# What should I do about this behavior?



## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

He's being possessive / terretorial at home. Don't pick him up - it reinforces it! Instead put him in a crate or put him in a down stay when someone comes to the door.

My fiance's golden used to bum-rush the door and make a huge vocal display over someone coming to the door. Putting him in a down stay on his bed really has worked. I've gotten FedEx deliveries 2 days in a row. Both days he laid there quietly and CALMLY. (At first he would stay and be quiet, but quite excited/stressed out).

So starting out, I'd open the door (screen door closed) and say "just a minute, let me grab the dogs" and dealt with them before opening the door. Stay ON them, even if it takes 5 attempts to sign for a package because you have to put your dog back on it's bed.

Wearing a leash in the house helps a lot to catch little dogs before they do something stupid. 

My fiance's golden is still appropiately vocal. If I don't notice someone coming to the door he will be vocal. But if I see it first I communicate it to him and he chills out.

And he gained about 5 pounds from the treats it took to train it. Totally worth it and he's on a gentle diet to slim off those treats.


----------



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Good advice from T. I would also look at your own behaviour when anyone visits - are you stressed, waiting for Weegee to misbehave? Shouting, or grabbing at him? Generally getting anxious and wound up? All completely natural and understandable, but all guaranteed to convince him there is something dangerous out there, and that you and he need protection!

Like T, I worked hard to teach Poppy that I'm in charge of who is allowed into the house, and that her job is over once she has told me there is someone at the door. At first that meant making sure she stayed well away from the door - now I can ask her to wait beside the door until I have checked that the visitor is happy to be greeted, and then she will say hello to them politely. I would continue with management around strangers and unplanned visitors - crate or another room - until he is more reliable, and ask all your friends and relations to help you teach him better manners by repeatedly coming to the door while you work on keeping him in a Wait or Stay at a distance (that way you don't risk delivery people getting fed up and leaving before you get the door open!). Working on Stay, and rewarding for calm behaviour, when there are no visitors is, of course, a prerequisite for expecting him to listen when the excitement of intruders is added to the mix!


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I think he is being both territorial and dominant over you. It sounds to me like when you are in your house he thinks he can get away with showing that he owns you. It is a strange way to show it, but that is what they do. Make sure he has a place command. Send him to his place (crate or bed) when people arrive and make sure he stays until the excitement of arriving is over. Picking him up is totally telling him that he is being good for guarding you. I am sure you also are stressing about things happening when people come over. He can read this. You have to trust yourself that you can control the situation. When you are really relaxed and in charge, things should become easier.

I have family members who have a pit mix from a shelter. They love their dog and he is generally a good dog, but they have built a big mythology around how he is when people arrive and when other dogs are around. I was at their house with Lily a while ago. We had the dogs meet in the street (neutral space). After walking side by side, we let them greet. The other dog tried to be too much in Lily's face. She gave him a social correction and then the dogs were fine. We went through the house and out to the yard. Their dog ended up hanging out close to one of his family members all relaxed. No problems when the people don't make them...


----------



## Carley's Mom (Oct 30, 2011)

The only fault I have ever had with Carley is that she acted just like the dog that tort, described in her post. 

I have a large foyer and I make her sit at the back , so she can still see everything going on, but she has to stay in a sit and stop barking. She is doing great ! 

You can do it too. Don't pick up your dog, train her.


----------



## vicky2200 (Feb 14, 2012)

I will try to put him in a down stay, but I have tried this before. It will work, if I stand right there the entire time. Even so, after the guest leaves, he runs around the house barking like crazy. It isn't just the excitement of someone coming over either. Someone can be here for hours, I get him calm after the initial chaos, but he will randomly 'notice' that the person is still here and freak out. It has nothing to do with my behavior because when my cousin came over I was highly shocked when Weegee freaked out because he was doing good outside the house.


----------



## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

vicky2200 said:


> I will try to put him in a down stay, but I have tried this before. It will work, if I stand right there the entire time. Even so, after the guest leaves, he runs around the house barking like crazy. It isn't just the excitement of someone coming over either. Someone can be here for hours, I get him calm after the initial chaos, but he will randomly 'notice' that the person is still here and freak out. It has nothing to do with my behavior because when my cousin came over I was highly shocked when Weegee freaked out because he was doing good outside the house.


Leash. If he acts up put him in a down and put your foot on the leash so getting up is not an option.

Treat him like a BIG dog for a couple of weeks.


----------



## mom24doggies (Mar 28, 2011)

tortoise said:


> Treat him like a BIG dog for a couple of weeks.


 Agree with this big time! Its hard, I struggle with it too, but it really is best in the long run if the little guys get the same treatment and training as the big ones.

ETA: Also, don't feel sorry for Weegee because he came from a puppy mill, (he did if remember correctly) that is the worst thing you could do. Dogs live in the moment, and while yes things that happen to them do affect their futures, they don't remember specific things. Dusty came from a mill, and yes he has issues because of it. But that doesn't mean we go "oh, it's ok he is from a puppy mill, there is nothing we can do about it". We work with him to improve what we can and manage the rest. He loves us dearly and we love him, and we are committed to helping him overcome his issues as much as possible.


----------



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I doubt he is being dominant, or bossy, or trying to take over the house, or any of that stuff. I've noticed with my dogs that there is a point in adolescence when they start to bark an alert about anything and everything out of the usual - someone at the door, a bird flying past the window, a twig dropped on the ground ... It is as if they wake up to their responsibilities, but have not yet learned what is truly worth warning about, and what can be ignored. I think it is part of our responsibilty as owners to help them learn - if we had Mama dog there, no doubt she would do the job, but as we have taken on raising the puppy into a sensible adult dog we get it to cope with it instead. For a few months every interaction at the door needs to be managed and monitored, with repeated back-to-mats and lots of rewards for good behaviour. Your reward for getting it right is years and years of safe greetings at the door - your dog's reward is nice people to talk to, and possibly Chicken!


----------



## vicky2200 (Feb 14, 2012)

mom24doggies said:


> Agree with this big time! Its hard, I struggle with it too, but it really is best in the long run if the little guys get the same treatment and training as the big ones.
> 
> ETA: Also, don't feel sorry for Weegee because he came from a puppy mill, (he did if remember correctly) that is the worst thing you could do. Dogs live in the moment, and while yes things that happen to them do affect their futures, they don't remember specific things. Dusty came from a mill, and yes he has issues because of it. But that doesn't mean we go "oh, it's ok he is from a puppy mill, there is nothing we can do about it". We work with him to improve what we can and manage the rest. He loves us dearly and we love him, and we are committed to helping him overcome his issues as much as possible.


Actually, he didn't come from a mill. He did however come from a hobby breeder who wasn't the greatest. I really don't think much about his past, it could have been much worse, but should have been better than it was.


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

You are right not to feel sorry for his past. Just do what you have to to continue to give him a happy present and bright future. Treat him like a real dog. Lots of little dogs get in trouble because people think they can't since they are just so small and cute. I see plenty of people with tiny dogs in the chain pet stores doing things that my big dogs would get kicked out of the store for.


----------



## mom24doggies (Mar 28, 2011)

vicky2200 said:


> Actually, he didn't come from a mill. He did however come from a hobby breeder who wasn't the greatest. I really don't think much about his past, it could have been much worse, but should have been better than it was.


 Oh, sorry, I thought he did. Either way it sounds like it affected him some. I'm glad you don't think about his past much that is a good thing.


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Be in the moment. That is where he is. He will forget the past with your help.


----------

