# Losing control



## mimismom (Feb 15, 2009)

I thought I was making progress with Mimi and my commands, but I have found out recently I have no control... and Am about to lose it!

She is normally good. Has been excellent with potty lately and is trustworthy at night. 

A couple of weeks ago, we had some friends move in and they brought along their two cats... They are in the backyard primarily. When it is time to take Mimi out to potty, she goes crazy barking at the cats. She does not come or go potty until she can no longer hold it anymore. As it seems, she does not do this with our roommates. They take her out while they are home during the day and they tell me she is fine and leaves those cats alone!! 

I don't know what appropriate action to take. I guess she knows who lets her get away with this, but I have to gain control at some point and get her to stop and come to me. 

Any advice?


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## BeverlyA (Oct 29, 2006)

Is there any chance your room mates are just telling you that she's "fine" during the day?
It's just a thought but maybe they don't want to tell you that adorable Mimi is barking at their cats and won't pee!

Beverly


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## DAJsMom (Oct 27, 2006)

Have you tried taking her out on a leash so you have control over her and can work with her until she gets over her obsession with the cats?


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

Maybe take her on the leash and lure her with treats? Anything you can do to keep her focused on you.


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## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

Will she pee while on a walk somewhere she can't see the cats ? Maybe then she'll calm down some. My dog woud do the same thing-she goes crazy over anything that moves in the yard.

If that doesn't work, you must send her to me.


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## mimismom (Feb 15, 2009)

I am going to try the leash. I thought about it yesterday when I took her out and she would not go... 

They did take pictures on Tuesday to prove that she just looks at the cats or lays down with them. She would not come out of the crate with them today, so they didn't take her out. We hope she is just adjusting to having constant visitors. 

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll let you know how this continues.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Don't give up! A tired pup is a good pup! So exercise them when they are driving you crazy! Pups train easier when they are tired too!

Dexter sometimes drives us crazy at night...we have to tire him out sometimes by running.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Elizabeth, how are things with Mimi and the visitors now?


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## mimismom (Feb 15, 2009)

I will be walking her in the mornings and afternoons from now on!! I've been doing afternoons based on the weather and timing.

It's been going ...okay... Mimi now likes to play with the cats instead of bark at them, although they don't seem happy about it. When I see that they are getting aggressive with her or vice versa, I pull her away. Its easier now because the cats hang out closer to the patio area instead of behind the trees near the fence like they used to so it was hard to reach her. She is listening more to me when I take her out, so it seems like we are making progress. I have began to implement sit before I open the door and let her out. 

Now.... for the current issues; she will not come out of her crate during the day with my roommates for a potty break. She would not come out of her crate with either of them a few times they tried about a week ago, so they stopped taking her out. She is in her crate while I am at work... Seeing how she has been good with potty training, I am considering giving her run of my bedroom while I am away. But we'll have to see. She is really good about holding it and I take her out several times in the evening, before bed time, and in the morning first thing! She wakes up to the alarm and starts licking me to let me know she's got to go! No snooze for me~

She is barking at my roommates when they enter the living room so I began trying to "quiet" with a treat, to see if positive reinforcement or redirecting her attention will work. I'll give an update in a week to see how she is adjusting. 

Thanks for asking! And sorry for the long post, but everyone always offers suggestions so it helps to just lay everything out there!

She looks so cute when she tries playing with the cats that IWAH!! too bad DH won't agree to it now.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Thanks Elizabeth! Hang in there! Keeping up with the training on a daily basis.


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## marb42 (Oct 19, 2008)

Elizabeth, I would have your roommates do training sessions where they repeatedly enter the living room and you treat her when she's quiet (say no when she barks). Try this several times per day, and hopefully within a few weeks, you'll see a better habit form. Once she seems to do better during the training sessions, move to a more random training schedule and keep the treats with you for whenever they happen to enter the room. Good luck!
Gina


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Your plan certainly sounds great. I'm sure you can train Mimi nicely. Let us know!


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## mimismom (Feb 15, 2009)

*NO LUCK!*

Well, it's been a while since I wrote an update...

The problem with my roommates continues and she acts almost like a completely different dog around them. She is on attack anytime either of them walk into the room.

She is sweet as can be with other people and is approachable even with kids (I do keep a close eye on her.)

DH and I are not on the same page as to how to train her. I have tried treated her when they come into the room, but as soon as I turn or look away she runs in the direction they headed and continues to bark. He does not approve of this method and prefer that I restrain her. I use the pinch method on her sides instead, but even this does not seem to quiet her. 
She has managed to nip them a couple of time as they turn to walk away because she runs in a hurry after them. I am so embarrassed about that part. If they face her, she won't go near them. She has managed to run out of my arms.

With DH, she growls and maybe barks a bit, but will calm down after he says something. Clearly he did something right with her that I have failed to do and I don't know what it is. He says I baby her, but I feel compelled to disagree, although she does spend more time with me. She lives to please him, though.

Anyhow, any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. My roommates don't care to and seem indifferent at helping to train her.

My living situation will hopefully change within in the next few months and maybe I can endure this a bit longer. I certainly did not expect these living arrangement to go on this long.

Please let me know what other ways I can manage her attitude towards them.


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I can't help but wonder if your roommates did something to her when you weren't around that made her act the way she is with them. Since you say she isn't that way with other people, something more has to be going on than meets the eye.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Have you given them little treats to give to Mimi when they walk in the room? Maybe that will help their relationship. I, too, am wondering if they have done something to intimidate her when you weren't around. I hope you can get in a more stable living arrangement soon - dogs are very sensitive to change but they will adapt well with a little patience.


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## karin117 (Mar 29, 2008)

I think she is protecting you...
When you are not at home...she have no reason to protect anything and work together with the room mates.

When they walk in to the room, she say, get out...AND if you use pinching, you just raise up her level ...and when you rasie your woice you "add in to the choire"...

I think there is two things to work on here...One is your relationship...she think she need to protect you...it should be the other way around...You feel you are "loosing it"...well probably is she feeling the same and "step up"...

The second is to find a away to distract her, take away her motivation to bark and protect. Dogs hear well, and she probably her your rommates looooooong before you, start to get a adrenalin kick in her body and if you watch her, you probably see how she get "stiff"...it is when the FIRST sign for this behavior shows you should distract her..

Now this behavior have been going on for a hvile, so you will have a bit to work on BUT it is possibly...absolutley...

IF you think...you probably get "stiff" too when you hear you rommates aproatches...scared that something should happend...

You need a fresh start, new thinking and a positiv flow...
Good luck!


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Very good advice, Karin! All of it.


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## mimismom (Feb 15, 2009)

Thank you for your advice.
I have thought about the scenario about something while I am not there and that is why I think, I have not pressed the issue about them helping with training. 

I will continue to work on it and let you know how it goes...


~~Hoping for a fresh start very soon.


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