My Pet World: No bed privileges for a dog that growls at its owner

Dear Cathy,

Our twelve-year-old, 13-pound, male Schnoodle has always slept in bed with us. Last year, during the pandemic shutdown, my wife was home 24-7. The dog became very attached to her during those months. As they often go to bed before I do, he now growls viciously at me when I enter the bedroom and approach the bed. What can you suggest we do to nix this situation?

– Robert, Long Island, New York

Dear Robert,

Your dog’s age and sudden change in behavior are cause for concern. Please have your dog examined by a vet to rule out health issues. If your dog receives a clean bill of health, then you can address the behavior problem.

You didn’t say, but I am hoping that when your dog “growls viciously” at you that your wife immediately says “no” to the dog in a very stern voice and promptly puts the dog on the floor or out of the bedroom entirely, if necessary. Since the dog is protecting her, she needs to let him know the behavior is unacceptable every time he does this and for as long as it takes for him to understand that he won’t get to sleep in the bed if he continues to act this way.

Over the next few weeks, you should take over his care to renew your bond. Feed him, give him treats, take him for walks, play with him, watch television with him, and groom him. You should also introduce some obedience training throughout the day, so he learns to respect you as his leader.

I know it will be difficult initially for your wife to withdraw a bit from his everyday care or to even put him out of the bed at night, but you both must work together to help your dog understand that he is not allowed to growl at you. I promise, he won’t love her any less and he will learn to respect and appreciate you more.

Dear Cathy,

We have an almost six-year-old Yorkie/beagle mix named Joni that we rescued at four-months old. She is the sweetest and most people-loving dog you could ever meet. Strangely, when my wife is cooking and especially turning on the oven, Joni starts shaking uncontrollably and we need to take her outside or to another room. We guess that she had a bad experience as a young puppy in a kitchen environment but are surprised that she still has that reaction. Do you have any suggestions on how we might undo this phobia?

– Mark, Baltimore, Maryland

Dear Mark,

While she may have been exposed to something traumatic before you adopted her, it’s also just as likely she may not have been exposed to anything traumatic at all. Dogs can sometimes develop fears without having any known trauma. That’s because dogs are extremely sensitive to the sights, sounds, and smells around them, and sometimes they are reacting to something you and I can’t hear, smell or see.

To find out if she is afraid of your stove or all stoves, take Joni to a friend or family member’s house to see if she reacts to the stove being turned on there. If not, then it could be some scent or sound your stove is giving off. If she does react to the other stove, then you know it’s probably all stoves in general and can begin desensitizing her to being in the kitchen and near one.

To begin, train her to relax. This involves saying “relax,” when you find her in chill mode, marking the behavior with a clicker or reward word, like Bingo,” and giving her a treat. When you think she understands what “relax” means, sit in front of the stove, and call her to you. Identify where you can sit without triggering a response and inch closer to it over time. Play with her, groom her, or give her a new toy. If she is relaxed, reinforce the “relax” command with the marker word and treats.

After a few days, have someone turn the stove on and then off. Do this for a few days in a row to see how she is doing, all the while doing something to keep her distracted. After about a week, turn the stove on and leave it on to see how she responds. If she has been doing this for six years, it’s an ingrained habit that will be difficult to break. But I believe with desensitization, time, and patience, that she can learn to relax around the stove, kitchen, and people cooking in it.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)