Q&A: Remote-Smart Dogs, Owner-Arrival Arousal, Littermates, Resource Guarding & “Protective” Dogs
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In this episode of Off Leash and Unfiltered, Kati Peppe—owner of Diamond K9 Dog Training in Biddeford, Maine—answers rapid-fire questions: how to fix “remote-smart” dogs (who behave only when they see the tool), what to do about meltdown-level arousal when you get home, whether littermate syndrome is real, how to handle resource guarding, and why letting a dog be “a little protective” is a recipe for trouble. The thread through all of it: clear markers, consistent accountability, and stopping autonomous, self-appointed decision-making in favor of handler-directed rules.
Episode Highlights
- Remote-smart fix: Mark the behavior with “No” the instant it happens, then fetch the tool and correct—prove “No” always predicts consequences, tool visible or not.
- Curb owner-arrival chaos: Crate or place with a tie-back, don’t acknowledge until calm, and correct at the first arousal signs (car in driveway), not at 10/10 intensity.
- Match intensity, then teach: Sometimes a brief, meaningful correction is required to drop arousal so real learning can occur.
- Littermates/two puppies: Problems are common whether related or not—codependency and training gaps explode. Avoid it; if you must, split time, train separately, and prevent bonding to each other over you.
- Resource guarding is normal— but unsafe: Don’t snatch; teach a clean, enforceable out and pair “No” with meaningful consequences for guarding toward people.
- “Protective” ≈ possessive: Don’t allow autonomous barking/growling “sometimes.” Handler-directed behavior beats self-appointed security work (that’s how you get mailman bites).
- Big picture: Dogs learn patterns fast—make sure the pattern is your rules, not tool visibility or who’s in the room.
Minute-by-Minute Breakdown
- 01:00 – Who we are: Diamond K9 (Biddeford, ME); off-leash obedience & behavior modification.
- 02:00 – What “remote-smart” means: dogs behave only when they see the tool.
- 02:56 – Pattern problem: you taught “accountability only when the tool is visible.”
- 04:02 – Discrimination example: same dog, different rules with different people (the cat-food story).
- 05:51 – Skill at correction: link the punishment marker (usually “No”) to the behavior.
- 06:51 – Barking example: say “No”, then correct even if there’s a delay—stop insisting on instant tool-in-hand.
- 08:46 – Case: dog melts down when owner returns; place breaks, arousal spikes.
- 10:04 – Core of the work: teach arousal control, not just obedience steps.
- 10:57 – Management: crate if needed; or use place with a loose tie-back to prevent darting.
- 11:49 – Why tie-backs help: fewer rehearsals, cleaner corrections, less chaos.
- 12:48 – When a high correction is humane: one strong message to drop arousal so learning can begin.
- 13:49 – Correct the first arousal tells (car in driveway), not the full explosion.
- 14:34 – Earlier intervention = lower correction levels; keep chipping away.
- 17:35 – Littermate syndrome talk: what’s real vs. what’s handler bandwidth.
- 19:58 – Why two puppies at once is “nuts”: codependence and conflict risks.
- 21:05 – Aggression spectrum: “aggressive” isn’t on/off; all dogs are somewhere on it.
- 23:37 – Resource guarding context: dog-dog warnings vs. people-directed guarding.
- 26:06 – Teach out; stop confrontational snatching; install respect for human resource control.
- 27:36 – Stakes and suitability: some dogs aren’t family-dog candidates (e.g., high-drive cases with kids).
- 29:13 – “Protective” vs. possessive labels—why the words often obscure the behavior.
- 30:19 – “I don’t mind a little barking”: why the answer is basically no (mixed messages = risk).
- 31:42 – Difference from trained protection: command-driven vs. autonomous reactions.
- 33:11 – Real-world risk: it won’t be a burglar—it’ll be the delivery driver or neighbor.
- 34:51 – In true emergencies, most dogs will still react—you don’t need to nurture everyday aggression.
- 35:24 – Wrap: send your questions to Kati; clarity and accountability keep everyone safe.