Corn beef Jack

Caroline called me some time ago to discuss her little jack russell cross named Jack.

Jack is completely deaf so conventional training techniques have little or no effect. Jack was showing aggression towards young children and appeared to be capable of inflicting serious damage.

The big issue with this little terror was that his behaviour was intermittent and unpredictable. Jack would get himself upset at the sight of strangers or young kids and go out his way to target them.

I had initially advised hand signals and target stick training for Jack but I had not seen him personally at this point and to be fair Caroline had already trained him to hand signals and had completed the good citizen bronze award scheme.

A few weeks later I got another call to say Jack had attempted to have a go at a young child. I agreed to see Jack at the "Bark in the Park" day in Lochgelly. I met Caroline in the park and Jack appeared to be fine. I walked him across the field and waited for him to pull or go in front of me. As soon as he stepped in front of me I turned and watched him. As soon as he offered me the behaviour I was after I rewarded him and tapped my foot to give him a marker (a marker is a positive acknowledgement).

As he trusted me more and I moved closer until I had totally desensitized him to the ball.

I repeated this a few times to let him understand what I was looking for. I then asked Caroline to bounce a ball.(In the past Jack had turned aggressive when he saw a large football) I leaned to him and comforted him. This sounds a bit freaky but I sent him pictures of me protecting him against the ball by thinking what the picture would look like of me standing between him and the ball. This is the part that I do that most other trainers do not do. I do this a lot and it's my way of assuring him at HIS level that I'm his protector and pack leader. As soon as I seen the signs of him offering trust I moved closer to Caroline. I repeated the reward and the soft hands to comfort him. As he trusted me more and I moved closer again until I had totally desensitized him to the ball. I had offered him leadership and protection and I had lived up to my contract and protected him for this big ball getting bounced about.

Jack is a tiny dog in a huge world full of frightening things and he just has no confidence in the handling or signals he has received so he feels he has to stick up for himself.

My advice at that time was :

• Walk him for 5 - 10 minutes 2 or 3 times a day alone on a lead.
  
• Do not allow him to walk in front of you. (make sure you reward him when he offers you behaviour.)
  
• Reward him for turning with you and keeping pace with you.
  
• Make him wait for you to go through gates and doors before him and reward him.
  
• Don’t allow him to interrogate visitors.
  
• Make him wait in his bed or place until the visitor is seated before he is allowed in the room.
  
• Reward him for waiting in his bed.
  
• Do not allow him to charge around the garden and bark.

I agreed to visit Caroline and see what was going on around the house. Jack gets possessive about things in the house and takes great pleasure in stealing an article, e.g. a clothes peg, hiding under the table and not giving it back. My solution was simple. Every time he steals something walk away from him. reward him when he comes to see you, pick him up and pick up the object he's stolen. Job done - no hassle, frustration or bad tempers.

Jack likes to get out to the garden and tear round about it barking furiously. My advice is to make him wait by blocking his entry to the garden and give him a hand signal to release him. Allow him to run in the garden but keep a long line on him so control is maintained at all times and reward him for coming when instructed.

I walked out with Caroline and Jack. Jack passes a fence where another dog lives and he usually gets all uptight and aggressive. I walked to the fence and started treating him each time he turned away from the fence and looked at me. He was totally desensitized to the "danger" behind the fence within a few minutes.

We returned home and Caroline brought a large toy that Jack had gone berserk at previously into the living room.

Jack's thieving and possessive behaviour is occurring simply because it is being permitted to happen.

I placed the toy on the floor and stood between Jack and the toy. I looked for the "see me" behaviour and treated. Jack is food orientated so I was able to desensitize him to the toy very quickly.

My observations indicate that Jack's thieving and possessive behaviour is occurring simply because it is being permitted to happen. Jack’s aggression is a by product of him being allowed to dominate in the house. Jacks aggression outdoors is a result of him being allowed to dominate indoors. This is a classic example of the dog assuming a high position on the pack and feeling he has no option but to defend his territory.

The difference with this case is that Jack’s dominance is not clearly visible at first glance because he is not displaying the usual dominant signs like jumping on coaches, protecting food etc. However he is constantly creating and winning battles and taking part in acts of defiance.

Jack's aggression needs to be addressed by controlling undesirable behaviours while building confidence and protection. Simple aversion techniques coupled with consistent handling will provide good results.

I'm always biased towards dogs but I don’t think this wee guy is bad. If anything he is clever and cunning and needs good, strong, solid leadership.

I’ve a feeling I’m not finished with this little fella yet.