How to Train Your Dog to Be Patient

Hello Jala, It sounds like Milo was never socialized, lacks respect for you, and simply hasn't ever learned impulse control or obedience, so the training should be geared toward improving those three things. First, check out the video linked below on separation anxiety. The trainer can be a bit abrupt while teaching but he is very experienced with highly aggressive, anxious, and reactive dogs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5GqzeLzysk Second, how often are you taking him potty? If he has to hold it for longer than 6-7 hours at a time the issue could be he really needs to go potty. Since he does not seem to mind going potty inside, it is more likely that he is simply being demanding and rude barking, and building his respect for you should help. Continue working on Quiet but also work on building his respect and impulse control by teaching the commands from the videos and articles linked below: Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo Crate manners: https://thegooddog.net/training-videos/free-how-to-training-videos/learn-to-train-the-good-dog-way-the-crate/ Thresholds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-w28C2g68M Heel article - The turns method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Heel Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTiKVc4ZZWo Third, for the potty training, check out the article linked below and follow the "Crate Training" method. You can also follow the "Tethering" method when you are home. Since he is older you can take him potty every 3-4 hours when you are home and crate training, and every 3 hours if he is tethered to you. Once he goes potty outside, you can give him 2 hours of supervised freedom out of the crate, then put him back in the crate until it is time for his next potty trip so that he does not have another accident while his bladder is filling up again. Working on the separation anxiety should hopefully make putting him into the crate more possible. When you leave him in the crate for longer periods of time, give him a food stuffed chew toy to help with boredom. At first he probably won't chew it, but once the separation anxiety improves through training he will probably become interested in it as he relaxes more. Crate Training method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Fourth, for the barking, first continue teaching Quiet so that he will understand what the command means when you use it. When you first see a dog, tell him Quiet before he barks ideally. Purchase a high quality stimulation bark collar (you can try vibration first if you purchase a collar that has both settings). Have him wear the collar on walks. It he disobeys your Quiet command (something he should understand by then), then the collar will automatically correct him. When he stops barking and is quiet because the collar surprised him, praise and reward him with treats or a favorite toy for being quiet, acting confident and upbeat when you do so. Look for a bark collar that will let you adjust the stimulation level also. Many collars will adjust the level automatically and some will also let you set the level. This feature lets you figure out which level your dog responds to and use the lowest level that he responds to. Once he improves, you may even be able to turn the level down one. The first time that he receives a correction he may yelp or whine - this is usually just from surprise and protesting the collar mostly. If it continues evaluate if the collar stimulation level is too high and should be lowered. You can start on the lowest level and increase the level gradually until you find the correct level during based on his response. Work on heeling and generally teaching commands that increase his focus on you while outside. Reward him calmly when he is doing well being calm, quiet, or focusing on you. You want to still associate the presence of other dogs with something good by rewarding him for being calm around them, that way he will be able to understand that it is his barking that earns a correction, but when he is calm around dogs good things happen. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello, Her excitement and aroused state right at the beginning of the walk is one of the biggest issues - once in that highly aroused state it's going to be extremely difficult for her to calm back down in that environment with the other dogs and the walker. The dog walker can't really be expected to train pup while walking all the other dogs during the visit, but pup does need to practice with her. I suggest paying the walker to come additional times when you are home to practice when there aren't all the other variables - like lots of dogs. If the walker has her own dog, have her bring just one other dog. Teach pup Place or the crate manners exercise below - depending on whether pup tends to be free or crated when the walker arrives. Practice until pup can do it reliably when people ring the door bell, knock, and are welcomed in. When pup can do it when others enter, practice the walker entering over and over again and pup staying in the crate with the door open or on Place without getting off. Practice this until pup's overall energy is calm, in addition to pup staying on place - the repetitions should make this exercise boring after a while and you want the walker's appearance to be boring to bring pup's energy down. You will need the walker to come extra times for a bit - not just one time. Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo Crate manners: https://thegooddog.net/training-videos/free-how-to-training-videos/learn-to-train-the-good-dog-way-the-crate/ Once pup is calm with the walker appearing, work with the walker and her dog on your pup waiting at the door threshold and not rushing out - use a long leash to secure pup to something sturdy inside so that pup feels off-leash but is still safe while practicing at the door. Have the walker, and then the walker and her dog also practice walking through the door while your pup waits for permission to come through - again, practice until pup is not only staying there but calm about it - you want this exercise to become boring and pup's energy to go back down. Thresholds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-w28C2g68M Finally, have the walker practice heeling with pup. Start with just your dog and her, then add the second dog when pup is calm. This should be a really structured, focused heel to help pup's energy come down, build respect for your walker, and keep pup's arousal level lower. Heel article - The turns method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Heel Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTiKVc4ZZWo When she gets ready to let the dog's off leash, have her practice the reel in method for Come with pup to build an expectation for pup to come while off-leash with her also. Come - Reel In method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-whippet-to-recall All of these exercises are conditioning pup to be calmer in those situations, increase pup's respect for your walker - which is lacking right now, and give more boundaries around your walker - like the boundaries Nori has with you already from all the obedience you have worked with her on. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Savannah, I recommend working on some commands that help build self-control, and the article I have linked below for the jumping. Jumping - leash method when there are guests to keep them from getting jumped on in the process. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-australian-shepherds-to-not-jump Building self-control commands: Leave It method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Quiet method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Place command: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O75dyWITP1s Down-Stay: https://www.thelabradorsite.com/train-your-labrador-to-lie-down-and-stay/ Heel- Turns method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello! Your dog needs to learn new behaviors to quell her fear. First we reduce her fear around new dogs/people, and then we begin adding cues such as “watch me” or “sit.” Research tells us that most leash reactivity is caused by fear, not by aggression. Dogs bark and lunge at other dogs to warn, “Go away! Go away!” Dogs fear other dogs because of genetic reasons, lack of socialization, fights when they were puppies, or any scary (to the dog) interaction with other dogs. Sometimes having low thyroid levels contributes to unwanted canine behavior. During this time, avoid any punishment for reactivity. Doing so will make her concerns even bigger. Dogs learn by making associations, and you want your dog to associate other dogs with pleasant things — never punishment. The first step is to reframe what an oncoming dog means to your dog. From a safe distance — your dog determines the distance, not you — have your leashed dog view another dog. As the new dog comes into view, drop a lot of enticing meat treats just in front of your dog’s nose. Ignore any hysterics for now, but back up and create more space if your dog is unwilling to eat. This part is hard for humans — I understand. It helps to see your dog’s behavior for what it most likely is: fear vs. disobedience. The training reinforcer MUST be a great one, such as real meat. It is critical that the appearance of the new dog causes meat to fall from the sky. When the other dog is out of your dog’s view, all treats stop. We want your dog to predict that other dogs near him means that YUMMY FOOD will appear! As you are reframing your dog’s opinion of seeing other leashed dogs, be careful where you take your dog, and be protective of what she is exposed to. One fight can create a reactive dog. Consider not walking your dog for 30 days as you reprogram her opinions of other dogs. Instead, sit on your front porch or in your garage (or somewhere out of the way if those two options aren't possible) with your dog on leash, and practice treating every time another dog comes into your dog’s line of sight. During this time, engage your dog’s mind with mind puzzles, obedience work, and fun stuff like games in the house or yard. You know you have made great progress when your dog sees another dog, and he turns his head away from the once-threatening dog and looks into your eyes, expecting a treat. Once your dog is looking at her (former) trigger and then looking expectantly up at you for a treat, you can begin to put this skill on cue. Tell your dog "watch me" every time you see another dog approaching. Your end goal is for your dog to see another dog, and remain calm, looking at you for guidance. And this will be either continuing your walk, or being allowed to interact with the other dog. Please let me know if you have additional questions. Thanks for writing in!