This batch of reader questions is answered by Madison, Wis.-based certified applied animal behaviorist Patricia McConnell, author of
"The Other End of the Leash" (Ballantine Books, 2002; $13.95), recently released in paperback.
Q. QMy 4-year-old Yorkshire terrier barks when I'm on the phone. I've tried to spray her with water and use a shake can filled with coins. Nothing works. I even began to feed her to get her to hush, but that lasts only as long as the food does. Now, she's overweight. What do I do?
A. "You might be happy to learn you're not alone; this is a fairly common problem," McConnell says. Give the Yorkie a Kong toy (available at pet stores) stuffed with low-fat peanut butter or low-fat moist dog food.
Just as your pup begins to work on getting the goodies from the toy, use your cell phone or a second line to call yourself, or have a friend phone you. Just say "hi," and then hang up.
When you hang up, take the toy away. Gradually, talk longer, 10 seconds, then 20 seconds, etc. Remember, the chew toy goes away when you're off the phone.
Meanwhile, the phone will undoubtedly ring in earnest when you're not prepared with the stuffed Kong. When that happens, calmly ask the caller to hold on while you take your dog into a far-off room, so any barking won't disturb you. Or pick up an extension in a far-away room and close the door, so your barking Yorkie can't hinder your conversation.
Ask your veterinarian about placing your pup on a low-fat diet and increasing exercise. Feeding your dog from a Buster Cube, Talk to Me Treat Ball or another food-dispensing toy is fun for your pooch and also burns calories.
Q. QI've been training dogs for 36 years, and I've studied with some of the best trainers and animal behaviorists in the world.
But I'm totally stumped by my own dog. She's a German shepherd imported from Germany, who I've raised since she was a pup. How is it that when she hears a doorbell on TV, she runs to the door and barks? We've never had a doorbell. So, how does she know to do this?
— L.K., Margate, Fla.
A. This is a first for McConnell, too. She's guessing that your dog must have had real-life experience with a doorbell, either as a very young pup before arriving from Germany or when you and your dog visited the home of a friend with a doorbell. "If there were other dogs barking away at the doorbell as dogs do, your dog would learn very quickly," McConnell says. "One experience would be enough for a lifetime."
Q. QMy husband and I rescued a 3-month-old puppy from drowning while on a vacation seven years ago. Today, this terrier mix is healthy, but he barks and is aggressive to strangers at the door, and then all the time they're in the house.
She has nearly bitten many people, but never a family member. She's wonderful with the family. My husband and I are at the end of our patience. What can we do?
— T.P., Tacoma, Wash.
A. "This dog isn't necessarily a lost cause," McConnell says. "It's a very good sign that apparently this dog has inhibited himself from biting."
You do, however, require hands-on help from a professional trainer. Also, an anti-anxiety drug, such as Prozac, might calm your dog enough to work more effectively with him.
Start off with classic counterconditioning. Have family members arrive at your door tossing kibble, so the front door doesn't become a worrisome place (be sure to consider the amount of kibble to prevent your dog from becoming overfed).
Then, set up a situation where friends arrive at the door and toss your dog a quarter of a slice of lunchmeat or small pieces of a turkey hot dog, and then immediately leave the house.
Eventually, your friends will toss the treats as they enter the house for only a few moments. Gradually, the friends will make it to a chair in the living room, and toss the treats. Once your friend is out of treats, take the dog away and put her in a room with the door closed.
From now on, your dog's only exposure to your friends will be when they have the most excellent treats in the world. Your hope is that, eventually, she'll connect visitors with her positive treat experiences.
Timing and further instructions are imperative, which is why you require hands-on help from a professional trainer.
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/9893115.htm?1c