# How to get my dog to stop barking at my dad?



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

Last night my dad was playing with our 2 yr old yorkpoo, my dog suddenly became aggressive and attacked my dad biting him pretty bad in the nose to the point where he had to go to the er. They got back home last night and my dog started barking randomly and wildly at my dad. This morning my dad got up with my dog benji was still wildly barking at him likes hes a stranger. My mom called the vet and we were given a dog training company to try. In the meantime what should we do to get my dog to stop barking at my dad?

When my dad got up he didnt say anything to my dog, could that be why the barking?

My dog has also lashed out multiple times at me and my sister, im 19 shes 15

We got him from PAWS, we've had him for 2 months and he is 2 years old.

What should we do to get my dog to stop barking at my dad?


----------



## Sendiulino (Jun 20, 2011)

The barking is NOT your main problem here... it's the lashing out and biting "pretty bad". 

That dog needs some serious training. Personally at the point where the dog is clearly aggressively attacking? It's time to call a professional. But that's just me.

Edit: I just noticed you said you were given a name for a dog training company.. call that number ASAP and get yourself an immediate one-on-one appointment. You need to get this under control and hands-on training is the best way to go at this point. What if the dog attacks someone else, outside of the family? You could find yourself with a dog being put-down, or in a lawsuit.

There are numerous "tricks" to curb barking, but this isn't just barking. The root of the problem here seems deeper than that, and barking is just a symptom..


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

How in the meantime do we control the barking?

He only seems to attack when he's threatened, like yesterday my dad tried to take the ball away.


----------



## chubby (Aug 18, 2011)

I agree that you should definitely get professional help....but my dog had bouts of aggression and I was able to train him away from it, though he was very young <10 months and it wasn't a Level 6 bite he did bite everyone (Level 1) in my family...In any case, I would contact a professional, but see some notes below if that's not an option..


I trained my watchdog Charlie to bark on command - so let's say you can tell your dog is about to bark, then say the Command "Speak", and after he speaks once say good, and treat him. Then also teach him "Quiet" or "Hush"...let him bark once, then say "Hush" then if he's quiet even for a second, give him a treat, then increase the duration until he can stay quiet for a long time. The trick with Hush is that after they bark once you have to get their attention, like try to interrupt it by shaking a can with coins or making really loud happy sounds so he turns around and looks at you; if he's not distracted by something he'll just keep barking at your dad. The other thing you can do is have your dad step forward towards your dog with a dominant stance and 'claim' his territory - your dad can make an invisible boundary between the dog and himself and mentally tell the dog he cannot step pass the line. Then move forward, not away from the dog. I know this works if you encounter a dangerous dog while outside in a park or something. I 've done this when a big dog came at me barking in the dog park, and it worked wonders!

In terms of your dad, maybe you should have your dad feed him and practise being more 'alpha' so your dog doesn't "protect" the other dog, which is what alpha/dominant dogs do I hear? My dog was aggressive to my mom so I had her make him do the NILF thing when she feeds him and also to act more 'dominant' when around him (calm assertive energy) ... now he respects her because she doesn't just shower him with love all the time but disciplines him and walks him.

Definitely have your dad do a good solid hour long walk with him so he knows who's leader!

In terms of resource guarding, you need to practise that with your dad and your dog every single day. give him a higher value treat in exchange for the one in his mouth, and eventually he'll know that every time a human hand comes near him it's to do a good thing! If you do this activity with fear then he will sense your fear and feel threatened by it and may growl or bite. Your energy must be strong, dominant, assertive, and very calm. You also have to keep his toys and food away until YOU want him to have it. don't let it lie around the house. Make him do a command, THEN give him the treat/food/toy. He has to learn he has to work for what he has and only you decide if he can have it. 

Take away his food bowl and put something yummier in it, etc etc....Hand feed him his dinner from his food bowl - have it in your lap and give him the food from your hands. If it's to the point where he won't let you near his food bowl, I wouldn't do this but contact a specialist...You dog is resource guarding because it's natural thing for dogs to do, but they need to learn that humans are the source of all good things, and without you, he can't have anything. Everything belongs to you.


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

ok I will do that. do you think having my dad come in the house with treats is a good idea? I think he's barking because of the scar on the side of his nose

And he also seems stressed out in general? How do we reduce his stress?


----------



## HerdersForMe (Jul 26, 2011)

JasonQuinn said:


> my dog suddenly became aggressive and attacked my dad biting him pretty bad in the nose





JasonQuinn said:


> My dog has also lashed out multiple times at me and my sister, im 19 shes 15


Your dog has serious aggressive behavior issues. Barking at your dad should be the least of your worries. Like Sendiulino said, the barking is just a symptom of the real problem. I highly suggest some professional help if your dog is lashing out at you and your family.


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

ok. Question for you are, Are you familiar with a company called Bark Busters?


----------



## Sendiulino (Jun 20, 2011)

JasonQuinn said:


> ok. Question for you are, Are you familiar with a company called Bark Busters?


I have heard of them but I don't know much about them.. Barking is the symptom so if they are going to be focused on the barking alone (the name may be misleading), I might do a search around for what other trainers are available. Meh.

But anyway, like I said, barking is still a symptom.. You have to treat the _aggression issue_, and you need to do it now. Call a trainer (edit: even if it's Bark Busters.. for all I know they're great, look up some reviews). Are you calling? Do you have an appointment yet? And I don't mean call to put her in a dog class, call to get a private consultation with just a trainer and the dog and your family.

The reason I'm so adamant is because your dog has bitten someone badly enough to send them to a hospital. That makes it clear to me that you need help with your dog from an outside source.


----------



## chubby (Aug 18, 2011)

JasonQuinn said:


> ok I will do that. do you think having my dad come in the house with treats is a good idea? I think he's barking because of the scar on the side of his nose
> 
> And he also seems stressed out in general? How do we reduce his stress?


Does your dog bark when anyone approaches the door? Or just your dad? If it's just your dad, and then your dad needs to take ownership of his reaction to the dog - have your dad walk in and ensure to address the barking and have the dog calm before he goes about his day - it will take a lot of time, but your dog needs repetition to learn that barking at your dad when he comes in is not acceptable. I usually make a really deep voice and say "Hey" and then put my arms at my side and look really stern and then I mentally tell the dog to back down and I step forward and make sure he knows his place until he calms down. 

I think you can try treating your dog while your dad is at a distance, and then slowly shorten the distance until your dog can be right beside your dad while being treated. This can work for anything your dog has an issue with (bicycles, pedestrians, children, etc). Only then should you have your dad treat him so he doesn't get hurt. If he's anything like my dog who seems to live for treats, the treats will work wonders, but make it a VERY high value treat (ex. beef liver is AWESOME)

Please continue to socialize your dog as well - the scar on his nose - that's part of socialization - getting your dog rehabilitated means showing him tons of places, situations, people, and other dogs that LOOK and SMELL different, so he learns that these differences are really not a big deal, and he shouldn't be threatened by them. Make it a point to take your dog to a dog park, pet smart, shopping mall, etc. as often as possible. You need to do this all the time, not just when your dog is a pupy

I think it's good to just really observe your dog for a bit and see what the stressor is. More often than not they just need to burn off energy. Is he getting at least 45 minutes of exercise a day? A brisk walk especially with a sporting breed is really important....with Charlie I exercised him A LOT and he's reduced a lot of his 'boredom frustration' activities...if he's a "retriever' breed, you should give him a job, like training him to retrieve hidden objects in your backyard..I know some breeds really need the satisfaction of hard work to be happy (ex. border collies etc). Find out about his breed, and what they were bred to do (pull sleds, retrieve, swim, solve puzzles, help the blind, the deaf, etc). 

Also keep him mentally stimulated by training him tricks and problem solving games. Dogs need both physical and mental stimulation. 

If you do the above things and your dog is still 'stressed', then I think you should consider other things - was there a big change in your dog's life? A new house? Maybe he needs some more play time with other dogs? i take my dog to Petsmart to play with other dogs at least once a week...and he really likes it. Importantly, your dog needs a lot of routine, structure, discipline, and exercise. 

A good trip to the vet can also show if it's a physical/health/hormonal problem. Is he neutered?


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

Barking is the symptom I get that. But i'm wondering if Bark Busters will treat the real problem, his aggression. As far as the treat thing goes, I'm trying to do that for the immediate future, like today. And yes he is neutered, my mom says she will take him to the vet today where she gets back home today with my dad..

If this only happens when my dog is playing, how will the vet actually help?


----------



## Sendiulino (Jun 20, 2011)

I'm sure if they have good trainers they can probably help. Google them using Google Maps and see if anyone in your area has reviewed them. You can also start phoning around to training establishments and explain the situation and talk to them a bit about what steps to take next.

When the dog plays, the excitement level gets turned up to 11. This is somewhat normal. What isn't normal is the dog becoming aggressive/viscous once the excitement gets that high. If the dog is getting aggressive while playing, play time needs to stop immediately and only resume once the dog is calm.

It's always good to have the dog checked out at the vet when these things happen, to rule out anything physical causing the problem. As the above person said, to make sure the dog is healthy.


----------



## chubby (Aug 18, 2011)

Sometimes dogs show aggression if they're physically hurt..when my dog broke his leg, he snapped at anyone who tried to carry him *this is normal* - it's just to ensure that it's not health related but behavioural... you just really wanna rule it out so you cover all your bases.

I never heard of Bark Busters but I would definitely research the consultant's background and education and maybe some referrals so you don't waste your money on expensive trainers


----------



## HerdersForMe (Jul 26, 2011)

Do you know anything about the dog's history?


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

Is it normal for him to put the ball down and when someone reaches for it thats when he goes crazy and attacks


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

no HerdersForMe we dont - all we know is that he came for another shelter before we got him


----------



## Sendiulino (Jun 20, 2011)

JasonQuinn said:


> Is it normal for him to put the ball down and when someone reaches for it thats when he goes crazy and attacks


That's toy-possession/toy-aggression. It isn't "normal" per-se but it isn't uncommon problematic behavior either, many people have to deal with this sort of thing. It can be curbed with training. 

It's strange that this kind of thing would just come out of nowhere after 2 months of owning the dog.. is this the first time this behavior has come up? Or have there been past incidents.


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

3 past incidents all involving him putting a toy down and looking at us then we grab it


----------



## chubby (Aug 18, 2011)

Charlie does the exact same thing - he doesn't get aggressive, but when I was training him fetch, he would drop the ball and as soon as I try to reach for it, he would grab it again...I just redirect him with a treat while I pick the ball up


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

I will try that next time. 

I need to know how to get him out of this tough "growling stage" the day after the incidents. Any suggestions?


----------



## Sendiulino (Jun 20, 2011)

In all honesty, the dog sounds like it has classic "small dog syndrome" -- thinks he's a really big dog in that tiny little body and thinks he's basically in charge of everything and everyone at all times. He gets his way when he wants it, and if you are in his way, and he doesn't like it, he lets it be known (growling, aggression, etc). 

This kind of thing can happen with all dogs, but it is easier for the smaller dogs to pick it up because of how easily they get babied which doesn't really teach them anything about being a dog as opposed to being.. well, a baby 

You'll probably end up going straight back to basics and training the dog from the ground up. 

What training does the dog know now? Basic obedience? Or nothing at all


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

nothing at all...


The barking just seemed to start today after this last incident


----------



## Sendiulino (Jun 20, 2011)

JasonQuinn said:


> nothing at all


So I'd consider myself on-target with the "small dog syndrome" thing. A completely untrained dog.. and untrained generally means very few boundaries.. zero mental exercise ... which leads to problems _very _easily. Nothing is expected of this dog, and so the dog lives to please _itself_ in a way.

Training is good for dogs. Dogs typically love to work, dogs of all sizes love to earn rewards. It gives them LOTS of mental exercise, which is just important for dogs as physical exercise. Time to train from the ground up with basic obedience commands. The internet is brimming with resources on that.

And everyone in the family will have to get on board. I'd suggest when you go to training, having someone come into the house, or making sure the whole family goes to the class if it's outside the house.


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

We are planning on using a service called Bark Busters i believe


----------



## Sendiulino (Jun 20, 2011)

By the looks of the Bark Busters website, they do in-home training, which I think is best. Good to have a trainer come into the home and see everything in action in the environment where the dog lives, for sure.


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

yes i think it should work hopefully...

Another thing thats bothered my all day is when my mom takes my dog, Benji to the vet, hopefully today, and when she tells them about the 3 prior incidents I'm wondering if the vet will recommend training (hopefully) before anything else (such as possibly returning him to PAWS)


----------



## chubby (Aug 18, 2011)

I totally agree - don't treat your small dog like a small dog, but pretend it has the potential to be just as dangerous as a big one. It's annoying when people always pick up their small dogs anytime they misbehave, this is really bad....

In terms of growling, I've heard different things, but here's something you CAN do that my trainer taught me that works wonders in terms of dominant-tendencies in your dog:

Every day for 30 minutes, have each member of your family step on your dogs leash near the collar while you're on the computer, at your desk, etc, so you dog is forced to lie down by your feet calmly. if your dog struggles to be in a 'lower' position than you, restart the clock until he can be ok for 30 minutes straight. This may seem wrong to some dog owners, but I think when a dog is prone to dominant behaviours (like my tiny maltipoo), you need to really show him that you are in control.

Another thing to keep in mind is to always have a leash on him when he's at home, so when he's being aggressive or lunges, you at least can control him so he can't bite anyone. So if you see your dog start to charge at your dad or whoever, you can grab the leash, and pin him down with your feet so he's forced to submit to you and your dad

You might've seen Cesar Milan use his hands to pin dogs down into a submissive pose but I think this may mean being bitten in the process, so using the leash, and your foot to step down on it to pin him might be safer for you 

Both the above suggestions are NEGATIVE reinforcement. I tend to side with POSITIVE reinforcement since it just goes more naturally for me, but all the trainers at the PetSmart I go to have amazingly obedient dogs, and this is what they do with them everyday


----------



## Bitca38 (Mar 29, 2011)

I just have a quick question and it really doesn't address the main aggression issue, but when your dog is barking at your dad, is your dad alone or with other people? 

I'm only asking because my childhood dog would bark like you wouldn't believe and not go near my dad if any of us were around, but if it was just the two of them together they were fine. 

My dad fed him every morning, and was the first one up to let him out in the AM, so they had a certain connection, but no matter what my dad did if anyone else was around my dog would just bark at him, and it was a very specific bark. 

It didn't start right away either, it was about a few months after we got him, around 8 months or so. He never barked at anyone else that was around (except strangers), however he never bit my dad - which was good.


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

I will try all that. thank you!


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

Bitca38. No my dad has been alone all day, he simply walked past my dog's cage this morning and that caused barking. Its like he thinks my dad is a stranger now


----------



## chubby (Aug 18, 2011)

Go for a walk with him and your dad  when he's walking comfortably with you, transfer the leash to your dad. That's the best way to bond with any dog <3 I think when you're adopting a dog from a shelter, the very first thing you should do is go on a nice long walk together, and every day after that


----------



## Sendiulino (Jun 20, 2011)

JasonQuinn said:


> yes i think it should work hopefully...
> 
> Another thing thats bothered my all day is when my mom takes my dog, Benji to the vet, hopefully today, and when she tells them about the 3 prior incidents I'm wondering if the vet will recommend training (hopefully) before anything else (such as possibly returning him to PAWS)


You shouldn't have to return the dog to where it came from. I can't see a vet recommending the return of a dog to be honest.. my regular vet loathes when people give up cats and dogs and will always recommend all possible alternatives first.

The fact that your parents didn't automatically want to give up the dog all together is _a good _thing. Wanting to train the dog and work on the problem is a _good _thing. Many people are not strong-willed when it comes to dog aggression.. they want to give up and try to find an easier dog to work with.

I'm sure your dog will turn out just fine with a little training.


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

I sure hope so


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

@Chubby - I will do this with my dad when he gets home  thank you!


----------



## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

One thing to think about for now is eliminate any toys, put them up for now. Then see what trainer says.


----------



## Polywoggy (Mar 7, 2011)

I don't think stepping on the leash, pinning the dog, and forcing it to submit is the basis for building a good relationship with this dog. Please don't do that.
I do think taking away toys for now is a good idea. Sounds like resource guarding. I think replacing those play sessions with a good walk to exercise and bond with the dog is a good idea too.
There is a sticky in the Training section of the forum on NILIF that could help.


----------



## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

Polywoggy said:


> I don't think stepping on the leash, pinning the dog, and forcing it to submit is the basis for building a good relationship with this dog. Please don't do that.
> I do think taking away toys for now is a good idea. Sounds like resource guarding. I think replacing those play sessions with a good walk to exercise and bond with the dog is a good idea too.
> There is a sticky in the Training section of the forum on NILIF that could help.


I agree. Those "alpha" type techniques don't seem, IMO, to be good for a dog who is already like a time bomb who could explode and bite again. Seems to me that you'd want to build a more positive relationship. Those pinning and restraining type of things can make some dogs feel like they need to defend themselves and that could result in more aggression.

Doing training sessions with a dog can really build a bond, and it can give a dog confidence, and maybe it would help. I agree also with taking away toys, and exercise the heck out of the dog, mental exercise and physical.


----------



## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

Polywoggy said:


> I don't think stepping on the leash, pinning the dog, and forcing it to submit is the basis for building a good relationship with this dog. Please don't do that.
> I do think taking away toys for now is a good idea. Sounds like resource guarding. I think replacing those play sessions with a good walk to exercise and bond with the dog is a good idea too.
> There is a sticky in the Training section of the forum on NILIF that could help.


Agreed, taking toys away is not a problem solver, hopefully it's just a bite eliminator program till somebody qualified can read dog.


----------



## Roloni (Aug 5, 2011)

Have you tried hitting him on the nose with a rolled up newspaper ?
Sometimes a Dad needs to know that youre not gonna let him keep bothering your dog!


----------



## chubby (Aug 18, 2011)

this discussion raises an important debate....

Do you believe in the Alpha Pack Theory? If you do, then you do need to ensure your dog submits to you and the other members of your family. This includes pinning, (think Cesar Milan) when the dog is out of control, and also includes not allowing the dog walk in front of you, not feeding the dog first, not letting the dog walk out the door before you do, and not letting the dog sleep on your bed, or couch without being invited up. This also includes believing that your dog must be the lowest ranking member of your family, and that if they become dominant and try to become alpha, there will be dominance/agression issues as they will try to win that rank. 

If you believe that the Alpha Pack Theory is wrong, make sure the trainer/behaviouralist shares the same perception as you, as the training will be vastly different - it will utilize mostly distraction/positive reinforcement.


----------



## Sendiulino (Jun 20, 2011)

I don't know if it's an "important" debate.. it's a beating-a-dead-horse debate  If there's one thing that will get you a controversial blown-out-of-proportion shouting match, it's "alpha theory" or "Cesar Millan" haha. 

I'm happy to give you my take though. For me I try not to put all dogs into one category.. this is like generalizing human beings and creating stereotypes. Most of us agree that stereotypes, while rooted in some sort of fact typically in history, are not a good way to generalize people and are often down right rude, detrimental, and destructive.

Treating all dogs the same way doesn't fly for me. So my opinion on "Alpha Pack Theory" is ... that it really does work well for some dogs, and not as well for others. Just like any other training method out there.

That's pretty vague and may seem like a cop-out answer, but in all honesty I consider it to be true. 

I think if one finds a system that works for his or her dog that does not involve the harm of the dog, then by all means, use it. This is where the debate comes in of course, with people saying the "alpha theory" harms a dog mentally creating fear issues.. my opinion on that is I don't entirely buy it I'm afraid, again not for -all- dogs. 

If you find a system that works, don't fix what ain't broken. That's my general opinion.


----------



## RaeganW (Jul 14, 2009)

You need a professional trainer. This is not an issue that can be solved by strangers on the internet who have never seen your dog. You need a professional trainer.



> If you find a system that works, don't fix what ain't broken. That's my general opinion.


Except that the system IS broken. It just doesn't fit the observations of dog behavior.

EDIT: Bark Busters is a chain, so the franchise is only as good as the trainer running it. In most chain dog training programs, quality of training tends to be all over the place. Ask to observe a training session before you put any money down. Don't expect to get the solution for free, but a trainer should be able to give you a general outline of how they are going to approach the problem. Ask about other clients with a similar problem and how they are doing now (get a number so you can check up on it).


----------



## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

Sendiulino said:


> In all honesty, the dog sounds like it has classic "small dog syndrome" --


No it doesn't. 



Sendiulino said:


> . So my opinion on "Alpha Pack Theory" is ... that it really does work well for some dogs.


No it doesn't. Alpha is garbage. 



Sendiulino said:


> So I'd consider myself on-target with the "small dog syndrome" thing. A completely untrained dog.. and untrained generally means very few boundaries.. zero mental exercise ... which leads to problems _very _easily. Nothing is expected of this dog, and so the dog lives to please _itself_ in a way.


No, you're not. Being completely untrained has nothing to do with the fact a dog is small, and a dog is a dog. They don't KNOW they're small and therefore are untrained. The OP also mentioned at no point they do nothing for the dog because it's a small dog. I don't even know why this size here matters in the slightest. 

OP, Bark Busters is a joke. Look around your area for a veterinary behaviorist. NOT a trainer, a behaviorist. Your dog is biting with no inhibition at two years old. That is NOT OK and WILL GET WORSE. If he is resource guarding you are going to want professional help.


----------



## katielou (Apr 29, 2010)

ThoseWordsAtBest said:


> No it doesn't.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


100% agree. 
Some real garbage being spewed on this thread.


----------



## LittleFr0g (Jun 11, 2007)

> No it doesn't.
> 
> Quote Originally Posted by Sendiulino View Post
> . So my opinion on "Alpha Pack Theory" is ... that it really does work well for some dogs.
> ...





> 100% agree.
> Some real garbage being spewed on this thread.


I'll add my agreement to both statements here.


----------



## katielou (Apr 29, 2010)

This is not a issue that anyone can give any advice on other than for the OP to get a behaviorist in seeing as no one is there and no one can see the dog and his behavior.


----------



## Miranda16 (Jan 17, 2010)

Kuma'sMom said:


> I'll add my agreement to both statements here.


and i will agree with that as well ...


----------



## LittleFr0g (Jun 11, 2007)

> and i will agree with that as well ...


Well, I agree with your agreement!


----------



## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

wvasko said:


> One thing to think about for now is eliminate any toys, put them up for now. Then see what trainer says.


For the love of god, listen to this. You need to prevent the situations where the bites occur until you can get a behaviorist in to help you.


----------



## JasonQuinn (Aug 19, 2011)

My mom was telling me about tests they may run on my dog?
What kind of tests are they usually and what will they tell us?


----------



## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

JasonQuinn said:


> My mom was telling me about tests they may run on my dog?
> What kind of tests are they usually and what will they tell us?


Who will? A vet or this Bark Busters?


----------

