Fruitycake

If you absolutely have to bring your dog (no sitter), make sure that you talk to the sister before and see IF she would be willing to leave her cat home (or a distant second choice, contained while there). If not, I wouldn't bring my dog and would make other arrangements for my dog or wouldn't go at the same time as the cat. I would think this could really ruin a relationship (either yours and the sister's, or even his and his sister and/or his parents if he's "meh" about the dangers). I wouldn't want to set my pup up for failure or the sister's cat up for injury or death if it thinks your grey is just like a lab that he/she knows and can deal with. I couldn't live with myself if my animal harmed another's even if my friend said "it'll be fine." My dog, my responsibility for anything that he might do. And I don't care if your friend hates his sister's cat, it's her cat and she loves it. If he wants your dog to come, have him schedule a trip WITHOUT his sister's cat. (If you are worried and there is a chance that your dog might hurt another's animal, think of the financial situation here. If your dog hurts the cat and it needs emergency care, I think many here would say "Your dog, your responsibility to pay for it" in other situations like dogs off leash attacking our own. I assert that it is the same thing here. Do you have money to pay for any injuries to the cat, should a worst-case-scenario happen?)

I feel for you - Monty was exactly the same way but also wouldn't pee while on leash. We had a lot of long (2-3 hour long) walks at first. Walking/exercise will help move things along, so the extra long walks eventually would force the issue for him. He also didn't take any treats when outside (was slightly spooky too), so that was even worse. If you can, give him a really great treat - something stinky-good like summer sausage, small chunk-o-cheese, piece of chicken of steak, not dry biscuits - after he finishes outside (if you can manage to get him to not focus on you long enough to do anything!). We never went with a longer leash - we just used the 6' leash and studiously pretended to NOT be there when he'd start preparing to go. Not watch him (except covertly, from the corner of our eye) and were always on the very end of the leash with it loose for him with our arm stretched out and had to be absolutely motionless and silent. Still, the best places to poop at first were on top of bushes. Yes, on it. Made it difficult to pick up (and sometimes dangerous to be near him because of the projectiles!). We had to be pretty hardline about him learning this because we had no fenced yard and it was approaching winter so wanted him to learn before bitter cold temps. I personally wish that all foster-dog-parents would try to get dogs used to pottying on leash when they come in (or at least used to pottying with company) because there are people that will need that at some point. Even those with fences can have issues (visiting others, fence breaks, another issue not allowing them to just use a backyard and off leash). But we worked through it...eventually. Good luck, and I hope it isn't too cold where you are so you can survive long walks!

At our house the marker is our nongrey female. She'll pee at least 4 times around the block: pees immediately after huffing at another dog or if she is barked at from a distance. It can make for very interesting walks if there are lots of dogs out there. (She wasn't well socialized as a pup, so is tense around other dogs.) Monty "flirts" at peeing on things more than he really marks - and hasn't peed inside the house or in a building since the first two weeks we got him. We do keep a sharp eye on him when at pet supply stores though. Move him along before he gets any ideas based on other dogs' bad behaviors!

Boy, she sounds like my Poozle.* Wandering around, fidgeting, whining and getting on my nerves.... I just tell him to go get another Playstation game or go out to see a movie or something and quit being so annoying! (*It's my hubby's nickname, to his chagrin!) In a more serious note, maybe she needs a bit more mental stimulation, as Mariah suggested. Some smart dogs need to figure things out, and while Monty (our grey) isn't that kind of dog, his other-breed "sister" is. She wants to DO, and figuring out things for food is our savior - when we take the time to set up some food puzzles for her (and prevent Monty from figuring it out first - he's more determined when food is involved than she is). We got one of those dispense a treat things for Monty when he first came to our house, and it got shoved, nosed and slapped around the house with his paw for a long time. That's how we did a lot of the meals when he first came to our house, slow dispensing and prevention of the whining. A "find it" game with hidden kibbles, or even a simple "find it" game with different dishes with small amounts of food in them for her to find spread through the house helps her. If you have other people in the house with you, and she responds to you calling her, you can also take a few minutes to play hide and seek (someone holds her and you hide and call until she finds you, then the other person hides and calls until she finds them, repeated a couple times). Allie absolutely LOVES this one.

The Never say never greyhounds link that kennelmom linked out to is a GREAT resource. She shows you stages of training for different things, with different dogs, and at different learning stages. All positive training, so no greyhound freezing because you said "no" or anything, just no reward for it either. If a dog is hungry enough, they'll figure things out pretty darned fast!

I think the best way to get him to extinguish this behavior is to remove all rewards for it. Yes, it is a hassle to not leave dishes in the sink (Believe me I know - we have no dishwasher but me!), food on the counters (even for a minute) but preventing the reward is going to help extinguish it faster than just punishment like a scat mat. If he's hungry or "tough" enough to handle a little zap to get at the goodies, a scat mat won't do diddly (Monty would yelp but still go after food because he is a food hound X 9,000). So even if you do use the mat, keeping goodies away would help your cause even further. Are scatmats rated for use in wet areas? There might be an issue with that too (don't want it in/near the sink if there is a chance of water in the sink/on the counter if it isn't rated for use in wet areas). I really don't know, so do check on this.

Glad the change has worked out for everyone - even with the slight confusion on your boy's part.

Could there have been something that startled or even actively scared him when he was doing his business outside? A noise, a neighbor, a dog 3 houses away, someone dropping a wrench across the street? His behavior sounds like he might be nervous (staring in the house when outside), of course, it could just be a stubborn "let me in!" Our Monty started out hating to to potty while on leash when he came to our house (he'd always been let out in fenced areas and was "shy") and it sometimes took over 2 hours to get him to do something outside. And he is now extremely frightened of fireworks and thunder (even the sound of rain outside makes him quiver). so if he has heard anything like a firecracker within the 7-county metropolitan area, he freezes up and won't go. Until we walk and walk and walk (I was out 2 years ago for over 4 hours one night because he wouldn't/couldn't). He's better than he was then, but still it takes 20 minutes after something that might have been a firecracker or thunderclap for him to relax enough to do anything. Check him for a UTI, then you're going to have to untrain him from peeing in his crate and re-train him to go outside. And that will be some serious work, because if he's been doing this for 3 weeks he's got a lot of habit/history behind messing in his crate to undo. If you can, get a belly band and put it on him when he's in his crate, and always always go out with him and reward for actually doing things outside. Which means always being with him to make sure he does it.

The lack of housebreaking is the lack of housebreaking training by (and of) the owner. To properly housetrain, you need to prevent the opportunity for misbehavior and the reinforcement of that misbehavior (hey, going potty feels really good, you know, and is really rewarding no matter where it happens). The dogs don't know where it is and is not suitable to potty, they need to learn. As for the lack of pottying on lead, it can be trained with lots of work and dedication. It took us about a month before Monty was comfortable enough with us to not try to be on the other side of the universe when he was pottying (very shy about it). We would walk him for hours, sometimes give up and keep him either in his kennel or on leash with us in the house, and then go back outside (yes, even in the deep cold winter we spent a lot of time outside with him). If the dogs are spooky or shy about elimination, the "celebration" after elimination may have to be a very subtle one (quiet "good boy/girl" and the best, stinkiest treats possible). Monty wouldn't take treats outside for nearly a year after we got him no matter what they were (he was spooky). If there is a backyard, he is going to NEED to go out with them and watch to make sure something is being done. This would also help alleviate the shyness to a little extent. Even if he has to pretend to not be looking anywhere near the dogs as they eliminate (which, again, we had to do with Monty - watching from the corner of our eye to see that things are being done as we didn't even dare MOVE because he'd stop). I know that sounds like a lot of work, but it's better than having a house full of mess, isn't it? Even if you live in the northland and have temps in the negative digits Fahrenheit in the winter, if he wants his house not to be a doggie bathroom, he's going to have to do this now. And take the discomfort that comes with it, unfortunately.

The best option here might beto purchase an X-pen and put it around the dog bed. Leave the door open, but the barrier could prevent a crawling or toddling baby from even getting close to the dog's space. Sure, it's ugly as heck and blocks off space for you, but the safety of all involved is important here. The dog has a right to not have some little human crawling on her or getting in her face when she's trying to relax, and your child has the right to be safe. Densenitizing by giving the dog treats when the child is nearby is also good, but protection is absolutely the first order of the day. I don't think an behaviorist is really called for - the dog (as was mentioned above) was merely telling the child to stay away and politely doing so at that!

Maybe you could start him with an even milder approach, like walking to the freezer and reaching for it and tossing him a treat without opening it. And when he doesn't get all wary at that, touch it and treat, then pretend like you're going to open it (make the gesture without actually pulling on it - however you usually pull on the door), and then get the absolute GREATEST snacks in the universe and a hungry dog and just pull on it a little bit and drop the treat. Our freezer squeaks a little before the seal pops, so I'd do it to just a little bit of flex and the barest of squeaks and treat. Good luck!

I walk with two dogs (and have done three) and carry both leashes in the left hand (I am right handed). They do eventually learn which side is theirs and mostly stick to them unless one found a great sniffing spot. I also carry the used poop bags in that hand (unless an poop is imminent for Monty then it is in my empty right hand - his I catch because it can be "unpickupable" and we walk in the neighborhood). My right hand is free to grab either leash and steer or encourage movement or to grab "sniffle tissues" as needed.

Monty wouldn't go pee with a raincoat on for the world. He also hates the rain (it is a torture that I have created specifically to abuse him). I've gone on many long walks and gotten completely soaked because he wouldn't go and wouldn't go and wouldn't go.... He still doesn't understand the go pee command, but our nonogrey Allie is an expert at the "boulevard" command and will pee immediately on going outside and anytime you ask her to "boulevard."

I won't repeat anything here, but have to say that I would have been feeling much the same way as she was and I'd have probably growled too (busy days, chaotic schedules, lots of people = just too much for me and I want everything to just go back to normal!). She may be absolutely bombproof in less intensely stressful situations but she'd had enough and told you so. Glad you got a vocal warning instead of a physical rebuff from her!

Awesome! Thanks!

Allie just started doing this about 2 months ago. We've had her nearly 2.5 years. I wonder why the sudden change of behavior for her..... She has always had to pee immediately after seeing another dog or having been barked at by one, so maybe she's just upping the ante to "ALLIE, QUEEN DOG OF THE UNIVERSE WAS HERE" (it happens whether or not there's another dog).

We also have a whiner, but I found that if you actually laugh at him he looks embarassed and goes and lies down. (The reason I discovered this is because he looked so funny, with his nose rising and dropping with every whine when he'd whine with his mouth shut that I thought it was adorable and funny as all get0-out. So I laughed. And he got this totally affronted look on his face, and after trying a few more times would go off in a huff and lie down on his bed with a huge melodramatic sigh "they don't understand me." It also worked for his puppy bark after his seizures, same look and reaction.)

Contact the group immediately and switch him out for another (if possible, otherwise just find him another foster home). It sounds like he's a "little-white-fluffy-zapper" and a danger to the little one.

Mostly the same as the above: use the name of one dog and the command and encourage the other to ignore the command word. It took a while (Allie, nongrey, frequently would jump when Monty was given the OK, now it's the other way around and she usually has to be told twice - with her name the second time if it is a general OK release), and for some things they just have different commands completely. When we are on walks and I want Allie to move from where her nose is stuck, for example, it's "All right" and when I want Monty to move it's "Too slow" and when I want them in front of me for Allie it's "Lead on" and for Monty it's "Step up." Either approach works.

Seconding the possibility of changing the door to whatever your "cat room" is to a door you don't mind having cut a hole into for a cat passage. We have old, really nice wood doors in our house, but a cheap hollow core door from Home Depot/Menards/Lowes/building supply store of your choice, could be a savior for your sanity. Close it when you aren't going through it, and the cats can make it through their own passage. And since it's a scrubby door to begin with, dog scratches wouldn't be such a big deal either. That said, feeding cats meals would give you a better ability to see how *they* are doing. If anyone goes off their feed for some reason, or has difficulties with chewing or something. Going off food can be a serious issue (some cats can have severe reactions after 24 hours of no food, so missed meal can be a huge warning sign for you!).

I don't think the dog walker is so much a "professional" in an expert way, more of a "person being paid in the job" kind of professional. I highly doubt this person has taken extensive dog training or dog behavior courses, and just likes dogs and is making a job out of it. I'd change dog walkers. He was antagonizing her intentionally to get her up. The growl to snarl progression indicates that she really doesn't like him, and I wouldn't either. And if she tries to bite him because the growl to snarl hasn't worked, there's a chance that someone else doing something completely innocent that *looks* like what he's doing may get bitten. A visitor who looks or moves like him steps too close to the bed could get the same reaction, only since she might not be muzzled she may make contact. He's training her to try to protect her space, and it isn't working for her and making her work harder. She's going to think she needs to up the ante, and the muzzle is merely a band aid instead of healing the wound he's created. And he continues to increase the wound if he continues the behavior.

I agree with the vast majority of people here. At least to start, training goes really slowly because she's not just learning the trick you're teaching her, but learning how to learn. With those that do clicker training where they capture things, the above post about watching the dog try to figure out what will work to get another treat is right on the money. It is fascinating to see the wrinkle between the brows when they're trying to figure out why you don't just give them the treat already (and with Monty, look around at the floor to see if you dropped it on the sly and he missed it). When they realize they're getting stuff because of something they are doing, they really try to figure out what "that darn human" wants and will start offering you behaviors. I really like the "capture a behavior" type of training, at least to start, because it's easier than trying to force a behavior you want somehow. Also, if your dog is only marginally food motivated, definitely reduce the amount of food before training time. Delay breakfast or dinner until after and have them hungrier to give a little more incentive to work with you.

A good video about working with dogs to get them used to nail trimming is on Dr. Sophia Yin's website: Dog Nail Trim: training a dog to enjoy toenail trims

Is there a noise you make to get her attention that doesn't freak her out? Maybe you could substitute that instead (I use "hey" in a conversational tone of voice, which gets a look up at me - which stops the behavior and that's what I want). I usually follow that with a "please don't do that" and a shake of the head [as if he knows what I'm saying], then I redirect. Just get attention then redirect: maybe give her something to chew or bring her to her bed and give her a treat there or something. I do sympathize, Monty isn't quite that bad, but I know he's a "delicate flower" and so DH and I use the above kind of approach. My Mom and Sister walked him one day when I was at work and he started eating grass and they both said "no" and that night they asked me if he wasn't feeling well - not because of the grass but because he pouted/dragged behind them the whole walk, and looked like they'd beaten him. I explained and they rolled their eyes (and realized that our joking about the "delicate flower" was true!).

Wow, talk about not what the Dr ordered. A shepherd/husky cross is going to be huge, energetic, intelligent, shedding and as a puppy will need a lot of training. At least with so many people looking after her she'll get lots of people socialization. I hope the match works for him!