Polite Greetings For Over-Aroused Dogs

In my first article on Polite Greetings, I discussed ways that you can teach your dog to better control their excitement when greeting people. This works for most dogs! However there are dogs who get SO manic and over-aroused during greetings, that they are unable to think or exhibit self-control. These are not the dogs who are jumping up a few times and then realizing that they should sit. They are the dogs who choke themselves if held back with a leash, bark manically if put behind a gate, and seem to be trying to meld into one being with the person they are climbing onto. They may also repeatedly put their teeth on the hands or arms of the people trying to pet them to calm them down, and won’t be redirected to hold a toy instead. For these dogs, I find that you have to use techniques to lower their arousal step by step, rather than trying to get them to “control themselves.”

Preparing for training

As with any training plan in which you’re trying to teach the dog polite behaviors, you have to also prevent them from rehearsing unwanted behaviors as much as possible. This means that guests should not be coming into your home when you are not prepared to train, or your dog is kept in an area away from the front door. During walks, you do not let people approach to pet your dog unless you are ready to train. You make sure that all family members are clear and consistent with this point, and that they follow the same training approach.

You will be using a LOT of treats during this process, and they should be high value treats that your dog absolutely loves (most commonly, real meats, cheese, or freeze-dried liver - but experiment to see what your dog likes best).

Your dog will need to be on a leash before you open the door for guests, so that you can control his ability to approach them. I recommend that the leash is short (3-4’) and is attached to a harness rather than a collar, to reduce choking and gagging when your dog pulls. If your dog is very strong, you can use a tether attached to a wall or a suitably heavy piece of furniture. If that is truly not an option, you can have your dog behind a securely installed baby gate, but the training will not be as smooth.

It will also help if your dog has already had good exercise and mental stimulation before your guests arrive - but you don’t want him so tired that he’s in need of a nap and cranky or extra impulsive.

The training process

At each step, your focus is on helping your dog to lower his arousal and therefore be able to experience the greeting without needing to jump, climb, mouth, or bark as an outlet. Wait as long as it takes for that to happen. Rushing through the steps will lead to your dog reverting to his previous behavior.

1. Guest is let into the home. Dog is on leash and held back from reaching them.

   What your guest does: Stand or sit still and chat quietly. Do not approach or reach for the dog. Do not give an excited greeting.

   What you do: Stand at a distance from the guest (at least 6’, more if needed to be able to hold back your dog.) Scatter 5-10 high value treats in the area around your dog’s feet. Your dog does not need to do anything to “earn” the treats. The act of sniffing around and eating them is calming (at least a little bit!). Repeat as many times as needed. If your dog initially ignores the treats in favor of lunging toward the guest, just hold him steady and continue scattering. (Do not yank the dog back - just keep the leash at a steady length so they can’t get up to the guest.)

   What you’re looking for: Dog switches focus to the treats on the floor, eats most or all of them, and then starts watching you instead of the guest as he anticipates more.

2. Dog is allowed to approach without greeting.

   What your guest does: Continue to stand or sit still and chat quietly. Do not approach or reach for the dog. Do not give an excited greeting.

   What you do: One step at a time, close the distance between your dog and the guest. Keep the leash short enough that you can still keep the dog from jumping up. Continue to drop small scatters of 3-5 treats by your dog’s front feet as your dog looks at you. Stop with your dog near the guest, but not close enough to jump up (probably about 2’ away for a medium sized dog). If your dog lunges forward, simply stop walking and wait for him to focus on you again.

   • If your dog is tethered or behind a gate, then you have your guest take small steps toward your dog, rather than your dog approaching them.

   What you’re looking for: Dog is able to stand near the guest without trying to interact with them, looking to you for more treats.

3. Guest offers hand and dog practices approaching, then disengaging without greeting.

   What your guest does: Stand or sit still and lower a hand down, holding it steady at the dog’s nose height. Let the dog come to the hand rather than reaching toward the dog. Do not pet the dog.

   What you do: Allow your dog to reach his nose to the guest’s hand. Immediately after he does so, drop a small scatter of 3-5 treats at his front feet. (If needed, get his attention first with a treat in front of his nose, then scatter them. See “nose to toes” video demo.) Repeat as many times as needed. If your dog tries to nibble on the hand, go back to step 2.

   What you’re looking for: Dog switches focus from the guest’s hand to you, as he satisfies his curiosity and anticipates more treats.

4. Guest calmly pets dog on the chest or collar-to-tail, without making eye contact.

   What your guest does: Use the hand that was already sniffed to pet the dog, either on his back or side (from the collar to the tail), or giving gentle scratches on the front of his chest and neck. Do not give pats or thumps. Do not look the dog directly in the eyes (which increases excitement). Talk calmly and quietly.

   What you do: AS the dog is getting petting, continue to drop at least 1 treat at a time at your dog’s front feet. Start with the treats coming rapid-fire. Slowly decrease the rate of treats if your dog is relaxing into the petting. Increase the rate of treats if your dog is lifting his head to look directly up into the person’s face (which is often a precursor to jumping in over-aroused dogs).

   What you’re looking for: Dog is able to eat the treats while experiencing petting, then gives signs of relaxation such as leaning against the guest, sitting or lying down, slower breathing, and slower movements with his body.

5. Petting ends by leading dog away from the guest.

   What your guest does: Pause petting and wait.

   What you do: Call your dog to move away from the guest. If he’s reluctant to go, drop a few treats farther away to entice him. If absolutely needed, use gentle leash pressure to help.

   What you’re looking for: Dog willingly walks away from the guest.

Progressing further

• When you see that your dog is doing particularly well at a given step, you can switch from dropping multiple treats to just one at a time. At that point, you can also give the treat from your hand rather than dropping it on the floor, if you wish.

• Try slowing down the frequency of the treats.

  • If your dog turns back to the guest and starts to get over-aroused again, then he still needs the treats to be given more frequently, and he needs more time at the current step.

  • If your dog patiently waits for the next one, without fixating on the guest, you’re good to go.

• You can ask your dog to respond to obedience cues, such as a sit or go to mat, once they are in a calmer frame of mind.

The more you practice, the more quickly your dog will be able to calm down and proceed through the steps. What was once a drawn-out process, with dozens of treats, will become a quick pause and reward at each step before continuing on.

Eventually, your dog will be able to calmly approach the guest, get some petting, then be called back to settle somewhere else if desired.

Video examples

First video shows Bodie the Bichon Frise pulling and vocalizing as I'm entering his home, then calming down as he gets a series of treat scatters. Note that this owner was asking her dog to sit before doing the first scatter. You do not have to do this - if your dog is too worked up to respond to a sit cue, you can begin by just dropping the first scatter of treats by their feet.

Second video shows Bodie learning to approach my hand, then turn away without any jumping or mouthing. (He does lick my hand, but we didn't mind that!) This owner is also teaching a "go say hi" cue at the same time.

Third video shows Bodie getting petting while (mostly) being calm, with the help of treats being placed on the floor. During one part, the treats pause for too long, and he escalates in excitement again. No problem - we get him resettled, and continue practicing.

Reducing Jumping: The Slow Treats Game

If your dog gets so excited about treats that he jumps up to grab them, you need the Slow Treats Game!

You can play this with your dog sitting or lying down, or just standing with “four on the floor.”

1. Slowly lower the treat toward your dog.

2. If he keeps “four on the floor” the whole time the treat is coming toward him, then you can let him take it from your hand.

3. If he jumps up at any point, immediately lift the treat farther away. Resume slowly lowering it when he has four paws on the floor.

You can use this game any time you are handing your dog a treat, even while working on something else (like a stay or heel). You can also use it when handing your dog a toy or chew or their food bowl.

If your dog does well with this but then snatches the treat too roughly, here are some extra tips:

• Feed the treats lower down, so that he lowers his head to eat them rather than reaching up. This makes nipping much less likely.

• Hold your hand open flat, with the treat on your palm, so that your fingers are out of the way, OR

• Hold the treat firmly between your thumb and other fingers. If you feel your dog’s teeth, don’t let the treat go! Hold your hand still and wait for him to soften up, using his lips or tongue. Praise and release the treat then, to reward your dog for being gentle.

Relaxation Exercises

Some dogs have trouble inhibiting their excitement and have to literally be taught how to relax. Here are three techniques to help achieve this goal. However, keep in mind that none of these will work unless you address your dog’s baseline needs before training. Also, some dogs that experience extreme anxiety or arousal may need behavioral medication to be able to truly relax.

Karen Overall’s Protocol for Relaxation

This is the most well known relaxation exercise. It was published by Dr Overall in Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals, in 1997. It is a highly structured program, with the dog staying still as you perform various actions - starting with easy things like counting to 3 or taking one step backwards, and progressing toward going to the front door, knocking, and pretending to invite someone in. In the original the dog is in a sitting position, however I almost always teach it with the dog lying down, usually on a bed or mat.

The Protocol is divided into "days" but it is not expected that you will progress day by day as listed. Some dogs have trouble with a particular task and need to repeat it many times before they are able to relax while you do it. Other parts may come easily to him and you will be able to perform it once and move on. Each "day" is structured to include easier "warm up" and "cool down" tasks at the beginning and end. If you want to shorten the day's work, remove some of the tasks from the middle.

You want your dog to not just stay while you perform each task, but to be able to relax while you do increasingly exciting things. Watch your dog's body language. If he is calm, you will see his tail lowered and still or moving slowly. His ears may be perked and he will be watching you but his face should not be tense. He may choose to put his head down on the floor or roll his hips sideways or lie on his side -- these are all signs of relaxation. You may praise, pet, and/or treat him and move on to the next item. If you see your dog becoming less relaxed -- tense face, head lifting up high, tail straight up and stiff or wagging quickly, tensing his body as if he might get up -- either repeat the item you're on until your dog relaxes again, or even back up to a previous item he did well on. You may use your dog's name and the word "stay" to remind him of his task. You may praise him as he stays if he needs the encouragement.

You can read through the full protocol description by Dr Overall and the 15 Days of tasks here. (Days start on page 7.)

There are free downloadable audio files (as mp3s) of the protocol here.

Here is a playlist of the audio version as videos on YouTube.

Here are demonstration videos of dogs doing the Protocol for Relaxation:

• Relaxation Protocol Demo Video by championofmyheart

• Relaxation Protocol: Karen Overall - Day 1 - Session 1 by Lisa Bartel

• New Relaxation Protocol Day 1 by Positive Pawz Training

Suzanne Clothier’s Really Real Relaxation

This relaxation protocol was developed by the wonderful trainer Suzanne Clothier. The RRR teaches the dog to relax while lying down, with the owner also relaxing next to them as a cue to the dog. At first it’s very short, and builds duration over time. Because it emphasizes offered rather than cued behavior, the dog is able to learn to self-regulate, even while watching the world go by around them.

You can find full information on this protocol here.

Emily Larlham’s Calm Settle/Capturing Calmness

This is the least structured (and easiest!) approach to reinforcing relaxation. You simply reward your dog as you see that he’s settling on his own, and go about your day. The more you reinforce this behavior, the more your dog will do it.

Simply walk up to your dog when you see him relaxing, and calmly place a treat on the floor right between his front paws. Or sit nearby, wait for your dog to lie down or show other signs of relaxation, and place a treat between his front paws.

Usually we talk about using high value treats during training, but this time you want something that won’t get your dog super excited. If your dog gets excited anyway, that’s okay. Simply go about your day, ignoring your dog, until he learns that getting up and following you won’t lead to anything good - but continuing to relax will!

This is easiest to do if you have treats stashed around your house, in places that you can easily (and quietly) reach but your dog can’t.

Here is a full video explanation:

Here is an older video from Emily with more footage of dogs just learning to settle:

Leash Walking: The Basics

Everyone wants their dog to walk nicely on leash - not pulling, staying by your side, and stopping when you stop. They may not realize that this is one of the hardest things we expect our dogs to do. It’s completely unnatural for dogs to:

• Walk much more slowly than their natural pace when exploring - a quick trot.

• Come to a sudden and inexplicable stop at seemingly random times - curbs/street crossings are not obvious to dogs.

• Ignore most of the awesome smells around them - the main way dogs take in information.

• Primarily walk in straight, boring lines - going right past interesting bushes and puddles and holes in the ground.

• Not chase after small animals like squirrels, chipmunks, cats, and birds - most dogs have this predatory instinct, or at least curiosity.

• Accept the idea that they are not allowed to greet their own kind naturally - as the leash restricts their movements, even when they are allowed to say hello.

It’s really a lot to ask of them! This is why it’s normal to spend a long time teaching your dog to walk well on leash.

It’s also normal for your dog’s skills to regress if:

• you don’t walk him regularly

• he’s extra full of energy that day

• there are more distractions than usual

• you take him to a new place

• some family members let the dog pull on the leash instead of participating in training

How you can help your dog succeed with polite leash walking

Here are tips to improve your walks, before you even get to training:

• Give your dog exercise at home before the walk, such as playing fetch or flirt pole.

• Drive to a park, but let your dog run off leash or on a long line to tire him out and let him get used to the area. Then put on your leash and practice walking together.

• Practice in the back yard first, then head out after your dog is warmed up.

• If you are using treats, make sure to bring a lot, and have them in a treat pouch or other place you can quickly and easily pull them out. Do not bring plastic bags, as they close up and slow you way down.

• Use high value treats so that you can better compete against the excitement of the environment.

• Measure your walk by time passed, not distance. When you are implementing training, you may end up stopping a lot or doubling back over areas you’ve already walked. You may not get as far from the house, but your dog will still be getting physical and mental exercise.

• Don’t multi-task. This isn’t the time to scroll on the phone, have the kids bike alongside you, or let your mind wander. You must be focused so that you can respond quickly and appropriately to your dog.

• If you have multiple dogs, walk them one at a time. It is extremely difficult to train walking with more than one dog at the same time, since you will need to be changing your speed and direction depending on what the dog is doing moment by moment.

The right equipment

This also makes a huge difference in your ability to train your dog safely and effectively.

• Use a 4-6’ foot leash, not a retractable leash. See here for links to specialty leashes. Retractable leashes do not give you enough control, do not set clear criteria for the dog, and encourage pulling (because the dog gets where he wants to go by pulling, which is the exact opposite of what we want).

• If your dog pulls hard enough to choke himself on a collar - or proactively to protect his throat - use a harness.

  • Traditional harnesses, with the leash clipping over the dog’s back, are fine for small dogs and large dogs who don’t pull. If your dog does pull, they’re not a good choice, as they allow the dog to dig in and pull you comfortably, like a sled dog!

  • “No pull” or “front clip” harnesses, with the leash clipping in front of the dog’s chest, are a much better choice for medium and larger dogs who pull.

• If your dog is very large or strong, and you have a difficult time controlling him even with a properly-fitted no pull harness, I recommend using a head halter. Note that most dogs hate head halters if they are introduced to them without desensitization. Do not just put one on and go.

• I do not recommend the use of prong collars and especially not choke chains or slip leads. These tools are intended to work by intentionally causing pain to your dog. While this may decrease pulling, it can lead to increased fear, reactivity, and aggression. (AVSAB Position Statement on Humane Dog Training, Dog Training Science Resources) Choke chains and slip leads can be especially harmful due to tightening without limit on the dog’s throat.

You may be thinking, “Won’t my dog learn not to pull against his collar because he’s choking himself?” And sadly, the answer is no. For many, many dogs, their excitement and arousal, combined with how unnatural it is to walk slowly at our sides, means that they don’t slow down to prevent themselves from choking. I have seen dogs not just choke and gag, but have their tongues turn blue and vomit due to their insistent pulling on collars. Pressure against the throat can damage the trachea, esophagus, lymph nodes, thyroid glands, veins and arteries, and neck muscles. It is known to increase intraocular pressure, thus can damage your dog’s eyeballs. It is critical to protect our dogs when it comes to collar pressure.

Training techniques

Polite leash walking is one of those things that can be taught several different ways. You may need to experiment to find the right combination for you and your dog. The thing that all of these techniques will have in common is:

• Rewarding your dog when he is walking nicely at your side.

• Preventing your dog from successfully pulling you on a tight leash.

I switch between specific techniques depending on the training history and temperament of the dog, and the skill level and temperament of the owner. I will send you separate articles on the techniques I recommend for you and your dog.

Sudden Hyper Behavior During Walks

Do you ever walk your young dog and have them suddenly start jumping or spinning or running in circles, grabbing and tugging on the leash, or even biting you or your clothes? Here is how to handle this frustrating and scary behavior.

Why does my dog do this awful behavior?

The most common reasons are:

• Frustration: Your dog wants to get somewhere else, but the leash is holding him back, and he’s not able to contain his feelings about it. This may also happen when you are heading home, and your dog doesn’t want to.

• Boredom: If you are moving too slowly or (gasp!) standing still, your dog may be looking for more entertainment.

• Overstimulation: There’s a lot going on and your dog is mentally/emotionally overwhelmed, and not able to cope.

• OMG Grass!: I have seen that many dogs living without backyards or in yards without grass will get very excited when reaching patches of grass during walks. They may flop down, roll around, try to zoom, or even direct their excitement at the leash or owner.

Your dog may also experience a combination of these that really put him over the top.

Prevention for the short term

Knowing why your dog does this behavior will help you figure out how to deal with it - both immediately and for the long term. The first order of business is to prevent your dog from rehearsing this behavior, as much as possible. For example, if your dog always gets rowdy when you’re standing and chatting with neighbors, then temporarily avoid doing so or distract your dog while you’re talking. If he gets overstimulated, keep your walks shorter or avoid busy areas. If he’s reacting to the leash pulling him in another direction from where he wants to go, work on calling him to follow and use the leash techniques below. For dogs that get frustrated that the walk is ending, you will have more success walking them in a loop than out and back on the same street - that way they have more new smells to explore and keep them happy.

Make sure that you’re using equipment that gives you good control over your dog, especially if they are large enough that they could pull you down or hurt you. A harness on which the leash clips in front of the dog’s chest will allow you to turn him away from distractions more easily than when the leash is clipped on their back. However a harness with a handle on the back gives you a place to hold your dog when he’s wriggling around. A head halter will give you the most control over your dog’s movement, especially if he is jumping or biting. A chain link leash will discourage tugging on the leash, at least somewhat. Some people have success using a double-ended leash or two separate leashes, so if their dog grabs onto one, they can hold the other.

Oh crap, he’s doing it right now

Yeah, you won’t be able to prevent the sudden hyper behavior 100%. You have a few options to try:

• Use the equipment you have on your dog to get a hold of them and stop the behavior. For example, hold onto the handle on the back of your dog’s harness with one hand and his collar or leash with the other. If he’s wearing a head halter, slid your hand up the leash so that you have hold of his head.

• Step on the leash, then adjust your stance and the length of the leash so that your dog is tethered to your foot on a short leash. Now he can’t jump on you and bite you.

• Alternatively, shorten the leash and hold your arm locked straight out from your side, so he can’t reach you or the leash.

• If you’re near a traffic sign, mailbox, light pole, etc, then put the leash around the pole and adjust the length so that your dog is tethered to it and can’t reach you.

• If your dog has a strong response to cues like “sit” or “down,” use that.

• Have treats (maybe even high value treats) with you on walks. Scatter them around your dog’s feet to distract him. If you can get him to sit or down first, that will be better, so you’re rewarding that calmer behavior. However even if your dog can’t do that, you can still use the treats to interrupt the behavior.

  • Won’t that reward the sudden hyper behavior? Yes, and if all you ever did was pull out treats when your dog gets rowdy, you’d quickly have a problem. However you’re smarter than that, and you’re going to work on prevention and implement the long term training strategies below, so that your dog learns to be calmer overall and walk nicely on leash. This is only a short term strategy to interrupt the behavior when you really need it.

• The treat scatter is a great strategy to get your dog to calm down after using one of the tethering options, as well. As soon as you see his energy wane, drop several treats near his feet to get him mind off the frustration/boredom/overstimulation that initially caused the behavior, and back to a calmer mindset.

• It’s common for dogs to get hyper again as soon as you start walking - so preemptively place a “breadcrumb trail” of treats on the ground as you start moving forward. As you see your dog continuing to calm down, you can slow down how frequently you place the treats on the ground, and he'll transition back to sniffing and walking normally.

Training your dog for the long term

There are several training techniques that can help your dog to learn calm leash walking. Which ones are best depends again on why your dog does the sudden hyper behavior. Try out and combine different techniques to see what “clicks” for both you and your dog.

• Frustration:

  • Circle walking, especially with a longer leash (6-10 feet): Circle walking decreases frustration because it is less restrictive and allows your dog to keep moving their body. Here are several videos that explain circle walking.

    • Circle Method for Dog Walking

    • Leash Manners: Cues and the Circle Method

    • Circles for loose leash walking (Part 1)

  • Leash pressure cues: Take the time to train your dog how to respond to leash pressure, rather than just letting it happen and hoping he’ll figure it out. The silky leash method is one example of this. This can be an alternative to circle walking or used at different moments.

  • Rewarding polite walking: Bring treats on your walks and reward your dog frequently for walking next to you, instead of pulling. This will be easier if you practice heeling in low distraction locations, like in your house or backyard, before trying it on walks.

  • Rewarding attention: You can call your dog’s name and then reward him for checking in, or use the Engage-Disengage Game, to increase the amount of time he spends calmly connecting with you rather than trying to get to other things in the environment.

  • Exercise: Giving your dog physical exercise before going for a leash walk will greatly decrease his excitement and frustration. Try playing in the backyard first, or go somewhere that it’s safe to let your dog run off leash and blow off steam before practicing leash walking.

• Boredom:

  • Practice settling: You want your dog to learn how to settle calmly while on leash and stopped, separately from the walks. Here is a great video on this topic.

  • Breaks to play: If your dog enjoys playing tug, bring a favorite toy and give him breaks to play and get his energy out. You could even bring a small flirt pole.

  • Exercise: As above, exercising before the walk will allow your dog to more easily adjust to a slow walking pace or even stopping and waiting for a while.

• Overstimulation:

  • Pattern games: Short, predictable routines, such as the 1 2 3 game, lower arousal and excitability. Implement this at the first sign of increasing arousal, before your dog loses it. He will start to learn to modulate arousal on his own by practicing getting just a little excited, then calming down.

  • Scatters: Bring treats and implement scatters at the first sign of increasing arousal, as above.

  • Circle walking and leash pressure cues: See above.

• OMG Grass!:

  • Give your dog exposure to grass in a structured way, guiding them to choose appropriate activities. Examples are:

    • Scatters

    • Pattern games like 1 2 3 game

    • Playing with a flirt pole

    • Play dates with other dogs

    • Tracking and nose work training

Keep practicing

Don’t get discouraged if your dog is getting better, walking nicely, but then catches you off guard with another bout of jumping and biting. It’s normal for problematic behaviors to pop back up every once in a while, even as the dog is making progress overall. Make sure that you are bringing together appropriate equipment, prevention, reacting quickly and confidently in the moment, and training for long term success.

Fence Fighting

Fence fighting is a common term for the phenomenon of dogs hearing or seeing each other through a fence, pen, or gate, and aggressively lunging and barking. It is a form of “barrier frustration,” which can also occur when dogs are on leash, in a car, or looking out a window. The underlying reason may be that the dogs are anxious about each other, or very excited, or a combination of both, but are restricted by the barrier between them and so act out in a frustrated, even aggressive manner.

There are several reasons that this behavior is problematic for us humans:

• The resulting noise can irritate neighbors, especially if it’s happening frequently or during “quiet hours.”

• It can be just as annoying for the owners of the dogs in question.

• It often goes hand-in-hand with leash reactivity (barking and lunging while on leash).

• It encourages over-aroused greetings toward other dogs even when off leash.

• It can scare passing dogs, especially puppies, and cause them to become leash reactive or anxious during walks.

• It can be dangerous to interrupt your dog when he is really going at it - some dogs will redirect and bite someone pulling them away from the fence.

The plan below will teach your dog how to be calm and ignore other dogs (or humans) behind a fence, gate, or pen. It can also be adapted for dogs who are reactive behind windows or in the car.

Management

The first step of any training plan is management - arranging things to prevent your dog from rehearsing the unwanted behavior when you’re not ready for training. Use the following strategies as applicable to your situation.

• Don’t let your dog into the backyard without supervision. (This may require locking the dog door.)

• If the fence fighting it happening with a specific neighbor dog, talk to your neighbor about a way to keep the dogs from being outside at the same time. For example, your dog can be out during even hours (eg 8:00 - 8:59 am, 10:00-10:59 am, and so on) and their dog is out during odd hours (eg 9:00-9:59 am, 11:00-11:59 am, etc). Or you could text each other, or use some sort of flagging system to let the other neighbor know that one of the dogs is out.

• Set up an “airlock” or “no man’s land” in front of the problematic area of the fence, so that your dog can’t get all the way up to the fence. This extra space will greatly decrease the intensity of your dog’s fence fighting, which will make training easier.

• Take your dog into the yard only on leash, so that he can’t get to the fence.

• Set up an alternate yard for your dog. For example, you can take your dog to the front yard instead, keeping him on leash, on a longer tether, or making a temporary fence using exercise pens.

Training Exercises

With management in place to prevent fence fighting most of the time, you can now set aside time to do training exercises when it’s convenient for you. You’ll need to have high value treats or toys to reward your dog.

• Start with simple counter-conditioning: every time that you hear the other dog moving around behind the fence, or see them through it, you immediately hand your dog a treat or play with a toy.

  • Make sure that your dog FIRST notices the other dog, and THEN you hand him a treat or play. The trigger comes to PREDICT the good stuff.

  • If your dog immediately starts to bark or lunge, you need to change the situation to help him be calmer. The most reliable way to do this is to move farther away from the fence.

  • If your dog eats the treat but then starts to get worked up (staring, freezing, hackles up, whining, huffing, pacing), you should move farther away, but also consider scattering the treats on the ground instead of just handing him one. Scatters are calming and help take a dog’s mind off the trigger.

  • Keep your sessions short and practice throughout the day.

• When your dog is expecting the treat every time he sees/hears the other dog - he looks at you with happy anticipation - switch to using the Engage-Disengage Game: let your dog notice the other dog (“engage”), wait, and reward your dog when he looks away (“disengage”).

  • Here is a lovely graphic from Alice Tong that explains the Engage-Disengage Game in detail.

  • If you prefer learning via video, here is one from Charleston Animal Society explaining how to teach this exercise, and here is another one from Bravo Dog Training & Behaviour.

  • If you see that your dog is starting to get worked up (staring, freezing, hackles up, whining, huffing, pacing), you should distract him to help him disengage from the trigger. Then move farther away.

  • If your dog is happily glancing toward the other dog and then back at you, congrats! He is learning to play the training game rather than fence fight. You can move closer to the fence.

Transitioning to normal life

Start encouraging your dog to do other activities while in the yard, such as sniffing around, chewing, sunbathing, and playing on their own. You can encourage sniffing by scattering kibble/treats, or by setting out items with new smells (eg, leaves or dirt from a park or a friend’s yard, fur or feathers from other animals). For chews, see the recommendations in this article on enrichment. Bring out a new toy (or one your dog hasn’t seem in a while) and let him go to town.

You can reward your dog for choosing to settle on his own:

You should continue to take training treats or toys outside for an extended period of time, so that you can still reward your dog for calmly noticing activity outside the fence. Over time, you can give treats/toys less frequently, but taper the rewards instead of stopping cold turkey.

Don’t leave your dog in the yard unsupervised until you see that he is truly reliable at reacting calmly, even when the rewards are infrequent.

When mistakes happen

In an ideal situation, your dog never rehearses barking or lunging toward the fence again. He is prevented from doing it using management in between training sessions, you’re practicing the training exercises successfully, and he quickly learns to calmly ignore the other dog and do his own thing. Realistically, there are going to be “oopsies.”

When your does end up charging the fence and barking:

• Interrupt him and move him away from the fence as quickly as possible, using the least amount of force you can.

  • Start by calling your dog, and wait no more than 2 seconds to see if he responds.

    • If he does come to you, reward him for stopping barking! Then quickly bring him into the house to calm down.

  • If he doesn’t come within 2 seconds, move closer to your dog so that you can more easily get his attention. (The closer you are to his head, the more likely he is to actually notice you. Just don’t stick your face too close to his teeth!) You can tap his butt or side to get his attention, and call again, waiting no more than 2 seconds to see if he responds.

    • If he does turn back to you, reward him for stopping barking! Then quickly bring him into the house to calm down.

  • Use a body block: If safe to do so, get between him and the fence, and block his access, like a basketball or soccer player blocking a pass. Then move toward him so he has to move away from the fence. Shift left or right as needed to keep him from going around you. Herd him back toward the house to calm down.

  • If the body block is unsuccessful, you may need to put your hands on your dog to turn him around and move him away. Be careful. Some dogs will be so worked up from fence fighting that they will whip around and bite anyone that grabs them.

    • If your dog has previously snapped or bitten at you when restrained or interrupted, he should have a leash dragging from his collar or harness any time he is in the yard. This allows you to safely pick up the leash and guide him away from the fence.

      • If you forgot to attach the leash or it is bunched up too close to your dog, use a physical object, such as an elevated cot bed, to herd him back from the fence. Note that the object should not be used in a way that scares your dog or adds to the stress of the situation. Stay calm and matter of fact, just blocking and herding him back.

    • If you’re not worried about your dog biting you, you can take him by the collar or harness and guide him to turn around and return to the house. This should not be done roughly or in a scary or stressful way. Be calm but insistent that your dog leaves the fence.

If you reward your dog for stopping barking and returning to you, won’t he learn to purposefully bark and then come? The answer is no, if you also implement the management and training exercises above. Your dog should be getting rewarded for not barking at the other dog much, much more often than you have an “oopsie” and need to call him away.

Polite Greetings

Jumping up to say hello is an extremely common behavior that owners struggle with. It’s natural for dogs to want to reach our faces and make physical contact when greeting us. Unfortunately it’s dangerous for bigger dogs to jump up, and can be annoying even from the little ones. Here are a variety of techniques to resolve this issue.

Start as soon as you get your puppy

When our pups are tiny and adorable, everyone wants to get down on the floor and encourage the pup to climb onto their lap. Many people will even encourage the puppy to reach up with his front feet for petting. This is where the problem starts! You are training your puppy that he gets attention for climbing or jumping on people.

Instead, only give your puppy attention when he has “four on the floor.” Either a sit or a calm standing position can be your pup’s way to politely say “please” when asking for attention.'

This applies not just when you have guests over, but also during walks, and when letting your puppy out of a pen or crate.

Sit to Greet

This is the most common way to teach pups to politely ask for attention.

• Cue your dog to sit. (Use a hand signal to help an excited dog recognize what you want.)

• If your dog jumps up, withdraw attention (stand back with arms up, or exit the room again). Then remind him to sit and try again.

Here is a training video of a dog learning to politely “sit to greet” when someone comes in the door.

Another dog learns to “sit to greet” when approaching people.

Go to Mat

If your dog has a strong “go to mat” and “stay” behavior, you can use that as another way to teach him to have self control when people come in.

• Cue your dog to go to his mat and stay. (Use a hand signal to help an excited dog recognize what you want.)

• Have your guest approach your dog to say hello.

• If your dog gets up, immediately remind him to return to the mat.

Come and Go

For dogs that can initially contain their excitement but then ramp up with energy, teaching them to say hello for a few seconds and then return to you can help them stay calmer.

• Have your dog initially say “please” by sitting.

• Cue your dog to “go say hi.” Let him approach the guest.

• Have the guest interact with your pup for a few seconds.

• Call your dog back to you. Have him sit and show calm.

• Repeat several times until your dog is calm enough to let him interact naturally.

For dogs who struggle to turn back to their owners, luring them away with a high value treat may be the ticket.

Powering up your training

It’s important to withdraw attention every time your dog jumps up, so that jumping doesn’t get reinforced. However the training will be even more effective if you can prevent him from getting all the way up in the first place.

• Have your dog on leash before you open the door for guests. No matter which of the above techniques you are using, you can use the leash to halt your dog and prevent him from getting his feet all the way up onto your guests.

• If your dog is large and strong, you can use a tether instead of holding him yourself. Your guests can stand just out of range of his front paws while still leaning forward to pet him when he’s calmly sitting or on his mat.

• A baby gate or exercise pen can also be used to keep anyone from getting knocked over while they say hello.

  • Your dog may benefit from hanging out behind the gate or pen for a while, getting over the initial excitement without being able to run around and jump up.

This 10 minute video shows a real-time training session with a dog who is learning to sit and be calm at my approach, with the help of a baby gate to prevent successful jumping on me.

High value treats are another tool to make this training more effective:

• Reward your dog for sitting or standing calmly both before and during the petting.

• Hold treats down by your dog’s front legs or place them on the floor so that your dog’s weight is shifted down during the petting - reducing the chances of jumping up.

• Scatter several treats on the ground as your dog approaches the other person, so that his attention is divided and his weight is shifted down. (This is especially helpful for high arousal dogs, who may sit politely but then explode forward and up toward the person.)

Dogs who enjoy holding toys in their mouths often jump less when they are showing off their toy. Encourage your dog to go get his toy before he approaches guests.

Giving your dog plenty of exercise before guests arrive will reduce the amount of excess energy he has for jumping.

Your dog will be calmer with guests if you work ahead of time on the doorbell, knocking, going to the door when there’s no one there, and so on. Here is a great tutorial from Emily Larlham/KikoPup.

If your dog is still struggling, break down the greeting process into smaller steps. Teach your dog to be calm when you walk up without making eye contact or or talking to him or petting him. Then add eye contact, then add a happy voice, and so on.

Emily Larlham gives a comprehensive guide to breaking down the greeting into small, manageable steps for your dog.

How to pet the dog (training the human)

The way you say hello to a dog has a HUGE effect on his behavior. Use these techniques to further help him be successful - and tell your guests, too.

• Use a calm, slow voice rather than high-pitched and happy.

• Turn your body partly sideways rather than facing head-on.

  • If you can, also encourage the dog to turn sideways so that you’re facing his shoulder and side. This further reduces the intensity of the interaction. Do this by altering where you’re offering your hands, not by physically moving the dog. [Video examples to come.]

• Some dogs do much better if you avoid direct eye contact, which is too intense for them to handle. Look at their tail, instead.

• Reach down to pet and scratch the underside of his neck, chest, and sides rather than over his head.

  • The majority of dogs do not like being pet over the head, so this is good advice for every dog!

• For really major jumpers, you can give pets and scratches on their neck while slipping your thumbs between the neck and collar, or holding gently around their shoulders. This way, as soon as the dog tries to jump up, you “catch” them with your hands and prevent them from getting any vertical air. As soon as they stop trying to jump, return to calmly petting and scratching around the neck and shoulders.

Discouraging nibbling

Nibbling on hands when you’re trying to say hello is most often a symptom of humans reaching over the dog’s head. Instead of that, reach down low toward the dog’s chest, or pet from the side, “collar to tail.”

How to pet a mouthy puppy “collar to tail” so you don’t get bitten.

Some dogs just need to have something in their mouths - encourage them to grab a toy before trying to pet.

If the dog does nibble, make sure that you immediately withdraw attention. Keep calm (so as not to excite him), but pull your hands away and cross them for a few seconds. Have him sit (or do another calm behavior) before you start petting again.

Practice, practice, practice

Make sure that everyone in your family, and everyone your dog greets, is consistent!

All Done cue

The “all done” cue tells your dog “we’re done with petting/playing/training, so you can do your own thing.” It’s helpful for persistently optimistic dogs who keep bringing you their ball or stepping on your heels after fun time is over.

Simply show your empty hands (or do "jazz hands") and say "all done.” Then continue on with your day, ignoring your pup for the next few minutes at least. With some repetition and consistency, the dog will learn to wander off and entertain himself after you tell him "all done."

Here’s an example:

Troubleshooting:

• If your dog hasn’t yet learned the cue and continues to pester you for attention, make sure to ignore him. Do not repeat “all done,” or give him any petting or talk to him. He must get ignored in order to learn that the cue means "I am not going to interact with you anymore."

• If you’re worried that your dog will start to do a “naughty” behavior in order to get your attention again (such as chewing things up, stealing shoes, or nipping), you should have him in a puppy-proofed area.

• If you find that your dog experiences a spike of frustration and can’t settle down on his own, you can help him by giving him something else to do right before you cue "all done." This could be a chew, a food toy, a "fresh" toy for him to play with, or even just scattering a small handful of kibble/treats to redirect him as you leave.

Transitioning an Outdoor Dog to Living Indoors

Sometimes people end up with dogs who have been living outdoors - perhaps due to allergies in a previous home, or because they never received training and are too rambunctious - and now the family wants to welcome their dog indoors with them. The first few tries may be disastrous, as the dog jumps all over the couch and coffee table, knocks things off the shelves, and steals the remote and any food left on the counter. How could you possibly teach such a dog to just hang out with you calmly?

This article presents one way to work through this transition. Please note that this does not cover potty training, integrating the dog with other animals already in the house, or teaching polite interactions with humans - though those things can be worked on simultaneously.

First things first

You must make sure that your dog is already getting sufficient physical exercise and mental stimulation/enrichment before you try bringing them indoors. No dog can settle calmly if they are full of energy and deeply bored.

The second thing for you to prioritize is arranging an area of your home so that your dog cannot easily get to the food, kids’ toys, decorative ceramics, etc. In most cases, a dog who has been living in a backyard or roaming a property has never learned that there are things that are “off limits” to them. You are going to be busy teaching your dog good habits and how to settle while in the house. If you are spending your time chasing him around and pulling things out of his mouth, you’re already off to a bad start.

• Use baby gates and x-pens and closed doors to limit where your dog can go.

• Put away everything in reach that’s valuable or dangerous.

• Use a leash as needed to keep your dog close and under supervision.

• Within the safe area, place your dog’s bed or mat, water bowl, several toys, and chews or food toys (see enrichment article for suggestions).

Once your dog is making progress with settling and engaging in appropriate activities, you can start trusting him with more freedom and progressively lowering the restrictions.

Teaching good habits

Take your dog out for a walk or run him around just before you bring him indoors, so that he’ll have an easier time relaxing. If needed, put him on leash in the house so that he can’t chase other pets, jump on the counters, etc. Let him sniff around your safe area otherwise, so that he can see what all the new stuff is.

After a minute or two, give him an appropriate activity to entertain him. You have several options:

• A chew or food toy with which he can entertain himself on his own.

• Play tug or fetch with him. (Note that for dogs that go crazy for fetch, you may want to keep that as an outdoor only activity.)

• Do active training, such as teaching a down stay on a mat or tricks to work his brain.

• Provide a massage as he relaxes.

Switch between the different options as you see fit. You can also periodically reward your dog for calm behavior, as shown in this video from Emily Larlham/KikoPup:

If your dog gets bored with one activity and starts getting into things he shouldn’t, you can:

• rearrange your safe area to prevent that in the future

• work on “leave it” or “settle” behaviors

• provide him with more exercise (eg go for a walk or hike)

• put him back outside

• move him to a crate or small pen to nap

Shifting to full-time indoor living

Once the routine is working well within the initial safe area, slowly expand your dog’s territory.

A key things to keep in mind during this process:

• The more time your dog spends indoors, the easier this will be. If he only gets to come in once or twice a week, the novelty and initial excitement won’t wear off.

• The dog is often most rambunctious in the first 5-10 minutes, then settles down.

• If you don’t provide enough appropriate outlets for his energy (both mentally and physically), it will be very difficult to keep him from stealing and chewing on things, jumping on everyone, harassing the other animals, etc.

Potty Training

The principles of potty training are easy to understand, but require good supervision, consistency, and patience for your dog to become reliable.

Prevent your dog from making mistakes:

• When you are out of the house or unable to supervise your dog, put him into a crate, pen, or small room (such as a bathroom or laundry room). This keeps him from roaming the house and eliminating where you don't want him to. Your dog is also likely to hold his bladder and bowels while he is in a confined space, since he wants to keep his area clean.

• When you are home, keep your dog close, so that he doesn't sneak off and have an accident.

  • Use a leash to tether him to you or to a nearby object.

  • Use baby gates or x-pens to keep him from leaving the room.

Take your dog to the proper potty area frequently:

• For puppies, take them out every hour, on the hour. (Some young puppies need even more frequent trips out.)

• Also take your dog (adult or puppy) out after:

  • mealtimes

  • breaks in playtime

  • waking up from a nap

• While you're outside, stand still and be boring, so your dog learns that this isn't playtime.

• If your pup is busy exploring, use a leash or pen to keep him in a boring area.

• Wait up to 2 minutes for him to do his business.

• If you think he needs to pee or poop but hasn't yet, take him back inside, but restrict his freedom and supervise him to prevent any accidents. Take him back outside after 5-10 minutes.

Reward your dog for peeing and pooping outside:

• Praise your dog as he eliminates.

• Give special, extra-yummy treats as soon as he's done. (Not when he comes back to the house - you should be outside with your dog so that you can reward him promptly!)

• If he's empty, he can have extra freedom of movement inside until he's likely to be full again. (Generally 30 minutes to 1 hour for puppies, a few hours for adult dogs.)

Watch for signs that your dog is uncomfortable and looking for a place to eliminate:

• sneaking off

• circling

• pacing

• sniffing

• trying to get your attention

If your dog has an accident:

• If you catch him in the act, you can communicate your displeasure by giving a quick yell in an unhappy tone (“Ah, not there!!”).

• If you find the mess after your dog is done, it is TOO LATE - your dog cannot make the connection between the act of eliminating in the house and you being unhappy.

• Do NOT punish or scare your dog! This is likely to a) make your dog more determined to sneak off and eliminate in a different room, and b) be nervous about peeing or pooping in front of you at all, even outside.

• Clean with a product that is specifically formulated for cleaning up pet messes, such as Nature's Miracle. All purpose cleaners may not break down the proteins in the pee/poop properly, and your dog will still be able to smell them - which is a big sign saying “do your business here.”

Developing reliability:

• When your dog is successfully going outside and you have the training plan in place, you can slowly start to extend the time between trips outside.

• You can let your dog have more freedom of movement / less supervision in the house during times that you're home and you’re sure he's empty.

• Start leaving him alone outside of the crate/pen for short periods (less than 1 hour) when you're sure he's empty. (This should be in a puppy-proofed area, so that he’s not chewing things up, either.)

• The better you are at picking up your dog's signs that he needs to go out, the easier it will be. In fact, as your dog learns that you WILL take him out when he needs it, he will try HARDER to communicate to you when he wants to go.

• Some people have success teaching their dog to ring a bell or other noisemaker to communicate.

  • Teach them to ring the bell as a trick, separate from potty training.

  • Ask your dog to ring the bell right before you take him outside.

  • At some point your dog will try ringing the bell without prompting, to see if you will take him outside. Praise and do so. You can't rush this part - your dog has to figure it out on his own.

  • Here is a video tutorial on teaching your pup to use a bell:

Troubleshooting:

• My dog pees outside, then comes in the house and pees again: If he does this regularly, either spend more time outside so he can pee twice, or just assume that he will soon need a second potty trip, and restrict/supervise in the meantime.

• According to his age, my dog is supposed to be able to hold his bladder for X hours, but he has accidents sooner than that: The bladder is a muscle, and just like other muscles, it's weak if it hasn't been exercised. If your dog is young, or if he has grown up in a back yard and peeing whenever he wants, he may simply not able to hold it as long as he “should.” Take him out more frequently, and slowly extend the time between trips.

• My dog is able to hold it all night, so why does he pee so much during the day? Your body's metabolism slows down when you're asleep or resting - you simply can't compare the two.

• My dog pees in his crate/pen/small room: More trips outside! You may also need to remove absorbent bedding, as some dogs will consider their area “clean enough” if a fluffy blanket wicks the urine away.

• My dog marks indoors: You will need to restrict/supervise even more carefully. You may want to have your boy wear a belly band, so that if he does mark, it won't actually land on your walls or furniture. This helps with the potential problem of not seeing that your dog has marked and not knowing where to clean.

• My dog just wants to play when we go outside: Put him on leash or in a pen when you go out so that he can't run around or play with toys. Stand still and don't make eye contact while you wait, so that you're not any fun.

• My dog pees when greeting people: This is not a potty training issue per se. Some dogs will pee because they're nervous when greeting people or because they want to present as “submissive” a picture as possible. Young dogs may simply lose control over their bladder when excited.

  • Keep greetings as low-key as possible. Speak only in a calm, quiet voice. Sit or squat down so that you are less threatening.

  • Have guests greet the dog outside (and also be low-key).

  • Teach confidence-building tricks for your dog to perform while greeting people, such as hand targeting or fetching a toy.