Tango is going to get fired...

[Izzy's Valkyrie]

So, Tango comes to work with me at the dojo every day that I work. I work behind the front desk that everyone has to pass by to get into the dojo. I have to interact not only with existing members and students but also their parents, potential students, and small siblings.

Recently, Tango has become problematic at the front desk. He will growl or bark at anyone who comes near the desk who isn't staff or one of a small handful of people he really loves. The vast majority of these people are not doing anything except walking up to the desk to say hi or ask questions. He has also begun lunging at these people when they reach over the desk to do things like hand me a credit card.

My boss really wants Tango to be able to stay at the desk with me. He loves Tango and Tango loves him as well as the rest of the staff. The suggestion was made to keep a bowl of treats on the outside of the desk so new people can give Tango a treat when they meet him for the first time. I have a few problems with this: Tango might start resource guarding the bowl the treats are in, he has been known to growl at people as soon as they no longer have a treat in their hand, and some small children may try to eat the treats.

Does anyone have any other suggestions? My boss already works with a behaviorist for his dogs so he is willing to have her come in to work with Tango. However, he also understands that I have my own method of training and have done a good deal of research on how to handle my pets so he's asking me to make other suggestions.

I would be alright with having Tango crated in the closed off portion of the office until later in the day when only adults are around (Boss is mostly upset about Tango nipping at children) but my Boss is a big softy and wants Tango to be everyone's best friend. I don't know that Tango has that capacity because he is very possessive of me no matter what I do. I taker him down off of the desk and put him on the floor if he acts out but I have no way to keep him from jumping up on the chair then to the desk unless I crate him.

Help?

 

[stardogs]

It would be interesting to see if he was guarding you or the location. Could you go in on one of your days off, hang out behind the desk, and if he starts reacting just walk out of the immediate area, leaving him behind? If he's resource guarding *you* this should help quickly, if it's the general desk area then you leaving should have little to no effect.

 

[Izzy's Valkyrie]

I can try that. I've heard he's a brat when I leave the desk too though. If I leave he'll follow me but then go back to the desk to look for me to come back. I know when I've been in a class the guys will crate him for being a brat which indicates it's both me and the desk. He's nicer when he's in the lobby area with far fewer people he growls at.

He will guard me specifically if I'm behind the desk and a co-worker comes up while he's sleeping. I don't know if he just wants people to stay away from me as a warm spot or he's startled. He guards my lap when I'm at home from Hubby but usually gets over it pretty quickly if I'm not sleeping. If I'm laying in bed he won't let anyone near me (Which I kind of like thb) so he definitely guards me but I need to check and see what he's doing at the desk. I know he shuts up if I'm on the other side of the desk because he can see me and he just asks to be picked up.

 

[Maxy24]

Can you throw and handful of tiny treats on the floor when the people come up to the desk? That way Tango has to take time to sniff around finding them, if he's willing to focus on that. You may need to do it a few times while they are there.

 

[MicksMom]

I have to ask- is there a reason he has to go to work with you? Honestly, if this were my dog, he'd be staying home until I could, hopefully, work through the issue. I'd take the suggestion of going in on your day off one step further- go in and work with him insteAd of seeing if he's guarding you (did that make sense?). Doing that, all you'd have to concentrate on his training, not work also.

 

[Izzy's Valkyrie]

If I throw things on the floor he won't be able to get to them because he's behind the desk with me. We briefly tried the treat from the other side of the desk when people come up today, didn't work. He just started guarding the area where the treats were closest and got angsty if the nearest person wasn't giving him a treat.

@MicksMom, My boss wants him to come to work. I bring him to work because he is so small that he can't hold in his bowel movements for more than four or so hours and I work more than that each day (He hates to use his cat box in the kennel which I can understand). I also don't want him to be bored all day. Izzy has the run of the house and a collection of toys to play with but Tango cannot be out with her because she could easily harm him. I would be fine keeping him crated in the back office but my boss doesn't want that. However, since he has already failed one way to try and help him be nicer, Bossman might start seeing it my way.

Currently, Tango is no longer allowed on the desk so he can't get to people to be nasty. This has worked as long as I'm fast enough to keep him off the desk. He did lunge at someone before I could grab him today and so he got crated (I keep a cat crate under the desk for him)

We have students who ask to see him every time they are here. The kids are always wanting to pet him and play with him because he's nice when he's out in the lobby with them (Usually when I'm walking him through to go out the door). There are people who now consider seeing Tango part of their routine when they come in and he does have people who he's genuinely happy to see each day. What I need to figure out is how to make him happy to see everyone.

Honestly, I don't know if it is possible to turn him into a dog who is happy around strangers. To me it's not a huge deal if he doesn't like strangers because he'll keep them away from me when we take walks at night. I'm about ready to tell Bossman that we just need a bigger kennel for Tango at the desk and he can come out when going for a walk or before classes/after we're closed.

 

[Saeleofu]

Honestly, at least until you figure something else out, I'd keep him crated - at least when there are kids - to prevent nipping. He's tiny, but if he really meant it he could give a pretty severe bite, and even moreso on a tiny person. Keeping him off the desk is probably a good idea.

Also, if you have the opportunity to have a behaviorist evaluate him, I would give it a shot, so long as you trust the behaviorist.

When he was with me, everyone had to win him over with treats at first. After a few weeks he got to the point where not *everyone* had to give him treats. I'd really like to say to keep something like a lickety-stick on the desk since it's not messy, kids (probably) won't eat it, and he might not be as guardy about something sealed, but when I had him he was scared of those things (the poor guy at the pet store was really proud of his lickety-stick and was just SO SURE Tango would love him for it, but instead he was scared to death of it).

(Lickety-stick, by the way)

And finally, I also question whether he has the capacity to be friendly to EVERYBODY at this point. He's been with you for a while now and has been socialized like crazy from the sounds of it, and if he's still like this then maybe he's just wired that way. Gavroche isn't a fan of new people either, so I generally don't let people pet him unless he offers himself up for petting. And yes, I do sort of like that he's that way around men especially, because I know he'll protect me with his life. Logan's a big ball of mush when it comes to people, he's no protection dog at all (and that's good, since he's a service dog). But Gavroche is definitely the protector. I can't blame him, after all there are people I want to snark at too :rofl1:

If you want to keep him confined but still have some room to move around or be visible to people that come in, what about an ex-pen? I know he's sort of a crazy acrobat at times, but some of them have tops you can put on so he can't jump out. Then when someone comes in that he likes, let him out to say hi, but otherwise keep him in the ex-pen?

 

[stardogs]

Yea given your description it really sounds like crating is essential to prevent him from getting into serious trouble! IME dogs who are this guardy are pretty insecure, so they don't do well when they have to make decisions for themselves. You take away their assumed duty of "greeting" and often that makes them much happier dogs!

 

[Izzy's Valkyrie]

Thanks for the replies!

I'm planning on bringing his larger crate to work next time we're in. This will make my boss more comfortable because he hates seeing Tango confined. Sael, you're right about him being better if food is in a container, he doesn't get bratty over his treats when they're in the bag.

I hadn't thought about an ex pen. I don't know if an ex pen would fit under the front desk like his kennel does but it would be worth looking in to. I feel a lot more comfortable keeping him confined and out for short visits than setting him up for a reactive episode.

 

[AllieMackie]

Your boss also should be thinking of his clientele. They aren't coming to a pet-related facility, they're coming to a dojo. Yes they may like dogs and like Tango, but a dog who may defend and lunge is not appropriate for that kind of environment, and it sounds like he may accidentally scare away people who may not be as keen on dogs.

I think a large crate or other kenneling situation is a good idea, unless he can be thoroughly supervised. Like stardogs suggested, it may even make him happier overall.

 

[crazedACD]

Heck even one of those folding playpens for babies might be easiest for storing when you're not there, and keeping him from lunging at people for now.

 

[MicksMom]

...@MicksMom, My boss wants him to come to work. I bring him to work because he is so small that he can't hold in his bowel movements for more than four or so hours and I work more than that...

Aaa I didn't realize he was so small.

...
Currently, Tango is no longer allowed on the desk so he can't get to people to be nasty...

That was going to be my suggestion when you explained how small he is. Some little dogs gets "snarky", and some out right aggressive, when they aren't on the ground. Being on the desk could be adding to Tango's "issues".

As for your boss-Tango is your dog, and he should respect/follow your wishes of doing what is best for him. And, like Allie said, your boss should be thinking of his clientele. Besides, you both could be held liable if, God forbid, someone decided to sue over some little thing, or, if, God forbid, he connected with some kid's face.

 

[ihartgonzo]

You could try something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFiZkAG_1JE&list=FL4xYjY9o3KO8YXJa2Tqo3kw&index=23&feature=plpp_video

What kind of area is the front desk? I think I'm not quite understanding it... is it blocked off, so he can run around behind the desk. Or, does he sit on the desk?

It seems like it'd be pretty stressful for a small dog to sit on a desk with people constantly coming through, reaching for him and disturbing him. And a desk isn't really a secure area for a dog to hang out on. I would keep him in the crate with something to chew on or a stuffed kong, and let him out a few times for socializing when you can really focus on him. You definitely don't want him biting some kid at your work! I would do a lot of CC/DS on your own, just to make him expect good things when ever he sees strangers, at work or elsewhere. With kids that he likes, teach them to click and toss him a treat. Teach him tricks so the kids can give him commands and toss him treats.

 

[Izzy's Valkyrie]

Here's a picture of the desk:

It has a small door near the far wall but it is closed off 99% of the time. We usually enter and exit through the office on the back end of the desk. I don't keep Tango on the desk, in case you thought that was his usual place. Tango jumps up on my work chair then on to the desk because he likes to be able to see people coming and going as well as greet the people he knows. He was actually ok for the first few months before he had decided that the desk was his territory.

Anyways, I've already told my boss that I'm bringing in a larger crate and that's where Tango will stay. He does respect my wishes when it comes to how I want to handle Tango at work which is we discussed together how we would try to handle the situation. He could have just said, "Hey, I'm brining in a behaviorist you don't even know to fix Tango" or "Stop bringing Tango to work" (Which would have been fine) but he is a very laid back guy who does his best to make everyone happy. Best boss I've ever had personally but sometimes he's too nice. At this point I've taken it upon myself to make sure we won't have any more issues with Tango and customers just because my boss wants to play with Tango between classes (Which he can, just in the office not behind the desk!) by keeping him crated.