Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeyP  Sounds to me like you might be Reinforcing the Exact behavior you're trying to stop
These little guys are smart
They very quickly know ... when I do this ... I'm going to get a treat
If your dog is barking and then COMES to you ... ignore him
Or else he's going to think Hey I bark and I get a reward .... NICE  |
JoeyP, these little guys are indeed very clever!
My innocent attempt to train Max not to bark excessively worked at first and he stopped barking. Then, out of nowhere, he started this devil/angel routine. He is always devising new games and rituals, and he does a lot of role playing -- thankfully, 97% of it is good or desirable behavior.
Following your advice, I have been ignoring his sitting/curtsies after his naughty performances. Max has responded with a lot of pouting, but things are slowly improving.
He is such a good pup in general -- perfect potty habits, never bothers us when we eat, waits patiently for me to wake up in the morning, never damaged anything and isn't possessive of toys or food -- hence, it is a challenge for me to be firm when correcting bad behavior.
