Mia my 19 month old bearded collie, is very sociable with all dogs female or male, but lately she tends to growl at other dogs who come to our bookstore where we work together. She is usually under the counter and when a dog comes inside the store she growls and barks at it, the same with dogs who pass in the street near the door. She has had her 2nd heat and I don't intend to spay her as I want her to have puppies in a couple of years. It has never been a problem as I inmediately hold her and scold her putting her down, but as many people come, and I do want to stop this behavior, because in the street she is lovely with any dog, and pulls when she sees one to be able to play with it. Thanks for a solution
hi hele9001 and thanks for your post, I have given your problem a lot of consideration and I think I need a little more information to solve this well. Do you practice alpha training with your dog? Have you noticed other changes in her behavior since she started to become unsettled with other dogs in the store? How does she respond when you scold her for barking at other dogs in the store?
I do practise alpha training. She responds hiding under the counter, her safe place. She was very hard to train but lately after her last heat is much calmer and obedient, she isn't a model of behavior, but responds to orders practically always. Loves to play and has 3 real close buddies, who when they approach, she runs to them and then , yes, she doesn't obey. Shealso has 2 other dogs who she doesn't like even tho' they never had anything, I must add that she is spoiled, we live just the 2 of us, sleeps with me in the room, never climbs on the bed tho' and I find it hard when I get home in the few times I leave her alone to not greet her inmediately at arrival when she wags her tail desperately and jumps excitedly around me not on me. and only do it after a few seconds when she calms down, a little. She loves to play with me, but only gives me the ball when I throw a second ball, She definitely does what she wants and all that saves her is her positive disposition towards other humans or dogs. When you ask about Alpha, I did think that she was protecting me, but its only with other dogs, and I generally don't react to them when she is around. Thanks for the help.
Hi again, I think the best thing to do in your situation would be to have your dog on a long lead and head collar. When a dog comes into the shop praise her for being calm. As soon as she begins to get upset or excited immediately remove her out the back or to an area she cannot greet the other dog and will get no attention, this is effectively a time out. After 3 minutes let her back out. This will work best if you can practice it several times in a row so asking friends to help by bringing their dogs into the shop will help. Remember at all times when she is being calm and behaved give her heaps of praise and treats. You can practice this same calm behavior around other dogs in other places such as your home and the park, in open places like the park simply work her in the other direction as soon as she misbehaves while completely ignoring her. She should soon learn that reacting to other dogs inappropriately will get her nowhere. Keep up her alpha training and do short daily obedience sessions with her to improve her overall behavior as well, your dog is just coming out of her teenage months so she will still be trying to test the boundaries!
