Dog Whisper or Listener?
 

I am in the process of reading the Dog Listener. I think my dogs accept me as leader even tho I see I am making some mistakes. Here is the problem: My oldest daughter and her 2yo son have come to visit. Her son is headstrong and when he causes me problems I grab him and hold him while he screams, hits, pinches, until he calms down.


Now, the Dog Listener says the pack supports the Alpha Leader, me. Problem is when I am trying to get my grandson to settle down, Autumn leaps around me barking like she is telling him to behave and quiet down. I know she's trying to back me up. I tell her to go away, I can handle it, but she just races around me barking and stiring up the other dogs who mill around wondering what to do. What do I do? Any suggestions? Sylvia

that is so funny! These pups are a riot arent they. My Louie trys to repremand his younger sister Bella when she gets fresh....like tearing up the peepee pad or whenever she does something that I tell her NO! He gets right in there and tries to help. I dont know what you can do about it though...sorry.

I think I have the same problem. Gucci will listen but when Im reprimending my daugther she starts barking at my daugther and running around like crazy. She doesn't listen to me when I tell her to stop.

Sylvia,

I don't know that this is a leadership issue so much as it is that Autumn is getting excited by all the commotion and possibly stressed by it.

My advice normally would be to try to reward any intervals of quiet/calm behavior (however short) that you can capture and work to increase the duration of those. However, the picture I have in my mind is that you are completely tied up with your grandson. That definitely complicates the situation.

Here are a few thoughts...
1) what I definitely wouldn't do is yell at the dog. That's bound to cause more excitement.
2) you could work with Autumn on desensitizing her to your Grandson's behavior a little at the time by rewarding calm behavior. You could even recruit your Grandson to help with this. A brief yell - is Autumn calm? reward/repeat. Brief yell, arms and legs flailing - is Autumn calm? reward/repeat Gradually adding more out-of-control behavior so that she can handle it.
3)OR, there's a product called a "Treat and Train" that can be used to remotely dispense treats. You could train her to run to the Treat & Train when grandson is out-of-control for a yummy treat.
4) you could babygate the dogs away from you and your grandson.

Good Luck!

Ok, that baby gate is a possiblity. But see, this isn't the only time she tries to back me up. I just want her to understand that it's not her job, that it's not necessary to help me. I think I'll have to finish reading the book and start it again to see if I've missed anything that would help her calm down. I'm sure she thinks she the second in command and I don't want her thinking that.

I forgot to say that she is my favorite and it maybe some way that I'm treating her that makes her think she's second in command. Sylvia