You're fired!
Kitsune has a job to do - alert me to anything that doesn't sit right with him, generally outside the window.
He's very diligent with his job, and doesn't quite understand deterrents like a blocked window or blinds. We've lost many blinds finding ways to deter him.
I've started to try and pay more attention though, to find out when he's more on the job... and its when I'm home with him and my husband is not. It seems the perfect scenario for Kitsune is for all 4 of us to be home and OK, then he seems to relax from his window post. If John isn't here, he gets pretty stressed in that he keeps tabs on where I am in our house, then alerts me to just about everything walking by our window.
I've tried calming signals when I see him get really worked up when I'm home alone with him. I think he realizes what I'm doing and its not translating to his alert job that I'm calming him about.
I've tried thanking him, which works - I say "Kitsu" to get his attention, then "Thank You" when his attention is diverted and he moves away from the window. He stops barking until the next alert.
I've tried it with the clicker, but he's not moving from his post to respond to it like he did with the word command. He diverts his attention but goes right back to it in seconds.
I've tried blocking his access to the front windows, putting a couch there, curtains, roman shades, blinds... he'll still look for any movement and alert.
I think I know why it got more manic as of late, he started to really get active about it at the end of last year when we were all preparing for a big change, which isn't going to happen, and now he's just in that mode when I'm home alone without the husband. When John is here, he is noticeably calmer and responds much more willingly to the thank you.
Is there something I'm missing? Something mroe I can do to calm him or take him off duty? I love that he barks and deters people but its stressful on him and that I do not like.
He's very diligent with his job, and doesn't quite understand deterrents like a blocked window or blinds. We've lost many blinds finding ways to deter him.
I've started to try and pay more attention though, to find out when he's more on the job... and its when I'm home with him and my husband is not. It seems the perfect scenario for Kitsune is for all 4 of us to be home and OK, then he seems to relax from his window post. If John isn't here, he gets pretty stressed in that he keeps tabs on where I am in our house, then alerts me to just about everything walking by our window.
I've tried calming signals when I see him get really worked up when I'm home alone with him. I think he realizes what I'm doing and its not translating to his alert job that I'm calming him about.
I've tried thanking him, which works - I say "Kitsu" to get his attention, then "Thank You" when his attention is diverted and he moves away from the window. He stops barking until the next alert.
I've tried it with the clicker, but he's not moving from his post to respond to it like he did with the word command. He diverts his attention but goes right back to it in seconds.
I've tried blocking his access to the front windows, putting a couch there, curtains, roman shades, blinds... he'll still look for any movement and alert.
I think I know why it got more manic as of late, he started to really get active about it at the end of last year when we were all preparing for a big change, which isn't going to happen, and now he's just in that mode when I'm home alone without the husband. When John is here, he is noticeably calmer and responds much more willingly to the thank you.
Is there something I'm missing? Something mroe I can do to calm him or take him off duty? I love that he barks and deters people but its stressful on him and that I do not like.
Comments
Have you asked your husband what Kitsune does when he's home but you're not?
Beebe goes on high alert when it's just us, the worst is when we are at the office and she thinks it's her job to keep the strangers out and look for intruders (mostly just their dogs). Apparently she doesn't know that she is supposed to be the offical office greeter, not unwelcomer. She cranes around any corner so she can keep her eye on the front window or door. I put baby gates up, but that basically just keeps her contained.
When I am talking with people about their pets or in appointments, I don't want to have to stop that when she decides to bark and get her hackles up (thankfully, everyone knows her and seem to be ok with me dropping everything to tell her no). That's not what I want her to do at work. It also isn't nice for clients to encounter, especially when they can hear her snarl (that's why we have baby gates). Instead of arguing with her, which just seems to escalate her, I remove her from what she wants, tell her "Quiet" and she goes in time out. When she's quiet for a minute or so, I bring her back to the reception area. If she barks/growls, back she goes into time out instantly. We spent last Saturday doing this for about 45 minutes, with at least a dozen people and dogs comming and going. After the 5th time out, she was paying way better attention.
Tosca is getting more "guardy" now that we have the windows open at night, but she's definately more of a lover than a fighter. She thinks I'm the fighter and will get calmer after she's got me trying to find whatever's got her going. When I'm not home, I'm told she's just jumpier in general.
Our home is set back from the road quite a ways so it's a sound triggered thing for us. It doesn't help that there are deer all over our back yard at night. I'm convinced Tosca wants me to go out there and get her some yummy venison.
When I'm not there but John is, Tsuki sleeps near the front door and Kitsune is, like, on vacation. Lounging, playing, sleeping on John's feet. He gets excited when I come home though, as excited as he ever gets really, rubbing all over my legs like a cat.
I've tried the removal technique, putting him in time outs. He gets so stressed and whines until he's back at the window seat again.
It's really his job, and he knows it.
I've used this approach with both Lucy and Joey (and occasionally when Thea has visited us) and it has worked really well for us. If I want to, I can call them off before they reach the window about 70% of the time. The 30% when they don't listen, about half the time a sharp "enough" from me will get them to stop and the rest of the time I just have to walk towards them and they'll stop.