Dog is Aggressive Upon Waking Up

Some dogs will snarl, snap, growl or bite when they are awakened from sleep. Let’s start by discussing what this behavior is NOT:

It is NOT a dominance issue (i.e. “Hey! Don’t bother me when I’m sleeping!”).

It is NOT idiopathic aggression (also known as “rage syndrome”). A variety of studies and testing over the past 30 years have failed to produce a clear cause for idiopathic aggression. But fortunately, it is extremely rare today.  Idiopathic aggression has basically been bred out of the most susceptible breeds (Springers, Cockers, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Dobermans). It is so rare that it is practically unheard of today. And most importantly - idiopathic aggression typically does NOT present as aggression upon waking.

So now that we’ve established that your dog is not trying to take over your house, and your dog is not crazy, here’s what this specific behavior usually is:  It is an involuntary fear or startle response, completely outside of the dog’s control.  

For clients who have dogs with this particular problem, we suggest the following:

• Crate train the dog and don’t allow him to sleep in places where humans are likely to disturb him (especially not in bed next to you, as the chance of rolling over onto him can trigger a bite).
• Don’t waste time trying to systematically counter-condition or desensitize the behavior. This is not something you can fix with training. The key is management and prevention.
• When you need to wake your dog, do it from across the room, NOT by touching him. Call him in a happy voice, clap your hands, give him time to stand up, walk over to you and be fully awake  before you touch him.
• Instruct all family members (especially children!) to stay away from the dog when he’s sleeping. Again, this is easier to do if you crate train the dog.
• Don't punish the dog for this behavior - it is completely outside of his control.  
• Be aware that certain medications (Benadryl for example) may put the dog into a deeper sleep and may, therefore, intensify the startle response upon waking.

(Note:  This is NOT the same problem as dogs who growl, snap, snarl or bite when approached while they are resting (but wide awake).   That is a different problem - sometimes rooted in dominance, sometimes in fear, and sometimes it’s a form of resource guarding. In those cases you will benefit from the help of an experienced dog trainer to identify the specific cause of the behavior and help you work to correct it.)

Is it Okay to Bring Home Two Puppies from the Same Litter?

I do know people who have made this work.  But there are lots of factors to consider before you decide to do this.  In general, for most families, getting two puppies from the same litter can be problematic.  

1) Dogs are social animals. Young puppies form strong bonds with their siblings before they meet their human families. Bringing your puppy home with its litter mate interferes with the bonding process which must occur between a dog and its new human family. The presence of a littermate slows this process.  In fact, most litter mates exhibit a strong preference for the company of each other over the company of their human owners.

2) People tend to neglect socialization with other dogs when they have 2 puppies. By the time the puppies are about six months old, the primary windows of socialization have closed. Two dogs who have grown up together and have been denied the experience of meeting lots of other friendly dogs of various ages, may only enjoy the company of one another. Some of them will become fearful or aggressive toward other dogs. 

3) Owning a puppy is a huge responsibility. It requires a lot of hard work to raise even ONE puppy properly. Raising 2 puppies is twice the work.  For starters, each puppy will require its own crate. Also, you will have  to find time for  2 training schedules, along with separate times for training, exercise and play.

4) Housebreaking will take longer.  There will always be one puppy who starts to "get it" before the other one - then that one will regress when he or she smells indoor elimination by its litter mate. This cycle of regression can continue (and even switch from one puppy to the other) resulting in much more time needed for housebreaking. 

5) Learning each new obedience command requires a three phase process (instruction, correction, distraction). But when you have 2 puppies there is a built-in distraction (each other) during the first 2 phases of training. As a result, it may take longer for each puppy to learn basic obedience commands and household manners.

6) The less confident puppy will "hide in the shadow" of the more confident puppy. Therefore the  less confident puppy may  grow up lacking social skills and may exhibit a variety of fear and confidence issues.  

7) Most breeders are dedicated and ethical. But there are some unscrupulous breeders who will tell a potential buyer that the last two members of the litter are "really attached to one another" and will lay a guilt trip on the buyer, sometimes even giving a discount to purchase both puppies. There is absolutely no merit in the idea that you're doing emotional harm to a young puppy by separating it from its sibling. (In fact, the opposite may be true.)

8) In order for proper social development to occur, a puppy must LEARN TO BE ALONE.  This part of their training becomes more difficult when there's always a sibling nearby.

9) When the puppies reach adolescence, competition is intensified and fights can break out. Fights between litter mates are much more severe than fights between unrelated dogs.

10) In situations where the owner has decided to re-home one of  the two puppies, each of the them began to form a much closer bond with its human owner, and made great strides in obedience training, confidence and sociability. This was most noticeable when the re-homing was done prior to 6 months of age, but I've seen it happen with older dogs and puppies as well.

There is no reason to bring home 2 puppies from the same litter and lots of reasons not to. But if you've already taken the plunge, follow the above tips (separate crates; separate time with each puppy for training and play; time for each puppy to meet and play with other dogs without the littermate present) in  order to increase your odds of success.  And be sure to provide appropriate control of resources and clear human leadership in the home to prevent fights as they get older.

One final thought: If you really have your heart set on owning two dogs from the same breeder, wait until the first dog reaches social maturity (about 18 months old for small and medium breeds, about 2 years old for large breeds, and 3 years old for giant breeds) then bring home a new 8 to 10 week old puppy (of a different sex).   It will still be important to provide everything I just mentioned for the proper development of the new puppy, but by waiting until the first dog is an adult, you'll be more likely to avoid "litter mate syndrome."

Dogs and Toddlers - Can They Get Along?

Dog bites are the second most frequent cause of childhood visits to emergency rooms. The vast majority of dogs bites involving children are from dogs the child knows or lives with. And when a child less than 5 years old is the victim, the family dog is usually the attacker.  

Young children who are just beginning to walk can be quite unsettling to some dogs. From the dog's perspective, "these little people are noisy, they throw things, they fall on me or trip over me, their movements are erratic and their behavior is unpredictable."

The risk is even greater in homes with old, sick or arthritic dogs, or with under-socialized dogs who never learned to enjoy children while they were puppies.

If your dog has growled or snapped at your child, seek professional help immediately. And of course,  it's always better to prevent aggression in the first place, by following these guidelines:

- Children should be taught not to approach the dog; instead the parent can invite the dog over to the child.

- Children must NOT approach a dog who is eating. 

- When the child is eating, the dog should be crated or  resting in his gated area.

- Learn to read your dog's body language. Pay close attention and learn to notice things like  stiffening, whale eye, hard eye (staring with dilated pupils), lip curls, lip licking and  stress yawns. Your dog is always communicating through body language. Learn to read these subtle signs, and give your dog some distance from the child when you see them. Don't wait for a growl, snap or bite to occur and then try to "correct" your dog. You can't scold aggression away. Instead, try to prevent it by noticing early warning signs like the ones above.

- A child must never be allowed to approach  dog who is tied up/tethered.

- While the parents are away and a baby sitter is on duty, the dog should be crated. It's too much to expect a babysitter to watch your dog and your toddler.

- Set your home environment up for success. Provide gated areas where your dog can rest peacefully without fear of being tripped over or jumped on. 

- Keep your child away from your dog's food, toys or beds.

- Always supervise interaction between your dog and your child, and teach appropriate boundaries to both. Never let kids and dogs play together unless you're right there in the middle of the action.

- Certain areas of the home can be highly prized by dogs. These places include:  a dog bed, under the coffee table, between the coffee table and the couch, on the couch, etc.  Use extra caution when high value places such as these are involved. If necessary, move furniture around or use gates to to prevent access.  

- Gates and crates can be a big help in creating safety zones - but never let a child reach through a gate or tease a dog who is in his crate or behind a gate.

- Never let a child play in a  dog's crate. 

- Dogs learn by association. These associations are powerful and can work for you or against you. Scolding your dog every time the toddler is around ("Get away from Junior's toys! Play nice! Put that down! FIDO NO!") teaches your dog that the child gets him into trouble. Instead, set your dog up for success by proactively arranging a safe environment. Form positive associations by using praise and play to reward good behavior when Fido and Junior are together.

Emotional Support Dogs for People with Alzheimer's

Choosing the right dog and the right trainer are two critical steps involved in the process of successfully bringing an emotional support dog into a family.

In her book  "The 24-Hour Rule: Living with Alzheimer's" Cheryl Levin-Folio writes, "Dogs offer unconditional love...comfort and a calming influence influenced by his emotional support animal training. 

The physical contact, we've discovered, is as important and effective as the emotional connection that comes with having dogs in the family. Lack of touch is devastating to anyone, particularly someone suffering with Alzheimer's."

Cheryl and her family worked with Carol Ross, CDBA,  to help  train Oliver, their English Creme Golden Retriever for his job as an emotional support dog for Cheryl's husband Michael.  In Chapter 8, Ross, a certified dog trainer and Director of Training for Canine Dimensions North Chicago region, describes some of the work she did with Oliver:

“I started working with Oliver when he was about eight weeks old. The window for socialization runs until they are about five months old. My first goal was to get Oliver up to American Kennel Club “Canine Good Citizen” standards. I wanted him to have good manners, be polite, and act appropriately wherever he went, no matter whom he was with. He had a little more training specific to being an Emotional Support Animal, so he’d stay close to Michael, literally touching him much of the time, place his head on Michael’s lap to help keep Michael calm as needed, and do things like “hold stay” for two hours so he could go on plane trips.

We were laying the groundwork for all of this starting at two months old. But the key piece when he was so young was introducing him to as many people and situations as possible. While working with me, he was exposed to at least 300 people, 60 friendly dogs, and wide range of environments, medical equipment, and behaviors. We went to all kinds of dog-friendly events, stores, schools, and parks, anything I could think of. We spent time downtown. We went to the airport.

A lot of this socialization was before we began to work on specific skills with Michael. In the early days, their job was just to form a strong bond. After that, we started the more formal “obedience” training. Like humans, dogs learn best when the process is simple. In this case, keeping it simple meant breaking the process down into smaller piece, and more repetition of each skill. Consistency is the key.

Through this process, Oliver and Michael learned the commands “Come,” “Sit,” “Down,” “Stay,” and “Drop It.” In addition, they mastered “Look” (for Oliver to make eye contact with Michael), “Touch” (for Oliver to gently touch Michael’s hand). “Enough” (Stop what you are doing!), and “Away” (give me a little space). Oliver and Baxter both learned “Go to Your Place” for when someone comes to the door who doesn’t really need a high-energy canine greeting committee.

This collection of commands covers most things that come up for most dogs and their people. Many dogs need additional training in this or that, specific to their situation and depending on their personalities, behavior and circumstances. A small dog that lives in an apartment and annoys the neighbors with barking can be taught to stop barking on command, for example.

Some dogs are trained specifically as service dogs for people with Alzheimer’s, which is mainly to help with a person who wanders or gets lost. But Oliver’s job is different – he’s for company, calming and comfort."

Does Your Dog Have "Bad Manners?"

• Is your dog pushy, defiant or disobedient?
• Does he refuse to obey commands unless he sees a food treat?
• Does he come when called only when he has nothing better to do?
• Does he beg for food when you're eating?
• Does he nudge your hand and demand petting?

If you answered "yes" I have some good news and some bad news. The good news - you can teach your dog to be a perfect little lady or gentleman! The bad news - this behavior in pet dogs has a direct connection to the behavior of the owners. We’ve all heard the old adage, “Treat your dog like a person and he’ll treat you like a dog.” Your dog is watching you, and learning from you, all the time.

Follow these two simple rules to help your “pushy” dog learn better manners:

1. Practice “The Deference Protocol”

   • The deference protocol requires your dog to earn everything that he or she gets from you. This important training principle is often referred to by trainers as NFL (“No Free Lunch”) or NILIF (“Nothing in Life is Free”).
   • The dog must defer to you by obeying a simple “sit” command before receiving toys, treats, petting, walks, food, going outside, etc. Before you do something for them, they must do something for you. “Want a treat? Sit.” “Want to go outside? Sit.”
   • When teaching your dog to defer, your attitude must be calm. No yelling, no drama, no hitting. Your relationship with your dog must be teacher/student. You are the teacher, the dog is the student.
     

2. Ignore all demands for attention.

   • Dogs must never be permitted to demand play, petting, toys or attention. The owner should initiate all pleasurable interaction with the dog. For example, when you return home, ignore the dog for 5 minutes, then call him to you to greet him. If Fido drops a tennis ball in your lap, ignore it. A few minutes later you can go get a ball and call him to you for a fun game of fetch. But it must be your idea, not his. You start the game, and you end the game.   
   
   Rude behavior in dogs did not happen overnight, and it will not improve overnight. But any dog can learn better manners if you are patient, consistent, and follow the above two rules.
   

What is a "Submissive Grin" in Dogs?

A submissive grin is a fairly uncommon gesture made by dogs.  It can be a bit tricky to tell the difference so people often misinterpret this signal of submission (i.e. a friendly smile)  as an aggressive snarl (exactly the opposite of the dog's intent).

A submissive grin can look like an aggressive snarl, but the two gestures are completely different in both action and intent. If you're not sure that you can tell the difference, here are a few things to look for: 

• Look at the overall body language - is it loose and happy or stiff and threatening?
• Look at the eyes - are they squinty (soft and averted) or threatening (staring and dilated)?
• What's going on in the environment? Has the dog just spotted the owner bringing the leash and is happy to be going for a walk? Or is he standing over a favorite bone stiffly (guarding it)?

Here are pics of 2 dogs. The dog on the left is doing a submissive grin and the dog on the right is doing a threat display:

Dog on left is showing full teeth with his mouth pulled back into a  "smile" - ears are gently back ("bunny ears") and eyes are squinty. This is a submissive grin.

Dog on right has her whiskers forward, hard eyes with pupils dilated, furrowed brow and a strong stare. This is a threat display.

Here is a video of a dog doing a submissive grin: http://youtu.be/Aw_1V1yguvE

When Family Dogs Fight

Lisa adopted Duke, a handsome Labrador Retriever mix in June. She brought home Luther, a friendly Rottweiler mix about 6 months later.  “The boys” as she called them, seemed to get along fine with each other for the first 3 months. Then one evening while Lisa was preparing dinner, a fight broke out between Duke and Luther in the kitchen. It was easy for her to break up the fight but a pretty scary scene nonetheless.  Three weeks later, the dogs fought again, this time in the back yard. That fight took longer for Lisa to break up and resulted in a trip to the vet for Duke to treat his wounds, and a trip to the doctor for Lisa to treat the accidental bite she got when she reached between the dogs to break up the fight.  Lisa noticed the fights were happening more frequently, and were getting more intense. She was faced with the heartbreaking choice of having to re-home one of her dogs, which to her was unthinkable.    

Some of the most challenging cases for dog trainers, are those involving aggression between dogs living together in the home. These cases are always difficult and there are many factors which will impact the chance of success, but some of the factors to consider are the sexes and breeds of the dogs involved, the total number of dogs in the home, the frequency of the fights and the severity of the fights. 

Same-sex fights are the most common. Male dogs fight with each other more often than females, but fights between female dogs tend to be more intense.  Fights between dogs of the opposite sex are less common, but do occur. In every case however, aggression is self-reinforcing. Every time there is a fight it makes it more likely that there will be another.

Cases involving occasional fights can be easier to deal with than cases where the dogs will fight every time they are allowed to come in contact with one another. Two fights in 12 months is a completely different dynamic than 12 fights in two months.

Fortunately for Lisa, she was able to change the “household rules” in time to prevent any more fights between Duke and Luther. She realized that in each instance there was a specific trigger for the fights. The presence of food had sparked the first one and the excitement of running around together in the yard “fence fighting” with the neighbor’s dog had started the second one. 

Avoiding known triggers is crucial.  Take complete control of your dogs’ daily routines.  Lots of obedience training and the use of dog crates, leashes and muzzles where appropriate, can help prevent future injuries. 

Aggression among dogs is essentially a means of preventing conflict. A growl or snap warns the approaching dog to back off, and if he does, conflict is avoided. When family dogs fight, something has usually gone wrong in the warning system.  Also, poor  management of the environment and the dogs by their owners can make things a lot worse.  

The two main areas to manage in a home where fights have occurred are excitement and resources. There is a thin line between excitement and aggression.  The more “amped up” your dogs are, the more likely they are to cross the line.  “Resources” are the things for which dogs in the home can compete. Obvious resources include food, bones, toys and treats. Less obvious, but just as important to consider, are things like a place on the couch or bed, or the attention of the owner. 

Fortunately for Lisa, she got the help of a good trainer and was able to put the above plan into action in time. With lots of hard work and diligent enforcement of boundaries and rules, Duke and Luther gradually regained trust for one another and are now living together safely and happily. Even so, she guards against a false sense of security.  “When I leave, I make sure they’re both in their crates,” said Lisa. “I realize that even though they’re getting along fine now, I can never leave them alone without supervision.”

Is My Dog's Repetitive Behavior Neurotic, Medical or Normal?

We recently received a question from a trainer.   The trainer observed that a dog she was working with would occasionally spin during food-based training. She defined the spinning as a “neurotic behavior” and asked how she could stop it.

Before trying to address a “neurotic behavior” one must first determine whether or not the behavior rises to that definition. Some of the common repetitive behaviors which can be correctly identified as “neurotic” or “obsessive-compulsive” may in other contexts be a) perfectly normal, or b) related to physical/medical conditions. Let’s look at four examples – spinning, licking, snapping and pacing:

·       Occasional spinning can be a normal behavior associated with arousal. Some dogs spin for a few seconds before meals, or when they see a leash and are excited about going on a walk. But spinning in response to stress (such as the behavior sometimes seen in dogs at animal shelters), or habitual, incessant spinning or tail chasing, can be problematic. 

·       Occasional licking and chewing on paws might simply be a self-soothing behavior when done occasionally, whereas habitual licking and chewing (especially to the point of creating hot spots) might be classified as an obsessive-compulsive behavior. Of course, it can also be caused allergies or fleas.  

·       Some dogs focus on and snap at real flies (even ones we can’t easily see). A dog is equipped with an amazing ability to detect movement. This is perfectly normal. People sometimes confuse "tooth clacking" with snapping. Tooth clacking can be a threat display, a demand for attention, or a stress signal. However, snapping at imaginary flies might be an obsessive-compulsive behavior, or it might be caused by an eye problem or a neurological issue.  It all depends upon the timing, context and frequency of the behavior.

·       Pacing – for example, a dog who picks a spot in the yard and walks back and forth repeatedly without any apparent reason – might be an obsessive-compulsive behavior, or it could simply be that the dog smells a critter or has recently chased a critter through that area, which of course would be perfectly normal if done occasionally and for short periods of time. 

These are just four examples; there are many others. Gathering detailed information through careful observation can help us determine what’s going on. Before we label a behavior as “neurotic” or “obsessive-compulsive” we should consider timing, context, frequency, intensity and several other factors which are listed below. When the “red flags” below are present, our concern rises, as does the likelihood that we may need to ask a veterinarian to assist with diagnosis and treatment options, including a complete medical exam and possible pharmacological intervention: 

•  Intensifies over time.
•  Has no discernible physical or environmental cause.
• Goes on and on for long periods of time.
• The behavior is causing physical injury to the dog. Some examples would be pica, or licking/chewing to the point of creating hot spots.
• Cannot be interrupted even with physical restraint.
• Increases in frequency or duration.
• Interferes with normal functioning.
• Increases with age. For example, when seen in a young dog, tail chasing might be playfulness, which tends to decrease with age - whereas obsessive-compulsive behaviors tend to increase with age. 

Now back to the trainer's question. When we watched a video of the "spinning  during training" it was clear that the spinning was triggered by the excitement of the training session. Despite the occasional spin, the dog was fully engaged in its environment and was focused on the trainer and the food rewards. He was happily and intently working with the trainer.  He was excited about earning food rewards (normal anticipation/frustration) and was fully engaged in the training activity. In this dog, the spinning behavior was perfectly normal.