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How to bring out their best

Discussion in 'Behavior' started by sahara, Sep 18, 2014.

  1. sahara

    sahara Forums Novice

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    Sep 18, 2014
    Fairview, Alberta, Canada
    Hi everyone! I've been reading forums for awhile for Sheltie advice and decided it was time to actually join and make that healing statement. I am a Sheltie addict and am possessed by two Sheltie tyrants. My kids say my female Kayli is neurotic and my male Kodi is 'almost normal'. I love them dearly and they bring much joy to my life. I'm interested in finding out if others have similar experiences with their dogs.

    Kayli is 4 and a strange mix. She feels I am her world. She is very submissive to the extent of Submission Urination so I limit eye contact and try to be low key. She tries to herd the grand kids with nose bumps, and if I don't catch in time soft mouthing when they are high energy.She also thinks she owns me when I'm in bed. Thats when she acts tough and growls if other come near or barks when she hears sounds like people coming near my room. If I sneeze she barks and if I cough while in my bed she goes to attack Kodi lying at the foot or on the floor next to bed.Its like she did it once so now she has to do it repeatedly. :confused2: Anyone have the same experience?
     
  2. sahara

    sahara Forums Novice

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    Sep 18, 2014
    Fairview, Alberta, Canada
    A Proper Hello

    I guess I should have started with a proper intro. I live in Northern Alberta and I'm proudly owned by two shelties. Kayli is a 4 year old sable female and Kodi is a 2 year old tri male. I don't yet know how to post photos but I will when I've found out how. They get along find except when they are fighting over me which I try not to foster. Kayli seems top dog in the house and Kodi bosses Kayli when she goes outside.I think they enjoy each others company when I have to be away. I'd love to start learning from other how to bring out the best in them so my family will appreciate their intelligence instead of thinking they are merely neurotic.
     
  3. Caro

    Caro Moderator

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    It sounds like Kayli actually lacks confidence - reactive, bossy, resource guarding (you), submissive urination are all signs of this.

    Lots of things you can do.

    Make her wait until she is invited onto the bed, just so she knows your in charge of the bed not her. Put her in a stay, then you signal when she is allowed to get on.

    The growling at your son is easy. Keep some treats near your door and when anyone walks in the room have them throw a treat to her. You can even just practice this without them having to enter for a reason. She'll soon learn your someone entering the room is a good thing.

    With the barking at sneezes and coughs, record the sounds and play them over and over and over. Eventually she'll get sick of reacting to the sound and her reactions won't be as over the top. And you're probably right, she may have done it once as a pup and people laughed and thought it was cute and now it's become a habit. The redirected aggression towards Kodi when you cough is harder to solve so you are better off addressing her reaction to the noise.
     
  4. jomuir

    jomuir Forums Enthusiast

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    May 10, 2011
    Welcome! One of our dogs was a submissive urinator too, she grew out of it as she got older. We also worked hard on not getting her too excited when we came home.
     

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