Cathy:
I am deeply indebted to you for all the information
(http://www.lhasa-apso.org/articles/rrrr.htm)
you sent me. I immediately put into action the
recommendations,
and I have a new dog! He cried all night the first night, but has
slept in the den since then with no problems.
I had shown him no tricks, but he has now learned how to
"sit".
I still can't get him to look me in the eye for any length of
time,
but he has learned to get behind me when I'm going out the door
or
coming in. I am ALPHA!!
This is the most astounding revelation to me, but it all makes
sense.
I was his litter mate, no doubt about that. And he was
definitely
my boss. Well, that has changed, thanks to you!
Nena
Nena, You have learned something very important about this breed,
which
you can now pass on to others. This breed is very intelligent,
and
highly social - rather more primitive than most dogs - more like
wolves.
They depend for their emotional security on knowing their place in the
social order, and having a job to do.
When you fail to provide leadership to an Apso, he has no other
recourse
but to shoulder that responsibility himself. Of course his
judgments
will not be always what you want. The typical story I hear is:
"He
is very loving and easy going but then I will do something, and he
attacks
me for no reason." Yes, as long as you behave (according to his
rules)
you are a good human, but when you misbehave, you must be corrected
with
a good bite!" You think the aggression is unprovoked, but you
simply
may be too stupid (in dog terms) to know the reason, or what it is he
is
attempting to teach you.
As the RRRR method teaches, it is a huge series of little things
that
gives the dog cues to his status. Human beings have become so
dependent
on language, that we no longer know how to communicate non-verbally,
but
the dog is the master of that language. In order to talk
effectively
with him, we have to learn to speak "dog". Did you watch the
special
on TV about the fellow called the "horse whisperer"? His feats
seem
magical, but all he did was learn to speak "horse".
Body language is a very important part of speech in Dog. Posture
and
eye contact. Erect head posture and direct eye contact are
telling
the dog "I am your leader". Excessive petting is something a
puppy
does to obtain food from the mother or other pack members. When
you
pet a dog repeatedly, you are signaling him that YOU want to play a
subordinate
role. Allowing him to barge through dorways ahead of you or
grab food from your hands, is telling him it is O.K. for him to take
the
lead. The alpha wolf would never permit that behavior.
The wolf leader demands certain signs of submission from his pack
constantly.
They are very subtle - just a lowered head or gaze, a lowered tail -
that
indicate that they are willing to submit to his authority.
Likewise,
we need to extract those little tokens from the dog on a regular
basis.
Obedience training is invaluable, as it sets up a set of submissive
behaviors
and the clear signals for them that allows the human to elicit the
submissive
behavior, reminding the dog of his proper place in the
hierarchy.
The human can then express his pleasure at the correct response, and
the
dog can feel secure in his position. The dog is happier, the
human
is happier - this is a good thing!
Continue the good work.
Hello, my name is Brian. My wife, Pam and
our
two sons (12 and 8yrs.) purchased a male Lhasa from a reputable pet
shop
which dealt with a reputable breeder. We purchased him at 3 mos. At
about
three months he started to exhibit an aggressive behavior which
included
growling and biting when he had something in his mouth he didn't want
someone
to have. This led to him biting each member of the family several
times.
It usually is when he has something in his mouth that he gets
territorial
with (sock, soft cloth ball, our boy's bookbag, etc.) When he knows
someone
may try to take this away, he will start to cower and sometimes
urinate,
his neck gets stiff and he tries to walk from you- but if your hand
gets
near the mouth he will lash out and bite you ferociously. We really
want
to keep him, but we fear for the safety of our kids and us. Plus we
want
him to behave! He is still very playful and will allow you to take one
or two particular toys from his mouth and he will play fetch with you
harmlessly
and brings it back to you. He also doesn't particularly come to you
when
you call him - which is something I'm not used to in a dog. He'll come
when he wants to come.
When brushing him, he also can get
viscous
if he doesn't like what you are doing while grooming him. If it hurts
him
a little while you brush him with the brush, he grits his teeth and
will
try to bite the brush or you. This has gotten somewhat better since we
started, but he still can get pretty unruly depending on his mood.
Brian Woodham.
Hi Brian -
You may not like what I have to say. "A
reputable
pet shop that deals with a reputable breeder" no such union exists in
my
book. I have spent the better part of the day today trying to find
homes
for lhasas who come from such a union.
As far as the aggressive behavior goes. Take
away
all the toys that you have for the dog. Be sure no one uses socks for
pull
tug games. Try to keep things he can pick up and run with off the
floor.
I know that can be hard with kids. But... Limit the time that you play
games: fetch the ball etc.. to no more than 15 minutes. Once or twice a
day. Then EVERYONE in your family goes to training class.
Obedience/behavior
class. If everyone in the family goes, everyone learns, and everyone
does
the same thing. Consistency. Each one of you takes the dog through a
full
class, one at a time. Do not switch trainers until the entire course is
complete. Be sure you tell the trainer that the dog has aggressive
behavior
problem that you created from lack of proper discipline. Be sure that
you
follow all the instructions to a tee. Also if the Charlie can't handle
things like people around when he eats, chews on a rawhide or naps -
put
in a crate or room alone and tell everyone to leave him alone.
Sometimes
they act out because they want to be left alone. I think he can be
helped
- giving him back only passes the problem you let go on to someone
else.
One thing you didn't say is how old is Charlie now? Because if he is
close
to a year old - you really did create this problem and it is up to you
to fix it.
Jan - Golden Tu Lhasas
Hi Brian,
Without being able to observe this dog's
behavior,
it is difficult to say what has caused the problem. I believe that
dominant
puppies removed from their littermates at too young an age are at risk
of becoming biters. This is because they do not learn how to have a
"soft
mouth." Doesn't matter how "reputable" anyone is or what age the puppy
is purchased at the pet store...what matters is the age the puppy was
removed
from social contact with mom and sibs. Also what matters is the early
socialization
that this dog didn't get from the so-called "reputable breeder."
Charlie's
goodness at some times and aggressive behavior with found/stolen
objects
is a pretty classic tale with pet store puppies.
Secondly, can this reputable pet store
guarantee
that none of their employees and none of the other customers who played
with the dog ever played rough tug-o-war games? Do we know if this was
the only small puppy with a bunch of big puppies and he learned to be
aggressive
with found objects as a way of protecting them from the big puppies?
Or, did the two boys in this family play
chase
(prey) games and tug of war with this puppy. Then one day, the puppy
found
a sock, the kid was late for school and so he chased, grabbed at the
dog
and ripped the sock out of his mouth. The puppy doesn't understand the
concept "late for school"...he thought he was playing the chase game
and
so, because he lost this time, he figured he must fight back harder
next
time. Once he started snarling and biting, he learned that sometimes he
got to keep the object.
My first inclination when I read this post
was
to write, "If this is a reputable pet store and a reputable breeder,
then
they should be able to provide the counseling necessary to correct this
problem..."
Instead, I will give a quick overview of
what
I think should occur:
1. I can't tell from the post how old this
dog
is now or how long this behavior has gone on. The older he is, the more
important I believe it is that you consult with a veterinary behavior
specialist
(or a trainer that uses only positive reinforcement techniques, no
shock
collars, no negative punishment...those will encourage the dog to fight
back.) Management, obedience training, and consistency of expectations
will help overcome this problem. However, following the advice of
people
who have never seen the dog, don't know the family, etc., etc. can be
worse
than ignoring the problem because aggressive behaviors have been known
to get worse before they get better, especially in the initial stages
of
a program to cure the problem. I believe this is a situation that a
little
bit of obedience training alone will not cure. Jan is correct, your
whole
family needs to be involved and your whole family needs to participate
in the corrective program.
2. The veterinary behavior specialist will
recommend
basic obedience training using positive reinforcement but
firmly...there
will be no wiggle room for this dog. TRAIN USING FOOD TREATS and never
give a treat unless the dog has done something for it. This helps
develop
a soft mouth in the dog. Yell ouch very loudly if his teeth touch your
hand while you give him a small treat. Once you establish food as a
reward,
you can trade objects for treats...use the toys he gives up readily
first
and treat with whatever type of food it takes to get his attention.
Obedience
training helps you learn to read the dog and provides you both with
some
positive experiences. However, a traditional yank and jerk obedience
class
may end up encouraging more aggression rather than less.
3. Brian, I hope you read the RRRR program
on
this site. This is an excellent example of the type of program a
behavior
specialist will recommend on top of the obedience training. My only
caveat
would be that this dog probably needs to continue with food treats for
training purposes only.
4. The Gentle Leader/Promise Halter can also
help
curb certain types of aggressive behavior and make the dog easier to
handle.
You need a professional to show you how to use it properly, if the dogs
learn they can get out of it, the halter won't work. The Halter will
not
cure the problem...it is just one tool that a specialist looking at the
overall problem may recommend.
5. Read, read, read, read...start with:
Stephen
Joubert, Final Hope, Gaining Control of Your Aggressive Dog. To
understand
overall dog behavior better, read The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson.
6. I am very, very serious about getting
professional
help. This dog has bit people on multiple occasions and the problem
will
only get worse as the dog gets older. Meanwhile, anytime he growls or
bites
and wins, his behavior is being reinforced. We do not know how you
people
react to these biting situations. Generally, during the first five or
six
weeks of a program to reduce aggression, the family must manage the
situation
so that the situations that provoke the aggression don't occur. Is the
dog crate-trained?
Brian, I believe it is beyond the scope of
the
expertise of the people on this board to "diagnose" or "treat" behavior
problems of this sort. I've only touched the tip of the iceberg. I
think
the most responsible course of action we can take is to help you find a
good veterinary behavior specialist or professional trainer. Do you
live
in a town with a good obedience training club? Do you live near a
veterinary
medical school? There are many, many charlatans in the field of dog
training...the
quick fix folks. You need to look for someone who's first sentence is,
"This won't be easy."
Regards,Leslie
Cathy:
Charlie is now 9 months old and the aggressive behavior didn't
start
until he was around 6 months old (3-4 months after we purchased him).
We
thought by neutering him it would help, but it hasn't. The
children do "roughhouse" with him I'll admit, but that's one reason we
bought a dog. We have had owners of Lhasas who say that this
breed
was good with children. My wife and I both work and thus are gone a
good
part of the day- leaving Charlie by himself for a good 8 hrs. by
himself-
we thought his behavior may have something to do with this? The younger
child seems to evoke more of the aggressiveness from Charlie than the
older
child- he will invite Charlie to chase him
around
the kitchen so that Charlie ends up growling at him- our younger child
will gently kick Charlie away, which makes the situation worse.
(this child is also strong-willed, like the lhasa breed). We have not
had
a biting incident recently (a week), but my wife walked in on Charlie
in
the laundry room when he was on our child's bookbag and she sensed he
was
going to get territorial, so she told him "you cannot have that" and he
backed away (she made him look at her by calling his name). So she was
encouraged.
I still have a problem with a dog which
does not come to you or just stands there and looks at you when
he is outside to go to the bathroom. We're really stuck here on what to
do still. If
he doesn't fit our family, we
want him to have a good home somewhere because I think he is basically
a good dog-
Brian
Dear Readers: Please note the red flags in what this man writes.
1. He states he bought the dog so his children could
"roughhouse"
with it. How should a 10 lb individual react to an assault by
another 5 to 10 times his weight? By trying to escape or defend
himself
- right? This dog was purchased as a living football for two young
boys.
Roughousing with a dog should only be done if you are training a dog to
be aggressive - for police work for instance.
2. He permits the child to chase the dog and kick it - "gently".
I have never seen a child kick "gently". Chasing is prey behavior. A
chased
dog believes he is being preyed upon, and has no choice but to defend
himself.
3. He does not understand that you have to teach a
dog to
come. It does not "just happen".
4. He believes that the dog is the misfit. The fact that
he has
allowed mistreatment (although I am sure he would not see it as
mistreatment)
has not even occurred to him. The fact that they have not attempted to
even teach the most rudimentary obedience to the dog, and have expected
the dog to teach itself also evades him. They are not to blame. The dog
(with the bad temperament) is to blame.
While Lhasas have their distinct personalities, they are dogs.
They
think like dogs. They act like dogs. They react like dogs. Most of
their
behaviors are more like those of other dogs than different from them.
I've heard pet owners at St. Hubert's claim, "I'd never tolerate a
dog
that bites." One thing I've learned from the St. Hubert's behaviorists
over the last several years is that EVERY dog will bite when given
enough
provocation. Biting is a normal behavior in a dog pack -- it is the way
dogs discipline one another. Biting is not a normal HUMAN behavior, so
we find it shocking, but that just underscores our own ignorance about
canine behavior
Dogs don't bite "accidentally". Dogs have remarkable control of
their
mouths and they know exactly where their teeth are at a given moment.
I've
heard a lot of pet owners explain that the dog snapped at them and
would
have bitten them if they hadn't pulled their hands away. Oh, right!
We're
not that fast. A dog can cause three punctures in a fraction of a second. If that dog
wanted to bite the owner, the owner would have been bitten.
Most dogs give a series of escalating warning signals that they
are
unhappy but most humans are too unobservant and unaware to recognize
them.
The bite may be the disciplinary action of a dominant dog, it may be
the
defensive action of a frightened one, or it may be an unintentional
action
of a dog in pain.
In KPT class, we learned how to "teach" our dogs to soften their
mouths
around us so that the injury would be less if a bite occurs. We learned
how to maintain our position as "pack leader" through adolescent
challenges
so the dog would be less likely to think that he/she could or should
discipline
the humans. We were advised to socialize our dogs around children,
adults,
males, females, other dogs, other animals, strange noises, etc. so the
dog would accept them as "normal". We were told to watch how other
adults
and children interacted with our dog and to stop any behavior that we
and/or
the dog found objectionable. We were shown non-aggressive methods to
correct
undesired behaviors. Some people followed the advice and some didn't.
As the dog grows, the humans should learn to recognize which
stimuli
upset the dog, which induce a growl, which induce a snap, etc. Then,
they
must understand that the stimuli are additive. A dog may be
uncomfortable
with a stranger in the house but will do nothing. He may be nervous
around
weird hats, but will do nothing. He may growl when his owner takes away
a pig's ear but will give it up on a second command. But when a
stranger
wearing a Sherlock Holmes hat tries to take away his pig's ear in the
owner's
living room, the dog bites. The owner wonders why and swears that he's
never bitten before and gave no warning when, in fact, the dog gave
plenty
of warnings and bit as a last resort.
Most people don't really recognize aggressive behavior. For
example,
many people think the dog that bounds into a dog's face is "just trying
to say Hi" when, in fact, the dog is being extremely rude and
aggressive
to that other dog. Then, when the "polite" dog does his growly-snap to
say, "Out of my face, you rude animal!", the dog gets punished even
though
he'd done nothing wrong. The rude dog's owner walks away, never
understanding
that HIS dog was the aggressive one who caused the problem and the
"polite"
dog's owner wonders why the dog gets nervous as other dogs approach.
(Suzanne
Clothier has a great article on this at:
http://www.flyingdogpress.com/sayhi.html
Someone suggested that the dog was expected to be like "Lassie".
Lassie
isn't real -- he/she was a fictional canine character to whom the
author
assigned human emotions, human behaviors, and human reactions. It's a
nice,
romantic tale, but it isn't accurate. We humans like the Lassie/Disney
image of dogs as loyal, trustworthy, altruistic servants, but we're
deluding
ourselves. Dogs aren't human. They aren't stubborn, they don't act
guilty,
they don't know right from wrong, they don't feel shame, they don't
understand
the concept of sharing, they don't work solely to please the owner. If
an owner expects that from a dog, that owner is being VERY unfair to
the
dog.
I'd encourage all dog owners to read Jean Donaldson's
"A
Culture Clash". She explains this better than I ever could and the book
includes a variety of case-examples that demonstrate her points. My
final
advice to this family is to give the dog to Lhasa Rescue as soon as
possible.
Buy the boys a tank of fish.
Hi.
I have two female lhasa apsos's Brandy will
be 4 in January and Chelsea will be 4 in October. My problem is with
Brandy,
lately she seems to have become very jealous of Chelsea, she doesn't
like
me to hold, pet or talk to Chelsea. Brandy will come over and jump over
Chelsea to get on my lap and if she can't get on my lap she will sit
infront
of me and stare, or she will go and get a toy and bring it to me to
play
with, if I don't play with her with it she will jump up beside Chelsea
and I and grab Chelsea by the ear and bite her which usually starts a
growling
match between them. I usually don't interfer as there not really
hurting
each other and Chelsea usually gives into Brandy and will move away
from
me so Brandy can get up on my lap. I've tried telling Brandy no she's
bad
and won't let her on my lap, and shoving her away from me but she
continues
to keep jumping up untill she gets to get the attention that Chelsea
was
getting. Now Chelsea hesitates on coming to me as she knows Brandy will
make her leave. Do you have any suggestions on what to try with my two.
I have always given them the same attention and this started about six
months ago and isn't getting any better.
Thanks
Your Lhasas are acting like normal dogs. One
is
dominant, and one is submissive. In a wolf pack this is the normal
hierarchical
organization that allows them to cooperate and work as a pack. Everyone
knows his place in the society. If you try to alter this arrangement,
you
will only succeed in precipitating serious fights. You, as the leader
of
the pack, have to respect their arrangement, and give the dominant one
the attention her position entitles her to. You can attend to the other
one when the dominant one is not present. They are dogs, not
humans.
A friend of mine (a 79-year old female) purchased a lhasa apso
from
a pet store over a year ago. The dog was born on March 10, 1997 and she
got him about 6-8 weeks later.
At first, he was very lovable. However, over time, he has
adopted
certain practices that are driving her crazy; i.e. biting, chewing
everything
in sight, uncontrolled barking, not going in his cage, and recently he
has been doing his duty in the house. While all of this is
disconcerting,
the biting is the worst problem. He will draw blood when he bites her,
and this has happened at least 4 times. She talked with her vet, who
recommended
that she get rid of the dog. However, when he is good he is very good
--
and she would hate to give him up.
My sense is that the dog has gotten total control of the
environment
and, over time, he is only getting worse. From a behavioral standpoint,
she tells me that when he is upset, he will "snarl" and then, on a
number
of occasions, will bite her. She truly loves the dog, but recognizes
that
their current relationship cannot continue. It is now getting to be
very
upsetting to her family -- and they are encouraging her to get rid of
the
dog. However, if she does that -- she will not get another dog, and I
honestly
feel that a dog in the house is very therapeutic for her. Your thoughts
would be very much appreciated.
Bob
Dear Bob, If the dog is not neutered, she might try that. Prozac
also
has been used with good effect. For a dominant dog like this Lhasa, an
elderly lady may not be the best match.
There's no doubt dogs can be therapeutic. One of the best Lhasa
success
stories I know is little Bob Gilliland, a patient of my husband, a
housebound,
very ill man of 80 to whom I gave a little female lhasa. Bob is now 91
and Mitzi is 11. I think Bob is alive today because he is unwilling to
leave Mitzi. They adore each other, and every year Bob sends me two or
three thankyou cards. He tells me over and over that Mitzi saved his
life.
- And I guess she did. From the moment they met, his depression and
despondency
lifted. It is a matter of getting the right dog. This lady's dog is
obviously
too much for her to handle.
If the prozac is not an option, I agree with the Vet. The dog
should
probably be put down or given to someone who can manage to tame him. A
cat would be much lower maintenence for an older person, and just as
comforting
a pet.
Regards, Cathy Marley
We purchased a little Lhasa male when he was only two months
old.
We have treated him like he is a member of our family, and he has
always
been very happy, playful, and loving. He is now seven months, and
lately
we have begun to notice an alarming problem. In the past two weeks, he
has, without warning on several occassions growled and snapped at
several
of us for no reason whatsoever. You must understand that this dog has
never
been given anything but love and attention from all of us. This has
happened
both while he has been laying in our laps, which he loves to do, and
also
while on the floor. It has always been totally unprovoked. It would
break
our hearts to have to put this dog to sleep, while on the other hand,
we
also realize that we do not want an unpredictable dog around the house.
My obvious question is, what to do? Do you think having the dog
neutered
will make any difference? If so, how much of a difference? We all would
greatly appreciate any input you may be able to provide us. Thank you,
Where did you get your puppy? Contact the breeder and see if any
of
the others in the litter are problems. Take the dog to the vet and make
sure he has no physical problem that could be causing this.
I hear this story many times. People get an adorable little ball
of
fluff, 8 weeks old. They love it and pet it, and treat it just like a
baby.
They do not understand how it would be treated in a wild situation by
its
pack. How it would be trained to acknowledge the leadership of the
alpha
dog. That dogs do not understand a concept of "love" which is a human
construct,
not a canine one. Their little brains are hard wired differently
from ours.
He grows. One day he realizes he has no leader. None of these
human
pack members are acting like leaders. What to do? With perfect
canine
logic, he says to himself, "If there is no other leader, then I must be
the leader". "I will train my pack to respect me!" "They will not touch
my toys". "If they annoy me I will punish them." "I will do things when
I want to." "My tools for training them are my voice and my teeth".
You still may have a chance with this pup. Neuter him and take him
to
obedience classes before it is too late. Good luck. And read the rest
of
the letters on my web sight for added insights.
Regards, Cathy
I own a 2 1/2 year old male lhasa apso, Buster. Every night
while
my husband and I are sleeping, Buster wakes my husband up to go to
outside.
At first, we thought he was doing this to hunt down the squirrels and
rabbits.
But, now we don't think so. Then, we thought he was doing this for some
attention because we just had a baby 5 months ago. My husband and I
know
that after having our baby it would take some time away from Buster.
However,
we still give him a lot of attention by playing fetch with him every
evening,
giving him special puppy treats, and lots of TLC. We just can't
understand
why everynight he wakes us up to go outside. He does have to go to the
bathroom. And when he comes back in he goes right back to sleep. Buster
is a very intelligent caring dog. And we love him a lot. Please help
us,
my husband is losing sleep from this problem. Many thanks!!
Dogs are very fond of rituals - they give them a sense of
security.
Buster has simply developed a habit of getting up in the middle of the
night. Read the article on crate training. Then get a crate. Put it in
the room furthest from your bedroom. Put Buster in the crate at night
with
his favorite toy. Tell him good night firmly. Go to bed. Do not answer
Buster's entreaties during the night. Let Buster out in the morning and
tell him what a good dog he is. In three nights, Buster will sleep all
night in his crate. CM
My name is Kim Smith and my wife and I have had our 11 month
old
Lhasa Apso for about 9 months. His name is Mathew (Mat) and whilst he
is
a beautiful little person and an almost perfect companion (dog), he has
developed a thing against the big tabby cat next door.
A few weeks ago Mat discovered that this cat uses our back yard
as
part of its night travels. He does not like this of course. As Mat
sleeps
in our room, he made himself a position against the glass sliding door.
This gives Mat a good view of the back yard. Any time between 1:00am
and
4:00am the tabby shows up and Mat goes berserk, waking both of us up
with
a start (heart attack stuff). He now barks for long periods of time at
the slightest noise or movement (a plastic bag that just happens to be
blowing in the wind).
Can you tell me how do we stop him barking constantly, either
at
the cat or his imagination. One or two barks are OK but he goes on for
quite a while? Mat is hardly never left along or locked outside. He
spends
his time either with my wife, myself or our children (20 and 18) most
days
and nights. He does not bark at people who come to the door or walk
past
the house or at neighbour's dogs that bark. We try to keep him active
and
awake during the day. As I have said Mat is a great little dog, but
this
being awakened at night (and every night now) has to stop! Can you help
me?
Dear Kim, I can sympathize with your problem. My male, Basil also
has
a cat vendetta. In addition, the neighbors directly behind us have a
large
elderly shepherd against which Basil feels he has to defend his harem.
Barking at the fence has become a ritual. Every time I let him out,
Basil
tears down the outside stairs in hopes of catching that cat (or a
squirrel),
growling and screaming as he goes. Then he goes to the back fence and
loudly
challenges the Shepherd to come out and get his xxx kicked! This is
something
the neighbors do not appreciate at midnight and 6:00am!
Mat is only doing what long centuries of breeding have selected
him
to do. He is the "bark sentinel lion dog" of Tibet, who protected his
family's
yurt against the stealthy approach of wild animals or thieves in the
night.
I think the answer to your nocturnal problem is keeping Mat in a crate
for the night, in a room WITHOUT a view. Read the wonderful article on
crate training on my site. If he can't hear anything, and is safe in
his
own little den at night, he is unlikely to bark.
Good luck, Cathy
Dear Ms. Apso,
My beautiful little lady Lhasa, Molly, has become almost
impossible
to groom. She had a bad experience with a groomer when her regular
groomer
was unavailable and ever since she has gotten worse and worse. This
sweet
natured, lovable little creature who would ordinarily never show
aggression
has decided she does not like to be combed, brushed, clipped, shaved,
etc.
She still loves her bath and being dried with a towel. She even
tolerates
brushing as long as I don't hit a snag although she turns around in
circles
constantly so it's like trying to hit a moving target. If the groomer
tries
to shave her belly, groom her feet or legs or clip her nails she bites.
She throws a little fit and manages to get the muzzle off every time.
With
this beautiful hair she has to be groomed! There is no possibility of
even
clipping it into a shorter cut with this disposition! The only thing I
haven't tried is to get a tranquilizer from the vet and I really don't
want to do this but I don't know if I have any other recourse. The
groomer
now insists I stay and help her (I think it's really so I understand
why
maybe the knots aren't all gone and her nails didn't get clipped!). Is
there anything I can try before tranquilizers? Thank you for your
expertise!
Patty
Dear Patty,
Please read the other letters on Cathy's page. Your dog fits the
description
of one of us who has trained her humans. So far she has won every
battle,
why should she tolerate anything she dosn't want.
Try sitting with her in front of TV. Instead of petting her, get a
soft
bristle brush and brush her gently. Each time increase the pressure a
little,
and tell her she is a good girl for tolerating it. If she fights or
escapes,
put her in a crate and ignore her. When you take her out of the cage,
groom
a little more, and praise her if she tolerates it. If not, back in the
cage. Be sure to groom for very brief periods at first, and praise her
for cooperating. She will soon get the message that human company comes
with strings - we Lhasas have to put up with what our humans want to do
to us. If we are good, our human is nice-nice, otherwise we go to
solitary
confinement.
It's the old carrot and stick. Force has been used in the past,
and
she has met it with force. Now you just have to be more stubborn than
she
is. Drugs are not the answer. Firmness, and a matter of fact approach
is
what is needed. "You are going to cooperate" is the attitude you must
have.
We dogs, like human children, tend to fulfill our leader's
expectations.
What behavior you expect is usually the behavior you get. You have to
get
over your fear of her reactions, and just pick her up and groom her
expecting
her to cooperate. She is picking up on your attitude. Change yours, and
likely she'll change hers.
Abby
I have recently welcomed a Lhasa Apso into my
family.
Bailey is 4 mos. old now, and I fear that I am going in the wrong
direction
in training him. I am in bad need of some assistance and advice. I've
exhausted
all ideas to better his behavior. My main problem is that he is very
stubborn
and headstrong, and only obeys when he chooses to. He bites alot also,
I think this is his way of playing, but we just cannot continue on this
path. I remain stern, and consistent in his discipline, and never
resort
to violence, any advice you could offer would be much appreciated.
Thank
you for your time,
Susan Wilds, Marion, Ohio
Dear Susan,
Your puppy is too young to make any predictions. The traits you
mention,
willfulness and stubborness are characteristic of the breed. These
traits
have a certain charm for those of us who are equipped to cope with
them.
Very "soft" people are better off with another breed.
Puppy play biting is sometimes the result of separation from the
mother
at too early an age. The mom teaches the babies to have a "soft mouth"
by biting them back when they are too rough. By 3 or 4 months they know
better.
If he is biting to guard "his" possesions, then the situation is
more
serious. Sometimes, as with children, a swift "bolt from the blue" is
effective
in curbing unacceptable behavior and establishing the parent's
dominance.
You must avoid habitual use of corporal punishment, as this loses
effectiveness,
and inures the dog to this treatment, but occasional, swift, sweeping
him
up, giving one sharp rap or shake and a loud "NO" can have the desired
effect. This is what a puppy's mother does to correct him - a loud
growl,
combined with a quick pinch from her teeth.
It is absolutely essential that you establish your dominance at
this
age. Unless you do, this animal will not have a good outcome. Better
then,
if you place him now with someone who can be an effective
disciplinarian.
Check the other letters on my site again.
Regards, Catherine
Bailey, 10 mos. old, is very friendly and loves
adults
and children alike. He is almost perfect EXCEPT he is like a vacuum
cleaner
when we go on walks together. He eats leaves, paper, and other things
he
sees on our walk. I have given up trying to get him to stop unless I
think
he has something in his mouth that may prove detrimental to his health.
It is at this point I use a gentle voice (being angry gets him more
agitated)
and try to softly pry his mouth open to retrieve the object. It is at
this
point that he can get very aggressive and I worry that he may bite me.
He is very possessive over things that go into his mouth and I am
worried
about how to handle it.
Jacqueline
Dear Jacqueline,
This is a simple matter of the dog being untrained. Every dog has to
be trained to drop things on command. Suppose a bird dog just kept the
bird after retreiving it. Without training that is exactly what he
would
do - and eat the bird! Train him to "give". Place an object
in his mouth, and then demand he "give" it to you. (ie take it away
with
the verbal command "give".) Praise him for giving it up. Repeat many
times
in many situations. Always praise and pet as reward. NEVER LET HIM KEEP
IT AFTER THE GIVE COMMAND. Always MAKE him give it to you! You also
ought
to take your dog to obedience classes, or at least buy a book on
obedience
training and teach him the basics of good canine citizenship.
Catherine
Help! Came across your name on the net in
desperate
hope of finding some answers. My Murphy is a 6 yr. old male who came to
us at 9 months from an abusive home. I have done puppy training &
in
home private training with him. We have managed to get over most of his
aggressive behavior, but I am still having problems with him grooming.
The groomer, to whom he has been going for most of his life, switched
him
to someone else because he got tired of Murphy's antics. Instead
of Murphy getting better, he is getting worse. Even giving him a
tranquilizer
doesn't help.
From what I found out about the dog, he come from a "puppy
mill"
in Indiana.. I am hoping that possibly since you are a breeder, you
might
know someone in the Chicago area that would be willing to groom Murphy.
He is such a wonderful dog, I would not want to put him down because of
a grooming problem. I would be heartbroken to let go of this dog, and
so
would Murphy's "84 year old grandma" that he watches while I'm at work.
I would just like to find someone who is willing to work with us.
Thanks.
Mickey.
Dear Micky,
All the show breeders I know all groom their own dogs. We teach the
dogs, from infancy, to lie on their sides on a table to be groomed.
Breeders
do not usually groom other people's dogs. We have enough to do with our
own. And we don't want to have to struggle with someone else's
untrained
dog. So, you won't like what I will suggest, . . .but here goes. You
will
have to learn to groom your own dog. First you will have to spend about
a month, every evening, putting your dog on the kitchen table, on a
towel,
and making him lie on his side. Just get him to lie still for a few
seconds
at first, and praise him when he does. Gradually increase the time.
Then
introduce a few gentle brushstrokes, more praise. Gradually increase
the
brushing. The secret is: NEVER LET THE DOG DECIDE WHEN IT IS TIME TO
STOP!.
You MUST be in charge at all times. Once you let him go when he
struggles
or complains, the dog is in charge, and has beaten you.
I guarantee you that if done gradually, and never letting the dog
get
the upper hand, you will have a docile dog, who is willing to be
groomed.
Then you will have to spend a few hours at the groomer's, and see how
to
do the kind of job you want. A good set of equipment costs about 100$,
less than you pay the groomer in 4 visits. If we can all do it
with
6 or 7 dogs, so can you with one!
Catherine
We have an adorable Lhasa obtained at 6weeks. He is now 2
months
old and bites all the time. Any suggestions? Is this just puppy stuff!?
Susan
Dear Susan,
Yes and no. I usually leave my puppies with their mother until they
are 3 months old. The reason for this is that she teaches them about
biting.
When she plays rough with them, and they use their sharp teeth on her,
she bites them to show them it hurts. By three months, they do not use
their teeth in playing with me.
If a puppy is removed from his mother before she can teach him the
essentials
of doggy etiquette, someone else has to teach him to have a "soft
mouth".
He has to know that he is capable of inflicting pain with that mouth,
and
will receive in kind! "Puppy stuff" will not cure itself. One thing you
can do is, when the little one bites you, pinch his lip, and make a
sharp
"pain cry" at the same time. He will associate biting with that
unpleasant
sensation, and know he has caused you to scream. he will soon stop
biting
in play.
Dear Ms. Apso
We got our Lhasa Apso a couple of years ago and his name is Harry.
When we got him we were told that he was about 5 years old. We have a
feeling
that he was abused by his previous owner. There are two problems that
we
would like to fix if we could but have been unable to so far. First he
dislikes almost everybody that comes to our door. He barks, growls, and
bites them if they look at him or try to touch him or move for that
matter.
If we tell them to stand there and not move then Harry will sniff them
and the go laydown somewhere else in the house. The other problem that
we have encounered is that he refuses to eat dog food. We were told
that
the previous owners only fed him hot dogs. He will eat a little kibble
if we sit there and hand fed it to him but he resfuses to eat it on his
own. We have tried different kinds as well as canned soft dog food.
HELP!
Curtis
Dear Curtis,
In adopting a Lhasa Apso, you have hired a guard dog - or as we prefer
to be known - a home security specialist. He and all his race were born
and bred to guard your home against strangers. You just have to tell
him
it is okay, that his assistance is no longer required, and as you
indicate,
he will retire, job well done.
In regard to eating, get a tasty dried food - I like Eukanuba or
Bil-Jac
- and leave a dish of it on the floor in the kitchen. Don't give him
anything
else. He might get rather thin to gain your pity, but be
strong.
Sooner or later hunger will triumph, and the food in the dish will
dissappear.
Abby Apso
Hello, I have a simple question. My Lhasa is the
cutest
dog, however she frequently bites. This usually occurs whenever we are
going to take her out or remove her from a certain place. She believes
the couch, bed, under the table, and every other place in the house is
her property, and whenever we attempt to move her snaps. We love her,
but
want to curb her behavior before having children. Please help. Thank
you,
Lhasa Lover from Hawaii
Dear Lhasa Lover from Hawaii,
You have to let her know she does not intimidate you. Of course, if
you are afraid of her - she has won. Let her know with a loud "NO" that
you don't appreciate her growling, and then swiftly and matter-of
-factly
remove her from the place she is protecting. She probably will not bite
hard, even if she bites, and you must not be intimidated by her
behavior.
Physical punishment does not convince a Lhasa of anything except that
he
was right in the first place. It has to be "No, you will NOT do that,
and
no threat from you impresses me in the least! I am the boss
around
here!" You have to believe it too!
It helps if she has a place specifically set aside as a personal
retreat,
such as a dog crate. This she can retreat to with a guarantee of
privacy.
This way her need for a private space will not conflict with your need
to use your house. Meeting her needs and yours - finding a good
compromise
is necessary if you really want to change her behavior.
Catherine
Hi Lhasa Folks,
I have my first Lhasa, an absolutely beautiful and loveable little
girl. She has been a godsend to me, during the past eight months,
nursing
me through a serious illness. She is well-behaved and extremely eager
to
please. However, at 20 months old, she is still not housebroken.
This is not my first dog, and I have never had this problem with any of
the dogs I have owned in the past. I have tried the cage, the paper,
rewards,
punishment, etc. I fear, at this age, the opportunity for housebreaking
may be past. She has her favorite places, but isn't choosy, should one
of her usual spots in the house be unavailable. Do you have any
suggestions?
Another problem is her aggressiveness toward visitors. She
seems
to love the children, once she gets to know them, but she appears to be
terrified of some of the adults, never taking her eyes off them,
following
at thier heels, barking, and sometimes even nipping. She hasn't bitten
anyone - yet, but I'm afraid she will. Just her bark is so
vicious-sounding
that it scares our friends and family. I don't know how to handle this,
because it does seem to be fear causing her aggressiveness. Any
suggestions
on this one?
Katy
Dear Kay,
1. Housebreaking: You have to understand the nature of
housebreaking.
Dogs will normally not soil an area they identify as their living area.
There will exist an invisible boundary within which they will not go to
the bathroom. To the very little puppy, that boundary ends at the edge
of his bed. Gradually, as he grows, his territory enlarges. The trick
to
housebreaking is to enlarge his "clean zone" until it is co-extensive
with
yours! This is why big dogs are easier to housebreak than little ones.
Big dogs naturally have a larger personal territory. Their personal
space
tends to coincide with the dimensions of a human habitation. To a
Chihuahua
however, the far corner of the dining room must seem like miles away
from
the kitchen, and the bedroom, in another country!
Your Lhasa has evidently had the run of the house too soon.
Remedial
training is always much more difficult, but not impossible. The
first
thing you must do is confine her to the kitchen. She has to be ushered
outside every hour. Sooner or later, she will get into the
habit.
Then you have to praise any effort on her part to communicate her needs
to you. You might ask her if she wants to go out each time you put her
out. Any response to your question should be praised. Soon she
will
be asking you. One room at a time can be re-introduced. But
you will need to do the kitchen thing for 6 months to a year. An
enzymatic deodorizer must be used on the spots she has used, to
completely
remove the traces of urine. You may have to pull up carpets. Any
trace of urine odor will cause her to re-mark the spot even after 6
months.
2. Agression: I find that the dogs feel more secure if I pick them
up.
From this position, they have a view of the stranger, and can examine
him
at
a safe range from a safe place. When the stranger is in the house, and
seated, the dog can then be placed on the floor, and will usually
continue
a more subdued examination of the stranger. One of my readers, a
professional
groomer cautions that a dog is more likely to be agressive from the
owner's
arms, so do not get too close to the stranger while holding the dog. In
any case, do not permit her to run around barking and threatening. Pick
her up and demand she hush. But as my friend advises, do not encourage
the stranger to make contact with the dog while you are holding
her.
Once she settles down and realizes that both she and you are safe from
the imagined threat, she will begin to investigate the stranger.
Ignore her, and instruct the visitors to ignore her if she is quietly
investigating.
Eye contact from a stranger sometimes provokes agression in canines.
You have to learn to think like a dog. There are a number of good
books
on canine psychology. - Go to a big bookstore and peruse a few.
Dogs
are like humans in many ways, but they are also very different.
Much
of their behavior is "hard-wired". Training them is a matter of
guiding
their natural behavior in ways agreeable to us. But understanding
their natural behavior is the key.
Catherine
Catherine,
I have a wonderful 3 year old male lhasa named Max. My husband and
I do not have any children so this is like my 'son'. Unfortunately, as
with some of the other letters I read about the owners being trained by
their lhasa, I am afraid that is what has happened to my husband and I.
When Max was about 1 1/2 he stopped liking toddlers and younger
children.
We are not sure why, but he barks at them and I am afraid he may bite
them.
On thansgiving of this year we had to 'send' him home because he was
going
after a 5 year old that had entered the house...agressively barking. At
christmas just 2 days ago we had to send him home again because he
barked
agressively at my 3 year old nephew after the boy approached him (I
think
to pat him).
The other problem we have encountered recently is that he has
become
very agressive towards, and and has actually bitten my husband a couple
of times when he comes to bed (yes.. Max does sleep with us). He is
never
that way with me so my guess is that he is protecting me...
Overall, he is cuddly and playful with me and my husband..even
my
parents which he see frequently, but I am afraid my sisters no longer
think
he is cute....Any suggestions or comments.....thanks.
Roberta
Dear Roberta,
Max wants exclusive rights to you. He is guarding you like a food dish
or a bone. You have to distance yourself from him a little, and
substitute
your husband. Let him do the feeding and the petting, and you do the
disagreeable
things, like nail cutting, grooming, bathing etc.
Most small dogs do not identify children as humans. Children sound
different,
move differently, are the wrong size as "real humans". I think that
some
small dogs regard children as some sub-human primate species, not
entitled
to the same deference as humans. They have to see children frequently,
and not feel threatened by them.
This varies with the dog. I had a young male who never saw a child
until
he was 12 months old. He absolutely adores children - the smaller the
better
- the ones in strollers are the best 'cause you can lick them and they
can't get away.
You have one of the "guard dog" types. How you treat this depends
on
whether he is "spoiled-agressive" or "fearful-agressive". In either
case,
it is not an easy problem to deal with. Castration and obedience
training
will help. Your husband should be the one to take him to obedience
classes
- to establish his dominance and develop a closer bond between them.
The
increased socialization from obedience usually helps the "I hate kids"
problem to some extent. ( I have to admit some sympathy in this regard
as I don't tolerate most small children well myself!)
The treatment of Max very much depends on how well you can "get
inside
his head". Get yourself a good book on dog behavior. A
good one is "Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson.
Catherine
Hi.
I recently purchased a 6 month female apso. She was in a cage
since
she was eight weeks old. I've had her since Christmas, and each day she
is doing more different things. I have two questions for you. She is
not
very affectionate she dosn't come to you for petting or loving. My
other
question is when she goes to the bathroom she sometimes eats her own
feces.
By the way her name is Ginger. Could you also tell me approximately how
long it takes to housebreak an Apso to go outside?
Jim Perry
Dear Jim,
Your Ginger was an abused child. You can imagine if you raised a child
alone in a cage until she was 7 years old. What would she be
like?
Dogs are social animals just like people. They have to be raised in a
social
environment. If not, they become emotionally stunted, and
mentally
ill. All sorts of aberrant behavior can be seen in animals raised
in a socially deprived environment. It may take several years to
socialize
Ginger, if at all.
Nomally raised puppies begin using the place reserved for their
bathroom,
almost as soon as they can walk. We usually place newspapers at a
distance from their bed, and they use them. Depending on the time of
year,
I begin as early as 5 or 6 weeks to get them to go outside to make.
Usually
by 5 months, they are pretty reliably trained, and will wait until they
are let out. When it is stormy, I again let them use paper, because it
is difficult to sell the idea of getting all wet just to go to the
bathroom.-
That's why WE have indoor plumbing!
You will have to be very patient with Ginger. Handle her gently
and
frequently. Put her out frequently. Let her have her cage,
because
she is used to it - but leave the door open. With time and gentle,
loving
handling, she should respond. Do not let her get in the habit of
going to the bathroom indoors. Do not use punishment. Put her out
frequently, and praise her when she does as she should. She will
catch on that she gets the praise when she does it, and the habit of
going
out will become established. You have to be very
consistent.
Being a good dog owner requires discipline - not of the dog - but of
the
owner!
Catherine
Dear Ms. Apso,
My beautiful little lady Lhasa, Molly, has become almost
impossible
to groom. She had a bad experience with a groomer when her regular
groomer
was unavailable and ever since she has gotten worse and worse. This
sweet
natured, lovable little creature who would ordinarily never show
aggression
has decided she does not like to be combed, brushed, clipped, shaved,
etc.
She still loves her bath and being dried with a towel. She even
tolerates
brushing as long as I don't hit a snag although she turns around in
circles
constantly so it's like trying to hit a moving target. If the groomer
tries
to shave her belly, groom her feet or legs or clip her nails she bites.
She throws a little fit and manages to get the muzzle off every time.
With
this beautiful hair she has to be groomed! There is no possibility of
even
clipping it into a shorter cut with this disposition! The only thing I
haven't tried is to get a tranquilizer from the vet and I really don't
want to do this but I don't know if I have any other recourse. The
groomer
now insists I stay and help her (I think it's really so I understand
why
maybe the knots aren't all gone and her nails didn't get clipped!). Is
there anything I can try before tranquilizers? Thank you for your
expertise!
Patty
Dear Patty,
Please read the other letters on Cathy's page. Your dog fits the
description
of one of us who has trained her humans. So far she has won every
battle,
why should she tolerate anything she dosn't want.
Try sitting with her in front of TV. Instead of petting her, get a
soft
bristle brush and brush her gently. Each time increase the pressure a
little,
and tell her she is a good girl for tolerating it. If she fights or
escapes,
put her in a crate and ignore her. When you take her out of the cage,
groom
a little more, and praise her if she tolerates it. If not, back in the
cage. Be sure to groom for very brief periods at first, and praise her
for cooperating. She will soon get the message that human company comes
with strings - we Lhasas have to put up with what our humans want to do
to us. If we are good, our human is nice-nice, otherwise we go to
solitary
confinement.
It's the old carrot and stick. Force has been used in the past,
and
she has met it with force. Now you just have to be more stubborn than
she
is. Drugs are not the answer. Firmness, and a matter of fact approach
is
what is needed. "You are going to cooperate" is the attitude you must
have.
We dogs, like human children, tend to fulfill our leader's
expectations.
What behavior you expect is usually the behavior you get. You have to
get
over your fear of her reactions, and just pick her up and groom her
expecting
her to cooperate. She is picking up on your attitude. Change yours, and
likely she'll change hers.
Abby
