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Bad Attitude

Charleen

Well-known member
Luke is displaying a bad attitude at times and I don't know what I should do to discourage it. Luke came to live with me when he was 3.5 years old. He was my third dog to the home and he was neutered just before coming to live with us. The breeder was retiring him from breeding and wanted to place him in a house with multiple cavaliers, because he has always been around a lot of cavaliers.

Luke needs lots of loving. He wants to always be on your lap. He & Pippin had a few dominence issues that they worked out quickly and Luke was getting along with Pippin & Merry for the last 5 months. Everything seemed fine and I brought home Luke's son, Jolly, 2 months ago. Luke ignores Jolly. Luke isn't mean to Jolly, but is indifferent to him.

Then about 3 weeks ago, Luke started really being nasty to people that came over to the house. He met my cousin Heather this past August and was fine with her. When she came over to the house 3 weeks ago, she walked up to him and he started barking really loud at her. He didn't seem to like her at all. She went into another room and we were all sitting at the dining room table. When Luke came over to the table I told Heather to ignore him. He didn't do anything else obnoxious until the end of the evening. Luke was next to me and Heather reached down to pet him good night and he started barking at her again and we are not talking a nice bark. I do not know why he was doing that. There were about 8 other people in the house and Luke was only picking on my cousin.

Then about 4 days later, my best friend Janet came over. She is a real dog lover. Luke met Janet before and was fine with her, but this was before Jolly came to live with us. Luke started in on her right away. As soon as she came in the house. I told him he was a bad dog and to stop. But he kept doing it. I put a leash on Luke and left him next to me, so he wouldn't go towards Janet and he was quiet. After a while I took him off the leash and he started in on Janet again, so we put him in his crate. He raised a fuss in the crate, but we ignored him. Once he stopped protesting and all was quiet for a while I let him out. Whenever he came over to Janet she would not look in his eyes, but just say hi Luke. She would keep talking to him, but not look at him and he seemed to stay quiet.

Janet came over the following Saturday to visit again and Luke was bad again. Barking threateningly at her. This time Janet wanted to try reprimanding him each time. Every time Luke barked at Janet, she said Now Luke there is no need for that, in a calm but stern voice and he would back down. However, he would bark again maybe 10 minutes later.

Mom has told me that Luke has been horrible to other people coming to the house when I am not home. But he picks and chooses who he doesn't like. It is really disconcerting and I do not want this behaviour to continue. What can people suggest to help me get Luke over his nastiness?
 
I may be wrong but it sounds very much like Luke is trying to prove his place in the pecking order. We had similar problems with one of our fosters. This may or may not work but I was told by a trainer that when the dog starts displaying this behaviour that I should stand up to make myself hugher up than the dog and then make the low 'bahhhhhhhhhhhhhh' -ing noise that the bitch makes to chastise the puppies.

Is Luke maybe showing other behavioural issues with the other dogs? I am wondering if because Jolly is another boy whether he feels his position is slightly threatened within the pack (male hormones :roll: )?

Maybe Tara will come on and help you on this one? I know that the bahhh thing worked for us. PLEASE don't use your crate for punishment though, crates are meant to be a safe place for the dogs where they feel secure - not a punishment place. If you feel uneasy about Luke being around people then maybe shut him in another room but not his crate.

Good luck :flwr:
 
Donna, thank you for the advice. I will try what you suggest. My friend Janet is very patient and I am sure she will work with Luke and I to figure out how to get him past this.
 
'bahhhhhhhhhhhhhh' -ing noise that the bitch makes to chastise the puppies
oooh Donna that's what its for!! with my last dog the trainer told me if she was barking consistently or anything like that that i would do exactly the above..it worked well on her but when i got these two i never tried it because i just thought it was a random noise made to sound intimidating..well now i kno better! thanks! :flwr:

btw Charleen the 'baaaahing' thing also worked well for me with my other dog...havent tried it on these two yet though
 
I have to be honest, I still use it now when my two play up - not that Maxx can hear me very well - I think with him it's just the look I give him. I furrow my brow and scowl at him and he gives me this 'Uh oh, I'm for it' look and disappears quickly :lol: I've never ever had to resort to 'physical' means with any of them - except to pull Maxx out of the recycling bags when he's trashing them.... :roll: Everything else I've ever done is either by sound or action LOL.
 
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