Ask Ashley: Great Plains SPCA

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My dog, Remus, is constantly barking at delivery people. His hackles go up, he has a vicious bark, and will not stop, no matter how I try to calm him. He is normally very sweet and friendly with people he knows. I have tried taking him outside on a leash when a delivery person is present, but he reacts the same each time, even if he has seen the person several times and they give him treats. How do I get my sweet boy to stop being so reactive to new people both inside and outside our home? – Kevin McCoy

It sounds like Remus has a combination of fear aggression and possibly territorial aggression. These behaviors are not abnormal but can be difficult for owners to work with. This behavior is easy to reinforce because dogs bark at the delivery person, the delivery person leaves once they drop off the package, and the dog believes the person left because of the barking. Dogs repeat this behavior thinking that the barking is scaring people off and often the barking becomes more severe over time. I recommend redirecting Remus’ behavior with high value treats by asking him to sit, and rewarding whenever Remus gives the attention to you. If Remus is over his threshold, meaning you cannot break his attention, you should practice at a further distance away. You can ask neighbors to practice this at different distances from your house so you can practice without him going over threshold. You can also teach Remus the “place” command which involves teaching him to go to his “place” when visitors and mail carriers come to the home. – Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

Why does my cat bite me? – Rebecca Griffiths 

In most cases, cats bite when they are trying to communicate something to you such as not enjoying the interaction, they are having with you or becoming overly stimulated due to the interaction. To make it more complicated, there are love bites. Love bites are when a cat is licking and will gradually begin to nip. This is mimicked from their mothers when they are kittens. These bites normally do not draw blood. There are different kinds of biting and understanding what type your cat is doing is key to curbing unwanted mouthiness behavior from your feline. – Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

Our dog, Holly, barks to ask to go outside, but often, she vocalizes excessively. What would you recommend for curbing the extra vocalizations? – Jennifer Prentice

This will sound counterintuitive, but for this behavior I recommend teaching Holly the “speak” command. When you teach a dog the “speak” command, you also teach her the “quiet” command in the process. Use the “quiet” command when you need her to be quiet and use the “speak” command during play. – Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

Great Plains SPCA is an independent 501(c)(3) no-kill shelter serving approximately 6,000 animals annually in the Johnson County community. As Kansas City’s premium family shelter, we continue to support the seven municipalities with which we are contracted including Overland Park, Leawood, Lenexa, Shawnee, Lake Quivira and Johnson County Parks and Recreation and unincorporated Johnson County.

5424 Antioch Drive Merriam, KS 66202 | (913) 831-7722

www.greatplainsspca.org