Re: [pyrnet] new behavior-growling at small dog

["Barb Bowes" <bamb@monmouth.com>]

Sherri, sometimes we reward the wrong behavior, inadvertently.
When she was sniffing the little dog, even though she "seemed" to
be nice, she could have been thinking, "I don't like this little
dog". When you told her "Good Girl" you may have reinforced this
thought in her mind. A few years ago I had a bitch that would try
to attack any dog that walked past her crate. (this behavior
started at a dog show when she was in the care of friends and we
have no idea why she started this) Anyway, what we had to learn
to do was to turn our back on her when she was acting this way.
And, when she was quiet but just glared at a dog walking past, we
said nothing. But, when a dog went to walk past the crate and she
opted, of her own free will, to turn away from the dog and lay
down facing away from it, she got a hearty, GOOD GIRL! Because,
she thought about the situation and chose a different and
acceptable behavior, all on her own. Well, we certainly directed
her good behavior by giving absolutely no reinforcement, positive
or negative. What you did at first, by telling her NO and Leave
IT was the right thing to do. The "Good Girl" may (or may not)
have been appropriate. If this occurs again, don't give her the
"Good Girl" unless she sniffs the other dog and decides not to
growl at all. As reading their minds can be a bit difficult at
times. <G>

Barb Bowes
Bo & Chelsea (Pyrs), Flopsy (Pyr Shep) & Machin (Doxie)
The more people I meet, the more I like my dog!
bamb@monmouth.com