My dog guards the backyard from neighbors and visitors. How to stop?

I would recommend only letting her in the back yard when you can supervise her and stop the behaviors. Some people use an extended leash to prevent dogs from getting out HOWEVER that carries some very serious risks such as strangulation if she gets wrapped around something or jumps over a fence, so I don't like that idea. It may also be worthwhile to work with a good trainer or even veterinary behaviorist to find some alternative behaviors to teach her.

Hello, and thanks for your question. It sounds like Tikka knows where "her" property is, and is feeling the need to protect it from strangers. This definitely needs to be addressed, as it can easily escalate to a bite if Tikka feels threatened by your visitors. Even though she's used to the men in your family, that doesn't necessarily extend to an understanding that "men in general" are ok - she knows who is in her family and who is not. She doesn't know that the visitors are your welcomed guests - she sees them as intruders and threats. You need to set up a boundary to protect your visitors and keep Tikka separated from them until she relaxes and realizes they are not a threat - and I highly recommend working with a trainer or veterinary behaviorist on this behavior. Some dogs who feel very protective are never able to relax and be trusted with strangers - in which case they just need to be kept separate for the duration of the visit. She may need a fence (or invisible fence) to keep her from approaching visitors as they arrive, and/or you may need to put her in another part of the house whenever you are expecting people. This is both to protect your visitors, AND to protect Tikka and help her by removing her from an interaction that is causing her stress. Your vet should be able to direct you to a veterinary behaviorist or reputable trainer in your area, and I would touch base with them immediately. This behavior should be addressed as early as possible. I hope this helps!

I'm glad to hear Tobias has been making improvements! Protective dogs can be challenging to train and modify the behavior. Wolves are naturally protective of their territory and don't want trespassers. Certain dogs will also exhibit this behavior to a degree. In their mind, they are doing the right thing for the pack and the territory. However, most of us need a dog who is accepting of people they don't know in the house. Additionally, he may be trying to 'herd' these people to an area where they will sit down and he can get attention. Dogs are very clever like that sometimes. I recommend to read some of the books written by a trainer named Victoria Stilwell. She uses a positive reinforcement only approach for dog training and behavior modification. You may also need to help of a professional trainer for those last few tweeks you want to make. Until you know the exact reason for Tobias's behavior, it may be difficult to know what else to do to get the desired response. Best of luck.

Hi there! When it comes to resource guarding of a specific location or area of the house, this is a fairly complex problem that can't really be addressed properly in this type of format. I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist or a good reward-based trainer who can evaluate her in person and help you put together a detailed plan to work on this behavior. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org or a qualified trainer here: www.ccpdt.org In the meantime, if she only shows this behavior with people she doesn't know, I would recommend separating her from visitors by putting her in a crate or another room with the door closed to avoid any further problems until you're able to get some in-person assistance.

This can be a problem. As Karma is a young dog I recommend taking her to an obedience training class. As she learns to obey commands that will help. If she's food motivated you can work with her in the yard on a leash and ask her to sit when you see a person or dog coming. When she watches you praise her and give her lots of treats for the good behavior. Offering an appropriate thing to do that you can praise her for is more effective than yelling at her or physical punishment. Also taking her for long walks or playing ball until she's tired will reduce the behavior. I'm sure part of it is from having excess energy which will improve as she ages. I would put her in the yard at times when there is less distraction so this doesn't become a habit. If you need help please talk with a local dog training who can work with you to prevent this behavior. Be patient it takes time to develop a well behaved dog. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Karma.

Your best option is to have a professional trainer come to your home and evaluate her during these situations. They will be able to give you the best advice. Behavior issues are not quick fixes and if you don't know what you are doing you could make the dog worse instead of better. These types of behaviors should be handled by a professional. I don't know where you are located so just do a google search for in-home professional dog trainers (like Bark Busters or Sit Means Sit) or you can probably get a reference from your veterinarian. ( https://sitmeanssit.com/ )

Hello, Dogs tend to vocalize more when they are in their own territory. I would recommend working with distraction exercises with Maggie to help break the cycle of barking. Here are two links that discuss canine behavior and training: https://drsophiayin.com/resources/dog_behavior/#barking|whining https://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup/videos I hope this is helpful!