Possible issue with dog

Elin

So. My dog, he's great. He's also getting more and more attached to me, and only me. I wouldn't have a huge issue with this, but today my husband and I were hugging and I looked over and noticed my dog shaking at the end of the couch. My husband backed up, the dog jumps in my lap and gets better, but starts shaking again when my husband gets near me.

I'm not working right now, and in between semesters so I'm home all day right now. I don't want him to develop separation anxiety, especially because we are in an apartment. I can't have him flipping out when I leave him home. My husband walks and feeds the dog, and plays with him and the dog is fine. The issue really pops up when my husband gets anywhere near me.

Help?

Dark_Side

What kind of dog is it?

Rubix42

Try to keep the school schedule the same even though you are home all day. The hardest part about this will be dealing with how you feel. If you crate the dog while you are at school, you should continue to do so even though you are at home. Which will make you feel bad, but to the dog it is business as usual.

Also, the best way to have the protective-ness end would be to correct the dog for the behaviour. Our dog used to go bananas when I tickled my wife or we play wrestled at all. We would stop, back him up and put him in a sit stay when he acted like this and then returned to what we were doing. The result is your dog will figure out that when he acts protectively towards you in regards to your husband, he is moved further from you. And when he acts nicely, he is awarded with a treat of some sort. Reinforcing the good behaviour, and correcting the poor behaviour.

You and your man should take turns removing the dog from the situation though. To show that both of you are above him in standing in the pack. He'll figure out real quick to act civilized if he wants to sit with both of you.

Elin

Dark_Side wrote: »

What kind of dog is it?

He's a Pom mix, the vet thinks Pom-Eskimo as there's a breeder in the next town over that specializes in that mix. He was a shelter dog, I think he may have abandonment issues in general. He was obviously a pet as he was neutered and house trained when I got him.

The problem is, he's never been crated on a regular schedule. My husband and I don't really have overlapping schedules so he was really only crated for a few hours a week anyhow. He is crated at bedtime though every night to prevent fights between him and my evil cat. He isn't really acting protective so much, as frightened. Maybe he thinks my husband is hurting me?

Dark_Side

Elin wrote: »

Dark_Side wrote: »

What kind of dog is it?

He's a Pom mix, the vet thinks Pom-Eskimo as there's a breeder in the next town over that specializes in that mix. He was a shelter dog, I think he may have abandonment issues in general. He was obviously a pet as he was neutered and house trained when I got him.

The problem is, he's never been crated on a regular schedule. My husband and I don't really have overlapping schedules so he was really only crated for a few hours a week anyhow. He is crated at bedtime though every night to prevent fights between him and my evil cat. He isn't really acting protective so much, as frightened. Maybe he thinks my husband is hurting me?

Hmmm, well the bolded part could certainly be a problem, as dogs thrive off of routine. Beyond that I think Rubix already kind of laid out how you can work to solve this. Does he bark and carry on when left alone in the house?

Casual

Have your husband feed him and take him on walks alone for a while. Also how experienced are you guys as dog owners? Could your husband be displaying threatening behaviour without knowing it?

If the dog already has issues it wouldn't take much.

mts

i disagree with not having a routine. especially if the dog is having seperation anxiety. you want it to be able to adapt when something changes that would normally freak it out.

i wouldn't crate it if you are home. thats not the point of crates

Elin

Casual wrote: »

Have your husband feed him and take him on walks alone for a while. Also how experienced are you guys as dog owners? Could your husband be displaying threatening behaviour without knowing it?

If the dog already has issues it wouldn't take much.

My husband walks him and feeds him alone 99% of the time. He's fine with my husband as long as he's not touching me. Once my husband is near me Alton is either trying to get in my lap between us or shaking like a seizure is going on. He doesn't snap, or growl, or bark, or act aggressively.

A set routine is not really that easy in my household. In between me being in school, and clubs, and friends, and my husbands school and work, we're never really around at the same time. Honestly, we crate him but he hates the crate. Hates it like fire, he doesn't go anywhere NEAR the crate if he doesn't have to, the cat actually sleeps in it when the dogs out.

Alton does act differently with my husband and I. He always wants to be at my feet, or at my side. When I walk him he gets excited and keeps looking over his shoulder like I'm not going to be there if he stops looking at me. With my husband Alton pretty much ignores him, he'll run to my husband when he wants to walk, but he just goes out and does his business.

Dark_Side

The problem really is that this kind of behavior could manifest itself as aggression later on, so I definitely think you want to nip it the bud, but I'm kind of stuck as to whether it's separation anxiety or possessiveness/protection. One thing you definitely want to make sure of is that both you and your husband are exactly the same in how you interact with the dog when giving commands, punishments, or so on. Secondly as Rubix kind of laid out you need to reinforce good behavior and remove bad and I think his/her example is perfectly fine way to start fixing the problem. The hard part is that you have to be kind of a dick to your dog, but you need to make it perfectly clear that this kind of behavior is unacceptable. The dog will pick it up quicker than you can imagine.

Caswynben

I have a pomeranian as well, and he is very attached to my girlfriend, and only moderately tolerates my existance. Everytime her and I hug, or cuddle, he has to be in the middle.

Aoi Tsuki

Does your husband ever play with/train/give treats to the dog? It doesn't sound like the little guy is dangerously possessive, just anxious/jealous, and that you're the go-to person for fun stuff.

Other than reinforcing Daddy as a great person to hang around with, I'd be careful not to reinforce his jumping in your lap when he sees you guys cuddling; this will just teach him that cuddling is something he needs to nip in the bud so's he can have attention. Does he have toys you could distract him with while you're having human-only snuggle time? The trick isn't to punish him for being anxious, but to teach him there's nothing to be anxious about (humans snogging = my favorite toy!).