Anyone into dog psychology?
Discussion
We have a parsons Jack Russell - great little dog. Came to us as a runaway stray.
He is very well looked after - walked 2-3 times a day. Well fed etc etc
Anyway - whenever we go out he will wither be as good as gold or sometimes a bit naughty. For example he may have a go at the bin in the kitchen or scratch open a cupboard and drag some food over to his basket. Minor stuff. However whenever we come home if he doesn’t move out of his basket we know all is well. If he has been naughty he will be cowering near the back door, tail between his legs and very submissive - he knows he has done wrong.
What I don’t understand is why do it if he knows it’s wrong? Is it some uncontrollable urge he cannot suppress?
There is a correlation to his naughtiness - if someone has knocked on the door i.e. postman or delivery guy etc he is naughty
Can anyone explain and perhaps help?
Many thanks
He is very well looked after - walked 2-3 times a day. Well fed etc etc
Anyway - whenever we go out he will wither be as good as gold or sometimes a bit naughty. For example he may have a go at the bin in the kitchen or scratch open a cupboard and drag some food over to his basket. Minor stuff. However whenever we come home if he doesn’t move out of his basket we know all is well. If he has been naughty he will be cowering near the back door, tail between his legs and very submissive - he knows he has done wrong.
What I don’t understand is why do it if he knows it’s wrong? Is it some uncontrollable urge he cannot suppress?
There is a correlation to his naughtiness - if someone has knocked on the door i.e. postman or delivery guy etc he is naughty
Can anyone explain and perhaps help?
Many thanks
My daughter has a Black Lab/ JR cross from the Dogs Trust.
When he is alone he sometimes pulls out the bin, and knows it's 'wrong', he skulks away and when called he does the head down ashamed look.
He went through a spell of this when my daughter went back to work after being unemployed for a while, so we thought it was separation anxiety, he very occasionally still does it, but we have no idea what triggers it.
He did get wrongly accused of eating a packet of chocolate digestives, it turned out that my daughter had left the wrapper on the floor and the dog got the blame, but my ex noticed that he did not look ashamed, so she had doubts.
Dogs with an understanding of morals?
When he is alone he sometimes pulls out the bin, and knows it's 'wrong', he skulks away and when called he does the head down ashamed look.
He went through a spell of this when my daughter went back to work after being unemployed for a while, so we thought it was separation anxiety, he very occasionally still does it, but we have no idea what triggers it.
He did get wrongly accused of eating a packet of chocolate digestives, it turned out that my daughter had left the wrapper on the floor and the dog got the blame, but my ex noticed that he did not look ashamed, so she had doubts.
Dogs with an understanding of morals?
I can't give you any answers on the dog psychology side of it. But as a preventative measure have you considered crating him? Our Yorkie loves hers, she'll happily trot into it without being told when we're going out or off to bed. And she can't get up to any mischief when she's in there.
We've even left the door to the crate wide open by mistake a couple of times and she still stay's in it as it's her own space.
We've even left the door to the crate wide open by mistake a couple of times and she still stay's in it as it's her own space.
Speed addicted said:
Our collie/terrier hates the crate and has found ways to escape. A lot. We've even had to set up a camera to see how he's getting out!
I'll be modifiying it for more security when I get home as he's chewing the door frames during the time he's free and we're out.
You need a bigger padlock!I'll be modifiying it for more security when I get home as he's chewing the door frames during the time he's free and we're out.
Speed addicted said:
Our collie/terrier hates the crate and has found ways to escape. A lot. We've even had to set up a camera to see how he's getting out!
I'll be modifiying it for more security when I get home as he's chewing the door frames during the time he's free and we're out.
It sounds like he may have separation anxiety? Or maybe he is bored? How long is he left for?I'll be modifiying it for more security when I get home as he's chewing the door frames during the time he's free and we're out.
There is a variety of information on the web. This is a good one
http://www.rspca-westhatch.co.uk/SeparationAnxiety...
It sounds like your dog is suffering from a form of separation anxiety, but just trying to treat the symptom will not get you anywhere, you must identify the cause and in all probability you will need to modify the way you interact with your dog in some way. If you alternate between being affectionate and then get stressed when he is 'naughty' you will not achieve anything. Dogs are not 'naughty'. They respond to a specific stimulus and for successful behavior modification to be achieved you must take the time to understand your dogs language. This takes time. You would benefit from hiring a suitably experienced individual for 1-2-1 assessment. I suggest a dog listener or whisperer rather than a trainer, as in these situations training treats the symptom not the cause. Crating the dog, although benificial in many circumstances can result in the development of extreem behavioral issues if used incorrectly. Sorry I cannot give specific advice, but all dogs are individual, no 2 are the same. Good luck and don't give up.
Pig Skill said:
We have a parsons Jack Russell - great little dog. Came to us as a runaway stray.
He is very well looked after - walked 2-3 times a day. Well fed etc etc
Anyway - whenever we go out he will wither be as good as gold or sometimes a bit naughty. For example he may have a go at the bin in the kitchen or scratch open a cupboard and drag some food over to his basket. Minor stuff. However whenever we come home if he doesn’t move out of his basket we know all is well. If he has been naughty he will be cowering near the back door, tail between his legs and very submissive - he knows he has done wrong.
What I don’t understand is why do it if he knows it’s wrong? Is it some uncontrollable urge he cannot suppress?
There is a correlation to his naughtiness - if someone has knocked on the door i.e. postman or delivery guy etc he is naughty
Can anyone explain and perhaps help?
Many thanks
His problem maybe boredom. We have the same type of dog and it's as if something clicks in his brain, or lack of, and he can't stop himself being naughty. He like to steal things, anything he can get hold of in fact and we have a major problem getting it back from him, that's if he hasn't destroyed it first. The other problem we have is with his barking, he will start and then can't seem to stop. He is very well looked after - walked 2-3 times a day. Well fed etc etc
Anyway - whenever we go out he will wither be as good as gold or sometimes a bit naughty. For example he may have a go at the bin in the kitchen or scratch open a cupboard and drag some food over to his basket. Minor stuff. However whenever we come home if he doesn’t move out of his basket we know all is well. If he has been naughty he will be cowering near the back door, tail between his legs and very submissive - he knows he has done wrong.
What I don’t understand is why do it if he knows it’s wrong? Is it some uncontrollable urge he cannot suppress?
There is a correlation to his naughtiness - if someone has knocked on the door i.e. postman or delivery guy etc he is naughty
Can anyone explain and perhaps help?
Many thanks
It could easily be boredom (does he have a kong, toys, bone etc?) or the disturbance of someone knocking on the door gets him excited. My terrier goes mental at the door bell and then will not settle for a good few minutes afterwards. normally tearing round the house throwing his toys in the air. This one is harder to deal with...
With regards "knowing" he has done wrong, it's the classic dog/paper thing. Owners tend to reprimand their dogs upon returning and see mess that they have created, for example dog shreds a load of paper, has a great time. Dog sees the shredded paper on the floor and associates it with being told off; therefore the dog knows that having shredded paper on the floor is a bad thing but doesn't understand it is actually the actual of shredding that is bad.
With regards "knowing" he has done wrong, it's the classic dog/paper thing. Owners tend to reprimand their dogs upon returning and see mess that they have created, for example dog shreds a load of paper, has a great time. Dog sees the shredded paper on the floor and associates it with being told off; therefore the dog knows that having shredded paper on the floor is a bad thing but doesn't understand it is actually the actual of shredding that is bad.
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