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Originally Posted by yorkipower I don’t think I’d go as far as your trainer has suggested (ignoring him completely) nor in such a short period of time. To make real and lasting change, you need to make a permanent change in your and your dog’s life style. Someone recently posted a wonderful link explaining the “nothing in life is for free” method of dog training. This was discussed in great detail in the “Culture Clash” by Jean Donaldson. You can get a copy of this book from either your library or at http://www.dogwise.com. This is the best rule to live by from now with your dog. If he wants to sit on the coach, he has to do a sit on the floor on your first command. If he wants a cookie, he has to do a down on command. If he wants to go outside, he has to do a “come” to your hand fist. You are not to let him have any toys, food or privileges of any kind without first working for that reward. All rewards will come from you, not his environment, and by his “working” for that reward. I also strongly recommend your read Susan Garrett’s “Ruff Love” which also can be purchased through dogwise. It’s a complete re-training program using this nothing in life is for free approach.
I always say this – but it remains true. It is really hard to tell EXACTLY what the problem is from this vantage point – on a computer terminal perhaps hundreds of miles away from where you are. But I will say this: 90% of the time the problem starts with the handler/owner. In agility we learn to always look to ourselves first before we blame the dog. If we are inconsistent or if we ask the dog to do something that he hasn’t fully learned, we have only ourselves to blame when he doesn’t behave the way we want him to. Is your dog REALLY being bad or is he simply confused? For example, I’ve posted many times on this board that I don’t like wee-wee pad and paper training for little dogs EXACTLY because so much of the time the dog gets confused and then is never truly housebroken. (please review some of my old posts on this topic).
Now, as for the clinginess. Yes, you probably do cuddle your dog too much but I am probably one of the worst offenders here – esp. with Bun my little rescue who, like your dog, thinks his duty is to guard me from the boogieman when I sleep and follow me into the bathroom to make sure there’s no black hole on the other side of the door ready to suck me up into oblivion. Here my suggestion to you is this – a matter of management not extinguishment. Your dog may have a “clingy” personality which you have indulged into a problem. I have three dogs right now but only one of them follows me into the bathroom. See my point? I know that if Bun is on my lap or lying on my bed while I’m asleep, no one, man or beast, is going to be able to come near me. So here, I manage the situation into a non- problem. Bun does not sleep on my bed. He sleeps in a crate or in his own dog bed. He’s gotten so good that he actually goes up to my room at night while I’m in the shower and TUCKS himself into his little bed. It’s the cutest thing. When he’s on my lap, I simply tell people not to approach until he’s on the ground, I then ask him to sit and when he’s sitting he gets a treat from the person who wanted to approach him. This way the interaction is always positive and he never gets into a situation where he’s going to get into trouble. And yes, your dog is demanding of your time. Well, so are many men and children! How demanding he should be is a question you have to answer for yourself. As I said, I don’t agree with your trainer that you should suddenly, for no apparent reason, totally igore him for the next three days or week. He’ll probably think he’s being punished but he’ll have no idea why he’s being punished. Then, just like a failed diet, you’ll go back to the treatment he’s used to and there will be much of the same problem you started with. Just like true weight loss, you need to rethink your relationship with your dog. Set boundaries and decide what behaviors you can live with and what you can’t (now I’m sounding like a marriage counselor but heck, its really relationship counseling – so how different is it really?). |
Such good advise. I was always told never to feed your dog first at meals. They
want you to be Alpha. My little one is 11 yrs old and such an angel that I just
couldn't (she thanks me for everything I do) even after grooming; she runs back
to lick my hand or give me a kiss. But we had a dog when my kids were young
that felt it was it's duty and job in life to make our life "hell on earth" . Just like
with kids, some you can give alittle and alot and other no way until you are sure
they know you mean what you say. Being consistant in your plan is so important
but your advise is the best I have heard.