Help with behaviour

[JeanR]

My 6 year old PRT has been driving us crazy at meal times! He used to lie quietly under the table whilst we ate - lately he has been either barking or licking his leg constantly. One of us usually shuts him out of the room where he continues to lick his leg until we let him back in again after we have finished eating. We then give him his food (we make him sit and wait before doing so).

He has periodically had an obsession with licking his leg and gets aggressive if we try to stop him. We have tried distracting him - usually by taking him out into the garden or by showering down his legs in the bath (which he enjoys!).

Another problem we have with him is that he jumps at the TV when a dog or other animal appears. We've tried different things for this. Rattling something, shouting, even throwing something (usually a soft toy!) at him - or putting him out of the room - but he still does it.

He also barks at visitors and when the phone rings (I guess this is because we usually get up to answer it!).

Any help with any of the above would be gratefully received.

Thanks.

[MrsRottie]

Hello!

Have you had his leg checked out at the vets? Just in case there's anything wrong? It sounds like there's something that annoys him by there....

If he's been checked and is OK, then I would rub a wee bit of that bitter apple spray you can get at pet shops to dissuade him from doing it.

Re the food - is he barking to have some food, or just barking at you? Have you ever given him tidbits at the table?

Barking at the TV. Hmmm. Mine do that sometimes too, I usually bark shut up back and they do...
Make it an 'unpleasant' experience to bark at the TV. As soon as he barks, either spray him with a water pistol (you have to be VERY quick and not let him see where it's coming from) or alternatively hide a bottle full of stones, or a pan lid etc - something that will make a loud crashing noise on the floor. When he barks, make your huge noise and that will shock him into stopping. Then move straight into your distraction....

Same with barking at visitors, or when the phone rings. As soon as creates, either make the noise, or continue as you are doing and take him out of the room. Stay cool and calm while you do it. Let him back in while the visitor is there, or the phone is still ringing, if he reacts, take him out again. Eventually he will get the message.

I asked you all the questions to try and get a bigger picture of what may be causing his problems - please bear with me :)

It sounds a little like your boy may now think he is alpha - barking at visitors, he's protecting you. Barking at you eating - the alpha eats first and then the rest of the pack and it sounds like he's complaining to me...

Others will disagree with this I'm sure ;) but I like the Jan Fennell method. She wrote a brilliant book called the Dog Listener which lays out the 4 main points which determine who is pack leader. If you can, have a read and try and employ some of the techniques, particularly the 'gesture eating'

If you can't get hold of it, then by all means e-mail or PM me and I will describe it in more detail for you. I've used this method to regain control over several foster dogs I've had over the years, and also on a day to day basis with my own dogs. I think it's great!

Good Luck and let us know how you get on :)

[JeanR]

Mrs Rottie

Thanks for your reply.

I don't think there is anything wrong with his leg but that he is attention seeking and I need to find a solution to stop him from doing it.

The same with the barking when we eat - as you say, I think he's probably complaining because we're eating before him! I agree also with the fact that he's protecting us - I forgot to add in my post that if he sees another dog when we are out walking he barks like crazy and if he meets another dog whilst on his lead (we don't let him off when on a walk) he gets quite protective.

I have actually got a copy of Jan Fennell's book, I've not read it for a long time but will do so again.

Thanks again. I'll let you know how it goes!

[sandi]

What is a PRT?????

[Cheetah]

Parson Russell Terrier >o.o<