Expert Advice on Puppy Problems

ByABC News
October 7, 2003, 4:18 PM

Oct. 7 -- 20/20 co-anchor John Stossel gave viewers a firsthand glimpse of the struggles he's been having training his Tibetan Terrier, Oscar. He turned to professional dog trainers Andrea Arden and Kiela Kern for help. ABCNEWS.com readers sent in hundreds of questions about their own puppy problems.

Below, are a sampling. Read their comments and share your own thoughts on our message board. For more information visit their Web sites: AndreaArden.com and KielaKern.com

QUESTION: Our dog LOVES to ride in the car. The bad thing is, he barks as soon as the car starts and won't stop until the engine is off. We would like to take him more often for a ride, but it is VERY annoying. How can we make him stop? Thank you! Susan, Kirt & Tupac in Haltom City

ANDREA ARDEN: Hi Susan & Kirt If you are pretty sure your dog is barking due to happy excitement while in the car, then the following should work well. Plan one or two 5 minute training sessions a day for the next week and try the following. Have your dog get in the car and keep his leash on. Start the engine and the moment he starts to bark one of you take hold of his leash and gently take him out of the car. Repeat this over the 5 minute session without turning the car off. What you want to make clear to him is that the reward of riding in the car is taken away if he barks incessantly. In addition, you might consider talking to a local trainer to try a product called a citronella collar. This is a device that works by emitting a spray when the dog barks. This spray does not go into your dogs face, rather out in front of him. Many dogs are startled by the spray and quickly make the connection that barking is what causes it. This has been proven to be much more effective than shock collars and in my opinion is much more humane. Also, look for more in depth information on solving this problem at www.nomorebarking.com. Woofs and Wags, Andrea Arden www.AndreaArden.com

QUESTION: Belle is an American Eskimo who is very bright and energetic. She was the most "talkative" puppy in the litter. I know she thinks she's a watch dog and she barks to alert us, but I can't get her to stop barking once she starts. I tried giving her a treat when she stopped barking on command, but then discovered she barked more to get the treat for stopping! Help! Debbie in Voorhees, N.J.

ANDREA ARDEN: Hi Debbie One of the reasons we domesticated dogs in the first place was to have them act as alarms when intruders approach. So, it is no surprise that many dogs have strong voices and use them to alert to changes in the environment. However, as you know all too well, many dogs don't stop at a brief alert. Instead, they get into a barking frenzy. Yelling at your dog to stop is likely to simply increase her tension and excitement level. Which means the barking will probably escalate. Instead, teach her to shush on command by inviting a couple of friends over to assist. Have them outside the front door. Tell them when they hear you say 'speak' they should knock on the door and then wait to knock again until you say speak again. So, say speak, your dog will look at you, then hear the knock and bark. After a number of repetitions your dog will start to anticipate that you saying speak means the knock is about to happen so she will bark when you say speak. This is a nice trick to have, but more importantly it is a good way to get control of your dog's barking. Because, once you can get her to bark on command you can teach her to shush on command. This is like having an on/off switch for your dog.

At the door, when she barks calmly praise her for one or two barks, then wave the most delicious treat in front of her nose as you say 'shush.' She will be sniffing it which means she can't be barking. After many repetitions she will make the connection that hearing 'shush' means to shush and get ready for the chance to earn a reward. To make sure your very smart dog doesn't start thinking she can bark to get you to ask her to shush and get a reward, simply be sure that you start by rewarding the shush on command to teach her what you want. But, after you are pretty sure she gets what you want her to do, only reward her with a tasty treat occasionally for shushing on command. If you ask her to shush and she doesn't, keep her on leash when you are there to supervise her and if she doesn't shush calmly pick up the leash and lead her to her crate or her sleeping area so she can take a little time out for about 30 seconds. This way we have taught her what we want (to stop barking when we say shush) and that if she doesn't want to do that then she needs to take a break by herself.

Woofs and Wags, Andrea Arden www.AndreaArden.com

QUESTION: We recently moved and our black lab pup (10 months) barks non-stop from the moment we leave. We have to keep him in his crate during the day, but he seemed fine with this at the old place. We live in an apartment building now and the noise is a huge issue. We want to get him to stop. What the hell do we do? Aaron in Omaha

ANDREA ARDEN: Hi Aaron The stress of moving may have been too much for your dog to handle. Chances are he is concerned about being alone in an unfamiliar place. Furthermore, being confined by yourself all day can be hard especially for an adolescent. Imagine keeping a teenager in a room all by himself with nothing to do all day! If possible, see if you have a neighbor in the building or a friend who lives/works close by who can check on him during the day and let him out to relieve himself.

Also, be sure to provide him with plenty of good toys to keep him busy while you are gone. Some of the best toys are those which can be stuffed with food to keep him occupied. I suggest the Gimborn white sterilized bones to my clients.

Quality mental and physical stimulation is essential for all animals to be healthy and well mannered. So, be sure he is getting lots of good attention and outlets for his energy when you are around. Last but not least, contact a trainer in your area to help you with some hands on work.Woofs and Wags, Andrea Arden www.AndreaArden.com

QUESTION: I have recently adopted a 7-month-old purebred Doberman Pinscher puppy named Holly. She has never had any formal obedience training, so needless to say- I have my hands full!! Is she too old to begin basic obedience training? If not, will putting her in a class with younger puppies be OK? Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated!! Marylu in Runnemede, N.J.

ANDREA ARDEN: Hi Marylu I have three Dobies of my own and I am sure with a little help from a good professional you will enjoy your dog as much as I do mine. I am glad to hear you recently adopted your dog and you are already thinking of training. Your dog is lucky to have found a home with such a responsible person. Most puppy classes are for dogs under 6 months old, so chances are you will join a class with adolescent/adult dogs. I suggest looking for a trainer on www.APDT.com and be sure to find someone who understands that the safest way to teach your dog to be a friendly, mannerly companion is to use gentle, modern methods. There is no need to yank your dog around to get him to do what you want (which may cause negative side effects such as fear and biting). Instead, you should try to find someone who will help you learn to train by focusing on managing your dog to set him up for success (i.e. don't let him get into trouble and then punish him for it), and using all the things he wants (your attention, food, toys, walks, etc.) to get him to do what you want. A dog who has fun learning from you is the most likely to be a wonderful, lifelong companion. Woofs and Wags, Andrea Arden www.AndreaArden.com

QUESTION: Our puppy barks at our children. They cannot walk into a room or past the door without the dog barking its head off. How can we make him stop barking at the children as though they are intruders? Stefani in Wantagh

ANDREA ARDEN: Hi Stefani If your dog is a very young animal (under 5 months or so), chances are the barking is a sign of excitement and frustration. In which case you need to teach be sure your pup is getting adequate outlets for his energy and you need to teach him that barking will not get him what he wants. So, when he barks simply ignore him completely. Don't bother yelling no. This is likely to make matters worse because he will learn that barking gets your attention (even if it is negative attention).Your question wasn't very detailed, so I have some concerns that the problem may be about more than frustration. But, I think you need to talk to a qualified trainer in your area who can spend time with your dog in order to make a more informed evaluation. Try looking for a trainer from the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (www.APDT.com). My concern is the barking may be a sign of fear around the kids. In which case your objective is teaching him to feel safe around them. Socialization is a gradual process (just like with people). Pet dogs need to learn that people of all shapes and sizes (especially children) are not only not going to hurt them, but they are the source of lots of good stuff. A good trainer will help you to focus on helping your dog to calmly enjoy the presence of children by having them help you feed and gently train your dog. I urge you to contact a great, dog-friendly trainer through www.APDT.com and join a puppy class asap. Woofs and Wags, Andrea Arden www.AndreaArden.com

QUESTION: He is 4 years old but still jumps on people. Is it to late to teach him? Steven in Kansas City

ANSWER: Hi Steven It is never too late to teach a dog. However, the longer a behavior is allowed to be practiced the more likely it is to become a deeply ingrained habit. So, if you want to teach your dog to greet politely, start today. Keep it simple. Don't bother screaming at your dog or snapping the leash. These methods aren't likely to be very effective (if they were, why do so many people try them and still have jumping dogs?). In addition, punishment-based techniques often come with side effects. For example, keep snapping the leash and yelling at your dog and he may lash out and bite you. Just as the dog John Stossel was handling on 20/20 did!Instead, use your brain to train, not brawn. Teach your dog what you want him to do when he greets people instead of focusing on what he shouldn't do. Each time someone comes over, keep your dog on a leash so you can use it to prevent him from jumping (step on it so he can't) and ask him to sit. When he does, calmly praise him and maybe offer a tiny treat. If he doesn't sit, just wait (you are stepping on the leash so he can't jump). If nobody says a word to him it won't take him long to figure out jumping up makes people shut off. It also won't take your dog long to figure out that sitting is the way to get attention and other good things. Woofs and Wags, Andrea Arden www.AndreaArden.com