Breaking Your Dog's Bad Habits by Paula Kephart

Author:Paula Kephart [Kephart, Paula]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781603423588
Publisher: Storey Publishing
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

Be Patient

Don’t expect perfect performance in the first few training sessions, especially if your dog has been in the habit of jumping and pawing for quite a while. Reinforce even a few seconds of compliance with praise, petting, and a food treat.

* * *

Begs for Food When People Are Eating

There are a couple of different ways to retrain a dog who has developed the habit of begging during your mealtimes. One way is to restructure the environment. In other words, don’t allow the dog in the room while you are eating. But many people like to have a snack while they watch television or read. What should you do with the dog then?

The “down-stay” command is effective retraining for begging. Your dog is probably already familiar with this command or some variation of it.

Step 1. As you sit down to eat, point to the spot where you want the dog to be and give her the “down-stay” command (or your version of it). Your dog should lie down and not get up again until you give her the release command.

Step 2. If your dog does not stay down, put her on a leash. Have her lie down on the floor next to you, and step on the leash throughout the meal. Make sure there is enough slack for the dog to rest comfortably, but not enough to allow her to sit or stand up. If your dog tries to get up, repeat the “down-stay” command.

You can use other techniques to limit your dog’s begging. Perhaps you don’t mind sharing a morsel or two with your dog, but you want it to be at your discretion, not hers. If you’re having a snack and have no intention of sharing it with your dog, say “Not for dogs” and don’t give her even a sliver. You want her to learn that this phrase means absolutely no chance. When you are willing to share a small amount, use the phrase “That’s all.” For example, after giving the dog one or two potato chips, say “That’s all,” and do not give her any more. You’ll find that she quickly learns and accepts these limits.

Remember, a dog begs at the table most often because her owner is neither clear nor consistent. Feeding your dog from the table occasionally is the same as training her to beg from the table using intermittent reinforcement. When she sees people eating, she won’t be sure she’ll get a treat, but she’ll know that she may get a treat, and so of course she’ll come and beg, hoping that this will be her lucky day.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.