Franklyn is alone all day, and when his humans come home he wants FUN.
They on the other hand, after a long day at work, want to RELAX in front of the TV.
Little Franklyn is a cross between a Pug and a King Charles Spaniel, and he is fifteen months old – and no, he’s not a wine-drinker! I gave him a tiny plastic wine bottle with food in it that I had saved especially to keep a dog like Franklyn occupied.
Interaction gained by causing trouble
He is given a short walk in the morning and another when they get home, but other interaction is mostly generated by Franklyn’s causing trouble! He flies all over them, he nicks things and he barks.
He is very reactive to any small sound he hears, but particularly wound up by the TV. He barks at TV constantly, rushing at it. As the evening wears on he builds up a head of steam, digging in the sofa and getting more and more out of control. Until, having lost all patience with him, they shut him away.
His barking at TV is driving them particularly mad.
They have bought him lots of games and toys to play with, but doing things by himself isn’t what he needs. Franklyn needs human interaction. It is, after all, what he has been bred for.
Barking at TV
The barking at the TV is getting worse as it will – he is getting so much practice. As they also watch TV in bed before going to sleep, the process continues even at bedtime as the little dog becomes more and more aroused.
Consequently, while they are asleep he isn’t. He has some unwinding to do. In the morning all his chews and toys have ended up on their bed.
Healthy stimulation
This little dog isn’t getting nearly enough healthy stimulation and one-to-one attention but under the young couple’s own terms.
When he barks at TV they will now deal with it like the dog is fearful of what he sees – desensitising him. So he doesn’t get too aroused, they will regularly give him (and themselves) short breaks by popping him into the kitchen where he seems happy before bringing him out again and continuing the work.
They have agreed not to watch TV in bed any more.They will arrange for someone to pop in and give him some company in the middle of the day.
We have also drawn up a list of short activities with which they can punctuate Franklyn’s evenings.
Understanding how to use positive methods
The confrontational and controlling methods as used by a certain well know TV trainer are merely teaching Franklyn defiance and inciting aggression, so will be dropped. These are methods that appeal to people when they feel they are losing control – but the results are short-lived and using force of any kind amounts to bullying. Totally unnecessary and counter-productive when, by understanding how to use positive methods you ultimately end up with a cooperative, happy and calmer dog.
Feedback: As I write this just one day has passed and I have received this message: ‘It’s amazing how quickly he is responding now. My house feels calmer already’.
