Adopting a beagle / Dotson puppy and concerned about interaction with my chickens

[ShrekDawg]

Yeah, I actually do like the security too bur Gator doesn't back off when you tell him to. And one time we couldn't even let my friend in. Of course my mom was going ballistic which probably set Gator off more making him think she was a real threat but still, he was starting to remember her before my mom freaked. But it's bad he was that crazy and didn't back down when we said to.

But yeah, Gator is like 130, 140 pounds and a pretty big/tall dog and we have a huge bay window in that room so yeah, when you see a MASSIVE dog lunging in that window and barking his loud, deep bark, you'd definitely think twice about breaking in! Lol he's also predominantly black too except a big white patch on his chest and from what I understand people are more scared of dark dogs than light dogs and he also gets frothy/overworked and really excited and has a special threat bark so when you see/hear not only a big dog but a big black dog lunging and frothing, you'd have to be stupid to break in hahaha

Wow, I definitely need to start walking him more then! Usually the routes we go and by the time I let him sniff/run a bit and have fun or swim in summer, etc., it ends up being a half hour or an hour anyway, so I guess I need to take him on at least one long walk a day or two shorter ones. I used to take him often but haven't been lately. But usually one of those walks he's exhausted and done in for the day and often the next day too hahaha

I think Gator would protest running and go on strike but I will try to walk him more haha

 

[dainerra]

I train and enforce a quiet command. I use "enough" I also teach a "place" command that I use whenever I am having someone over. The dog is sent to his "place" (bed in the living room) to lay down while the company enters the house.
He isn't allowed off his bed until he is released.

I also don't allow dogs to run sniffing at guests (a polite sniff and greeting is ok) nor do I allow my dogs to pester company. The company often tends to get in trouble over the rules more than the dogs do lol

If I have a young puppy or an over-excited dog that is forgetting his manners, the dog is leashed until he calms down. If the leash isn't helping, the dog is removed from the situation when company is arriving or leaving. They are only brought out when/if they are calmed down.

I have german shepherds and, while I enjoy the security barking, I also teach clear boundaries. A dog getting in the windows and barking at people is a dog that would find himself barred from access to looking at the window. My dogs also aren't allowed to bark at people walking on sidewalks, neighbors in their yards, and never ever at people that I have invited inside.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Wow that almost sounds kind of strict but at the same time I guess it's better to have strict and respect rather than a liability or PITA dog

Does he have to be completely in the other room? Can he be within view?

Yeah, he comes charging over, often nose in crotch, and then follows them around, nosing their hand or mouthing, etc. But he's gotten better, he used to jump all over everyone, now he usually calms right down and sits or stands for petting. But then he follows everyone around and sticks to them like glue.

And hmmm, yeah, the being in the window part is probably bad. Especially since he's a big dog and can easily see out the window without doing that. Plus he doesn't stop when we tell him and sometimes turns his frustrations. Doesn't ever bite but gets frustrated and is like hey stop. He needs to be stopped though I guess. He doesn't really redirect anymore though. And yeah, he used to not bark that much or only at important things but now he barks at people and dogs walking down the street (and we are set back in the woods, the driveways like 1500 feet, not like they are that close), and neighbors in yards, etc. We have close neighbors in the back though and can see their houses so he probably thinks its his property or they're going to come onto ours. And he barks at deer and squirrels and sometimes rabbits. He has a much different alarm bark for real threats though deer and turkeys he usually goes ballistic and uses that real bark. He even now barks when our cars pull in which he never used to do.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Btw he was feeling a little antsy and wanted to play, brought his toy over, so I played with him for a little bit but he seemed really hyped up so I asked him if he wanted to go play outside, which of course he did, so out we went. Sure enough, he was crazy LOL chased after the toy more than usual so got some pretty good running in and played A LOT of tug. He could have kept playing and I would have gladly stayed out but I kind of went out spontaneously so forgot a hat and gloves and thus was freezing my fingers and face and lungs off hahaha

But he wanted to come in shortly after I did, like almost immediately after (he didn't disobey or anything cause I didn't call him, I was just focused on not freezing and left him out there haha) sooo I guess he was pretty tired too

He probably could have played more but he's definitely worn out a lot from that

 

[dainerra]

it's actually not that strict in practice. Once the dogs have learned appropriate manners, they lounge around the living room with the guests. Sometimes they wander over for a pat or move to lay at someone else's feet. They are only removed from the room if they persist after being told to knock it off. How much is too much depends on the person the dog is interacting with. But I NEVER allow roughhousing inside. If you rile up the dogs, you'll find yourself outside playing ball in the dark. Or, in the case of my visiting brother, in the rain. The dogs LOVE playing in the rain

Some things to consider about the window. 1) he could easily break the glass if he gets over-excited and bounces his feet on it. At best, you've got to buy a new window. At worst, you have an injured dog and maybe even an injured human and the potential of a lawsuit. Service people (including the Post Office, FedEx, and meter readers or repairmen) can refuse to enter your property if you have a dog jumping at the windows. It's a liability issue for them as well.
I've met many people who have to drive to the Post Office or put up a separate mailbox outside a fenced property because of over-excited dogs.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Ohhh okay, that makes sense. I was thinking you meant they laid in another room when they entered the house itself?

That makes sense. With us, we don't really normally allow rough play or running around like crazy either but tug he's pretty gentle, he just brings you a toy and you can play sitting down or standing etc. Plus we have a hallway to play it in and not much breakable. Usually a little bit of that wears him down or makes him bored after a while but if he is really wound up, like tonight, then be does go outside, we don't allow crazies in the house haha although I don't mind playing with him in the dark.

And sorry, I should have clarified, that window is a large bay window so has a big window sill so he's not actually putting his paws on the window but rather on the sill. But it should be discouraged. Most of the delivery people know him by now and either leave it at the mailbox (off property), at the edge of the garden, or if they're brave enough to come up, then on the steps and quickly backing away haha also UPS is smart now/my mom told them and they will usually leave the truck down the driveway and walk packages up so Gator often doesn't even notice. But that's also partly cause it's hard to get out

 

[ShrekDawg]

I worked with him like one day on the new command, I know, bad, and I gotta start working with him again.

But is it bad that I can say like "come" "come" "Gator come" and he won't do it but then I get mad/almost yell and say something along the lines "get off your *** and get over here! Get over here!" Then he bolts up?

I'm assuming it is?

But of course I didn't really care whether he came or not and he knew it I think so then when I say it seriously he's like oh **** you meant it.

Anyway, I guess i gotta stop saying it when I don't mean it. And start working on the new command. But he's funny, he almost responds better to talking to him/full sentences like "get off your ***"/"get over here!" Than commands. But maybe that's just cause he's been taught come doesn't mean anything and also could be responding more to tone than words?

 

[Beekissed]

Yep, it's bad. Mostly, if you have established authority over the dog, you rarely have to say anything to get him to do what you want. If I want my dogs to come to me, I say their names..and I don't have to yell it unless they are at a distance. If I want them BOTH to come to me at the same time, I just say, "Hey!" or "Come back!" If I want to put their collars on or off, I say, "Collar"...not loud, not shouted, just quiet. Then I wait. Until they are calm and standing perfectly still, they don't get their collars off or on.

If I want them to sit, I just wait while looking at them...they just sit. If they don't, I give them a hand signal for "sit" and they sit then. If I want them to lie down, I just point at the ground and snap my fingers...they lie down. Sometimes I don't even have to point, I just wait silently and look them in the eye, then at the ground in front of them. They lie down. If one hesitates or is distracted, I'll say, "I'm waiting...." or "All the way". That gets me a lie down with their heads on their paws...like this....they will stay like that in the presence of their daily food until I release them with an "okay".



I'm no dog trainer by any means, nor do I claim to be, and I've got areas with them I need to work on, like staying in stay or stay at a distance and even on when they greet people...the younger one, the big white dog, tends to get too excited and wants people to pet him, so he shoves his big head in their personal space when they don't want him there.

But I do know this....if you don't have their attention by just being their leader in a calm and assertive manner, no amount of yelling will get you good, consistent results. Most of what you communicate to your dog is not verbal, but in your body language, your intent, your mindset. If you are frustrated, nervous, anxious, fearful or angry, there's not much you can teach them nor will they want to follow you.

I'd work on a calm assertive attitude with the dog before trying any training.

Cesar Millan's got vids all over YT that show how to start displaying a calm,assertive attitude with your dogs and how to establish pack leadership. I'd watch a good many of those and practice what you see there. If you really want a good dog, if you really want a dog that's safe to have around the animals and if you really want to be good to your dog, you'll take the time to learn something constructive before addressing his issues.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks for all the help! I'll look into those videos! I don't necessarily agree with all of his methods but some of the stuff is useful and necessary no matter what training method or combination of methods I use. Like the calm assertive thing. That's even useful just in life. I have anxiety and some other stuff and I think I probably portray that/pass that on to the dog. Especially when he's being bad or aggressive I get really nervous. He's not really aggressive to us but just like protective I guess is a better word and I get scared to grab him. I need to work on it though and I've gotten a little better. And my brother and I but especially my brother need to work on our anger and yelling at him. And my brother will let him do one thing then yell at him a second later. That's consistency too. My uncle once told him dogs don't respect anger or violence. And it's true, I think. You can lead without being nasty. Yet he thinks yelling at him or using a gruff voice is being alpha. There is a lot more to it. But the dog also has him wrapped around his paw lol for instance, he has trained him to paws up on the runner board and then he lifts him in... and then he proceeded to get in the front seat. Tried to get him to get in the back and wouldn't go. He did put his two front paws back there though but then he tried to be sly and back up into the front seat again so I grabbed his leash to prevent it. My brother then said "oh he can't get back there. Haley (his gf) why don't you drive and I'll sit in the back with him." He does have bad hips but he managed to get into the front just fine.... thankfully they have been dating over a year now so she's not afraid to call him out. So she said no that's stupid we're not doing that. And how he has him wrapped around his paw. So we all kinda jumped in, i was like yeah, he takes advantage of you. Etc. So finally he's like alright shut up I'll get him back there... he still couldn't lol so finally I was just really firm/assertiveand changed my voice and was like "Gator! Get back there!" And he jumped right back. We were all like "see?" LOL

Anyway, sorry for the long winded story but he thinks he has such control but he's way too attached and Gator takes advantage. He's also the only one Gator gets separation anxiety over. Once he's gone, he will sleep, but if he's here or outside he HAS to be out with Ben. I will say though that he does respect him in some ways like he absolutely WILL NOT go on his bed even when he's not there. But the finer things like not begging under foot only I can do.

Speaking of which, he actually does often sit when I just look at him and downs easy and he knows I expect certain behaviors with some things (like standing calmly at the door and waiting while we hook the rope up instead of bolting out the door and sitting before we go on walks) so he's really well behaved/I can command respect and certain behaviors sometimes. And he has an excellent wait. But then with some things like recall and stuff he is bad at.

But I feel like it's probably a combination of my energy and repeating the word over and over until it loses all meaning. I will work on both.

Thanks

 

[ShrekDawg]

I practiced the new word ("here") both on the leash and the whole hall and he did really well! I admit with that I used an excited happy voice and food because I want him to think it's a good, fun thing to come to me but once he knows it I will calm down. But he listened every time.

But anyway, I also took advantage of an opportunity to claim space. Normally when we open the door to let him out he walks up and puts his nose at the screen right away and waits to be hooked up, I don't mind that normally cause he's perfectly calm, but I decided to claim it anyway. I didn't say anything or touch him, just walked into that space and expected him to back out, look at me, and wait to be invited. And when he went to go out after I hooked him up, which is normally how we do it, I made him back up again. I then invited him out.

And also before that I forgot I claimed the door when he wanted to go into my dad's room and went ahead of me. I made him back out and look at me before I let him in. But looking at me wasn't enough, when he looked at the door the second I grabbed the door handle, I made him look at me again.

I do feel a little bad about the going outside especially because you could tell he was confused and unsure and almost thought he was in trouble because we don't normally do it that way. But I think if I do that every day then he will learn the new normal.

I also talked to my dad about everything and he agrees for once and we all need to work on our energy. I decided we, or me, also give too much feedback. Like I always say stuff like when I give water like oh do you want a drink, go get a drink, go on gator, go get a drink, etc. And we both always pet and talk to him too much or randomly say good boy, etc. He will get a drink if he's thirsty and he probably gets annoyed from the feedback. Also decided we're more on the weak side and Ben is on the too angry side and we need to find the middle.

But anyway, all of that is a really long winded way of saying this, just wanted to say the backstory for this part....

So I just went to let him inside, he was laying on the other deck, my dad went out to smoke and said "Gator come here buddy. Come" and so I instantly said "remember what we talked about?" And I went out there and tried it and guess what.....

All I did was walk to the steps, look at him, and say "Gator" and he was on his feet! I then said "come" and off the deck he came!!!

Now we gave a little too much feed back and tried to get him to drink the cold rain water but he was standing at the door ready to go inside the whole time, uninterested in the drink. So next time I think we should just let him in cause he was so good and we caused confusion.

But my point is I just said his name and he was on his feet and came over when I said come!

Now, he's gotten better about coming and usually comes the first few times anyway so who knows if it was the work I did but I really think it was because he NEVER gets up on his name!

He was on his feet IMMEDIATELY! No question!

And I didn't even do anything mean or even really say anything!

Gee it's amazing what a teeny little lesson and an attitude/energy change can accomplish!

If he's listening this well just from me pushing him out of the doorway twice, I can't wait to see how he responds to having this kind of attitude and clarity all the time and with daily training! Thanks!