My 7 year old dog has lost his mind. He wants in and out every 10 minutes. He keeps trying to show dominance to anyone who enters are home. He has started barking at everything. He has become hard headed about listening.
We have tried several things to get him to stop this behavior. We don't let him show dominance and stop it as soon as he starts. We hold tight until he listens when we tell him to sit or stay or whatever. But I am at a loss on the going outside 50 times between when we get home and when we go to bed. All he does is bark...but if we don't let him out he freaks out.
Without seeing the dog's actual behavior in person, it's tough to tell, but you have a couple things to check:
1) the constant in/out ... is it because the dog needs the "bathroom"? Is he drinking a lot of water? Consider a visit to the vet to a checkup including bloodwork.
2) the barking and dominance ... often a sign of anxiety or reaction to change... did you get a new pet, kid, person, etc. in the house? Is there a new dog in the neighborhood?
What kind of dog (not that it matters, just curious). Is he fixed? Do you have a new neighbor with a dog/cat/etc?
And, as imno said, if he's peeing every time he goes out then he needs to see a vet ASAP. My guess is that there's a new interest outside. As far as barking at all visitors, that could also be related, as imno said, to changes to the neighbors, etc. Too many factors missing to be able to give a good diagnosis.
Two words....Shock Collar.
Amazing reminder that you are in charge and the Alpha without inflicting injury. Yep...it stings a little but works great.
I did it on myself before I ever applied it to the dog. I got it at PetSmart and it has adjustable power settings for all size canines.
This one is easy.
1. Open the front door.
2. Watch Fido run out the door.
3. Close the door and go back to your couch.
4. Three days later you hear scratching at the front door.
5. Open the door and let remorseful (and hungry) Fido back inside.
6. After a good hearty meal, pet Fido.
7. Enjoy Fido's new positive attitude.
I'd check very diligently for signs of an attempted break-in at your home. Suspect mistreatment of your dog by a new neighbor or someone/thing new your dog now comes in contact with on a frequent basis. Check him for any injuries, no matter how visible or slight. Watch his attitude/actions around those he gives particular notice to. It sounds very much like your dog has come in contact with a perceived threat that has not gone away. He might have had a very close call or physical contact with a new automobile in the area, also.Originally Posted by AlexCross
He will remain "hard-headed" until the threat is gone or neutralized.
There just might be a new "babe" in the neighborhood, also.:target
ChiefB
It's the same in all wars, the very young and adventurous give up their lives for the old and cautious, and so the bluecollar for the privileged, the uneducated for the student, the poor for the well off, the patriot for the politician, and the few for the many.
TC6, C5
Not sure what the issue is. He is better now. We had a skunk in the yard awhile ago and he refused to go out there. Then all of the sudden he was back out there. We haven't had anyone new around and he is never outside when we aren't home. I took him to the vet for a checkup and all was good.
My kids would freak out big time. That is their dog and protector. Not to mention I could open the front door and he would sit there and wait for me to put his collar on. The only time he took off was when the kids were out bike riding and I didn't latch the screen door. He took off after his kids and ran the block with them until they came back home.
Glad to hear the vet gave him a clean bill of health, as I was going to suggest having his hearing/eyes checked in addition to ruling out a UTI or some other systemic problem. But, it sounds like maybe the skunk set him off--perceived threat to the family(didn't see if you ever mentioned what kind of dog he is), which would also explain wanting out every 5 minutes to mark his territory.
And someone mentioned shock collar--last resort for training issues! There are spray collars that work by remote and include tones/vibration to be used for correction that are very effective if used properly. Our terrier mix was a barker when we left him at home--shock collar, which was originally recommended to us when other training did not help, led to more barking; spray collar for less than a day--quiet dog.
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