Miniature Pinscher: authority issues and a nasty bite

Rule number one: don't let her call the shots (whether it's where she settles or when you start certain activities).

Rule number two: never give her anything until she's in the right frame of mind.

Watch out, though—a clever dog can be a proper little trickster!

At the start, it’s all about being incredibly patient.

She gets absolutely nothing until she proves she’s calm and submissive, and no faking it.

(Use whatever matters most to her as your main tools: food, play, whatever—they’ve all got their weak spot.)

What does working with positive reinforcement around cats actually look like in practice? Does it mean rewarding your dog when they ignore the cats and doing nothing when they pester or chase them?

My dog has quite a high prey drive and lives with two cats; for me, letting her chase them or micromanage their movements was never an option.

So, I approached it from a few angles. On one hand, I did encourage her to ignore them and leave them alone using positive reinforcement. But on the other hand, whenever she showed unwanted behaviour (like bolting towards a cat, blocking their path, pointing, or forcing them out of a spot, etc.), I always stepped in firmly, and she quickly got the message. They get on perfectly well now.

Your dog needs to understand that if they break the rules, they’ll have you to deal with.

However, for that to work, they first need to have properly grasped the rules in general, which doesn't seem to be the case here. I’d suggest focusing on basic boundaries first before trying to tackle the dog/cat cohabitation side of things.

If you feel like you aren't making any headway with this trainer, get a second opinion from a professional who doesn’t just rely on "positive-only" marketing buzzwords. To my mind, your current situation shows there’s a flaw in the advice you’ve been given.

Paco barks at the neighbours too 🙄

Luckily they’re dog lovers 😅 But it’s still a real pain regardless...

Has she ever actually bitten anyone?

A photo of the "little monster" 🐾🖤

I’ve got a Pinscher cross; she’s as stubborn as a mule, barks all the time, and often bares her teeth.

She’s also very greedy and used to beg at the table constantly. Now I feed her before we eat, and we’re left in peace.

I take him running with me sometimes, yeah.

Probably not enough 😅

He loves walking in the countryside but doesn’t like being in town at all.

As for mealtimes, we sometimes feed him beforehand when we’re eating late.

He’s a real pain when we’re having drinks or dinner in the living room 🤬