feed every meal inside the crate if you would like. However, if she is displaying signs of food aggression still, I suggest placing the food in the crate before she enters and taking her out once she is finished before removing the dish. This will avoid any situation where she may feel threatened and bite. You should never remove your dog’s food bowl while she is eating unless you are going to put something even tastier in it when you return it!
[11] Exercise is so Important because Lilly is an extremely high energy dog. Indoor games such fetch, as well as 15 minutes of obedience every day will help tire her out. Of course, there is always the ever so effective nice long walk as well, but when weather does not permit it there are indoor games you can play. Physical activities as well as mental stimulation are both great ways to tire a dog out!
[/ul]
Good luck, and remember to be persistent and consistent! Constancy is the key to dog training and teaching proper pack behavior is just like training your dog. You want to always reward good behavior and punish bad behavior. You do not have to ENFORCE yourself as Alpha in a confrontational manner, but rather through these firmly structured rules you should be able to obtain a happier and much more enjoyable dog.
Just remember; Lilly must work for anything that she finds rewarding. It must always be on YOUR time, not hers and nothing in the house belongs to her. All of Lilly’s toys, dishes, food, bedding etc. was purchased by YOU and not by her. It is YOUR things, not hers and YOU decide when and how she gets to use them.
