# Puppy behaves differently around certain people



## LollyWollyDoodle (Mar 25, 2013)

Our little puppy is @ five months old and is doing beautifully in terms of behavior and potty-training ... when she is around me. When she is with others, it's chaos and insanity. For instance, with me, she does not jump up and will walk next to me like a good girl. With the kids, she leaps into the air and attacks them when they come in the room b/c she's so happy to see them. When I'm around, she does not go potty in the house and will come up to "warn" me if she needs to go out. With others, especially our nanny (and I am not home), she can go outside and do all her business, but then come back in and go on the kitchen floor 10 minutes later. 

What is going on? How do I "train" other members of the household to behave in such a way that our dog will take them seriously? I am the leader of the pack, in her eyes. For instance, when I take her out, I exit the door first. Is this the reason why she's "behaving" around me, but is running roughshod over everyone else, b/c they let her get away with it?

Also, she's started barking more inside, especially in her crate. Sometimes, just a woof or two; other times, a long string of barks, as if a cat just walked past her crate. What the heck is going on??? Could she possibly need more exercise and that's just her way of letting off steam?

Thanks!


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

You can go through doors first if you like, but "leader of the pack" and dominance aren't a thing with domestic dogs. Hopefully, Crantastic will stop by with her links.

Anyway, dogs don't generalize. Your dog understands how you want her to behave, but is incapable at this point of making the leap that that is how every human wants her to behave. (And I'd be willing to bet the children encourage her wild behavior, knowingly or not. Children do that.) So, you need to make sure everyone, kids, nanny, friends, etc., treats the dog the same way and expects the same things. Eventually, she'll figure out that she needs to pee outside all the time, not just when you're around, and that she can't jump up on anyone.

As for the barking, it's a self rewarding behavior that can be used to entertain oneself, burn off extra energy or self soothe away anxiety. She's also maturing and will try out new behaviors, including alert barking. True story: I thought my previous dog was going senile because he kept barking at nothing. He wasn't barking at nothing, he was barking at the colony of bats in the walls. So it's possible your puppy is hearing something outside that you're not and alerting to it.

Whatever it is, you can train a dog to stop barking on command.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

> I am the leader of the pack, in her eyes. For instance, when I take her out, I exit the door first.


Yeah... it's not real. There is no pack leader, or alpha, or dominance. Eating first, going out the door first, that means nothing to a dog. You could let her walk ahead of you, go through a door first, on the bed, whatever, and it's not going to matter to her. Alpha theory has been debunked.

Here are a couple of helpful links.
De-bunking the "Alpha Dog" Theory
Dominance Statement
Misconceptions of the Mythical "Alpha Dog"


She's more inclined to listen to you because you're the one doing everything with her. At 5 months, she's still just a baby and learning. Like Amaryllis said, make sure everyone is using the same commands and gestures with her. 
Also teach her to be calm with others. The presence of a new person is super exciting.


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## LollyWollyDoodle (Mar 25, 2013)

OK, good to know b/c I didn't really want to be seen as an alpha dog. She's my companion, and there are just certain rules to follow, that's all. Glad to hear it's not something I should be concerned with.

Our nanny is a softie with her, and yes - the kids, when they say "No" or "Down", they really sound like they are still playing with her, instead of voicing a very firm NO and DOWN. She's still young so maybe it will take more time. We'll be patient. It's a good thing they're so darn cute as puppies ...

Thanks!


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

It's often hard to try and get kids to voice commands correctly. They speak differently than adults and for some reason feel the need to scream SIT
SIT
DOGGY SIT
SITSITSITSITSIT SIT DOWN WHY WON'T HE SIT SIT
So, it's kinda hard for dogs to take them seriously. Lol. And then sometimes you have adults who do the same thing.

And yes, being her companion is a good way to go. There's nothing wrong with setting rules for the dog and not letting her get away with breaking them.


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

LollyWollyDoodle said:


> OK, good to know b/c I didn't really want to be seen as an alpha dog. She's my companion, and there are just certain rules to follow, that's all. Glad to hear it's not something I should be concerned with.
> 
> Our nanny is a softie with her, and yes - the kids, when they say "No" or "Down", they really sound like they are still playing with her, instead of voicing a very firm NO and DOWN. She's still young so maybe it will take more time. We'll be patient. It's a good thing they're so darn cute as puppies ...
> 
> Thanks!


Puppies are cute because otherwise you'd kill them the first time they ate a shoe or peed on your new sofa, lol. Just have patience. It's like with children. You just have to be firm and consistent, but understanding of the fact that this is an animal you're dealing with.


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## kbung (May 22, 2013)

I've had a very similar problem but with in-laws. My mother-in-law was around a lot for the first week I got my puppy and would basically let him get away with anything. I felt like all of my training was getting undone when I wasn't in the room and she was letting him chew on everything in sight, sometimes she'd tell him to stop in baby talk which did nothing. It is very frustrating and I tried to stress to her that she has to be as firm with him as I am or he'll never listen but when she comes to visit he immediately goes crazy biting and chewing at her feet and on her hands and she can't understand why. It didn't take him long to learn who lets him get away with what. It's sometimes hard to tell others you don't like what they're doing but it's your dog, you have to live with her. Best of luck!


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