BREED: LAKELAND
Fiona's Problem

Dear Nicki,

I have a two year old lakeland who is, as all terriers are, loveable when he wants to be.
His issues are firstly at night time when I try and put him in his room where he sleeps he will growl or worse,
bear his teeth and snap.

He has never bitten anyone. If I try and put him in this room during the day and close the door he will do the same. If the door is open he will happily take himself off to his bed for an afternoon snooze with no problems.

How can I get him not to growl - he can be quite frightening to watch?

Secondly his constant barking at the doorbell or passers by. I have tried allsorts, 'NO', "Speak/Quiet",
citronella collar (wouldnt want to try the electric collar). None have worked.
My dog is not a big eater and is not easily 'bribed' wth treats.

I have also tried a clicker trainer but he was far more interested in who was at the door
than me and my clicker and treat!

I have recently had him neutered but it is too early to see if this will make a difference.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Fiona Watson

Location: Merseyside

BREED: LAKELAND
Nicki's Answer:

Here is the answer : although very tricky he is going to need some help to sort him :)

Hi Fiona.

As much as I would like to have a magic wand for you, this is a more complex problem that first meets the eye.

Lakelands can be notorious for running households and they can be very difficult to dissuade.
You're focussing on the problem that's vexing you the most - ie him baring his teeth when you tell him to go to bed - but there are other problems that are contributing that you need to get on top of - ie his constant barking at the doorbell or passers-by.

It seems to me that you've got yourself a minder and you're going to need some professional help to turn the situation around effectively.

As far as he sees it, he's the family's minder and as such he will object strongly to "going off duty" - eg - into a room at night where he can't see what's going on. Every dog worth his salt knows instinctively that night time is the time when the predators emerge to create havoc, so I can understand why he's refusing to go off duty. He's not really being naughty - quite the reverse - he's trying to be the best minder that he can be, whether you want one or not.

You will need professional help to encourage him to give up his day job for a start. Once you're successful with that, you will then be able to effectively work on getting him to relinquish his night job too. He must be exhausted, working day and night to mind you and your family, just getting a little afternoon snooze to carry him through.
This is something that he's doing instinctively and you will need a lot of support to bring about a solution, so give me a call and we can tackle this together.

Hope this enough - my details are on the Home Page left hand column ' Click Here ' if you wants to call me .

Nicki

Go To Top Of Page

Dear Nicki,

I have a English Bull Terrier who is 6 and a half months old she is very lovely and friendly.
She wants to be with you all the time.

The problem I have is when you are not around and I dont mean out to work just upstairs in the house.
She is so naughty she will chew and destroy anything in her path.

I have given her toys which i was told to rotate every 3-4 days which i do so she does not get bored and she goes out for walks.

I really dont know what else to do with her and she is so rewarding but when she is destroying things you can not replace cause they cost too much money.

How can I go about teaching her thats is not acceptable for her to do this?

Any help would be much appreciated..

Margaret O'Kane (No Location Given)

BREED: BULL (English)
Nicki's Answer :

Hi Margaret,

English Bull Terriers grow from a very small puppy to a very large dog over six months.

They need to be feeding all the time to satisfy their nutritional needs. You are her food provider so she won't want you out of her sight for very long.

Going for walks for them is going on a food hunting expedition - you must seem like a very poor hunter to her, since you never find anything worthwhile to eat when you're out walking.

She will instinctively try to satisfy her need to graze by picking up anything she finds in the house that has a whiff of food about it. I've seen dogs eat an entire sofa - turns out the owners always used to eat their dinner sitting on the sofa watching TV. Touch the remote control with sticky fingers and they'll eat that too. Their nose can sniff out the most remote of scents and since her need for nutrition is driving her, nothing that you've touched is safe.

I would try to get her onto a diet that more closely resembles that which nature dictates - check out www.rawmeatybones.com for some very good advice and information.

In the meantime, use a large metal pot or baking dish or food bowl and fill it with all kinds of raw, whole fruit and vegetables - carrots, apples, broccoli, cauliflower, beans, celery, bananas, whole raw eggs, sprouts, whole pineapples - use your imagination - you don't have to buy high quality foodstuffs, anything that's marked down in the supermarket will do very well. Leave the bowl on the floor for her.

Don't give her onions, potatoes, raisins or grapes. Don't cut the fruit and vegetables up - just give her whole apples, the full head of broccoli and/or cauliflower, carrots etc. Ensure the bowl is replenished regularly and you should findthe chewing problem will disappear.

Be sensible with the amount of space you give her - confine her to one or two rooms until you're satisfied that all your possessions are safe - it shouldn't take too long and you'll be amazed at what they get a taste for.

She might make a bit of a mess chewingher way through all that you leave for her, but I'm sure you'd agree thatthat's better than having to replace precious, expensive items. And do your research on the rawmeatybones website and try to think more towards nature.

She sounds like a great dog - she's not really being naughty when she eats your things, she's just hunting.

I hope that this helps your problem.

Nicki.

Go To Top Of Page

BREED: BEDLINGTON
Christine's Problem:

Dear Nicki,

My Bedlington bich is now 7 months old,as soon as she wakes up she starts banging on the doors till you get up,
she does not like being fastened in a cage or a pen.This has been going on since before I got her .

As I have neighbour both sides of me I have to get up. It wasn't too bad on dark mornings about 6.30 but now its light it can be as early as 4.50am.

I've tried leaving another dog with her, she sleeps in a bed in the kitchen. Its getting very hard as were are in our mid sixty's,but we don't want to part with her.

Christine Mills. (No Location Given)

BREED: BEDLINGTON
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Christine,

To treat the symptoms:

Sleep her in your room in the her crate or in a bed and when she wakes you up, correct her then ignore her.  She has to learn that her behaviour won't be rewarded with positive attention.

I know it is hard but if you keep going down to her she is getting what she wants and it will never stop. Once she has slept in the crate or bed a few nights without waking you up you can start moving her back downstairs.

However; To Treat the cause:

She's not waking you up just to be annoying. At her age, she's focussed on food and processed food sometimes doesn't satisfy.  Feed her an evening meal of raw chicken carcasses or lamb necks.  Refer to www.rawmeatybones.com to get your information re raw feeding.  You need to give her a meal that will satisfy her and carry her through the night.  She's waking you up because you're the one who feeds her.  A growing dog often does better if they're fed that which Nature intended.  They can survive very well on manufactured food, but when you have a problem like this, nothing satisfies quite like a natural diet.

If you wish, you can combine the two solutions above to get the result you need.

BREED:FRENCH BULLDOGS
Christine's Problem: 2

Dear Nicki,

I also have 3 french bulldogs,mum dad and there 9 month old daughter,the problem is the 2 bitch,s eat poo if you dont catch them doing it.It seems to be a thing Frenchies do.The youngest mostly comes back indoor and does it in her bed are, then eats it.

She doesn't do anything when you take her out for a walk,I also have bedlingtons and they are ok.I feel awfull having to shout to them to stop  but what else can I do .

They are fed high protein complete food and  processed meat that comes in a plastic tray.I don't want to change the diet too much as they are both allergic to some lamb products.But if this would help I would give it a try.

Christine Mills. (No Location Given)

Nicki.

BREED:FRENCH BULLDOGS
Nicki's Answer:

Hi again Christine,

So many behavioural problems in dogs are based in diet. It's not just Frenchies that do this.  I've seen a Springer Spaniel who was curled into a circle, eating her own poo before it hit the ground. 

Bitches are the hunters in the dog world and they have all sorts of tricks to supplement their diet if they find it inadequate.  I know you're trying to give them a good diet, but imagine what they'd eat if they were living in a forest.  They would instinctively catch, kill and eat any small, ground-dwelling herbivore. 

This is as Nature intended.  You can stop this habit by putting your dogs onto a more natural diet.  Refer to www.rawmeatybones.com  When they're eating raw, meaty bones, their excrement becomes hard, white and unpalatable.  What's more to the point is the dogs will be totally satisfied, both physically and nutritionally and won't need to seek nutrients elsewhere. 

I would suggest that you look into following Mother Nature's direction.

I hope that this helps you with your two problems

Nicki

Go To Top Of Page

BREED: PARSON RUSSELL
Ann's Problem:

Dear Nicki,

We have a new puppy bitch whom we bred and is now approaching 6months.

We also have her mother and her grandfather. The dog is 6 1/2 years old and really dislikes the pup.
What is the best way to try and make him accept the pup? He is great with the other dogs within the household.

The pup is rather boisterous but does submit when told off.

At present we keep them apart and only let them mix when out walking but he has attacked her when she became a bit too cheeky with him.

Any suggestions please?

Ann Jones
Uxbridge

BREED: PARSON RUSSELL
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Ann,

Sounds like cheeky teenager syndrome which also invades our world at times.

The male minder is keeping order in the pack on behalf of the lead female - the youngster is submitting when told off - which is just as well because if she didn't show respect and submit, the older female would correct her then there'd be real problems with continuing integration.

As it is, it's probably best that this relatively gentle control being exhibited by the male is allowed to continue and it might be helpful if the humans in the pack became a little more demanding of the pup in terms of respect too.

Young pups are really, really cute and they can sometimes get away with more than they should. This is what's happening here and the male is just doing what comes naturally to keep the pack strong and in order. He's getting a bit frustrated because he needs some help from the rest of the pack (humans) but they keep elevating the pup over and above her station.

Hope this helps,

Kind Regards

Nicki.

Go To Top Of Page

BREED: ENGLISH BULL
Ann's Problem:

Dear Nicki

I have taken on a Bull terrier from my local sspca. He is deaf but has been well looked after and has hand signals which he understands for 'come' and 'sit'.

He gets off the lead a lot as we live in the country so all in all he is a happy dog. I have been trying to find anyone else with a deaf dog as I would like to continue his training but looking for advice.

Can you help? Thanks.

Ann Markey
Scotland.

BREED: ENGLISH BULL
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Ann

It sounds like you're doing very well already. If you think about it, we don't really need words to teach a dog to do things.
We find that deaf dogs train much quicker than do hearing dogs, simply because we're not confusing them by trying to teach them to respond to words like sit, stay, come, leave, heel etc etc - this process can take months of repetition before you see any kind of progress.

However, if you use accurate body language and treats most dogs respond beautifully. It would probably help me to give you a more comprehensive answer if I knew what you had in mind that you wish to teach him.

It's one thing to teach a dog to DO something, but quite another to teach a dog to STOP doing something.

If he has some behavioural problems that you need to address, I would be happy to discuss these with you if you would like to contact me. [If you wish to contact Nick directly; email Terrierworld and I will forward your details to Nicki Ed.]

You are very kind to take on a deaf dog and I do commend you for it. I'm sure you'll find that he'll surprise you (if he hasn't already) with his ability to understand and respond once your lines of communication with him are opened up.

Kind Regards

Nicki

Go To Top Of Page

BREED: KERRY BLUE TERRIER
Sue's Problem:

Dear Nicki,

My 15week old Kerry pup doesn't wee and poo when we go for walks. He does go in my garden (and in the house).

How can I encourage him so that he doesn't become cross legged before the walk ends?

Thanks.

Sue Bailey
Liverpool

BREED: KERRY BLUE TERRIER
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Sue

Being a male, even though he's still very young, he's practising for what his instincts tell him is his future role as minder of the pack.

A dog's urine and faeces are powerful fence-making material and they learn to drop it only where it will be most useful - ie the outer and inner areas where he gets his food.

This is normal behaviour in a young puppy and the best you can do is to feed him outside where you want him to toilet. If he's using the house, it will probably be near to a much-used entry/exit or a window where there's a lot of activity outside or where he has been fed. If this is so in your case, you should confine your puppy in a smaller space for a bit longer and feed him outside without exception.

To get him started outside, roll a whole, raw egg out in the area where you want him to toilet - dogs will mark around an area where they found meaningful food. Give him some raw chicken wings and dried liver out there too and he'll very quickly start going outside to mark and re-mark the area where he found it. If he has these traits so early, it normally means that he's going to take his minder responsibilities very seriously, so be sure to curb any early unnecessary barking.

He should start minding sensibly by the time he's around 14-18 months old - any unwitting, early encouragement will quickly develop into nuisance barking.

If you need to read up on diet to be safe please see www.rawmeatybones.com - Dr Tom Lonsdale.

Hope this helps.

Kind Regards
Nicki

Go To Top Of Page

BREED: BORDER TERRIER
Sue's Problem:

Hi Nicki,

I have two terriers (both bitches) and the younger one, Sooty, has become aggressive both to other dogs and towards the older terrier, Hattie, to the point where there have been a couple of nasty spats in the back of my car.

I'mworried she's going to seriously injure the older dog, which is nearly 13.

Any advice would be welcome.

Many thanks.

Sue Prince
No Location Given. (Terrier World Requires A Location For Answers To Problems)

BREED: BORDER TERRIER
Nicki's Answer:

Dear Sue

Sibling rivalry is far too complex a problem to risk giving advice without proper assessment. There is no one-size-fits-all remedy for this complex problem.

Your entire situation needs to be investigated thoroughly because inappropriate advice could make the matter much worse. It would be advisable to contact me and let me know the area in which you live. I may be able to put you in touch with one of my colleagues so that you can progress through this problem in a way that is suitable to you, Sooty and Hattie.

You need to know that this problem can be solved but great care needs to be taken so that the steps towards peace in your household are the correct ones. WWW.Barkbusters.co.uk/merseyside

Kind Regards

Nicki

Go To Top Of Page

BREED: BORDER TERRIER
Anne's Problem:

Dear Nicki,

I have a 6 year old Springer Spaniel & an 18 month old Border Terrier. (Both entire)

Recently Indi (terrier) has been getting more aggressive towards Thai(Springer). If Thai leaves a room & wants to come back Indi's body language will change - his ears will drop, his head comes forward & he starts growling.

Thai will wait for me to move Indi or get hold of him before he will come in. It's now growing from this to if he wants to sit near him or if he goes to the bedroom.

They have had a couple of fights each time they get more nasty.The last time I seperated them Thai had been hurt. So I decided to have Indi Neutered. This was a 2 wks ago. During this recovery period I have seperated them but Indi is still growling at Thai.

Will this stop in time or is there other issue's that need to be addressed?

Anne Rendle
Wiltshire

BREED: BORDER TERRIER
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Anne,

Sibling rivalry is a complex issue and it can be a difficult problem to solve because it happens for a lot of different reasons. You are going to need professional help to isolate the trigger as it applies to Indy and Thai.

Sibling rivalry usually happens between two dogs of the same sex, with similar temperaments.

You've done the right thing in getting Indy castrated but I would be inclined to have Thai done as well. This will then reduce the aggression hormone testosterone in both dogs and it will make the solution to your problem easier to isolate and treat.

I would also have Thai's health checked out too at the same time, because ill health in the underdog is often the trigger to this behaviour.

You may not think Thai is unwell, but Indy could well be detecting a change in Thai's body chemistry which indicates that he's no longer a strong leader.

I would urge you to get in touch with www.Barkbusters.co.uk in your area so that we can recommend somebody to visit you to fully assess your situation and to put in place a successful rehabilitation programme.

Kind Regards

Nicki

Go To Top Of Page

BREED: KERRY BLUE TERRIER

Dear Nicki,

Hi, I have a 8 month old kerry blue. When he went to his first show he was fine, now he is starting to back off the judge when they go over him, it seems to have just started, he is very outgoing, but seems shy of people now.

Please can you help me?

Julie Moss
Wiltshire.

BREED: KERRY BLUE TERRIER
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Julie,

At 8 months of age, his true personality is probably only now coming forward. From the way you describe him, it sounds to me that he could have a nervous disposition.

There's nothing wrong in this, it's just the way he was born and it can be verified if he reacts strongly to either thunder storms, fireworks or loud sounds. Nervous dogs frequently present the dichotomy of being generally outgoing but wary of strangers.

It can be difficult to persevere in the show ring with a dog with a nervous disposition. The way around it could be if you embarked on a project to get strangers to hand feed him something meaningful like dried liver. In that way,
you will be instrumental in altering his perception of strangers, from possible threat to a treat giver.

Many nervous dogs do very well in the show ring, but their owners need to do lots of work to build up theirconfidence with strangers.

Nothing traumatic has happened to create his wariness of strangers, it's just part of the complex nature of the nervous dog.

Kind Regards

Nicki

Go To Top Of Page

Teresa's Problem:

Dear Nicki,

Hello, please could you give me some advice.

I have a 10 year old bitch who lost her partner of 9 years last nov.

We have just got a 9 week old puppy and she does not like him at all, she won't look at him.
She has snapped at him and meant it.

We only let them together when we are there with them. We make a lot of fuss with her and try and not to keep them apart.

Could you please help me.

Thank you

TERESA MARTIN
Truro, Cornwall

BREED: STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Teresa,

She does love him, but she's trying to discipline him. Just because she's trying to discipline him doesn't mean that she doesn't love him - any parent will recognise this.

He's probably a bit of a handful at the moment, so cute and bouncy with no knowledge of canine manners, rules and order. She knows instinctively that he has a strong nature and she has to be firm with him to get through to him whilst he's still young.

In the dog world (and our world for that matter), ignorning certain behaviour is the highest form of dominance - that's why she's not looking at him. What she can't ignore, she's disciplining in the only way she knows - with her voice tone and body language.

You're quite right that she meant it - she needs to see him submit to her and recognise that there are rules and boundaries that he must adhere to. It won't be long before he'll be much stronger physically than she is. She needs to pull him into line now while he's still small and young so that she can rely on him in the future to be a strong pack member.

She will always be the leader of the two of them and she's working hard to gain order and respect. They will eventually be the best of friends and he will follow her everywhere - but she needs your help to get it right nowwhile he's young. She needs you to discipline him too - do it in exactly the same way that she's doing it - with voice tones and body language.

Feel free to contact me if you need any further help.

Kind Regards,
Nicki.

Go To Top Of Page

BREED: BORDER TERRIER

Sharon's Problem:

Dear Nickie,

I have a 4 month old border terrier and ever since I've started taking her out for walks(12 weeks) she barks at people and dogs.

The other day we had a postman following us on our walk and she wouldn't stop barking until we lost him!

I find her so embarrasing! I've been told to ignore her when she barks and praise her a few seconds after she's stopped barking.

If i can see someone walking towards us in the distance I try to get her to sit and give her treats but this isn't veryeffective!

She's an extremely happy doggy...I don't think she's aggressive.I'm pretty sure she does it for attention because as soon as someone gives her attention she stops barking!

I need some advice please. I don't really want to go down the route of using "barking detterrent collars".

I look forward to your reply.

Sharon Belding
Southampton

BREED: BORDER TERRIER
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Sharon

It sounds like your little lady is getting the wrong message in that she's being given treats/loving/attention almost as a result of the bad behaviour.

She sounds like a clever little thing and being a terrier, you're definitely doing the right thing in getting this sorted before she's too much older.

Terriers love to bark and sometimes it's not too long before it's all gone pear-shaped and become an entrenched habit that's difficult to shift.

Get yourself a little water spray and every time she exhibits the body language where you just KNOW she's going to bark, squirt her and growl at he same time - don't wait til the bark happens, try to treat the body language. As soon as she responds to you (ears down, licking lips, taildown), vocally tell her she's a good girl - but be ready to squirt again if she repeats the behaviour.

It just sounds like she got a little mixed up and thought that she was getting attention/treats for the barking. She's a baby and needs your direction - if you don't have a failure signal, she won't learn. You can use "uh-uh" as we do with little kids when they're heading in the wrong direction, just accompany the vocal signal with the water spray and it will all be a thing of the past very quickly. It won't take long before you won't need the water spray at all - just the vocal warning sound.

Good Luck

Kind Regards

Nicki.

Go To Top Of Page

BREED: PARSON JACK RUSSELL

Vicky's Problem:

Dear Nicki,

I have a 5 1/2 month old jack russell who's trying to dominate by getting on the couch showing his teeth and begging at the dinner table he has tried to bite me and bitten my little boy I know these dogs are teritorial andprotective over certain members of the family i didn't want that when i bought this puppy for the kids.

He toilet trained straight away on the newspaper but has now started to do his buisness on the floor, also if somebody is going out as soon as they put their coat on he goes mad barking and growling, he has plenty ofexercise 2-3 times a day but he really starting to ge on my nerves no as I am starting to loose trust when he's around.

Vicky Sinclair
(Huyton Liverpool)

BREED: PARSON JACK RUSSELL
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Vicky,

This seems like a combination of management, miscommunication and dietary problems.

There's nothing cuter than a Jack Russell puppy and he may have been able to get away with a little too much just because he's so cute and still very, very young.

But at 5half months, now's the time to crack down a bit or you'll end up as a bully and a hooligan. He needs to understand just where be belongs in the pack - in this case, right at the bottom. I agree that it seems that he's quite dominant in that he toilet trained very early - this is a sign of a clever little dog who's worked out what's required.

But now he's rebelling and making his own rules in order to climb to the top rung of the ladder. The males tend to want to "mind" the pack - this is instinctive and normally not a problem, but the urge needs to be curbed in this instance because this puppy is too young to do it sensibly. Somehow he's got the idea that his behaviour is acceptable - this is where the miscommunication comes in.

He needs to be told in his own language that barking when people prepare to leave the home is totally unacceptable behaviour. This can be done by using a water spray and growling at him disapprovingly and chasing him away from the area of confrontation. He may come back a couple of times to test your consistency, but keep up the disapproval until he submits.

The body language for submission is the tail and ears drop down and they commonly lick their lips. Once he does this, then verbally tell him he's a good boy in a soft voice of approval but he's a strong-minded little lad, so beprepared to use a stern voice and the water spray again if he tries to persist once you've praised his submission.

With regards to him showing his teeth when you try to get him off the couch, this is just miscommunication. Dogs don't speak English, so my guess is that he doesn't really understand that he has to get off the couch and your body language accompanied by your angry voice is scaring him. He's virtually in a trapped situation on the couch, so he will show his teeth to warn you away.

The way to clear up the miscommunication is to crouch down and gently call him off the couch. If he comes off quickly, praise him but be prepared to growl and use the water spray if his body language indicates that he's going to go straight back up there. However, if he just looks at you and doesn't get off the couch when your body language is clearly inviting, then use the water spray and growl at him, then immediately step back and crouch down and call him gently.

I've never seen this fail to get the message through to even the most stubborn of dogs. If you want to train him to stay off the couch, then be sure that the whole family is consistent. Inconsistency will prolong the problem. If you want to keep him off the couch when you're not there, you might have to think about crating him in your absences or put a piece of alfoil over the couch cushions - or turn them up.

If a dog is fed from the table, it will continue to beg at the table. Maybe somebody has fed him so he's got the message? If this is not the case, then you need to consider the following:

A dog who tries to share in the family meal is a dog who's trying to posture his dominance. In the dog world, the most dominant member of the pack gains first access to the food so he could be trying to gain height on theheirarchy ladder by trying to stare you down and bully you into giving up your food. However, he could well be getting a bit hungry for nature's food at this age. His testosterone is starting to rise and he's at the stage of a hungry teenage boy at the moment.

If the number of meals he's being given has been reduced recently, it might be well worth increasing his food intakeagain for a bit longer. So the choices are either lock him away outside whilst you're eating if you can't resist those big brown eyes or consider changing his diet to a more natural fare - check out www.rawmeatybones.com This will be more satisfying for him and a lot of the problems outlined will dissipate. He needs to be fed two to three times a day until he's at least 2 years old. If he's fed naturally, he won't overeat and will self-regulate his intake by walking away from offered food.

Kind Regards

Nicki Platt.

Go To Top Of Page

BREED: PARSON JACK RUSSELL
Amanda's Problem:

Dear Nicki,

our Jack Russell, male terrier (fixed) is extremely jealous of our neutered male norwich and our fixed female wheaten. He snaps at them and it beginning to terrorize them. Can you help?
We live in the west on the coast of ireland.

Amanda Hooke
Ireland.

BREED: PARSON JACK RUSSELL
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Amanda,

The reasons why sibling rivalry occurs in a household are diverse and numerous. I would need a lot more information from you before I could reliably comment on your particular circumstances. As you now know, sibling rivalry normally involves quite a high level of aggression and is distressing and divisive for all concerned, both dog and humans. I have a policy not to give advice on aggression without first seeing the dog and investigating the living circumstances.

You would need to understand that any comments I make are of a general nature. So, generally speaking, sibling rivalry happens because the pack is in disorder. Somehow the aggressor has got the idea that he has the back-up of the rest of the pack to tell everybody off (probably from the vantage point of somebody's lap). Basically he's in brat zone and he probably got there because he's either cute and quirky or has had a period of illness and this has endeared him to the humans in the pack.

Personality plays a big part in this brat behaviour too. A truly dominant dog rarely resorts to aggression to keep its place in the pack. Dominant dogs are strategists and will withdraw rather than confront. This kind of dog is usually described as patient,
laid-back or easy-going - humans rarely recognise this dog as truly dominant.

All aggression stems from fear, so the aggressor in sibling rivalry is usually of a shy, nervous, timid or fearful personality, even though he looks pretty fierce when he's busily telling everybody off. Food also plays a large part in triggering confrontation. We often find that the aggressor is food-obsessed and in the dog world, the leader is entitled to the first helping.

I would need to know exactly when the aggression is happening, the ages of the dogs, the health status of all three, the eating habits of all three and particularly, how the family regards each dog. Sibling rivalry is a complex subject and the comments above are a mere outline of just some of the triggers that happen in a multi member mixed pack.

This problem can be solved so I would urge you to contact me personally so that we can exchange specific information with a view to setting in place a rehabilitation programme to bring peace to your household.

Kind Regards

Nicki Platt.

Go To Top Of Page

BREED: PATTERDALE TERRIER CROSSBREED
Lea's Problem

Dear Nicki,

my names Leanne, originally from Cumbria but now living in Liverpool.
My friend Claire gave me your name and profession as she advised you are helping eliminate her dogs bad behaviour.
I have a patterdale terrier cross, and his problem is that he is continiously attention barking. I find this quite embarressing when having friends round, espeically claire who constantly taunts me that her dog is much better behaved than mine!!

Please Help!!

(end of my tether Lea)

Leanne Henry
Liverpool
England

BREED: PATTERDALE TERRIER CROSSBREED
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Lea,

Patterdales are quick thinkers and fast learners, but like most dogs, pretty quick at training their human companions to do what they want too!! It starts off, often in puppyhood, when we think they’re sooo cute when they practice their little yips and barks and we praise them or give them lots of cuddles and fuss cos they’re sooo clever or we teach them to “speak” for a treat!! Then as the dog gets older it’s not so cute and becomes downright annoying when you’re on the phone or trying to watch TV and there’s this dog barking at you to play, or go out, or walk or food.

So, the first thing is, to only give him attention on your terms, never when he demands it. So if he wants to play ignore it, take the toys away if necessary and get a toy out when you want to play. Secondly, ignore the barking, but if it’s just too bad, quietly and calmly call him out of the room and shut him out. Don’t be tempted to get angry and take hold of his collar to take him out. If he barks or scratches to come back in, wait till he’s quiet for a second and begin slowly to open the door. If he barks, whines, scratches or pushes to come in, close it. Eventually, you should be able to quietly “invite” him in. If he barks again, do it all again. Dogs learn by association and if he’s shown by the closing door that barking doesn’t get what he wants and being quiet does, he might catch on very quickly. Try doing that every day and you should see his brain clicking into action!

Good luck.

Kind Regards

Nicki.

Go To Top Of Page

Dear Nicki,

hello - we have a 3 yr old lakeland who is lovely, but she barks at anything and everything even when in the house.
Once she starts she can go on and on.
Any ideas?

Debra Tullin

BREED: LAKELAND
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Debra,
Here are some facts on barking, I would have to know I little more to understand which she falls into.
The main things I would look at is leadership and diet, it seems to me that she needs to know that you are in control of all situations not her.
I would also be inclined to have her frame checked out and a full MOT from the vet! She sounds lovely, but she may think it is her job to warn of anything and anybody, and unless she is corrected she won't understand that she is doing anything wrong she will think she is doing a fabulous job, as nothing and nobody will come near!
Please feel free to give me a few more details and I will be able to help you further, how long she has been doing this, has anything changed in the household, change of diet?

BARKING - THE FACTS

• Barking is a behavioural problem.

• Dogs bark for a variety of reasons. You need your dog assessed by a professional to ascertain why YOUR dog is barking when you’ve been telling it to stop.

• If you’ve been telling it to stop and it immediately goes back to barking, you can safely say you’re not getting through to your dog.

• Barking at people who pass by the property is nuisance barking.

• A dog who barks at birds, dogs, people, falling leaves, the clouds, etc. AREN’T watchdogs. Remember the old story of the boy who cried “Wolf”.

• A quiet, intelligent watchdog is the one intruders know they need to be wary of.

• Old dogs CAN learn new tricks.

• A dog as it matures will automatically “watch” your property.

• A pup who barks without being stopped is a potential nuisance barker.

• A pup who barks at his owner when being vocally “told off” needs training as soon as possible. He is looking for a leader.

Hope to hear from you soon, Kind Regards,
Nicki.

Go To Top Of Page

Dear Nicki,

Ted [my Border] was 1 last week. he's a great little dog, a bit stubborn but better since he was neutered. But,...today a friend came with a 3 year old springer [Charlie] who will usually stand his ground, they went for a long walk together and that was
good Ted kept looking to Charlie like a big brother!
But when we got home Ted wanted Charlie to play like chase me or rough and tumble but Charlie didn't want to know..so Ted was like trying to lick/knibble in Charlie's ear then then trying to push Charlie down by the shoulders. I'm not sure if this was leading to try and hump charlie or just to play.
Ted will not take no for an answer when he is like that. Is it because he is young or is it a dominance thing?
He was not so bad with a female dog.
Nobody likes their dog bullied though and thats how it starts to look. Charlie was just trying to ignore Ted. Can You Help?

Thanks,

Lorraine Wallace
Kent.

BREED: BORDER
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Lorraine,

Ted is only a year old, so I expect he's recently been neutered. You would need to take into consideration that it takes between 6 weeks and three months for the level of testosterone to drop once castration has taken place.
Ted sounds like he's going on with a bit of bossy-boots behaviour that is normally fuelled by high levels of testosterone but it's also the behaviour of a young, pushy male too.
Charlie is being very mature and clever in expressing his dominance. In the dog world (and in ours too) ignoring certain unacceptable behaviour is the highest form of dominance.
Ted's behaviour is certainly unacceptable to an older dog but Ted's too young to know - Charlie is trying to teach him. Just leave them be and don't interfere. There could come a time if Ted keeps up the pestering when Charlie takes a pop at Ted but it won't be serious - just a little verbal warning to back off. It doesn't mean they're not friends, it's just the animal world at work.

Hope this helps,

Kind Regards
Nicki

Go To Top Of Page

Dear Nicki,

We rescued our lovely Kerry Blue, Benji, over 3 months ago. He is nearly 4 years old and came with a couple of issues.
He had been living with 90-year-old owners and was not getting fed properly or exercised. We were advised that he had previously bitten a dog groomer.
He has really come on since we got him; he s had his first haircut and had put on weight. He s great on walks, although not fond of other dogs.
The only real problem that we have is that he is very very possessive when he is given anything. He growls and gives us dirty looks if you give him a bone or he picks up a random sweetie wrapper. We were planning to try and work on this area for training.
However, on Friday night he bit my partner Stephen when he was trying to retrieve his treat for him from under the chair. We are now sick with worry that he may bite again and it will be a child or relative. There was no warning or growl, just an inch gouge and from Stephens arm. We had to attend the hospital.
Could you please advise what the best course of action would be?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a million,

Sharon
South Lanarkshire
Scotland
UK

BREED: KERRY BLUE
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Sharon

As he seems quite nervous/aggressive in certain situations like with the dog groomer and doesn't like dogs, the very first thing I would do is take him to the vet to check his frame and ensure he has not got anything out of place in his body.
In the meantime avoid trapped places like under chairs, corners,try and allow him a safe area. It seems diet may be an issue also so research his diet look at www.rawmeatybones.com and try and get him on as natural diet as possible.
It is very tricky when dealing with aggression without seeing him, but dogs are not naturally aggressive and there will be a cause either illness, fear, etc..
I would contact www.barkbusters.co.uk in your area as they can help with your issues but I do think you need help in order to keep him safe.

I hope this helps,

Kind Regards
Nicki

Go To Top Of Page

Dear Nicki,

Mary Kate my Kerry(named after Maureen O'Hara's character in The Quiet Man) paws at me for attention. I have tried "off", "no", etc. It's very annoying. She's a real lover - so it's not lack of attention.

Thanks!
Rossane Carey
Harrison Township, USA

BREED: KERRY BLUE
Nicki's Answer:

Dear Rossane,

This kind of behaviour starts off being rather endearing, but it can quickly become sooooo annoying. Some people don't mind it but in your case, it seems to have gone over the top somewhat and needs to be curbed. Mary-Kate is just training you. She's probably thrilled when you respond - even if you say "No" or "off" you've responded.
The best way to put a stop to this is to totally ignore her, don't say a word and don't look at her or respond in any way.
Sit it out the first time - it might take some time initially. When she gives up in disgust and walks away (and she will, just be patient) call her over to you and love her all you want. Then withdraw the loving and do it all again. It'll only take a couple of days before she gets the message that you're in control of the training.
At different times during the day, crouch down, invite her over to you and give her lots of loving. This kind of training can be a powerful weapon in reversing who's in charge of whom.

Hope this helps,

Kind Regards
Nicki

Go To Top Of Page

BREED: LAKELAND
Elain's Problem:

Dear Nicki,

I am now the proud owner of a sweet two year old Lakeland Terrier named Duey. He is one of the kindest, agreeable, and affectionate males. There's only one issue...he doesn't like to be left alone and barks continually (for hours). I've left the radio and TV on without any success.
Duey arrived at my home only two weeks ago and there is an adjustment period yet is there something I can do to help his transition go smoothly?

Thanks.
Elaine

BREED: LAKELAND
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Elaine,

This level of barking was probably happening in his previous home too and was more than likely the reason why this “sweet, kind, agreeable and affectionate” dog was rehomed at 2 years of age. You’re quite right in saying that he needs a period of time to adjust to his new surroundings.
However, I’ve found that after two weeks, the real personality of the dog comes to the fore so this level of barking won’t improve by itself. You need to look at other areas where Duey is barking. I’m sure that he’s not barking just when you leave. Eg, does he bark when the post arrives? Does he bark when the doorbell goes? Does he bark when people pass by the house?
It seems to me that he’s been able to get away with things for quite sometime, due mainly to the kind of personality he is. It’s difficult to correct a sweet-natured dog but I’m afraid you’re going to have to start giving him some rules and boundaries.
Let him know in no uncertain manner that you don’t accept him barking unnecessarily. Do this by setting up situations where he will bark when you’re in the room, and soundly tell him off for the behaviour (don’t wait for things to happen – be proactive rather than reactive). Remember to vocally praise him once he stops – only to immediately use a strong vocal correction if he barks again.
Once he’s responding put him in another room and shut the door. If he barks, soundly correct him as you did before without opening the door to him. Then you should be able to leave the house but wait outside your property and listen for any barking. If it happens, go back and correct him from outside the house. You’re going to have to take baby steps and wait for improvement in one area before moving on to the more difficult situation of you leaving him in the house and departing. It’s time for a little tough love.

Hope this helps,

Kind Regards
Nicki

Go To Top Of Page

BREED: BEDLINGTON
Susan's Problem:

Dear Nicki,

I have two young bedlington terriers, Shaun a 9 month old neutered male, and Evie a 4 month old little girl. Since we got Evie, they make a lot of noise when they playfight and we are getting complaints from the neighbours next door. Also, Shaun barks sometimes when he is in the garden. We have tried anti bark collars, which make a noise to distract them from barking with no avail.
Can you suggest anything to stop them?

Regards,
Susan.

BREED: BEDLINGTON
Nicki's Answer:

Dear Susan

I'm not in the habit of dividing behavioural problems by breed, but Bedlington Terriers, as you no doubt know only too well, are normally sweet, gentle little creatures and as a result, we don't get called on to treatbehavioural problems very often with this breed. However, it can sometimes happen that BECAUSE they're so sweet and gentle, it's almost impossible for owners to "tell them off" effectively - it would be like telling Bambi off.
I do think that this could be a little bit of a management problem, easily solved by giving them a few rules and boundaries in this and other areas oftheir life.
Males in the dog world are usually the females' minders, so this could be why Shaun has started barking in the back garden since Evie came into the household. It sounds like he's trying to be a good little pack member and mind the valuable female - he has no idea that this (instinctive) behaviour can cause problems for the pack in our human world.
I think maybe he doesn't see you as The Minder of the pack because you love them both so much. Dogs without rules and boundaries gently but consistently instilled at a young age, will resort to their instincts as they mature.
The safety of the pack is all important - it's all about survival, so you can only imagine the strength of their instincts.
This behaviour will continue to escalate as they grow towards maturity, so you're right to seek help now before the behaviour becomes entrenched.
Before you tackle the barking in the back garden, you need to control the play fighting to begin with, as this usually happens inside the house and within close proximity to you. From what you say, the play fighting is starting to get out of hand if the neighbours are complaining about the noise. A certain amount of play-fighting is of course acceptable, but it should be stopped by you if it starts to gain in volume, frequency and ferocity. Don't stand for it - clap your hands loudly and growl deeply until they stop. Remember that they don't understand words at this stage, so keep things simple - the "uh-uh" sound is often understood instantly if accompanied by a loud sound such as rapid clapping. Once they respond to this vocal telling off, you should use it each time they are doing something unacceptable.
When this becomes familiar, you should be able to use it effectively when Shaun's barking in the back garden - bang on the back door to accompany your vocal warning. There's no point in going outside to tell him off - the timing will be wrong. He needs to hear the correction at the exact time he's barking. Be consistent and vocally reward their response to the correction in a soft, loving voice. Don't use their name to tell them off - that should be kept for all things good and "NO" is used too often in a normal household for the dogs to understand it as their correction word. It's too easy to fall into the habit of "Shaun - NO" or "Evie - NO" when you have more than one dog.
Using their names in connection with a correction can lead to problems with the recall at a later stage. Keep it simple and use "Uh-uh" and loud rapid clapping at the precise moment that unwanted behaviour is happening.

Hope this helps,

Kind Regards
Nicki

Go To Top Of Page

BREED: CAIRN - CAIRN/SCOTTIE CROSS BREED
Gordon R Blakemore's Problem:

Dear Nicki,
I have two terrier bitches. Maisie (4) is pure bred Cairn. Flora (2) is Cairn/Scottie cross. 12 months ago Flora broke her back. She went to a specialist for 6 weeks, after which (as I was working away from home and couldgive her the TLC needed)
I nursed her for 9 months. She is now almost fully
recovered except for slight incontinence which is getting better too. The problem is that she now keeps fighting with Maisie, and last night attacked her severely with the result that Maisie is now in the vet's for stitches and X-ray
to her leg. Please do you have any suggestions as to why this should be happening and what I can do about it.
I thought it may be an attachment to me, but in this instance I was away from home. I am going to put a muzzle on her
until I can get advice on how to deal with this.
Regards,
Gordon

BREED: CAIRN - CAIRN/SCOTTIE CROSS BREED
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Gordon, Thanks for your email,

SIBLING RIVALRY
This normally occurs between two dogs of the same sex and of a similar temperament but it commonly happens when there's been a disruption in the pack. This kind of fighting is seen between two females more often than it is seen between two males.
It can be a serious situation which, untreated, can lead to both dogs being permanently separated, either in the home or one dog is found alternate accommodation. Needless to say, this is very upsetting for everybody.
The reason in this case needs to be investigated by a professional.
The knee-jerk reaction would be to say that Flora was inadvertently elevated up the pecking order by the post trauma nursing care. Of course she would have been carefully tended to ensure a full recovery but in the dog world, their instinct is to "get them while they're down". My guess is that Maisie was boss before Flora became incapacitated. Maisie, being two years older than Flora, would have given Flora all the body language and discipline that gave a clear message that Maisie the boss right from the time that Flora was a very young pup.
You, Gordon (being a human) would have protected Flora from any kind of rough play (discipline dished up by Maisie) during the protracted recovery period of 9 months.
Flora appears to have seen you as her back-up to take over the leadership from Maisie.
But this is guesswork from a distance and the whole situation needs to be thoroughly investigated. I would urge you to get professional assistance to properly assess the situation. You need help in to how to restore pack order.

Hope this helps,

Kind Regards
Nicki

Go To Top Of Page

BREED:KERRY BLUE
Dianne Collins Problem:

Dear Nicki,
Hi....I have a 1 year old Kerry Blue Terrier. He is a great dog but wants to drag me all over the place. I have tried the "tree stance" where I just stand still when he starts pulling and the "about face" when he starts pulling. Neither seems to be of much help. He is better on a gentleleader....until he sees something of greater interest than me! I walk him on either a nylon collar or a Martindale collar. Any words of wisdom? Thanks!

Dianne Collins
Atlanta Georgia
USA

BREED:KERRY BLUE
Nicki's Answer:

Hi Dianne
Thanks for you email, what we have to remember is that when we go for a walk...our dogs are going for a hunt!
The very first thing I would look at is diet as if your dog is not totally satisfied with his, he will also see walks/hunts as a secondary food source. We have many ways of getting a dog to heal but I prefer it to be because they want too.
If the diet is correct you stand a much better chance.
If you haven't tried a Canny Collar I would recommend one it is a kind and effective way of conditioning him to walk at your side without having pull on his neck. (www.cannyco.com )
You also need to up your leadership with him in the home over the next few weeks whilst working on heal, use
5 minutes a day to practice sit/stay on a lead in your house but not using treats, just your voice only and get him to show you some respect. Ensure you are in charge of the front door and always lead out first.

Hope this helps,

Kind Regards
Nicki

Go To Top Of Page