Dog doesn't like dad going out

Indie_Kid

This really is getting annoying now:

We have 2 dogs. A 2.5 year old spaniel cross retriever and a 3 year old JRT.

If dad tries to go out (even to his car) the JRT throws a paddy and just barks - even after dad has gone.

Dad went out yesterday and JRT bit him as he went to walk out the door. I went out later and JRT barked at me, then dad went out about 15 minutes after the JRT barked again.

We've had the JRT since July 2009 and I only remember him being like this for the last several months.

Eventually, JRT will calm down and just falls asleep on the sofa. We've probably had a handful of days where JRT has been quiet. However, it's because he's usually stuffing his face when dad is getting ready to go.

Is there anything we can do to stop this, please? Sometimes, mum is here and can hold JRT back; but usually it's just dad and he can't do anything.

The Spaniel doesn't care - go out and he does nothing.

carefullycautious

This has become habitual.

What I would do is get up as if to go out and then sit down again. Repeat and then do a bit more.Sooo

Get up as if to go out and sit back down before dog starts his barking and repeat until dog gets fed up

Get up and walk towards the door and if dog looks as if he is going to start go and sit back down again

Proceed until you are able to get to the door and go out the door and come back in.

Eventually the dog will not know whether you are actually going to follow through wth leaving and will stop the behaviour. You can also reward his good behaviour with a clicker.

Does the JRT have enough exercise and mental stimulation to tire him out as they have bags of energy

Hope this all makes sense.

The more a dog is allowed to practice a negative behaviour the harder it is to break so go back to basics and reward good behaviour.

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

good points from carefully cautious.

This will take retraining but do-able. He needs to be de-sensitised to dad going out, get him to go out a few times a day and then come straight back in, ignoring the dog all the time. Make sure he has plenty of walks (the dog not dad!) so he is tired when dad goes out. Ignore him 1/2 hour before you go out and on return, no talking, eye contact, nothing, then when he is calm, give him some attention.

DAP (dog appeasing pheremone) is good, its like a plug in air freshener that smells to the dog like a lactating b1tch and calms them but is not smelly to humans, you can get it off the web cheaper than the vets.
Good luck and let us know how you get on, I reckon a couple of weeks of retraining, tops, he should be fine

Indie_Kid

carefullycautious wrote: »

Does the JRT have enough exercise and mental stimulation to tire him out as they have bags of energy

Yes he does. Both dogs have plenty of toys to play with.

Thank you.

carefullycautious

Just to add re toys. Unless you are giving them a job to do toys are really pretty useless.

You can teach search and find ie hide a toy and get the dog to find it with a reward at the end. This is mental stimulation.

These dogs were bred to hunt and think for themselves and will exhibit repetative behaviour if they are bored. Hence why he is making up his own rules as to what happens when your dad goes out.

Make them work for everything food included.

sarabe

sh1305 wrote: »

Yes he does. Both dogs have plenty of toys to play with.

Thank you.

Plenty of toys to play with isn't mental stimulation. Working out what he has to do in order to get you to play with a toy with him is.

carefullycautious

Another thought, Im on a roll now :rotfl:

You can get rubber kongs which you fill with food that takes a long time for dog to get out this will tire also. Or cubes that you fill with biscuits and dogs have to roll to allow them to fall out.

Keeping his mind active will tire him out quicker than just walking him

Good luck and please give feedback on how you are getting on

SnowyOwl_2

Another good tip, to be used in conjunction with everything else, is to never, ever say "bye bye" to the JRT when going out. When going out just go, don't make a fuss over the dog, and the same for coming into a room, just come in without talking to the dog, petting him or even looking at him. This is to keep the dog's mood even and for coming and going by humans to be normal. Loads of practice involving leaving the room for a minute or two would be good, working up to longer and longer periods in a different room without the "bye bye" preamble - this is supposed to desensitize the dog but must be done in a totally consistent manner, ie every single time someone goes in or out as the dog doesn't understand what an exception is.