How to stop dog attacking door...

Folks, I'm at wits end.

I have a 15 month old Sheltie that insists on attacking the door
whenever anybody leaves. It doesn't matter what door, as long as the
door leads outside. I've tried treating him for good behaviour,

Human_And_Animal_Behavior_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

"Despite Skinner's clear denunciation of "negative
reinforcement" (1958) NEARLY EVER LEARNING THEORY
model involves the USE OF PUNISHMENT. Of curse,
Skinner has never to my knowledge, demonstrated
HOWE we escape the phenomenon that an expected
reward not received is experienced as a punishment
and can produce extensive and persistent aggression
(Azrin et al, 1966)."

crating him for a minute before and after somebody leaves, holding him,

Human_And_Animal_Behavior_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

THAT INCREASES anXXXIHOWESNESS <{); ~ ) >

etc. Nothing seems to work.

Human_And_Animal_Behavior_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

Not so. EVERYTHING WORKS PRECISELY AS STATED.

Janet B...

So he's doing this even when someone's home with him?

Human_And_Animal_Behavior_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

IMAGINE?

I've had a lot of sheltie clients with rather neurotic behaivior. As

Human_And_Animal_Behavior_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

INDEED?

From: "George von Hilsheimer, Ph.D." To: Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2005 5:38 PM
Subject: Doggy advice

Scott, Jerry Howe forwarded me the letter below.
I'm glad that you referred negatively to Jerry's
habit of CAPITALIZING and HOWEING everything.

I personally hate this habit of his. I think it is his
way of diluting his authority - IME he is a very modest
fellow. However, contrary to your sneer, he is very
competent at living with dogs.

I thought I'd list a series of actions which I found
on the list, folk asking advice on what to do about
dogs doing this and that, for example:

whining,
humping, hunching,
pacing,
self mutilation - paw licking, side sucking,
spinning,
prolonged barking, barking at shadows,
overstimulated barking,
fighting, bullying other dogs,
compulsive digging,
compulsive scratching,
compulsive chewing,
frantic behavior,
chasing light, chasing shadow,
stealing food,
digging in garbage can,
loosing house (toilet) training.
inappropriate fearfulness
aggression.

The thing that is fascinating to me, as an ethologist who
graduated from college 50 years ago and has spent all of
the intervening time working with animals (including the
human animal), is that you never see any of these behaviors
in wild dingoes, jackals, coyotes or wolves, you don't even
see these behaviors in hyenas (who aren't dog related).

You see these behaviors in human managed animals, especially
animals who live with neurotic hysterical humans.

As Sam Corson (Pavlov's last student) demonstrated for
nearly 50 years at Ohio University (Oxford, O.) there
is no treatment more useful for dogs than tender loving
care.

George von Hilsheimer, Ph. D., F. R. S. H., Diplomate,
Academy of Behavioral Medicine

Human_And_Animal_Behavior_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

Sam Corson, Pavlov's Last Student Demonstrated At
UofOH Oxford, That Rehabilitation Of Hyperactive
Dogs Can Easily And Readily Be Done Using TLC.
Tender Loving Care Is At The Root Of The Scientific
Management Of Doggys. <{) ; ~ ) >

always, this just isn't a case of "do this and it will stop that". BIG

Human_And_Animal_Behavior_Forensic_Sciences_Research_Laboratory...

Well YES IT IS, janet. You can EXXXTINGUISH this behavior
NEARLY INSTANTLY simply by DOIN EVERYTHING EXXXACTLY
PRECISELY OPPOSITE of HOWE you recommend <{) ; ~ ) >

LIKE THIS:

Until i read the Jerry method of Bark reductioon,
it went something like this with our 11 month old
puppy "Yoshi"

Yoshi: Bark, bark,

us: HUSH Youshi

Yoshi Bark, bark......................

us: Hush Youshi

Yoshi BARK, BARK, BARK, .................
it stopped when Yoshi got tired barking

We decided to try the Jerry method:

Yoshi: BARK, BARK

US: GOOD Yoshi, Good Boy, who is it?

Yoshi Bark, Bark

US: It's ok, good boy Yoshi, We know them.

Yosh without fail, now stops after we say that.

I must say, it is so much more fun, when we
can praise him, to deal with things like this.

Thanks Jerry

ps: We are just starting to go thru the Jerry
Papers, and learn how to live with our son
"Yoshi", whom we love very much.

picture. Dog needs more structure, more exercise, more training. When
he gets that, if he still has the problem, come back. If he has a
recall, it need to work even if he's attacking the door. If he
doesn't respond, he needs more training. Tools may vary but training
is the answer. Why not hire a trainer to come to the house and help
you with this?

Can somebody please give me an idea of how to correct this behaviour?

Thanks very much in advance.