# Does my dog think I can read his mind?



## Thumbelleina (Apr 2, 2009)

My husband and I got our Havanese, Buster, in November when he was 5 months old. He has completely taken to us, especially me, and as he has gotten more comfortable he has also gotten more demanding. 

He has taken to jumping on me when I am on the couch and sometimes nipping when he jumps. He knows how to jump on the couch and this is not his goal, his goal is to get my attention. 

At first I thought it meant he needed to go outside, but when I take him after this type of episode, and sometimes he really needs to go, but just as often doesn't need to go. Sometimes it seems to mean play catch, and sometimes it means sit down on the ground so I can curl up next to you with a chew (which for some reason he will not take on the couch - and I'm not encouraging him to).

I know Havenese are attention seekers, but this is getting to be an all the time thing with him. I'd love to know why he is doing it and if he has a specific goal. It seems like he's trying to communicate something urgently, but what. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## Hav a lot of pets (Apr 4, 2008)

"I'd love to know why he is doing it and if he has a specific goal."

Well, it seems he is doing it because you have taught him that it gets your attention. His goal? Your attention. I liken this behavior to the toddler that lies in the center of the room throwing a temper tantrum. It is amazing how fast those end when you walk out of the room. 

Can you get a new signal to go potty started? That is really important. All the other things (chew time, snuggle time, throw this for me time,... will work themselves out).


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## Thumbelleina (Apr 2, 2009)

*Thought so*

I was afraid that might be the case. I tried the Victoria Stilwell(?) solution and tried turning my back and ignoring him when he does this. But my darling Buster just jumped onto the back of the couch and then onto my shoulders - literally just perched on me. I was hoping someone had the same thing and it turned out the dog was really asking for something and it wasn't just my need to fulfill my dogs every desire that caused this. I'm thinking of trying to train him with the bell method. Is it difficult?


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## baxterboy (Mar 17, 2009)

QUOTE: "My husband and I got our Havanese, Buster, in November when he was 5 months old. He has completely taken to us, especially me, and as he has gotten more comfortable he has also gotten more demanding. "

From what I've read, puppies will constantly test their place in the pack. I've found that Baxter has gone through phases where he will "test" us so to speak. This is what dogs do in packs... their goal is to 'move up' in the pack. The more comfortable they get, the more they will think they are moving up so to speak. This is when you need to be sure to establish yourself as the alpha, otherwise it is a slippery slope from there.

I agree with the last poster---it is attention seeking and I would nip it in the bud. A firm NO and then give him exactly the opposite of what he wants: Ignore him (maybe put him in an ex-pen, or another room behind a baby gate) for a few minutes....not too long--just long enough for him to understand that jumping up on you like that doesn't get your attention, it gets him a time out. The behavior will stop quicker than you think believe me! 

http://[URL=http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w268/josielovesdan/?action=view&current=baxter.jpg]







[/URL][/IMG]


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## Thumbelleina (Apr 2, 2009)

I never thought of giving him a time out. It sounds like a good idea, I'm going to try it. Thanks


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## baxterboy (Mar 17, 2009)

I'm thinking of trying to train him with the bell method. Is it difficult?[/QUOTE said:


> Not difficult--- It took Baxter a couple of weeks. Just ring the bell each and EVERY time you open the door to let him out. After a while of doing that, start lifting his paw up and batting at the bell each and EVERY time you open the door to let him out. One day he will just catch on and ring it on his own. Baxter isn't a barker, so the bell system works really well for us. He used to just sit by the door, and if we were in another room we'd have no idea he was waiting to go out. I really feel like it has helped him to feel more in 'control' of his surroundings. Just be prepared for the bell ringing not just for potty breaks, but for outside time. We have a fenced in yard, so it's not that big of a deal, we can just open the door and let him out to play for a bit. Now that it's nice out, that bell is a'ringin an awful lot though
> 
> Joanne http://[URL=http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w268/josielovesdan/?action=view&current=baxter.jpg]
> 
> ...


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## Thumbelleina (Apr 2, 2009)

Thanks for the "how to" train guide, I'm excited to start teaching him. He has caught on to all of the other trick I've taught him so quickly that I have high hopes. Luckily (or maybe not) Buster HATES to go outside. He wants to stay inside all day all the time, except when he has to potty. So, I don't think the bell will ring all that often...now if those aren't famous last words...


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

We are having a GA playdate May 2nd. We'd love for you to come. For more details PM Ann (Scooter's Family).


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## sweetlotus (Nov 26, 2008)

I would suggest that you ignore him even more than just turning your back on him if that's the case. If you trust him alone in the room, perhaps leave the room for about a min and then come back. Every single time he does it. Pretty soon, he'll realize then when he does something like that, you leave. Hopefully that will stop the behavior. 

I actually prefer that to time-outs b/c then you have to pick him up and bring him to the ex-pen. This extends the time from the behavior to the consequence and you are also giving him attention when you transfer him to the time-out zone.


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## kudo2u (Mar 7, 2009)

I agree with a few things on here - my Pom does this. She's 6 and it's never gone completely away. It sort of goes in waves. Someone said that dogs get more comfortable and try to "move up" in the pack - this is DEFINITELY the case in her situation.

She'll jump up against anything - my legs, the sofa, the dinner table, the sliding glass door to get our attention. She's very persistent. She's literally bounced off the sofa for 18 minutes at a time while I ignore her (not that I've timed it or anything...)

She goes through phases. She'll do this for a few days, then when she discovers that I completely ignore her until she asks for attention nicely, she'll stop. Sometimes she stops for days, sometimes for months. But it's a recurring theme with her.

The only thing I will say - if she starts jumping up and perching on your shoulder, or if she starts bouncing against your leg - those behaviors need to be corrected. Both of those are definite signs of "alpha" dominance behavior. The more often you let them happen, the more "in control" your pup will feel. 

*disclaimer* my Pom does like to drape herself over my shoulder, and I think it's really cute. She also likes to sleep curled up next to my head on my pillow at night. As long as she's not trying to assert herself as "alpha" dog, I allow these behaviors. When she's going through one of her "pay attention to me" phases, she is not allowed on top of the sofa or on my pillow.


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

As far as bell training, it was quite easy. But, instead of starting by ringing the bell myself, I started right away with Tucker's paw ringing the bell. It only took a couple of weeks before he was ringing it by himself. (It only took the cat 3 days of watching it work for Tucker before she started it too! Ha!) You just need to make sure to do it each time before letting him out, and once he's doing it on his own, make sure to let him out each time, even if he DOES decide it is fun. Gradually, the novelty wears off.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Thumbelleina said:


> I was afraid that might be the case. I tried the Victoria Stilwell(?) solution and tried turning my back and ignoring him when he does this. But my darling Buster just jumped onto the back of the couch and then onto my shoulders - literally just perched on me. I was hoping someone had the same thing and it turned out the dog was really asking for something and it wasn't just my need to fulfill my dogs every desire that caused this. I'm thinking of trying to train him with the bell method. Is it difficult?


The only reason he does these things is that they work. Remember three things. 1; ignore all demands 2, initiate all interactions 3, nothing in life is free. Here is another method for teaching the bell system.
1) Hang the bell from the frame of the door...not the handle as you don't
want it ringing every time someone uses the door.
2) Every time the dog wants out...say "do you want to go outside...ring the
bell", and pick up their paw to help them ring it. Once they ring the bell
with your help, open the door.
3) You may have to repeat this every time the dog goes out for about a week.
4) Then encourage the dog to touch the bell on his own. You may hide a
treat in it or put some peanut butter inside so that when they touch it even
slightly they make it ring on their own. You may want to click and treat this
and open the door for them.
5) Work on staying close and start pointing to the bell saying "Do you want
to go outside...ring the bell" Click and treat and open the door.
6) Slowly increase your distance from the bell, pointing and cueing
verbally. If the dog rings the bell on it own...click and treat and open the
door.
7) If the dog isn't ringing on its own go back to previous steps until more
reliable.


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

Several years ago I could not get my standard poodle potty trained and it was driving me nuts doing all the right things yet nothing was working. A 4 month old spoo can pee a river and I was at my wits end. One day when I was in Petsmart I got to talking to a man who said he used a bell for potty training and I didn't think much of it but since I had reached my limit, I bought a parrot bell and hung it next to the door. The next day my spoo was potty trained. That's all it took and no mistakes since.
The girls use the bell and Lightning won't touch it. Instead he taught the girls to ring it for him.


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## Thumbelleina (Apr 2, 2009)

Buster and I are going on vacation next week so I'm going to start with the bell when I get back. Fingers crossed. Except, he's also mostly trained to go on a puppy pad (for when we are out, and because he sometimes doesn't tell us he needs to go). I keep one out all the time and he hits it, or the spot next to it 80% of the time. I only want to do bell training so that when I correct the jumping on me behavior I'm not also taking away his only method to tell me he needs to potty. Should I take away the pads when I start the bell? 

Oh, and I tried the time-out method last night. We have a gate in front of the kitchen and he tried tunneling out. I have a big hole in my drywall, which is amazing considering that he was only in there for 3 minutes. (to be fair, there was already a dent in the drywall on that spot, but now it's more like a crater). Will try the walking out method today.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

They love attention, don't they! Yes, I feel like I am taking care of a toddler!

Dexter took to the bell very slowly because I was taking him out before I gave him a chance to ring the bell. 

I do not mind a paw now and then, but not the constant scratching on my leg or the scratching/biting on the furniture that I am sitting on....Dexter is only doing it to get my attention....so, I plan on wearing him out during the day, especially one session after 5pm to tire him out because, he only does the attention seeking behavior at night. 

A time out session for Dexter will drive him crazy! And it would probably drive me crazy with all the noise from Dexter and more scratching to get out of the pen. 

A constant stay on top of the rules everyday, so I can have the best behaved pet everyone will love...that's it!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Oh! I forgot to answer the question. The Hav cannot read your mind, but you are expected to know what your Hav wants at all times! :biggrin1:


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