My dog barks when we're at the table, help!

@Celineo: I might have missed something, actually, although it was a completely ordinary situation. We were coming back in from the garden where we’d been playing; Jack seemed calm and then, all of a sudden, he started biting my feet. I froze on the spot straight away, but he just kept going and going and going until he "bit" me (it was more of a nip, really, but it was very painful). In future, I’ll try to put him in a time-out earlier if I see things starting to get out of hand. Do dogs see that as a punishment?

@Luridia: Jack knows "lie down", but he only really "practises" it in certain circumstances—on a rug, the sofa, or in the grass—and only during training sessions. Otherwise, he won’t just do it on command! As for getting him into a down position, I’d have to catch him first, and he obviously thinks I’m playing because he bolts the second I lean over ;-)! It’s the same with "no"; he only understands it (or listens to it, anyway) in specific moments, like when he’s leaning too far off the sofa and I say "no, Jack, careful" so he doesn’t fall.

I really don’t think he meant anything bad by it, but it’s still a bit of a shock. Every time he growls or barks, I jump and always take it as aggression towards me, when he might just want to play... Communication and training are definitely hard going! :/

Luridia, I hope you don't take what I'm about to say the wrong way...

"If a puppy growled at me, I’d be really surprised too, so I would have crouched down and held out my hand for it to sniff to try and make contact."

A dog that growls is asking for space. By approaching, you create tension, so you risk escalating a simple growl into a bite. Especially since you’re looking at the dog (quite an aggressive signal) and crouching down (we tend to lean forward when we do this, which a dog sees as a fairly aggressive signal)...

If the dog starts barking after it’s been growling, it’s very likely we’re dealing with a dog trying to push us away because it’s scared. Usually, a bite follows a growl if you keep approaching. If something else happens, it’s because the dog is really trying to get more room... Haï Olly might react that way, even if it’s not necessarily the most logical response.

"Then you have to see how the dog reacts, but if it starts barking, I look stern and say a firm 'no'."

Using "no" is positive punishment—you’re adding something unpleasant or even scary to stop the behaviour. That is the very definition of "no", and it’s a far cry from positive reinforcement training... and a simple "no" can trigger a bite, considering you’re close to a dog that’s asking for distance and you’re adding more pressure.

"I always say 'no' when the dog barks"

When we say "no", we’re paying attention to the dog, looking at it, communicating with it... Many dogs bark to get attention. The "no" then reinforces the behaviour instead of stopping it. It’s counterproductive—it’s a bit like you’re "barking along with it".

"And if it doesn't shut up when I say no, then I say it again and make it lie down by pushing gently on its back and saying 'down'."

Positive punishment + negative reinforcement (pushing them to lie down) is purely coercive training, even if it's relatively gentle. This is the type of training that causes the most bites... When dealing with a dog barking for space, it’s even more dangerous because you’re initiating physical contact. There’s a huge risk it will turn into self-defence, leading to bites.

"And if my dog grabs my trousers and starts tearing them, I get cross. I say 'No' and 'That's enough', and if that doesn't work, I grab it and put it in another room so it calms down."

Getting angry at a dog that’s biting tends to over-excite it and makes the bites harder. Isolating them is a good move in my opinion, but the "no" and the actions before that risk making the situation worse.

I recommend this article about the word "no" (on page 16): http://www.cynopsy.fr/cynopsymag/CynoPsy_Mag_N4.pdf

Luridia, just because we don't agree with you, it doesn't mean you can't share your opinion any more.

@Célino: last comment and then I’m off! I don’t doubt it ;) as I said, I’ll have a proper look at that :) I’ve trained several dogs using my own approach and, in the end, I have very well-socialised, super affectionate dogs who know exactly what they can and can’t do.

@Darkphoenix, I personally know how I would have reacted in that situation, but I must admit I don’t really dare give my opinion anymore :/ All the best with your little puppy ;)