Stoopid Doodle...
Discussion
Hello. My name is Watson. I'm three and a half and I'm an Australian miniature labradoodle, about the size of a smallish Collie. I have a great life with mama and papa full time, and papa's five year old small person dog terrorist thing every other weekend. I live in a great rural location and I get a couple of good walks a day, where I get to run in the fields, roll around in fox poo if I can find a really smelly bit, and I have lots of other doggy friends who I often meet and tear around with. I'm good natured and generally pretty obedient, eat good quality food.
However...oh my doggy god...people at the door, postmen and doorbells...aaaaaarrrggghhhhh! I have to run around like an aboslute loon, the most important thing is to get from anywhere in the house to the glass front door/porch in a matter of seconds. It is incredibly urgent and important for me! If it means I slide round on the floors and overextend my joints, so be it. If I knock people out of the way, that's cool. If I crash into furniture, misjudge doors, trip over things and go flying, it doesn't matter. Once I get to the front door, I have to throw myself at the glass with suicidal levels of force. I know the postman, I mean I've seen him pretty much every day of my 1200 plus days on the planet, and if my humans open the door, I just sniff him and say hello. But getting to that door, as loudly, barkily and stupidly as possible, is all that matters.
My humans went out for a bike ride the other day and the postman arrived, as per usual. I did my thing, threw myself at the glass (my humans know this because the postman snitched on me) and in doing so I hurt my knee and slipped three discs in my spine. My humans now have a big bill (good job I'm insured) and annoyingly I'm on cage rest for a month, no walkies, no nothing, vet's orders. Rubbish.
My humans are at their wits end and trying to work out how to stop my banzai kamikaze hari-kari crash test dummy behaviour, for some reason they just can't understand why running head first at full chat barking crazily into a door is just soooooooo much fun. Apart from that, I'm a complete wuss, I won't even paddle up to my knees in water, and I'm really, really scared of flies, I have to run away.
What can they do...any ideas?
Watson the Dipstick Doodle x
However...oh my doggy god...people at the door, postmen and doorbells...aaaaaarrrggghhhhh! I have to run around like an aboslute loon, the most important thing is to get from anywhere in the house to the glass front door/porch in a matter of seconds. It is incredibly urgent and important for me! If it means I slide round on the floors and overextend my joints, so be it. If I knock people out of the way, that's cool. If I crash into furniture, misjudge doors, trip over things and go flying, it doesn't matter. Once I get to the front door, I have to throw myself at the glass with suicidal levels of force. I know the postman, I mean I've seen him pretty much every day of my 1200 plus days on the planet, and if my humans open the door, I just sniff him and say hello. But getting to that door, as loudly, barkily and stupidly as possible, is all that matters.
My humans went out for a bike ride the other day and the postman arrived, as per usual. I did my thing, threw myself at the glass (my humans know this because the postman snitched on me) and in doing so I hurt my knee and slipped three discs in my spine. My humans now have a big bill (good job I'm insured) and annoyingly I'm on cage rest for a month, no walkies, no nothing, vet's orders. Rubbish.
My humans are at their wits end and trying to work out how to stop my banzai kamikaze hari-kari crash test dummy behaviour, for some reason they just can't understand why running head first at full chat barking crazily into a door is just soooooooo much fun. Apart from that, I'm a complete wuss, I won't even paddle up to my knees in water, and I'm really, really scared of flies, I have to run away.
What can they do...any ideas?
Watson the Dipstick Doodle x
Hi Watson, my name is Minnie and I'm a 2yr old Miniature Golden Doodle...... I have exactly the same affliction as you do! I have to go bonkers and set all my brothers/sisters and mum off at the same time, every time I hear someone outside the door. I know it's the courier, the postman, my owners friends or my human brothers, but i still have to go bats
t crazy as well.
The only thing I haven't done is broken my kneck yet???? Guess that's to come!!! I'm insured thank god
t crazy as well. The only thing I haven't done is broken my kneck yet???? Guess that's to come!!! I'm insured thank god
The Spruce Goose said:
When you walk him is he off the lead?
It sounds like he needs behaviour reinforcement.
(Watson's papa here...)It sounds like he needs behaviour reinforcement.
A mix. On the lead on the slightly busier roads around the village, off the lead on the quieter ones, and of course off the lead for extended periods across the fields. He's extremely good with people, kids, and almost all other dogs. He does pull a bit on the lead because he's so enthusiastic to be out, he's actually better walking to heel off the lead, and if it's just one of his humans. The only time he tends to get barky or growly is if he, and a dog he meets, are both on leads...although I understand this is fairly common and they are "compensating" for being on the lead.
His recall is generally good, he's very motivated by treats etc, and if me and the other half are out for a long walk he's very happy to just trot along with us, and often between us. He hardly ever runs away, he really is a great dog, it's just this ridiculous running full pelt at the door when the postman comes.
I would keep him on a lead at all times. The thing is the unruly behaviour indoors may be seen a being rewarded in his eyes. Things like keeping on a lead and when he pulls etc making him aware you are in control. I'm sure there are videos online on it.
Also maybe change his diet, porridge is a good start to try and control energy for few weeks, again a few options. You just have to keep trying things until they work.
Also maybe change his diet, porridge is a good start to try and control energy for few weeks, again a few options. You just have to keep trying things until they work.
How will keeping him on a lead when out and about be related to going for the Postman indoors? How will the dog relate the 'punishment' of being on a lead to the over exuberance of the postman knocking on the door....
First thing I'd do is make sure that this outburst of behaviour don't result in Watson getting hurt. If that means a gate or something, then put one in. We have a number of them. Secondly he needs to be trained to not re-act so badly. I'm sure he's only protecting his domain, but whilst that's good in his eye's it's not in ours, he needs to have his attention diverted to and then rewarded if he quietens down. Every time he goes off on one, maybe a treat if he shuts up when told to?
Repeatedly try it with a pretend postman?
First thing I'd do is make sure that this outburst of behaviour don't result in Watson getting hurt. If that means a gate or something, then put one in. We have a number of them. Secondly he needs to be trained to not re-act so badly. I'm sure he's only protecting his domain, but whilst that's good in his eye's it's not in ours, he needs to have his attention diverted to and then rewarded if he quietens down. Every time he goes off on one, maybe a treat if he shuts up when told to?
Repeatedly try it with a pretend postman?
I expect you're going to get a load of conflicting advice, some may be good and some bad - my advice would be to speak to an actual behavourist to deal with the behaviour, as it's clearly a real problem.
In the meantime, like they do in racing, maybe set up some speed reducing measures like a chicane or some obstacles so he's not moving so fast once he reaches the door
In the meantime, like they do in racing, maybe set up some speed reducing measures like a chicane or some obstacles so he's not moving so fast once he reaches the door
Hard-Drive said:
Hello. My name is Watson. I'm three and a half and I'm an Australian miniature labradoodle, about the size of a smallish Collie. I have a great life with mama and papa full time, and papa's five year old small person dog terrorist thing every other weekend. I live in a great rural location and I get a couple of good walks a day, where I get to run in the fields, roll around in fox poo if I can find a really smelly bit, and I have lots of other doggy friends who I often meet and tear around with. I'm good natured and generally pretty obedient, eat good quality food.
However...oh my doggy god...people at the door, postmen and doorbells...aaaaaarrrggghhhhh! I have to run around like an aboslute loon, the most important thing is to get from anywhere in the house to the glass front door/porch in a matter of seconds. It is incredibly urgent and important for me! If it means I slide round on the floors and overextend my joints, so be it. If I knock people out of the way, that's cool. If I crash into furniture, misjudge doors, trip over things and go flying, it doesn't matter. Once I get to the front door, I have to throw myself at the glass with suicidal levels of force. I know the postman, I mean I've seen him pretty much every day of my 1200 plus days on the planet, and if my humans open the door, I just sniff him and say hello. But getting to that door, as loudly, barkily and stupidly as possible, is all that matters.
My humans went out for a bike ride the other day and the postman arrived, as per usual. I did my thing, threw myself at the glass (my humans know this because the postman snitched on me) and in doing so I hurt my knee and slipped three discs in my spine. My humans now have a big bill (good job I'm insured) and annoyingly I'm on cage rest for a month, no walkies, no nothing, vet's orders. Rubbish.
My humans are at their wits end and trying to work out how to stop my banzai kamikaze hari-kari crash test dummy behaviour, for some reason they just can't understand why running head first at full chat barking crazily into a door is just soooooooo much fun. Apart from that, I'm a complete wuss, I won't even paddle up to my knees in water, and I'm really, really scared of flies, I have to run away.
What can they do...any ideas?
Watson the Dipstick Doodle x
Our Springer X does this, but less crazy. He runs to the door and barks and barks. We have seen a behaviourist to calm him indoors, but if the doorbell rings he goes crazy. However...oh my doggy god...people at the door, postmen and doorbells...aaaaaarrrggghhhhh! I have to run around like an aboslute loon, the most important thing is to get from anywhere in the house to the glass front door/porch in a matter of seconds. It is incredibly urgent and important for me! If it means I slide round on the floors and overextend my joints, so be it. If I knock people out of the way, that's cool. If I crash into furniture, misjudge doors, trip over things and go flying, it doesn't matter. Once I get to the front door, I have to throw myself at the glass with suicidal levels of force. I know the postman, I mean I've seen him pretty much every day of my 1200 plus days on the planet, and if my humans open the door, I just sniff him and say hello. But getting to that door, as loudly, barkily and stupidly as possible, is all that matters.
My humans went out for a bike ride the other day and the postman arrived, as per usual. I did my thing, threw myself at the glass (my humans know this because the postman snitched on me) and in doing so I hurt my knee and slipped three discs in my spine. My humans now have a big bill (good job I'm insured) and annoyingly I'm on cage rest for a month, no walkies, no nothing, vet's orders. Rubbish.
My humans are at their wits end and trying to work out how to stop my banzai kamikaze hari-kari crash test dummy behaviour, for some reason they just can't understand why running head first at full chat barking crazily into a door is just soooooooo much fun. Apart from that, I'm a complete wuss, I won't even paddle up to my knees in water, and I'm really, really scared of flies, I have to run away.
What can they do...any ideas?
Watson the Dipstick Doodle x
I would suggest seeing a behaviourist to resolve the issue.
super7 said:
How will keeping him on a lead when out and about be related to going for the Postman indoors? How will the dog relate the 'punishment' of being on a lead to the over exuberance of the postman knocking on the door....
First thing I'd do is make sure that this outburst of behaviour don't result in Watson getting hurt. If that means a gate or something, then put one in. We have a number of them. Secondly he needs to be trained to not re-act so badly. I'm sure he's only protecting his domain, but whilst that's good in his eye's it's not in ours, he needs to have his attention diverted to and then rewarded if he quietens down. Every time he goes off on one, maybe a treat if he shuts up when told to?
Repeatedly try it with a pretend postman?
As i put behaviour reinforcement. There are people that can help, but it basically comes down to control. There are dogs clubs that specially deal with this, just have a look locally. I think in this country we dont really think about it but the porridge thing and keeping on a lead are the very basics of improving dog behaviours. Straight from there.First thing I'd do is make sure that this outburst of behaviour don't result in Watson getting hurt. If that means a gate or something, then put one in. We have a number of them. Secondly he needs to be trained to not re-act so badly. I'm sure he's only protecting his domain, but whilst that's good in his eye's it's not in ours, he needs to have his attention diverted to and then rewarded if he quietens down. Every time he goes off on one, maybe a treat if he shuts up when told to?
Repeatedly try it with a pretend postman?
Spruce Goose, I’m with Super 7 on this. I’m not a dog expert by any means, he’s my first “stepdog” and came as part of the package with my good lady (hmmm, her doodle, my small child...I’ll call that a win...) but I don’t see how keeping him on the lead for long walks in the countryside will do him any good, or how he will associate it with the postman...who may not even have been for a couple of days. His behaviour out and about compared to other dogs I know is pretty much exemplary...depriving him of a good run around where he’s going to burn off energy is surely counter productive too?
I’m also doubt that porridge is going to be better for him than a really high quality nutritionally balanced dog food. He clearly wouldn’t be eating cereal and dairy products in the wild. He’s generally very chilled out during the day, doesn’t chew things, usually stays downstairs only as he’s told, doesn’t jump on furniture etc. It’s just the “intruder” thing that’s the issue.
Super 7, I do like the idea of a fake postman...my lad would love that too!
Perhaps a behaviourist is the way to go...
I’m also doubt that porridge is going to be better for him than a really high quality nutritionally balanced dog food. He clearly wouldn’t be eating cereal and dairy products in the wild. He’s generally very chilled out during the day, doesn’t chew things, usually stays downstairs only as he’s told, doesn’t jump on furniture etc. It’s just the “intruder” thing that’s the issue.
Super 7, I do like the idea of a fake postman...my lad would love that too!
Perhaps a behaviourist is the way to go...
No, I don't understand the connection either.
+1 for the professional behaviourist but in the meantime, an external post box might lessen the risk of injury, especially if you can install it away from the front door. I fitted one when I got my first dog, a staffy cross, who used to fling himself at the door and tear the post to pieces.
My parents got one when their first dog, a collie cross, flung himself at their front door and ended up smashing through the (single glazed) glass panel at the bottom. Not sure who was more surprised, the dog or the paperboy!
Good luck, hope Watson gets better soon.
+1 for the professional behaviourist but in the meantime, an external post box might lessen the risk of injury, especially if you can install it away from the front door. I fitted one when I got my first dog, a staffy cross, who used to fling himself at the door and tear the post to pieces.
My parents got one when their first dog, a collie cross, flung himself at their front door and ended up smashing through the (single glazed) glass panel at the bottom. Not sure who was more surprised, the dog or the paperboy!
Good luck, hope Watson gets better soon.
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