Looking for a good local puppy trainer?

[Betty]

Hello everyone,
Just wondering if anyone can recommend a local dog trainer that they like. I am in Norwalk. 6 1/2 month old shih tzu puppy is having issues since 3-4 weeks ago with barking at everything and reactivity to other dogs. He wants to go up to other dogs, says hello and then starts this screeching-barking thing and won't back off. This is making it hard to go anywhere with him, including walks in my neighborhood. He has been socialized since he was 3 months old so I am not sure what is going on. Any guidance or help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Betty

 

[Dr. Christina]

what a challenge, Betty, when you thought you had done enough socializing. I do not know locals.
You may want to contact an animal communicator to see if your pup knows why he is doing this. Maybe drive him elsewhere for walks until you figure this out, so you and he can enjoy yourselves, even if no other dogs are around.

Also, there are some good trainers who are now working on-line if you cannot find one locally.

Dr. Christinna

@jenbridwell may have some suggestions

 

[MauraF]

Hello everyone,
Just wondering if anyone can recommend a local dog trainer that they like. I am in Norwalk. 6 1/2 month old shih tzu puppy is having issues since 3-4 weeks ago with barking at everything and reactivity to other dogs. He wants to go up to other dogs, says hello and then starts this screeching-barking thing and won't back off. This is making it hard to go anywhere with him, including walks in my neighborhood. He has been socialized since he was 3 months old so I am not sure what is going on. Any guidance or help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Betty

I have used Michelle Douglas, CPDT-KA, CDBC of The Refined Canine, LLC in Hamden, at different times during the past decade, for varying issues with my four dogs with great success. You can call and discuss what is taking place and see if she will travel to Norwalk for you. Michelle is gentle, patient, knowledgeable and loves and respects every 4-legged fur kid. My girls love her. She makes learning fun and their attitude is 'What else can I do for you?" A joy to behold! When implemented, her modifications last. Please let us know how you make out. About — The Refined Canine, LLC.
Online Behavior History Form; Behavior Consulting — The Refined Canine, LLC

 

[Betty]

I have used Michelle Douglas, CPDT-KA, CDBC of The Refined Canine, LLC in Hamden, at different times during the past decade, for varying issues with my four dogs with great success. You can call and discuss what is taking place and see if she will travel to Norwalk for you. Michelle is gentle, patient, knowledgeable and loves and respects every 4-legged fur kid. My girls love her. She makes learning fun and their attitude is 'What else can I do for you?" A joy to behold! When implemented, her modifications last. Please let us know how you make out. About — The Refined Canine, LLC.
Online Behavior History Form; Behavior Consulting — The Refined Canine, LLC

Thanks for the suggestion and I will definitely reach out to her. Louis is such a great guy, but just needs some tweaking at this precious age. Since you have shih tzu's you know how they all have their own unique quirks.

 

[Betty]

what a challenge, Betty, when you thought you had done enough socializing. I do not know locals.
You may want to contact an animal communicator to see if your pup knows why he is doing this. Maybe drive him elsewhere for walks until you figure this out, so you and he can enjoy yourselves, even if no other dogs are around.

Also, there are some good trainers who are now working on-line if you cannot find one locally.

Dr. Christinna

@jenbridwell may have some suggestions

Thank you for the suggestions Dr. Christina. I think the best solution is a trainer as he is still so young and we can hopefully correct his behavior before he becomes a full adult. I've gotten a couple of trainer suggestions so I will let everyone know how that goes.
Betty

 

[Betty]

So many months later, Louis is still barking more than ever. sometimes all day long.
He barks at the birds outdoors and there is no way to cover up the windows. I've had several trainers and the last suggestion which I haven't tried is a bark collar. I may need to try this as the barking stresses everyone in the house, especially the cat who runs away into another room and stays there all day long. It's not okay. I really need help with this.
thanks,
Betty

 

[AlysonR]

They make 'cling' films that can obliterate the view of the outdoors (while still letting in light). For example: Decorative Films | Window Film | Stained Glass | Privacy Film | Window Treatments

Or... is there any way you can block his access to the windows -- e.g. put up a long gate in front (say, 2 ft. back from) the windows?

Another idea: THUNDERCAP Calming Cap for Dogs, Medium - Chewy.com The fabric is semi-seethrough. You'd probably need to desensitize him to it for a while. Put it on, give him treats, take it off.... Until you can put it on, give him something to chew on for a bit, and then take it off.

Also, it sounds like your dog is way over stimulated -- all the time. You need to reduce his stress level for a looong time before you start in with any sort of desensitization stuff. You may need to use something like the hemp oil (Ellevet -- in the resources here -- has worked very well for my dog). Homeopathy (people here can give good recommendations) might also be useful. No walking anywhere near another dog (or whatever else he reacts to). If you have to take walks before sunup and after sundown, so be it. Or don't take walks at all. This is just temporary -- while his cortisol and adrenaline drop. "Chill Out Fido", (Chill Out Fido! How to Calm Your Dog) has a LOT of suggestions on how to help your dog relax.

My dog, Kaya, likes to lurk, and then (try to) pounce on cars as they go by. We are currently in the process of turning the lie-down before the pounce into a 'lie down and relax' behavior. Twice a day, we walk out to the edge of the road (at a suitable distance, so that she can still 'listen' to me) and wait for cars to come by. We live in the country, so we only get 3-4 cars in 10 minutes. But...we can hear them from a good distance away. As the car starts approaching, I start clicking and dropping cheese on the ground. When the car is past us, I stop. So far (of 5 training sessions), she's reacted a little to the first car, and not at all to the rest. Now it's a matter of turning the 'lie down and relax' behavior into a habit.

No bark collar. Your dog is thoroughly stressed, and that will just increase the stress! It also sounds like your dog is a teenager (pre-teen?), so this sort of thing is pretty common due to hormones. But you *really* need to work on eliminating his exposure to things that make him get stressed out so that his cortisol/adrenaline levels will drop. Then you can start uber-slowly reintroducing your dog to things -- birds, other dogs, etc. Maybe only 1 little bird on the first day.

Also, peaceablepaws.com has 'trainer referrals' (people who have gone through Pat Miller's program). I can vouch for them. If you're in Norwalk, CT, here's one:

Susan Kaminsky, PMCT1, CPDT-KA​

The Country Dog, LLC
Work Norwalk CT 06854 Work Phone: 203.434.2884 Work Email: [email protected] Website: The Country Dog, LLC

Categories: Academy Graduates, Advanced Training & Behavior Studies, Basic Canine Behavior and Training, Canine Behavior Modification, Pat Miller Certified Trainers, PMCT


Best of luck!

 

[Betty]

They make 'cling' films that can obliterate the view of the outdoors (while still letting in light). For example: Decorative Films | Window Film | Stained Glass | Privacy Film | Window Treatments

Or... is there any way you can block his access to the windows -- e.g. put up a long gate in front (say, 2 ft. back from) the windows?

Another idea: THUNDERCAP Calming Cap for Dogs, Medium - Chewy.com The fabric is semi-seethrough. You'd probably need to desensitize him to it for a while. Put it on, give him treats, take it off.... Until you can put it on, give him something to chew on for a bit, and then take it off.

Also, it sounds like your dog is way over stimulated -- all the time. You need to reduce his stress level for a looong time before you start in with any sort of desensitization stuff. You may need to use something like the hemp oil (Ellevet -- in the resources here -- has worked very well for my dog). Homeopathy (people here can give good recommendations) might also be useful. No walking anywhere near another dog (or whatever else he reacts to). If you have to take walks before sunup and after sundown, so be it. Or don't take walks at all. This is just temporary -- while his cortisol and adrenaline drop. "Chill Out Fido", (Chill Out Fido! How to Calm Your Dog) has a LOT of suggestions on how to help your dog relax.

My dog, Kaya, likes to lurk, and then (try to) pounce on cars as they go by. We are currently in the process of turning the lie-down before the pounce into a 'lie down and relax' behavior. Twice a day, we walk out to the edge of the road (at a suitable distance, so that she can still 'listen' to me) and wait for cars to come by. We live in the country, so we only get 3-4 cars in 10 minutes. But...we can hear them from a good distance away. As the car starts approaching, I start clicking and dropping cheese on the ground. When the car is past us, I stop. So far (of 5 training sessions), she's reacted a little to the first car, and not at all to the rest. Now it's a matter of turning the 'lie down and relax' behavior into a habit.

No bark collar. Your dog is thoroughly stressed, and that will just increase the stress! It also sounds like your dog is a teenager (pre-teen?), so this sort of thing is pretty common due to hormones. But you *really* need to work on eliminating his exposure to things that make him get stressed out so that his cortisol/adrenaline levels will drop. Then you can start uber-slowly reintroducing your dog to things -- birds, other dogs, etc. Maybe only 1 little bird on the first day.

Also, peaceablepaws.com has 'trainer referrals' (people who have gone through Pat Miller's program). I can vouch for them. If you're in Norwalk, CT, here's one:

Susan Kaminsky, PMCT1, CPDT-KA​

The Country Dog, LLC
Work Norwalk CT 06854 Work Phone: 203.434.2884 Work Email: [email protected] Website: The Country Dog, LLC

Categories: Academy Graduates, Advanced Training & Behavior Studies, Basic Canine Behavior and Training, Canine Behavior Modification, Pat Miller Certified Trainers, PMCT


Best of luck!

Thank you! I truly appreciate the info. Louis is 14 1/2 month shih tzu and is not neutered.
I also feel his cortisol / adrenaline is off balance. I am not able to keep him away from the windows in our living area as its all glass with lots of exposure to the backyard.

What I did find helpful is using some cbd with morning breakfast and keeping him in my office ( can't see out the window) with me for an hour to break the cycle. Some days he wakes up and is a crazy boy, and then its near impossible to keep him quiet for any length of time. He also had decided that watching tv and barking at any dogs or horses (he watched the Kentucky derby race ) is something he needs to do.

He actually likes sniffing & meeting other dogs when we are out on our walks, but is reactive to dogs that bark at him.

I wasn't feeling the bark collar, so I hope with some more training work and possibly a supplement & homeopathy to help him balance his anxiety.
With appreciation,
Betty

 

[AlysonR]

So would the window clings that *obscure* the view, but don't block the light help? It sounds like it might be expensive with as many windows as you have. Or...maybe there are just a few that are his primary targets? Every bit helps. Also, the calming cap is still a possibility. And yes, at 14 1/2 months, your dog is still a teenager, and definitely going through all sorts of hormonal challenges. Kudos for 'breaking the cycle', but you need to break it for *at least* 3 days, and preferably 2 weeks to get the cortisol levels down. The CBD would probably be best given twice a day. Make sure the dose has been researched. I've been adjusting my dog Kaya's levels up and down by 0.1 ml, as necessary, (she's on 0.7ml twice a day at the moment), and it really makes a difference. I'd also skip the TV nature shows -- for now. You can desensitize him to them later, after you get the problem with the birds (especially) under control.

On walks -- make *SURE* the other dog isn't going to bark at your dog before you even try a meet-and-greet. Although.... it's OK to not allow meet-and-greets at all on walks. You can still arrange play dates, or hikes with dogs he already knows. Remember, this is about maintaining both your AND HIS sanity.

Also, TTOUCH. TTouch® for Dogs Set After you get the hang of it, nightly sessions while you're, say, watching TV, can be extremely helpful -- but it's a long run sort of thing. You may see *some* changes after the first couple sessions, but you'll need to keep at it for long lasting effect (personal experience: I had an extremely reactive dog -- sight, sound or smell of another dog was enough to set her off. TTOUCH helped us get to the point where she could alert me to the fact that we were too close to another dog, rather than just reacting.)

Keep us posted!