Excited Yapping At Sight Of Other Small Dogs

[DeathRowPets]

Hello everyone! This is my first post...;-)

I have a female Minature Fox Terrier cross who has a fairly nervous disposition in general. However she yaps and gets very excited when she is on a lead and sees another small dog - even if they are far, far away in the distance! Doesn't seem to be the same with a big dog!

If we are able to go and say hello, she settles down after the usual greeting of sniffing. She is definitely not aggressive.

But often we are sitting at a cafe and another small dog comes and sits a fair distance away and she will make life very unpleasant with her continuous excited agitation and high pitched yaps and squeals - even when the other dog is ignoring her and not even looking her way.

By the way, she does live with another small male Terrier dog and a female Boxer, so she has plenty of doggie company and they are with her almost all the time. They both just look at her with distain - as if to say pleeeeease just shut up!

Have you any suggestions re training that could help her settle down with this?

Many thanks

[Erny]

If you're not certain yourself, I'd suggest you arrange a consultation with a trainer/behaviourist to first determine the underlying cause of the vocalisation. Until it is known whether it definitely relates to excitement; fear; or other, it isn't possible for someone to be able to even hint at a technique to assist without running the risk that the suggestion might make matters worse. Where are you located? If this is known a reputable trainer/behaviourist in your area might be able to be recommended. :rolleyes:

If it is possible that 'fear' is a component of your dog's reactions, I don't recommend the taking of advice over the net from people who have not had the privilege and advantage of observing your dog in any case, as a program to work through those issues needs to be structured to suit your dog (threshold distances; level of anxiety; etc). The program doesn't need to be complicated - just suited to your dog and its progression.

Being at a coffee shop environment can be very confrontational to a dog if the dog is uncomfortable. They often feel 'trapped' in these situations and other dog numbers can prove too much pressure to be able to expect what we might describe as 'good' behaviour as well.

If it isn't fear, and does prove to merely be excitement, then training in obedience is what your dog would benefit by. The obedience skills learnt then progress to being gradually proofed in an environment where there are other dogs but where 'distance' is still an option. This, before then expecting the dog to be able to calmly comply and behave in a coffee shop environment.

Having the company of a couple of 'familiar' dogs doesn't constitute being able to be comfortable/confident in the presence of 'unfamiliar' dogs. As to the latter, much depends on the amount of early (ie critical period - 8 to 16 weeks, and then beyond) socialisation she received.

Edited April 7, 2008 by Erny

[DeathRowPets]

Thanks Erny for your help. My educated guess would be that she needs a lot more one on one obedience training than our other two dogs who are easy, want to please and well-behaved. This little one is "Daddy's Favourite" and VERY spoilt. ;-)

As you suggest, I think we should put more effort into general obedience training and try a step at a time. Don't know what happened to her in early life as she is a DoggieRescue and about 2 years when she came to us.

[Erny]

Thanks Erny for your help. My educated guess would be that she needs a lot more one on one obedience training than our other two dogs who are easy, want to please and well-behaved. This little one is "Daddy's Favourite" and VERY spoilt. ;-)

As you suggest, I think we should put more effort into general obedience training and try a step at a time. Don't know what happened to her in early life as she is a DoggieRescue and about 2 years when she came to us.

"Spoilt" in such a way as to (albeit unintentionally) mix signals so that the dog does not perceive your leadership? Absence of perception by the dog of leadership in the handler means the dog believes it is not only his/her right to guard/protect/manage in whichever way dog sees fit, but also its duty.

Good for you for adopting a dog in need of a home. I'm sure she is a cuty and one that would easily win hearts. This in itself often makes us humans 'pushovers' for not exhibiting behaviour that would depict a higher hierarchy status. It is so easy to melt into a pair of big chocolatey eyes and disintegrate into 'whatever you want I shall give' mode without even being conscious that we are doing this. :wink: Don't know if that's the case here, but food for thought and reflection. :D

Edited April 8, 2008 by Erny