This is separation anxiety. Check out the free webinar, you’ll love it!
The Reactivity Webinar happens weekly on Wednesday and Sunday at 3pm EST (USA time). The link for the webinar is here, and you can choose this week or the following week: http://theonlinedogtrainer.com/reactivity-webinar/
If you register, you’ll get the recording via email after the webinar

That’s not a good way for any of you to be living. Check out the free webinar. It’s a great place to start helping them. The Reactivity Webinar happens weekly on Wednesday and Sunday at 3pm EST (USA time). The link for the webinar is here, and you can choose this week or the following week: https://my.demio.com/ref/83RZTzAOfmGB8W6e
If you register, you’ll get the recording via email after the webinar

Head to my website http://theonlinedogtrainer.com. The Dog Calming Code course will be perfect for you

Hi Paul,
It’s important to look at the scenario to see why your dog may be reacting. For example, is your BF son invading your dog’s space (going up to her) to try to interact? If so then it’s better that he only invited her to him if he wants to say ‘hi’ to her. Some dogs can be quite unsure about children, and it removes a lot of the stress if the dog realises that those children will respect their personal space. My website TheOnlineDogTrainer.com shows you very clearly how to achieve harmony between the two, maybe take a quick look. All the Best, Doggy Dan

Hi Debbie,
Dogs with nervous personalities can feel really unsettled and overwhelmed in the world outside their home. The first thing that will really help your dog’s confidence grow will be that she starts to understand that you are the one she can trust to keep her safe….which at the moment she is not completely sure is true. My Dog Calming Code (DCC) is designed to teach owners how to show their dogs that they can trust their human to keep them safe. When your dog starts to trust you then she will feel more comfortable in unpredictable situations….but you will also need to help transition her into those spaces in a way that respects how she is feeling. Time & patience is the key here! All the Best, Doggy Dan

Hi Allie,
If you have a guest come over then it’s a great strategy to have your dog on-leash if you are worried their excitement may be too high. It’s still important that your guest (and you) avoid interacting with your dog until they have calmed down completely. If you feel you need to give them a Time-Out then you can easily do that with your dog on-leash. Hope that answers your question…All the Best, Doggy Dan

Hi Linda.
It’s really common for a dog’s behaviour to change when they reach sexual maturity. They suddenly feel like they have a lot more responsibility and this can cause them to become overwhelmed and prone to over-reacting. Unfortunately spaying/neutering is not the cure-all solution that everyone believes that it is, in terms of addressing behavioural issues. The most effective way to solve behavioural issues for the long-term is to address the actual cause of that sense of responsibility…..but in a way that is relevant & makes sense to your dog! My website TheOnlineDogTrainer.com shows you very clearly how to achieve this…maybe take a quick look! All the Best, Doggy Dan

Thank you… it was great, I learned a lot, but would benefit from hearing them a second time.

Eileen Linfield

Hi Andrew, when it comes to this type of behaviour supervision is key when dogs and children are together. Some dogs can find young children really unsettling as they find children to be unpredictable, they make strange noises, have higher energy levels to adults. No matter how well behaved a dog is I always teach children to not approach a dog when they are eating/sleeping/resting, and if the child is too young to understand, or I cannot supervise them, then I separate the dog from the child. It’s important that dogs feel they have a safe space where they can rest & eat in peace, and that interactions are also respectful. I do think there comes point where safety has to be paramount and if a dog is struggling with young children in the family then that needs to be a high priority. All the Best, Doggy Dan

Hi Lyndsey,
It’s not clear from your comment how this aggression unfolds exactly. For example is your husband trying to interact with your dog prior to leaving the house, or is he just leaving and your dog approaches him aggressively. One things some dogs can do when they feel a sense of responsibility for their family, is try to control when they leave the house in an attempt to keep them safe. Your dog may feel that the outside world is a dangerous place and that your husband would be safer if he stayed at home……hence she is trying to prevent him from leaving.
This is a behaviour that I can help you with, and my membership website TheOnlineDogTrainer.com will show you exactly how to do that…..maybe take a quick look! All the Best, Doggy Dan

Hi CJ….when there is confusion around leadership it can lead to dogs that live in the same household fighting, particularly if they are the same sex. In a canine pack/family there is only one male leader and it is common for them to be challenged for that position at times of change or when younger dogs mature. So this certainly explains the cause of your dog’s aggression towards his new packmate. The key to calming everything down is to show both dogs that they have nothing to fight for because the leadership role is filled by you….doing that is not as complicated as it sounds and it can be done in a very calm and effective way. My website TheOnlineDogTrainer.com shows you very clearly how to achieve this…maybe take a quick look…we have a great trial offer on at the moment…all the best Doggy Dan

Hi Robyn…..one thing we often forget to factor into a dog’s behaviour is their personality. Like humans, dogs have their own unique personality and that is a big factor when it comes to behaviour. I’m not sure how long he’s been in your home but a lot of the behaviours you mention are common ways that a dog will try to work out where they fit in their new pack/family and what their role might be. The good news is you can turn this all around by giving him the right information when he starts to misbehave. I have written a Blog about dogs who jump up and how to respond but My website TheOnlineDogTrainer.com shows covers this issue in more detail…maybe take a quick look…we have a great trial offer on at the moment…all the best Doggy Dan

Hi Rosa….this is actually a really common thing for puppies to experience, in fact it’s often known as their ‘withing hour’! Sometimes puppies can become over tired/stimulated and this can lead to bratty behaviour. For this reason I encourage owners to make sure their puppies are getting enough sleep/rest during the day……so trying to tire a puppy out with too much play can be counterproductive. If your puppy is going through an episode then try placing her in her crate/pen to chill out for a bit. She may initially protest so it’s ok to give her a chew/toy to encourage some calmer time. Hope that helps! All the Best, Doggy Dan

Hi Rosa….Generally my advice for puppies who cry when put to bed is not to go to them. This may sound like a horrible thing to do but if a puppy realises that crying gains attention then they will continue to do it. make sure your puppy has a warm, safe place to sleep and somewhere to toilet and then ignore her cries. When she realises that crying will no longer see you come to her then she will be less inclined to do it. I will say though, if your puppy is crying beacuse they need to go to the toilet then you can respond to this, just limit your interaction with them as much as possible.
If your puppy is really anxious and panicked then there is another option. I’m not sure if your puppy is crate trained but you could try moving her crate into your bedroom and when she is a little more settled sleeping in there you can gradually move her out of your room to the location you would prefer her to sleep. I usually recommend this as a bit of a circuit breaker, where a puppy is so triggered by sleeping in another room that they totally freak out. We allow them to sleep in the crate in their owner’s room just so they feel more calm and at ease.
The Perfect Puppy Program on my membership website TheOnlineDogTrainer.com covers this issue in far more detail, maybe take a look! I have also written a Blog about this behaviour. All the Best, Doggy Dan