Foster offering behaviors

[Casey Laurie]

I'm sure there must be something I can do with these behaviors. I hope someone here can help me shape it into something positive.

Lilly is our new foster. She was a law enforcement seizure in a cruelty case and rather than let the shelter PTS we offered to attempt to rehabilitate her defensive behaviors. I'm hoping to recondition (countercondition?) her as much as possible during her honeymoon period. She's a sweet small dog with definite herding ancestry.

Today is day four. After coming to us with no training whatsoever and several defensive and resource guarding behaviors she has learned:

Sit (consistant indoors, nearly consistant outdoors)
Stay (consistant indoors)
Give (consistant indoors with a trade)
Paw (almost there, but not consistant yet)
No (consistant indoors)
Eh-eh (consistant indoors)
Come (consistant indoors)
Look (almost)
Wait (almost)

I'd like to transition some of her natural and offered behaviors into consistant cued behaviors.

Herding behavior: She follows very closely and circles the highest ranking(in her eyes) human in the house at the time. I'm tripping over her several times a day. She's not nippy toward any of us (she did apparently nip towards the feet of passers by in the shelter though), but I did just catch her licking my husbands heels as he walked..it was too funny, but we really need to redirect this behavior, lol.

Carrying around a soft toy: I haven't quite been able to pin down a consistant trigger for this behavior, but one seems to be people leaving the house or coming in..but even that isn't consistant. Sometimes she just carries it around, other times she drops it at your feet but will not respond if you toss it for her. Sometimes she will tug with you, but most of the time she just gives it to you and sits there wagging and looking at you with soft eyes.

Offering strange objects: She will sniff around the house for a non toy item, usually something from the trash. This morning it was a small bag full of trash that was waiting to be taken out..she will simply bring it to you and drop it at your feet, then sit looking at you. I have a feeling I'm supposed to do something with it but she hasn't managed to train me yet, lol.

I ned to figure out how to shape these into something positive. I don't want to completely extinguish them, just rechannel them.

I do not use a clicker at the moment. I tried it in the past and have such poor timing I think I only managed to confuse my poor dogs. I can't really afford a professional trainer session. I'm hoping to get the shelter to sponsor me in an obedience class for our foster. but I'm not sure how to go about it.

[Melissa Brunoehler]

Hi Casey~

If you start using a clicker & I think you're planning on it based on another post? It is going to be really easy to "capture" these behaviors once Lily knows what the click means. Start Clicker training her on the behaviors she already does on cue. Once she's got the idea of what the clicker means (Yes! that's exactly what you're supposed to be doing & you get a treat) Start clicking her when she offers a behavior that you want to capture.

I personally would put her going & getting a toy on cue. I tought Lewie (my GSD w/ issues) to "go get a toy" & it's a helpful when he's starting to stress about something & it gives him an alternative behavior to say barking at people outside the fence.

As far as the herding behavior, I'm not sure what you're trying to get out of encouraging that. I don't think I would reinforce her herding people, but maybe you have something in mind that you want to try?
I know she's little but maybe you could set up a little obstacle/agility course for her. It sounds like she's smart & she might really enjoy it.

Let us know if you have any other questions or if you need me to go into more detail.


I'm sure there must be something I can do with these behaviors. I hope someone here can help me shape it into something positive.

Lilly is our new foster. She was a law enforcement seizure in a cruelty case and rather than let the shelter PTS we offered to attempt to rehabilitate her defensive behaviors. I'm hoping to recondition (countercondition?) her as much as possible during her honeymoon period. She's a sweet small dog with definite herding ancestry.

Today is day four. After coming to us with no training whatsoever and several defensive and resource guarding behaviors she has learned:

Sit (consistant indoors, nearly consistant outdoors)
Stay (consistant indoors)
Give (consistant indoors with a trade)
Paw (almost there, but not consistant yet)
No (consistant indoors)
Eh-eh (consistant indoors)
Come (consistant indoors)
Look (almost)
Wait (almost)

I'd like to transition some of her natural and offered behaviors into consistant cued behaviors.

Herding behavior: She follows very closely and circles the highest ranking(in her eyes) human in the house at the time. I'm tripping over her several times a day. She's not nippy toward any of us (she did apparently nip towards the feet of passers by in the shelter though), but I did just catch her licking my husbands heels as he walked..it was too funny, but we really need to redirect this behavior, lol.

Carrying around a soft toy: I haven't quite been able to pin down a consistant trigger for this behavior, but one seems to be people leaving the house or coming in..but even that isn't consistant. Sometimes she just carries it around, other times she drops it at your feet but will not respond if you toss it for her. Sometimes she will tug with you, but most of the time she just gives it to you and sits there wagging and looking at you with soft eyes.

Offering strange objects: She will sniff around the house for a non toy item, usually something from the trash. This morning it was a small bag full of trash that was waiting to be taken out..she will simply bring it to you and drop it at your feet, then sit looking at you. I have a feeling I'm supposed to do something with it but she hasn't managed to train me yet, lol.

I ned to figure out how to shape these into something positive. I don't want to completely extinguish them, just rechannel them.

I do not use a clicker at the moment. I tried it in the past and have such poor timing I think I only managed to confuse my poor dogs. I can't really afford a professional trainer session. I'm hoping to get the shelter to sponsor me in an obedience class for our foster. but I'm not sure how to go about it.

[Casey Laurie]

Thanks Melissa:)

We did start the clicker yesterday. Unfortunately I think I've worn out the reinforcer, lol. She didn't have much interest in it today so I have to find something else for a while..maybe bacon bits since they are so small and the fat has been rendered out. I did manage to accomplish a lot with her though, and now the clicker is thoroughly primed, at least for low to mid level distraction/stress environments. Today we're going to go sit on the front porch and watch vehicular and pedestrian traffic from a safety zone and click for calming behaviors.

Her herding behavior is so instinctual and part of her that I don't want to discourage it, but I do want to shape it into something appropriate, like a game or a dance instead of herding people. Maybe one day she'll be in a forever home that can take her herding :)

[Summer Magic]

She sounds like she has a talent for herding. That cannot be taught as easily if the dog isnt blessed with the herding instinct from their parents. I don't know how the others on this board feel about clicker training as opposed to using a small dog whistle. I have a coordination problem too with the clicker, treats and the leash all in just two hands (the Lord didn't see fit to give me a third) But I did buy an inexpensive dog whistle that I keep on a cord around my neck I use it by clenching it between my teeth so my hands are free and blow lightly when I want her to react. So far Magic understands that the whistle means treats or look my way. I've just started with it so I'm no expert here but it may be something for you to consider.

Good Luck

Judy and Magic

[Casey Laurie]

Now there's a thought! Good idea, thanks :)

[Renee]

Judy-

I know some people use a whistle instead of a clicker. I personally use an i-clicker for consistancy or sometimes use the word "yes" if I don't have the clicker handy. Is the whistle as consistant as a clicker?

[Casey Laurie]

Well, starting yesterday I now take the dogs out separately. My own two have some bad habits I would like to take care of, and since then I've noticed things that I missed or just plain forgot about because I have been behavior managing for so long instead of behavior modification. It's much less stressful this way too and everyone is more relaxed.

Can I teach them to discriminate when it's good to go on the defensive and when to relax? We live in an urban neighborhood, and there are times when I'm actually comforted by the fact that my dogs would likely not hestitate to bite if needed. (and small enough to scoop up and run away with while the bad guy is holding onto his knee :dogrun: )

Lilly is doing beautifully so far. She had a good time at the park this morning, and even became fully relaxed at several points so I started putting a cue word to the behavior as I clicked. "Plop", is when she just lays full out and relaxes. She carries herself with much more confidence, and is pulling a lot less. I may try her on just the flat collar next week. We use a 6' lead on the street, and a retractable inside the park. I can get her attention during most stressful times too.

I have an odd feeling that Lilly will be easier to train than my own dogs since she had no prior training at all. Does that make any sense? >^_^<

[Mario Niepel]

Can I teach them to discriminate when it's good to go on the defensive and when to relax? We live in an urban neighborhood, and there are times when I'm actually comforted by the fact that my dogs would likely not hestitate to bite if needed. (and small enough to scoop up and run away with while the bad guy is holding onto his knee :dogrun: )

This is a tough one, Casey. It is certainly possible to train a dog for protection. But, the key to do this safely is this: The dog never discriminates when it is appropriate or not to bite somebody. Only the handler does.

So, the first step to teach your dog would be to never react defensively. Then, and only then can you think about teaching the novel behavior of 'protect me' or something of that sort.

You really don't want to encourage fear aggression of a dog for your protection. How would you ensure that it only comes up at appropriate times? How would you make sure that the proper person is targeted? How do you make sure that your dog lets go and stops the aggression at the appropriate time?

[Casey Laurie]

I'd rather have confident, lovey dogs than guard dogs. ;)