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Dear Caroline,

I really need your help. My Boxer Cliff bit my husband and now he's afraid he will bite the kids and wants to get rid of him. How do I stop Cliff biting again and how do I persuade my husband that he can be trusted around the kids. He was only walking past Cliff and was quite close to him and Cliff just went for his thigh. I don't know why and am still in shock but I so don't want to lose him. What will I do. Please help.

Stephanie.

As this seems like a random and unprovoked bite, the first thing I would do is take him to a vet to be sure there is nothing wrong that could have caused this. Once you are sure there is nothing medically wrong then I would recommend getting the help of an experienced behaviourist, they will be able to properly assess your dog and get to the bottom of what may have happened and offer useful advice to make sure it doesn't happen again.

I am sorry I cannot be more helpful, but it could have been caused by so many things and without knowing exactly what any advice could make matters worse and not better.

Dear Caroline,

I'm not sure but I think my dog is having nightmares from time to time. Is this possible, if so how do I know it's happening to my dog, and if it is what do I do about it?

Paddy.

Many people have speculated over whether dogs dream in pictures just like we do, but no-one really knows.

It is certainly true that some dogs do seem to enter a state of extreme relaxation when they sleep - like people do when they dream and this can cause them to become vocal and start twitching. Every dog is different, but for some dogs just their feet twitch, others their legs and nose and some even seem to cry and growl in their sleep.

However, I don't think they are having nightmares as, in my experience when the dog wakes he is perfectly relaxed and not anxious at all as I would expect him to be had he had a bad dream. I wouldn't worry about your dog, I suspect he is just in a deep sleep, just leave him alone and never try to wake him – you know what they say – "Let sleeping dogs lie" and that's very good advice.

Dear Caroline,

I have recently got new floors in my house and replaced the wooden flooring in the front room with carpet. For some reason my GSD is now afraid of the carpet and won't come into the front room. You can see that he wants to and looks longingly at the fire that he used to love lying down in front of, but he just sniffs the carpet and whimpers. I even tried bringing his old rug back in from the shed but he won't cross the carpet. What should I do?

John.

I think your GSD just doesn't like the smell of the new carpet. Try spraying it with a solution of 1 part white vinegar and 4 parts water (just test it on a hidden spot first to make sure it does not spoil your new carpet). This should neutralize the new carpet smell.

I would also bring into the room as many blankets and rugs that you can from the rest of the house and especially ones that he has slept on to introduce some familiar smells back into the room.

Now, place a bowl of some really nice food such as some mince and rice or chicken and pasta in the room and some of his favorite toys and just sit back and wait, once he has ventured in close the door behind him so he can't get out again and let him investigate on his own.

The worst thing you can do is to try to comfort him or encourage him as your attention will more likely reward his anxiety, just ignore him and act like nothing has changed.

Dear Caroline,

My 5 year old Parson's Jack Russell is becoming increasingly scared of different noises.  First it was just fireworks. Then it went to the wind (the extractor fan outlet rattles in the roof), then it was aircraft flying over and now it's rain on the windows. What on earth can I do, Caroline, my girl is becoming a quivering wreck!

Liz.

t is very common for dogs to be afraid of fireworks, I suspect that what may have happened is that you may have tried to comfort her at some point, this is a natural human instinct and works well with children but dogs only know that they are being given attention when they are afraid of something and this reinforces to them that they were right to be afraid and encourages it, now it has started to spread to different types of sudden noises.

My advice is to just ignore it, show her, by example, that everything is OK by remaining calm and confident yourself, you may also find a noise CD helpful too, this is a CD that has been recorded especially for dogs that have become afraid of noises and will have sounds like fireworks, car doors banging, trains etc on it and the idea is that you would play this CD to your dog over and over again until she becomes used to them again.

Start playing it at a really low level so that it is barely audible and over a period of weeks you very gradually increase the volume. While its on, stay with her so that she can see that you are not worried by it and just ignore her and the noise – it may also help to keep her on a lead while you play the CD.

Dear Caroline,

I have recently started taking a group of dogs out walking. One is a 1-year old border collie spayed bitch, who just wants to play or does her collie snarling and terrifies the others so they won't get in the car. To resolve this I confine her to a cage which I cover up to stop her staring at them and it seems to sort of work though she does growl and snarl. I make sure she is calm before getting in the car, I tssshhh at her and won't start the engine until she is calm. Once off the lead she is a bit toy possessive but they sort out their limitations and walks are trouble free and they all play well.

I would like to feel more comfortable when I get them out of the car as a group (only 3-4 dogs) as I may need to lead walk them. If I have a new dog or a dog she is not too keen on she does snarl and if one retaliates I have a mini fight on my hands.

I feel it is something to do with them not being able to greet each other properly but how do other group dog walker cope as you cannot let them out of the car/van on each pick up. I think she is better if she gets out of the car first but I'm not sure. Is this normal/acceptable behaviour that I just need to manage or do you have some suggestions to control the situation better.

Please can you help?

Veronica.

This is a very difficult situation. As it is not your dog you are limited as to what you can do, it sounds like she was not well socialized as a puppy and has not learnt how to greet other dogs properly and I think she may also be the centre of attention at home and is used to getting her own way.

Her training must begin at home for full benefit, but there are a few things you can do, first don’t let her in the car straight away, stand in front of her to block her from getting in for a few moments then when she is calm step to the side – if she is calm enough she will remain if not she will try to get in the car in which case you will stand in front of her to block her again, keep doing this until she waits and you can then give a command to get in such as to tap in the car.

This will let her know that the car is yours and not hers. When getting the dogs out of the car, always wait for them to calm down first, as each one settles down you can get that one out – so the calmest first, if that is her then fine, if you always allow her out first you will only reinforce her dominance, however if you let them out as they calm then you are reinforcing submissive behaviour instead.

Lastly, when introducing new dogs to the group I suggest that you lift her about an inch and turn her round so that you are offering her rear end to the new dog to sniff then you can put her down and encourage her to sniff the new dogs rear end, this will encourage good manners when meeting new dogs.

As far as what other dogs walkers do, if they have a difficult dog that is frightening the others I think they either walk the dog separately or tactfully explain to the owners that they can no longer walk their dog.

Dear Caroline,

Just wondering if you have any tips to stop my 2 and a half year old golden retriever rolling in the dirtiest smelliest things she can. She does it so quickly and sneekily by letting on shes just having a wee sniff then literally throws herself shoulders first into it. Then I have to walk home embarassed and telling people not to stroke her as the smell is so bad!

Claire.

I am sorry to say that rolling in smelly things is unfortunately, a natural behaviour for a dog; when they were wild they would do this to mask their own smell so that they could get closer to their prey, some dogs have retained this instinct.

Some dogs do this as a result of over bathing too, if you regularly bath her then you will be washing her own natural smell away so I would cut down on bath time to once every couple of months, instead a thorough daily brush should keep the worst of the dirt off.

In the mean time, I would take a water pistol with you and keep her on a long lead, every time she rolls squirt her with the water and use the lead to take her away from it.

Dear Caroline,

I am recently retired and decided to pay a bit of attention to my garden above the usual mowing the lawn every week. So I dug some flowerbeds and a small vegetable patch. Unfortunately my poodle Brandy eats the flowers and shoots, and I have very little to show for my efforts in the summer. How can I stop him eating the flowers next year?

Sylvia.

You must feel very disappointed – hopefully next year you will have a blooming garden! The first thing I would suggest is to make up a spray of chili oil and water or use a citronella spray (available from pet shops) and spray the plants with it regularly, this should discourage Brandy from going to the area and the smell will put him off getting his noise too close.

At the same time take him round the garden on his lead and every time he stops to smell the plants say no firmly, use the lead to stop him getting to the plant and in time he will look up at you instead of sniffing the plant when he does reward him with a treat, repeat this over and over again until he just walks past.

Until you are confident that he will ignore the plants, I suggest you supervise him at all times when he is in the garden or confine him to a run if that is not possible.

Dear Caroline,

I have recently adopted a beautiful (roughly) 8 year old golden retriever called Bonnie and she is a bit deaf. Can you give me any tips for communicating with her. I don't need to know how to understand her as she is very good at letting me know what she wants!

John.

It is not as hard as it sounds, dogs actually use body language as their primary method of communication and training a dog to hand signals is actually much quicker than using a vocal command, the only problem you might face is the recall as all dogs can become a little distracted at times when off the lead!

For this you can buy a vibrating collar, this was developed especially with deaf dogs in mind and it is perfectly kind and safe, you train the dog to come whenever they feel the vibration which you control with a remote control by associating the vibration with a treat.

Once you have got him to do it on command make sure you enforce it all the time so there is never any doubt as to when he can jump and when he can't.

To teach hand signals you will have to start from scratch, first decide on what hand signals will mean what – these are the signals I use:

sit

down

Hold your hand out with your palm facing the dog to mean wait.

For example, to teach a sit, simply hold your hand in the position above with a treat in your fingers and wait, ignore all attempts to take the treat from you and when she eventually sits then immediately give the treat, now just practice, practice, practice.

Dear Caroline,

We have a gorgeous cross breed 11 month old pup called Snoop. He's a mix between Jack Russell, Collie, Lab and possibly Doberman.

He was rescued at 6 weeks old and is very little trouble except that he urinates in his bedding which is becoming frustrating as my washing machine rarely stops! He sleeps on fleece blankets and this habit only started a few months ago, up until then he was fine.

When we're at work I leave down some paper for him and he'll use this to poo on if he needs to go. He's got plenty of room while we're at work and the house is nice and warm for him, I just can't work out why he does it.

Please can you help?

Emma.

He sounds lovely, this change in behaviour coincides with him reaching his adolescence (for most dogs this is between 6-12 months), and many dogs see a change in behaviour at this age as their hormones are raging and they are becoming adults.

I would discourage him from using the paper and train him to hold on and go outside for pee's and poo's. Many dogs don't like to pee and poo in the same place and it sounds like he has picked the paper for poo and the blankets for pee.

Training a dog to go on paper can cause a lot of problems later on as the dog learns it is ok to toilet in the house and this can be confusing. I would also suggest getting rid of all his old blankets and starting with some new ones, dogs have an excellent sense of smell and normal household cleaners are often not able to get rid of the urine smell completely and it is common for dogs to return to places where they have pee'd before.

Start with some fresh blankets and if he does have an accident on them, use a solution of biological washing powder and a glug of white vinegar to soak them before you put them through the washing machine – this should get rid of the smell. You can also use this solution to clean carpets and rugs – but just test it on a hidden area first.

The problem could also be that he has too much space. It is not normal for dogs to pee on their bed, however if he doesn't see the blankets as his bed then he will not worry about peeing on them.

I would suggest restricting his space when you are not with him, by either using a dog crate or confining him to a small room such as a utility room. By doing this he will only have enough room for his bed and will not be able to move away from his bed to pee and will try to hold it, the rest of the time just keep a sharp eye on him and take him to the garden regularly.

If you continue to have problems then I would suggest getting help from a local behaviourist who can meet you and Snoop at home and investigate further as there may also be other problems such as some form of mild anxiety which could also cause this type of behaviour.

Dear Caroline,

I'm a bit worried about my GSD Shep. He stares at the TV all the time when it's on. He even gets a bit cross when I turn it off. First of all is it bad for his eyes, and secondly how do I get him to lie in front of the fire/chase his tail/bark at the sky or any normal dog stuff when I'm trying to relax in front of the telly?

George.

This is an increasing problem. As technology improves, the picture on our screens has improved too and where once our dogs may once only have seen flashing lights on the TV screen they are now able to see the actual pictures and this is a source of intrigue for some dogs. Plus, we sit and stare at the TV all night and he is just wondering what we are staring at.

I would suggest giving him a Rawhide bone (or something similar) to chew only when the TV is on as a form of distraction. Alternatively, place a cosy bed in the room out of sight of the TV. Now stand in front of the TV whenever he is looking at it and quietly, walk towards him. This should cause him to back away from you. Keep going until he is on his bed – guiding him with your body, and once you get him to his bed tell him to lie down using your chosen command and stand in front of him until he lies down.

Then go back to the TV yourself. Keep doing this until he stops watching the telly. For best results use both suggestions together to start with and then reduce the amount of bones you give him to one every other day, then one every third and so on.

If this doesn't work then you may have to get an old tube TV!

Dear Caroline,

Can you help please Caroline. Our beautiful and once happy Jack Russell is now a nervous wreck since we moved house. He pees indoors and gets frightened really easily and is always jumpy. We have tried to give him lots of love and protection but he seems totally out of sorts. This has been happening for almost 4 weeks now.

Sylvia.

Poor boy! Moving house is such a stressful thing to do – even when there are no problems, and dogs are quick to pick up on your stress and it can be very unsettling for them. In some cases they can lose all faith in their family and can become quite dominant in an attempt to gain some control – in his case it sounds like he has become a little territorial.

I would suggest you use Rescue Remedy, just a few drops in his water bowl should do it, and get back to normal as soon as possible – you were doing a great job before you moved and the sooner you get back to your old ways and routines the better.

Try not to over compensate with your love as you could inadvertently be rewarding his nervous behaviour, just ignore it and show him through your own confidence and calm behaviour that every thing is fine.

Dear Caroline,

I used to encourage my dog to jump up on me for a hug and both of us love it but he thinks its ok to do it to everybody he meets and a lot of people don't like it. How do I let him do it to me but not to everybody?

Maria.

What you need to do is teach him a clear command to jump up, and choose an action that is unlikely to be copied by other people. I put my hands in the air and click my fingers to get my bear hug but you can choose anything you like.

Start at a time where your dog is likely to jump up for a hug. When he jumps up quickly make your action and then give him a big hug at the same time. When he jumps up for a hug and you haven't asked him, say no firmly and turn your back on him. He will be confused at first but will eventually learn to look for your command.

Once you have got him to do it on command make sure you enforce it all the time so there is never any doubt as to when he can jump and when he can't.

I would also suggest you never ask him to jump up for a hug as a greeting, greetings are always exciting for any dog and when dogs are excited they don't tend to think properly, save it for times when he is really calm and away from the front door.

Dear Caroline,

Have you any tips for us as we are planning to introduce a new puppy (same breed & colouring) to our 16/17 month old Cocker Spaniel.

Emma.

When you introduce any new dog or puppy to an existing dog it is always better to do this away from the home. Your existing dog will consider your home as his territory and may object to the newcomer, but on neutral territory he will behave differently.

Hold your puppy in your arms and encourage your existing dog to sniff him, offer him your puppys bottom first, and then hold your puppy close to your other dog so that he can sniff him back. Because your puppy is unlikely to be fully vaccinated you will have carry him in your arms, but it is best to take them both for a walk together so they can bond together as a pack then walk them home together.

As the new dog is a puppy there are unlikely to be any arguments between the two dogs. This is because puppies are not expected to hold a rank within your pack and so are easily accepted as they pose no immediate threat to the pack structure.

When introducing an older dog to an existing pack you should expect a few arguments as they establish a new pecking order – especially if both dogs are similar to each other and are equally as dominant as each other. This is why it is often a good idea to choose dogs that are opposite sex, different sizes or ages.

Dear Caroline,

My male 7 month old German Shepherd (still very much a puppy - we forget that that sometimes) chews on everything. The wood on the back porch, the carpet on the back porch, the fence in the backyard, any shoe left outside, the sod we laid down, the list could go on for miles. Oh and the best one the wires that turn the A/C on for the house.. that was my fav.

What can we do? We have tried sitting there and saying Leave it Leave it Leave it.. But we feel that to him his whole world is a Leave it. We got him Kongs chew toys at the ying yang. HELP PLEASE.

Funny though my 6month old female doesn't do all that chewing?? Why???

twoshepherds.

Chewing can be a result of many things but the most common ones are boredom, stress and teething - at 7 months old we can rule out teething.

Every dog is different, but many dogs do not do well when left alone for more than four hours. If this is the case then consider getting a dog walker, or asking a friend or family member to call in and spend some time with the dogs during the day.

Consider too whether they may need more physical and/or mental stimulation and maybe enroll them in a local training class and take them for an extra walk every day. Take a look around the back yard and see if there is anything there that may be stressing them out – is there a local cat that teases them from the fence, maybe a dog next door that barks at them or are they getting teased by kids in the neighbourhood?

Also, do they have too much space in the back yard? If dogs are regularly exercised they actually don’t need a lot of space and too much space can cause stress to a dog.

Also is there food left down as this can cause stress to a dog – better to remove uneaten food after 10 minutes.

Do they have a den like area that they can curl up in to get out of the wind and rain? A kennel is ideal but anything fairly small and enclosed will do.

Finally do they get enough human company?

If all this is good then I suggest using an anti-chew spray which may deter them from chewing – just spray it onto things you don’t want chewed, or you could try pepper, ketchup or chili paste.

In answer to your question about why your female doesn’t chew – all dogs are different – just like people. For example your male may just need a little more stimulation than your female or she may be a little more laid back than he is – what suits one dog may not necessarily suit another.

Dear Caroline,

I can't get my Cocker Spaniel to come to me when I call her. When she is on the lead she never pulls, and is the best dog in the world. But when I let her off the lead it is a whole chasing session to get her back.

I have tried walking away until she's barely a speck at the other end of the park, I've tried treats, but she acts like she doesn't know me. I don't understand since she doesn't try to get away when she's on the lead. Running is important to her and I would hate to deprive her of her exercise. What do I do?

Jenny.

This is a common problem, I would go right back to basics and start training her all over again.

Get yourself a long lead and bag full of small treats and pick a new command – I use ‘here’ but you can choose whatever you like. I find it helps to train a new trick, rather than try to fix a broken one.

ake her somewhere fairly quiet of distractions, before you let her off (or let her go on the long lead) make sure you have her attention by holding a treat out – now just wait for her to sit (don’t tell her what you want, it is a good sign that she is paying attention to you and trying to please you if you let her work it out for herself).

When she does sit, give her the treat and give her a command that says she is allowed to wonder off – I say ‘off you go’ but again you can choose whatever suits you, this command is your send away.

Now let her walk off to about 5 feet away, have a treat in your hand and call her name clearly and assertively, then use your command and point to the ground with your hand that has the treat. If she comes to you, great – give her the treat and send her away again using your chosen command. If not use the lead to guide her in to you then reward and send away again.

Repeat this until you get 10 perfect recalls in a row at 5 feet, then increase the distance to 10 feet. Keep repeating the whole exercise until she is going to the full length of the lead (tip: if using an extendable lead, put a piece of tape about two feet from the end of the lead so that you know where the end is, if she never finds the end of the lead she will think it goes on forever!)

he next stage is to start introducing distractions – start with mild distractions and slowly build up. When you finally do let her off lead again, keep her close by calling her whenever she gets to about 10 feet away and as long as she is reliable then increase the distance slowly. Keep offering treats until you are convinced she is reliable and only then reduce the treats to one every other, then every third until you eventually only offer one every now and then.

Dear Caroline,

We've just got a rescue puppy that isn't house trained. What's the best way to go about it?

JacksMummy.

The best and quickest way to housetrain any dog or puppy is using a crate - essentially a large cage, but to a dog it is his sanctuary and his cosy den. It works by restricting a dogs space so that he only has room for his bed, and as a dog instinctively won’t soil on his bed it will encourage him to hold on until he is let out.

If using a crate, I would recommend you assemble it somewhere quiet and out of the way, put a bowl of water in there, a chew toy and a nice cosy bed, plus I always put a blanket over the top to make it really den-like. For an older dog, tie the door open and put treats and toys in it for a couple of days so that he can get used to the crate, then you can put him in it and close the door while you are unable to supervise him. As a general rule you can use the crate for 4 hours during the day and all night.

Always take him out to the toilet before you put him in his crate and immediately you let him out, and always wait with him and tell him he is a good boy when he goes to the toilet outside.

If you prefer not to use a crate, then it is just going to be a case of watching him and taking him out regularly – hourly if necessary to start. Use lots of praise when he gets it right, tell him 'No' firmly and rush him outside if you catch him going in the house. If you find an accident and you didn’t catch him doing it then you can only ignore it and clean it up – I suggest using a solution of biological washing powder, white vinegar and water for carpet, and washing-up liquid, white vinegar and water for hard floors – just check the solution won’t ruin your carpet before you use it.

It will also help to make sure he gets fed at set times and any uneaten food is removed after 10 minutes.

Dear Caroline,

After much deliberation I have decided to get a dog for my 10 year old son. I'm now at the stage of choosing a breed and have been told that cocker spaniels are good for kids by a lot of people who act as if they know.

I've always thought it depends more on how the dog is handled than the breed. Am I right? Can you give me any tips for dogs around kids?

Mike.

Congratulations on deciding to get a dog! I think you are right, as long as children are calm and respectful of animals then most breeds are fine with kids.

Don't rule out larger dogs though, some of the bigger dogs like Labradors, Bernese Mountain Dog and St Bernard are excellent with kids and as long as they are trained well on the lead can be walked by virtually anyone. The Bernese and St Bernard are very easy going when it comes to exercise and can live with a short walk or even the occasional day off if needed as long as they get extra at the weekend, as opposed to a cocker spaniel which will require a lot of exercise and could become frustrated and difficult if he doesn’t get out.

Most behaviour problems start with over excitement, and kids are a great source of excitement, so as long as you can keep the dog and your son calm and encourage them to enjoy quiet activities together you should be just fine.

Taking on a new dog is a big commitment for anyone let alone a 10 year old – in fact it takes approximately the same amount of work as a 2 year old child with the hours needed to train, walk, groom and clean up after a dog, and with the best of intentions it can be a great source of stress and argument when the kids don’t live up to their responsibilities.

Have you considered registering as volunteers at your local rescue centre? If you can commit to walking a dog every day for a month – rain or shine then consider getting a dog – you may even find your perfect dog while you are there.

Dear Caroline,

My 10 week old labrador keeps biting on everything, and when he jumps he scratches my legs and its really annoying. Plz help!

Claireboo.

At 10 weeks he is most likely just teething, his gums are sore and he is relieving the pain by chewing on things. You can buy special teething gel for puppies that can help cool the gums and relieve the pain and you can also buy special chew toys for puppies that go in the freezer which can also help.

Also try to discourage him from chewing on things whenever you catch him by telling him firmly NO and then distract him with a toys he can chew on, if you can do that by the end of the teething phase his chewing should stop.

Dogs jump up for attention so the only way you can stop them from jumping up is to completely ignore him when he does it. Turn your back on him and fold your arms until he stops and then tell him he is a good boy as a reward for stopping.

Jumping up is fueled by over excitement so a simple good boy will be enough reward as a treat or toy may just over excite him again and you will end up going round in circles.

Dear Caroline,

When I take my jack russell Sparky to the park I let him exercise off the lead, and other dogs approach him. The odd time a squabble starts but I don't know how much (or even if) I should let him defend himself. I hate to see him bullied and don't want him to lose self-confidence, but I would hate it just as much if he turns into a bully. What's your advice?

James.

When two dogs meet each other they have to establish which out of the two of them is the most dominant and which the most submissive. Normally, this takes a fraction of a second and goes completely unnoticed, but occasionally, you will get two dogs that are similar in status and it can take a minor squabble to sort it out.

This does not mean that the dogs are particularly dominant, it just means that they are both equally dominant or submissive and are finding it hard to decide who should be top (or bottom) dog at that time.

In this situation it is best to leave them to sort it out between them. If, however, Sparky is becoming distressed by dogs approaching him or a minor argument starts to get a little more serious then you should step in.

The best way to do this is first to separate the dogs and then to encourage Sparky to move away from the other dog – walk away yourself calling Sparky away from the dog and keep going until the other dog has gone, or if Sparky is very distressed you can stand between Sparky and the other dog so that Sparky is standing behind you.

He will see you protecting him from the other dog and will love you for it – although you may get some funny looks from other dogs owners doing this!

Dear Caroline,

I have 2 GSD that are the best of friends except when feeding. every time the bowls go down they end up growling and nipping at each other. i have tried feeding at different times but they still fight and I dont know what to do. Can you help me please.

Peggy.

By the sounds of it they both want to be top dog when it comes to food. I would suggest you get help from a local behaviorist who can properly assess the dogs and demonstrate techniques to you safely.

I would be nervous to give you advice without meeting the dogs as it could make things worse for you, sorry I could not be more help.

Dear Caroline,

We got a rescue beagle lately and love her to bits. She really is part of the family now and feels like she has always been there. The only problem we have with her is that she won't stop digging.

She digs in the garden, in the park and most annoying of all she digs holes in the carpets when we're not looking. Neither briber nor scolding are working. It's getting very expensive as we have to keep buying rugs to cover the holes and moving furniture about. What can we do?

Margaret.

In my experience, it sounds like your Beagle needs a job to do.

Some Beagles have a strong work instinct and can become bored if not challenged. I would suggest you get in touch with your local Beagle club; some clubs run special activities for Beagles such as laying trails for them to follow, and this will help her to use up her Beagle instinct in a less destructive way.

Alternatively, you could take her to Obedience Classes or even Agility or Flyball. In the mean time discourage her as much as possible from digging by making a sharp noise such as Agh or No. If that doesn't get her attention then maybe try using a personal alarm – make your noise or let off your alarm whenever she starts to dig and then run towards her as if to chase her away from where she was digging and stand on the spot for a few moments.

If she returns to it, do the same again but this time stand for a little longer, keep doing it until she stops returning to that spot, after a couple of spots she will start to realize that she is not to dig at all.

Dear Caroline,

I have a 3 year old boy and a 3 year old staffie who normally get along. Unfortunately the dog has taken a liking to my son's favorite toy and gets frighteningly cross when my son has the toy.

I have always stepped in straight away and put the dog out as soon as I see it but he keeps on doing it. I have also tried to give him dog toys, but he is not interested in them when he sees the batman doll. I don't want to throw it out because my son would think he is getting punished. What do you think I should do?

Stefan.

In my experience, it sounds like your Beagle needs a job to do.

He is probably only interested in the Batman toy because he gets a reaction whenever he takes it. I would suggest putting the toy away for a week or so and then start training when you get it out again for the first time.

Try attaching a long, thin lead to his collar and leaving it to trail behind him. Do this when you have plenty of time to devote to the dog.

Now stand in the room looking at your dog and place the toy on the floor behind you. If he moves forward to get it, then move so that you are standing between him and the toy as if to guard it with your body.

Once he is fairly calm walk towards him so that he has to back away from you and the toy a few steps and then wait for him to lay down (could take a while, be patient).

Once he is laying down you can move away from the toy, now just keep an eye on him in case he goes to get it. If he does, get between him and the toy again and repeat the steps above.

If he is quick and gets the toy, don't chase him. Just stand on the end of the lead, pull him towards you, take hold of the toy (don't try to take it away from him, just hold it – unless he starts to chew it) and wait until he lets go of it himself.

Keep hold of the lead so that he cannot pull away with it, then put the toy back on the floor where it was originally.

Once he can ignore it when it is only you and him try it with your son holding the toy – this time you will be ‘guarding’ your son and the toy.

Dear Caroline,

Please help me with my dog Maggie. She is a cavalier king charles spaniel and will be 3 years old in August. She is generally a perfect, calm and submissive dog, who walks well on the lead and listens to my commands. The problem is that she has no social skills when meeting new dogs. If a dog walks calmly over to her just wanting a sniff she yelps and either sits on her bum with her tail between her legs or runs away from the dog and me.

So now whenever I see a dog coming I put her on the lead and try to distract her with food or a toy but this doesnt work completely. She is fine with my grannys two dogs who she has known since she was a puppy but she has only recently started to join in playing with them.

I know that this problem started because of me as when she was a pup I would have lifted her if a big dog came running over, but now I am completely calm and relaxed and try to pet dogs while sitting beside her.

We have some really nice dogs in our park and I would love for her to socialize with them instead of being a loner. She is also a bit wary of new people and backs off if they try to pet her over her head, but not as bad as with dogs.

Please help me! I do not have a clue about what else to try.

Kerri.

It definitely sounds like Maggie is a little nervous and is not sure how to greet other dogs. It is good that you are now confident with letting her meet other dogs, as if you are even a little bit nervous she will pick this up and it will make her worse.

I would stop trying to distract her or comfort her as you may be accidentally rewarding her nervous behaviour, and this is likely to make things worse, not better. Instead, when a dog approaches to say hello, turn her round and keep her still while the other dog sniffs her bottom (you may have to lift her if it is a big dog).

The fact that you are holding her will give her a little comfort as she will know you are there, and it will encourage her to greet the other dog in the right way. As long as she has good experiences her confidence will gradually build and hopefully, so will her desire to go and play.

If you don't see any improvement, there may be a separate problem that is getting in the way of your training and I would recomend having a Behaviourist come to meet her in that case, but it can be solved.

Dear Caroline,

We have a 4-month-old sheltie mix who chews on everything. He has destroyed clothes, tv trays, couch, chairs, tables, and hands. I know he is loosing his baby teeth, but I don't want this to be a habit. What can I do to teach him not to bite or nibble hands?

Glenn.

I would recommend using a dog crate while you are not there to supervise him, to you and me this is basically a cage, but to him it will be more like a den.

Using a crate will mean that you can control what he has access to whilst you are away and he will only be able to chew suitable things that you provide, thus (hopefully) breaking the habit of eating your house and furniture.

With hands the best way to stop him is to completely remove your attention when he starts, say NO firmly and then stand up and turn your back on him whenever he puts his teeth on your hands – if he tries to bite at your clothes instead when you stand up, just walk towards him a few steps so that he has to walk away from you.

Be sure to follow the manufacturers guidelines when choosing and using a crate.

Dear Caroline,

I have a 1 year old Collie/Spaniel x named Ollie who has a problem with just about everything.

He growls at people and children, my family and myself, doesn't listen to anything I say, and tries to ignore us every chance he gets. He also pulls strongly on the lead when out for our walks and makes it impossible to stand upright.

On two occasions he has fractured my hands and landed myself or my family in A&E. I'm at the end of my string with him, I love him dearly and only want the best for him to be a good dog.

He refuses to eat his food as it is dry, I would get canned food for him but he won't eat that either. He would be quite happy to eat human food but I don't allow it. I can't understand why he is doing this - if he doesn't eat then he will lose weight and get sick and that is the last thing I want.

I understand Ollie has alot of problems to overcome, I just don't know why he is like this. Is it my fault he is like this and has these problems?

He takes toys and biscuits off my 2 Greyhounds and happily enjoys it which I don't like. They kind of get upset and tend to not play with them after Ollie has had them. Should I be stopping him doing this or just leave him get away with it?

When Ollie was 9 weeks we got him off a family with a young child who was hitting, biting and throwing him around the room, which must have had an impact on his early puppy experiences. I can't understand now though why he is still reliving those experiences as we are not nasty to him or mean in any way.

I don't know if you can help or give me any advice as to ways to help me understand Ollie's behaviour, or ways in which to improve it but any advice offered is a big help.

Thank you ever so much.

Rebecca.

Basically, Ollie is the boss in your house, so (I’m sorry to say) he has no interest in trying to please you or follow your rules. When you are the boss he will naturally want to please you.

All those gadgets you can buy to stop barking are useless because they do not address the reason for the barking and in many cases the need to bark is far greater than the consequence of barking i.e. the spray or collar.

With his food he does not want to eat the dog food you provide because he knows it is not the best food, and the pack leader always gets the best food. Plus he knows it upsets you, and if he thinks he can get a reaction from you he will persist until eventually you will give in and feed him what he wants.

The best way to get him back onto eating dog food is to put the food down for him (after you have eaten your meal), and give him 15 minutes only. After 15 minutes, you must take away whatever he hasn’t eaten, and he goes hungry until the next meal. Then do the same – you can go up to 3 meals a day to give him extra opportunities to eat if it makes you feel better when you start doing this.

If he is a healthy dog he will not allow himself to starve and will give in and eat the food you have given him, and, most importantly, don’t let it upset you – if you are worried about it affecting his health then get him checked by a vet first.

I suggest you do the same with the other two dogs. In between meals you should give no treats at all, and this should get him back into a good routine even quicker. He will have long forgotten the experiences he had as a pup in his first home by now, so that is not the reason he is behaving the way he is – he just needs a good pack leader.

I would recommend you get help from a local behaviourist who can show you different techniques and put you back in charge – or keep an eye out for my book: How to be the Perfect Pack Leader, which goes through the whole process step-by-step. It's due out in the next few weeks, and if you sign up to my newsletter at www.gooddoggie.co.uk I will e-mail you when it becomes available. You will get free training and behaviour tips in the newsletter too.

Dear Caroline,

We have a 11 weeks old Lab x Pointer which eat rocks and snails and other items in the garden but when he is on walks he is good as gold and never eat anything.

What can we do about this and can it harm him?

Dunstan.

Pups learn about their environment by picking things up in their mouths and I suspect that is where this bad habit started.

The likelihood is that when he did it the first time he got a big reaction from someone, and that was rewarding to him and so now he continues to do it. Also, consider that if he is left in the garden on his own he could be bored, even though toys have been provided – snails and rocks may just seem more interesting.

I would start by ignoring it and try to entertain him with a ball or other toy instead and see how you get on, otherwise a loud noise every time he goes near a rock or snail would put him off too – you can get alarms from pet shops which are ideal for this.

If he is actually swallowing the items then also consider whether he could be lacking in nutrients in his diet too, but I would speak to your vet about that.

I don’t think the occasional rock or snail would do him any harm, as dogs have the ability to vomit on demand which means that they can experiment a little with what they eat, and if it is no good then they will just vomit. However, if he eats lots then I would mention this to your vet too as that could become a problem.

Dear Caroline,

My dog has a habit of licking himself between the legs and then he hacks after. It is this normal, and the hacking after it?

Sean.

It is perfectly normal for your dog to lick between his legs – he is just trying to keep himself clean. I am not sure why he hacks afterwards but that too is normal, I can only guess that he gets a build up of saliva due to not being able to swallow properly because of the awkward angle his head is at while he is licking.

Dear Caroline,

I have a 7 year old deaf Dalmatian dog who was badly injured by the dog groomer - She will not tell what happened whilst he was in her care but he was left partially blind and with a slipped disc - he will never be the same dog.

We have spent thousands of pounds trying to heal him and while he has a good quality of life he has been left a nervous wreck.  He cowers in the corner when he is approached, will not take food from your hand - he wants to but is terrified to take it from your hand if it is at the same level as his mouth, yet when you put your hand under his face he happily takes the food from beneath.

He knows no-one at home would hurt him, but he has been left like this.

He also heavy breathes and 'slabbers' which the vets think is a behavioural problem, as this only commenced after the injury too.

We would love to see his confidence restored - Can you recommend anything?

Alison Gilchrist.

Poor boy, I can’t imagine what on earth could have happened at the groomers that could have left him in this terrible state. Dalmatians are normally such confident and outgoing dogs.

He can certainly be helped but I think you need one-to-one help from an experienced behaviorist who can meet with you both and give specific advice.

However, with nervous and depressed dogs I have had a lot of success using cod liver oil tablets – just one human tablet once a day in the food can really help the brain to process information more appropriately and will in turn boost confidence. In this case it may not be enough but it is certainly worth a try.

I also recommend that, hard as it is, you start ignoring any fearful behaviour. It can be tempting to feel sorry for a dog that has undergone a trauma like this, but he needs you to be a strong pack leader who is control and show him that there is nothing more to worry about. When you feel pity for a dog it can make them more nervous than they are already, because they feel that the leader is not in control and therefore they are concerned that there is no one to protect him should anything else bad happen.

When looking for a behaviourist that will be able to help you, choose someone that is qualified in Dog Behaviour and psychology first and not a dog trainer. Ask around for recommendations from friends and family if you can, but most importantly don’t be afraid to ask the behaviourist lots of questions. They will be happy to tell you about their qualifications and previous dogs they have had experience with that are similar to yours. Also make sure you like them - you may need a couple of sessions with them so it is important that you feel you can spend time with them.

Dear Caroline,

We are all upset. As you know we have 5 dogs: 4 cavs and 1 german shepherd.

my male cav barks at the wind, however the reality is there is another dog barking somewhere and he is answering them, but my neighbour is complaining and complaining, and i am afraid they will call someone and my babies taken away now. They say he is barking all day, but we tried crating him which is fine he is good, but the second he gets out he runs out and woof woof woof woof..... no matter what i do he will not stop.

I have spent a fortune on collars, sprays, clickers, nothing is working and im close to tears, but the worst of it now is that the GS is copying him. Now the difference here is the GS barks for good reasons too, as I am partially deaf I cannot hear certain sounds and she will bark when the doorbell rings, which I never hear. We do not want to stop this, but she will then go out the back and bark for no apparent reason. she will bark and I will say no, firmly and within a breath she is doing it again.

Please help as I spend most of my time worrying. Thank you in advance.

Fidelma.

There could be several reasons your cavs are barking, most likely they are very over excited but they could also be bored or doing it for attention.

All those gadgets you can buy to stop barking are useless because they do not address the reason for the barking and in many cases the need to bark is far greater than the consequence of barking i.e. the spray or collar.

The worst thing you can do when a dog barks is shout at them, to a dog you are joining in with the barking and so are only going to encourage it – stay calm and ignore it.

In the mean time you need to address the reason for the barking, i.e. if they are bored, take them for a walk, if they crave attention then you can teach them to sit for attention. This is simple enough but will require patience – once they know the sit command you must insist they sit for everything – food, attention, getting their leads on etc, but you can’t tell them to sit they must work it out for themselves – be patient they will work it out.

Also they may need more exercise and outside stimulation, so an extra walk every day should help too.

Dear Caroline,

my standard poodle is good for me, however with children he is always jumping up and them and inclined to nip.

If my four year old has friends over I walk him earlier in the day and put him in the garage when we have children visiting. Is that the thing to do? He is thirtheen months old.

Geraldine Corbett, Belgium.

I think he is just getting over excited when he meets children, children are much more interesting than adults; they have higher pitched voices and tend to move faster and are more exaggerated with their arms and hands.

I think putting him out when children come to visit will keep him from getting himself into trouble, however it would be better if you could trust him around the children.

I would recommend bringing him in to the room the kids are in, possibly on a lead, and taking him to one side. Wait until he is calm and then let him off his lead. If he goes to the kids and jumps up at them, then stand between him and the children as if to protect the kids, and walk towards him a little so that he has to back away.

When he has calmed down a little you can move out of the way and try again. If he jumps up again, then get between them again and wait a little longer.

Keep doing this until he can remain calm, it should only take a few tries but Poodles can be stubborn!!!

Dear Caroline,

I'm a first-time dog owner and I have a couple of items that I do not seem to be able to find answers to elsewhere.

1: My 4 month old Yorkie is displaying signs of sexual excitement already.  His testicles do not seem to have dropped yet and the vet won't neuter him for at least another 2 months.  He likes to gather up soft furnishings like blankets,and cushions or peoples feet (he is small) and hump them.  At the moment, I say 'stop' and remove the object of his 'affection'.  However, when this is your leg, he will follow you and do it again.  How may I discourage this behaviour?

2: He also like to bite people.  I have a feeling that this is just normal puppy behaviour, but would like to know if I am taking the right approach.  Currently, we say 'stop' then look and move away.  If this doesn't work, we say it again whilst holding his muzzle and keeping eye contact.  Last resort is to repeat both of the above and place him in his crate.  The main issue is that once he has decided to bite you, no other toy or food can distract him.  Could this be obsessive behaviour, or is he just testing the boundaries?

Sweeps Mum

His sexual excitement is quite normal. At his age he is just experimenting and finding out what things do.

However, you should be discouraging him as much as possible so that it doesn’t become a bad habit, continue as you are by removing the object as quickly as possible and saying stop as soon as you see him doing it.

Also if you think he is going to do it, you are probably right. Stop him before he has the chance by saying 'stop' in a firm voice. This will be much easier once he has been neutered.

With the biting he is being very bold and testing the boundaries. I would advise against holding his muzzle and staring at him, to him this is all attention and will have the opposite affect you are hoping for.

Again, saying 'stop' firmly is the best solution followed by ignoring him. If this doesn’t work you may also try using a water pistol, and giving him a quick squirt whenever he starts to bite, and then ignore him until he is being calm and friendly.

If not then there may be other areas that he is getting away with dominant behaviour, and he just feels like he can get away with it here too. Have a think - does he walk in front of you on the walk? Does he have food left down for him or do you pick it up? Does he have more than two toys left out for him to play with

All these things, and many others could also be encouraging this type of behaviour.

Dear Caroline,

My friend has a 12 week old Lab puppy who is the most adorable thing on 4 legs until you try to go near him!

He has given 2 of the 3 kids in the house bites and scratches which have been so bad they have gotten infected. I personally feel the kids rile the wee guy up a lot and have said she should try a simple yet firm no when he does the biting thing and remove him from the situation even for a few mins to allow everyone to calm down.

He also pees and poops in the house instead of out side which I feel has to do with him being farm raised and able to go when he feels like it, he does only get 2/3 walks a day I have tried advising her to take him out after every sleep and nap plus perhaps thru night leaving the gap longer as time progresses. Am I doing more harm than good? It has always worked with mine so far with no disasters.

She has also said she wants to re-home him, I have 2 and could not afford 3 or I would take him on no bother.

Also if you know of any Lab rescues in the Glasgow area that would be great, I again have advised her to put his name down with the Dogs Trust as they can give him the training he needs to find his new forever home.

Hettie.

It sounds like your friend needs a lot of advice and would benefit from a 1-2-1 session from a local Behaviourist. When a pup bites anyone it is because he is over stimulated and over excitable, pups feed from the excitement of others and young children can be a big source of excitement for a pup so in this case it is probably as much a case of calming the children down as well as the pup. Over excitement can also cause a pup to need the toilet.

12 weeks is a very early age to expect a pup to be fully house trained but I would recommend they take him out after every meal, large amounts of water, play, sleep and last thing at night and first thing in the morning. Ignore any accidents and praise successes and he should get the hang of it in no time. Four walks a day is a lot for a puppy, so short trips outside will probably do, too much exercise can damage a growing pups joints and cause problems later in life such as Dysplasia and arthritis.

Unfortunately, I do not know of any good Labrador Rescues in the Glasgow area but the Dog Trust is an excellent charity.

Dear Caroline,

I have a 4 month old collie cross called Skye. She was a rescue pup and was originally quite shy and nervous but is now turning into a normal, confident puppy.

She sees her sister Ash (who belongs to my boyfriend) a few times a week and they really enjoy playing together, but when they are inside Skye begins to get possessive over her bed - she'll run ahead of Ash and jump into it and growl if Ash tries to get in.

She now beginning to get possessive over a rug she like to sit on and also my boyfriend and I. If we try to stroke them both at the same time when we're inside, Skye will try to block Ash from us and has also began to try and crawl on top of us so Ash doesn't get attention.

We've tried telling her off for growling, and she ignores us, we also push her off when she tries to climb on us. Are these signs of dominance and is she trying to dominate me and my boyfriend? It's not much of a problem at the moment but I don't want it to escalate into her becoming a jealous dog. Ash never retaliates and generally just backs off and sits down!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Charlotte.

You are right to think she is showing dominance, at 4 months she is not old enough to actually become dominant but she is testing the boundaries to see what she can get away with and is very likely to become dominant when she reaches adolescence at around 6 months, and then you may well have a problem.

You need to be clear about what is and isn't allowed and be strict with her. When she tries to climb on you I suggest you just stand up, then when she stops attention seeking behaviour you can go back to what you are doing – pups are persistent though and you may have to repeat this several times.

Also, don't let her dictate to you who you can and can't give attention to, if you are fussing over her sister and she tries to barge in, stand between her and her sister and continue to give attention, she will try to get around you but keep moving yourself around so that you have your back to her at all times.

After you have finished giving attention to her sister, if she has given up then call her to you and give her a quick fuss just to reinforce good behaviour and reassure her that she will get her turn.

Dear Caroline,

Both my dogs pull the lead when I walk them and one of them jumps and try to take the lead off me when we have just left the house. They are good dogs after they get tired, after 30 min, but they are just going to someday do my back out.

So if you could give me some advice I would be very grateful to you.

Claire.

It sounds like they are getting very over excited when you start the walk, I would start by quietly getting out the leads, do not tell them they are going for a walk – dogs are not daft, they will know.

Now just wait until they calm down, do not attempt to put the lead on while they are excitable as this will reward excitable behaviour and will only encourage this type of behaviour in the future. Be patient as this could take a long time (so far an hour is the longest I have had to wait!), it will be worth the wait.

nce you have the leads the walk has begun, they will get excited again so just wait for them to calm down again, when they are calm enough you can proceed towards the door and on your walk; start with them standing next to you in the heel position and take up the slack in the leads so they are short but not tight.

Now move forward, if either of the leads becomes tight then stop and wait for the lead to go slack again, repeat this over and over until they are walking one pace, then two and so on until they are walking properly. You may also like to try a Halti head collar, these are brilliant and when used properly they will seriously speed up your training and will save your shoulder at the same time!

Dear Caroline,

Our 9 month old Australian Shepherd is very well behaved but has a knack of getting in the way of me and my husband whenever we try to kiss or cuddle.

We can be sitting on the couch with her on the floor quite happy, but as soon as one of us even leans on the other, she's up, right in between, this is her favourite position and even if were standing up she will try and stand in between us.

Now, she isn't being protective over either of us so I assume she is jealous? I'd love to know the reason for it!

Katherine.

It sounds like she may be a little jealous of the attention you are giving each other and she just wants all that attention for herself, to stop this behaviour I would turn to face her and walk towards her forcing her to back away.

Keep doing this until she turns away and then go back to what you were doing, repeat this as often as you need to until she gets the message. This is a good way of saying I am the boss and when I show my husband affection I do not want to show you affection.

Dear Caroline,

I have a 9 week old Mini Schnauzer. He’s a great pup but at times I couldn't see him far enough!

he reason being, he constantly play bites! I can barely go into a different room in the house without him grabbing on to my trouser leg or what appears to be aggressively chewing on my shoe... very annoying!

At times he's great - when he's tired etc! He often seems very hyper. Things are made worse because of the fact that I can't take him up the road for a walk (because he's only got one set of injections so far).

I know it's totally natural for pups to chew etc, but there has to be an acceptable level. How would you suggest I deal with the problem?

Gareth

It is natural for a puppy to chew; at his age he is teething – just like a baby does and his gums will be very sore so chewing down on things will help to relieve his pain.

I would suggest providing plenty of appropriate chews and toys – did you know you can get special toys for puppies that go in the freezer that are great for soothing sore gums?

Whenever he chews on something inappropriate such as your furniture, you or your clothing squirt him with a water pistol, as soon as he stops chewing offer him a chew toy and then reward him for chewing on it.

Dear Caroline,

We have a German shepherd, bitch, she is just 5 months old, and really big, we have 2 problems. She is an amazing dog and really clever.

1. She will put her paws on the kitchen counter and take any food that is there. she will not do this if we are in the room, but it is a huge problem, as she eats my kids dinner, if we leave cake out i.e. cutting it these are habits we have and she shouldn't do it, we shouldn't have to change for her should we?

2. She will come when you call her but she is only obedient for my other half, when people come in she jumps on them, when she does she is the same height as them and I can't have this as my Dad is elderly and she will knock him over. Any help please.... oh in April she is starting obedience training once a week, but my fear here is as my partner is taking her, she will only be good for him.

Fidelma.

P.S. I have 4 Cavaliers as well, they are mine!!!

1. Dogs are scavengers by nature, it is built into their genes and unfortunately stealing food is very rewarding. What you have to do to stop her from stealing food is to take the reward away; I have found the best way to do this is to set up an alarm, you can buy portable alarm kits that have an infra-red light that goes between the two units and when the light is broken the alarm will go off, put some food behind the beam of light and then leave the room, when she jumps up to get it she will set off the alarm and this should startle her and put her off, immediately come back and reset the alarm units and leave again. Try this in different places when she would normally take food and after a couple of tries in each place you should find that she will stop. At the same time I would remain vigilant and not leave out where she can get it as much as possible.

2. She looks at your other half as the dominant one which is why she behaves better for him than you and therefore I don't think training classes would help you, until you can become more dominant and be her boss she will not learn from you properly and will not be consistent with commands. Once you are her boss she will listen to you more and will be more controllable when people come to visit. I would suggest you get help from a Canine Behaviourist who can come and see where you are going wrong and show you how to become more dominant than your dog and correct the problems you are having.

Dear Caroline,

I write from Australia about Leo, a long haired Lab and a dear, dear boy. For the past six weeks or so, Leo has been objecting to his daily walks. He will start, then prop, demanding he return home.

Nothing works: he eats the treats, but will not move, and he ignores threats, such as, there'll be no holidays in the South of France, Leo. I cannot understand his behaviour. There were no untoward incidents, such as an encounter with an anaconda or pink people from Pluto, and the vet tells me he's in perfect health, with nothing wrong with his feet or joints.

I should add that we've had a long, hot summer, but we do not, and have not, walked in the heat of the day. Help!

Bill.

Leo is just being bossy, the best thing is to ignore it. Put his lead on and then start walking, if he stops just stop and wait for him, keep the lead loose as a tight lead will create tension and then be patient.

I have seen many dogs that do this and although you may be standing still for a while (45 minutes was the longest so far) Leo will eventually get moving again, if he does it again just stop and wait again. Don't offer him any treats or attention at all as he will think he is being rewarded for refusing to walk.

Dear Caroline,

I have an 18 month old terrier mix. She is a rescue dog and although she was a bit of a handful at the start, she has responded well to training and has even been awarded her KC bronze Good Citizen Award!

However recall can still be a problem. She is generally good but when we are out for walks and she becomes distracted by something (it could be squirrels, birds etc) she goes completely deaf and I can't get her back until she is ready to come back to me. I understand how this could be dangerous for her and only let her off the lead in places where I know she is safe.

I have tried starting from the beginning and building up the distance she goes before calling her back (using treats) and I have rewarded her when she spontaneously comes back to me but overall I am not being successful.

Can you give me any advice please?

Shivvy.

Well done on achieving the good citizen award. On the recall you are doing all the right things but her terrier instincts are high and as soon as she sees a bird or squirrel she cannot resist the urge to chase it.

I think she needs a job, many dogs need to feel like they have a purpose or job to do and as she hasn't been given one she is doing what comes naturally, Collies, for example, will take up car chasing in place of herding sheep.

A few suggestions for jobs for dogs include fetching a ball, hiding treats in the garden for her to find, using something smelly (such as vinegar) to lay a trail in the garden that leads to a hidden treat or toy, even walking to heel on a loose lead counts.

Dear Caroline,

Why does my dog not realise his tail is part of his own body?

Pat Harrison.

I assume you are taking about tail chasing, dogs do realise it is part of their own body but when they get anxious or over excited they go into a heightened emotional state and they block out pain so if they are biting their own tail they will not feel it until they are more relaxed and then they will notice their tail hurts but not be able to associate the pain with chasing it earlier.

Dogs chase their tails for many reasons; it is common for puppies to do it because they are curious and then it becomes a habit when they get attention for doing it, it could be boredom and it could be anxiety in these cases you need to solve the underlying problem first and then prevent your dog from chasing until he is out of the habit.

Dear Caroline,

My mum has an Irish Red Setter (male). When he travels in the car he would get very aggressive if anyone approaches the car, but only when mum is in it. When she isn't in the car, anyone could get in no bother! And when he is out of the car he is fine.

He probably thinks he is protecting mum?  It doesn't matter if it is someone like myself who he knows very well and is normally very comfortable with or if it is a complete stranger. He will bare his teeth and get into a real state as if he would bite if I was to put my arm in the window or try to get into the car.

Would you have any suggestions on how to calm him down?

Lisa.

He is definitely protecting your mum, there could be several reasons for this, but these are the two most likely.

Firstly, your mum may be very tense in the car, maybe she doesn’t like driving or finds it very stressful, the dog could be picking up on this tension and has decided to take control in this situation. If this is the case then she would need to learn to relax in the car first.

The second (and most probable) reason is that he may actually be protecting her all the time and no one has noticed, look for signs like standing or sitting across her, or constantly having to be in some sort of contact such as resting a paw on her lap or sitting on her feet – these are signs of possession and a dogs way of saying you are mine.

When in the car he is in an enclosed space and away from the security the den (house) provides and so feels that it is far better to scare everyone away than to take a risk and avoid a problem from ever occurring, the fact that he does it even to people that he knows well is not a surprise as a dog will identify people by their smell and not by sight and by the time you are close enough to smell he is in an aggressive state, they have very poor sight when it comes to detail.

In either case, she must stay calm and ignore the aggression, if she gets cross with him he will pick up on the heightened tension from her and this will fuel his aggression. She should get out of the car and stand between him and the person that is by the car until he settles down – this could take a long time so she will need to be patient and only when he is completely calm should the person be allowed to leave and she can get back in the car.

I suggest you practice this a few times with 'actors' until mum and dog get the hang of it. Your mum should also stop him from protecting her in other situations by pushing him away every time he shows possession of her.

Good luck, if you are still having problems then I suggest you book a behaviour consultation with a local behaviourist as the problem could be more complex and require proper assessment.

Dear Caroline,

When I come home my dog has often dirtied on the floor, so I tell him off and he always looks guilty so he knows he has done something wrong, so why does he keep doing it?

Jeff.

Your dog may look guilty to you, but actually he is showing you appeasing signals.

These are signals that dogs use to calm other dogs or people down when things are getting a little heated, they include (amongst others) bowing the head, laying down on the side or back, raising a paw or even peeing.

When your dog has had an accident on the floor, unless you actually catch him doing it there is nothing you can do; dogs are not able to associate an action with an event that has already happened, just clean it up quietly and be more vigilant next time.

If your dog is having accidents regularly there could be many reasons for it but I would suggest you try getting a crate for your dog or confine him to a small room such as the utility room or toilet and see if that helps.

Otherwise, get help from a local behaviourist who will be able to advise you on your specific situation.

Dear Caroline,

My dog pulls so hard on his lead that he chokes himself, surely this must hurt so how do I get him to stop it?

OJ.

Your dog is pulling on the lead because he is over excited and stressed.

Dogs are pack animals and the pack leader always walks ahead of the rest of the pack. This is so that he can make important decisions such as where to go and so that he can properly protect his pack.

It probably does hurt him but because he is in a heightened emotional state he does not even notice (incidentally, this is why choke chains should not be used), but it will add to the stress of the walk for him.

Make sure he is completely calm before you even put the lead on, this will take patience and a long wait, then every time he gets over excited or walks ahead of you stop and wait for him to calm down again and come back to heel before you set off again.

NB Pulling on the lead is often a behavioural problem not a training problem, I have had many, many clients who took their dog to a class for years only to get nowhere, using my methods most dogs are walking to heel in less than half an hour and in the case of two beautiful Basset Hounds it took less than 5 minutes!

Dear Caroline,

My dog Bobby is always sniffing other peoples crutches which slightly embarrasses them. Is this normal or is he obsessed?

Anna.

Some people find this behaviour quite disturbing, but it is completely normal and should be encouraged.

Dogs sniff crutches as a part of the greeting ritual because it is where your personal smell is the strongest, by sniffing you they can find out a lot about you such as whether you are male or female, your state of health, age, dominance and whether you are pregnant, they can even tell what you last ate!

By doing this they are able to identify you again, your smell is your name - to a dog.

If you discourage this type of behaviour then a dog cannot identify people properly and will react weirdly towards people, he may become hyperactive and jump up at people or may become nervous and even aggressive.

Dear Caroline,

Can you please help me stop my dog barking at the postman every day. I'm sure it's driving the postman crazy and it's definitely driving me crazy!

Janet.

This is a very common problem, the reason dogs bark at the postman is because they have done it once and the postman went away so the dog thinks he did a good job scaring away the intruder, he doesn’t know the postman was going to leave anyway!

This is reinforced every time the postman comes, the dog will bark and away he goes so this is a very difficult habit to stop. Many people find they have a similar problem with the dustman too.

If you know your postman well you could ask him to wait at the door until the barking stops (this could take a while) and then post a treat through the door with the mail, or maybe you know a local teenager that could do with a few extra quid who might do it for you on his way to school every day.

Be warned that this type of problem could take a long time to completely disappear.