3-year-old female Labrador/Louisiana Catahoula mixed-breed that is very sensitive by nature.
Our family has a 3-year-old female Labrador/Louisiana Catahoula mixed-breed that is very sensitive by nature. When we are walking or out and about she has a tendency to become very unresponsive to the usual commands. This usually is brought on by another dog, a rabbit, deer, etc. If I get too firm with her she cowers very dramatically. Even when I approach her later, she still is very timid and very aloof. On occasion she even has urinated on the floor. There is no correlation between me chastising her and her bizarre behavior. I am always the heavy and my wife coddles the dog. Even when she tries to discipline the dog the event turns into a coddle fest. She cannot be firm with the dog. Has this disparity between our treatment of Pepper led to an unbridgeable rift?
Just the other day I got up and went to get some coffee. After sleeping by our bedside as usual, Pepper came slinking out of the room as if she had been cowed or even beaten. I tried to reassure her but to no avail. These are only a few examples. She inexplicably will quit playing with me or my wife and that’s that, no more play. I say we shouldn’t encourage these behaviors; what do you think? Is our dog broken, or am I just a terrible pet owner?
A terrible pet owner wouldn’t be asking what I think! However, you are making some mistakes in handling and trying to educate your dog. Misbehavior and excitement when encountering other animals are normal and justified responses. Why shouldn’t a dog be excited when it sees things that interest it? If you want to reduce her excitability in these instances, it can be accomplished without harsh discipline or punishment. This will require you and your wife to get involved with Pepper in an obedience class that will teach you how to use positive reinforcement to modify your dog’s behavior and change her mind about certain situations.
Contrary to your statement: "There is no correlation between me chastising her and her bizarre behavior," your "chastising" has resulted or largely contributed to your dog’s profound loss of confidence! She has developed many submissive behaviors in an attempt to defend herself from you, which means she perceives herself to be at risk. I’m sure your conflict with your wife regarding training methods doesn’t help; Pepper is even more confused by your conflicting responses to her behaviors. If you argue about this while tending to the dog, she will be aware of being the focus of negative attention and emotion. And although "coddling" at the wrong times (praising and petting during misbehavior) actually will reinforce the dog to misbehave even more, well-timed genuine affection is something everyone can use more of! So, I suggest you do a little coddling of both your wife and your dog to make up and be sure everyone is still friends, and then dial up some local training schools. Just be sure to enroll in a school that teaches using logic and principles of canine learning rather than punishment or over permissiveness. I hope you take my suggestions as positive, as intended, rather than as chastisement!
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