[nagdu] What do you do when you're angry with your dog?

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

/rotfl/  Couldn't you just die?  I swear, sometimes, the dog's time these
things.

The time out does work well, at least in terms of my being able to calm down
before I do something I'll regret.  It also actually works to cause Mitzi to
consider whether or not to be bad in that way again, because she absolutely
hates to have her freedom interfered with!  /grin/  She also hates to be
ignored, so that extra sucks for her.

Meanwhile, I can go fume in the next room and congratulation myself on using
effective, rational training techniques at the same time.  /grin/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Julie J
Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2010 9:02 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] What do you do when you're angry with your dog?

One of the low points in my life with Monty...

About a year ago the weather was warming up and therefore the backyard 
became muddy.  the dogs, husband and Kiddo had tracked mud into the house. 
I spent a good hour sweeping, mopping, vacuuming and washing rugs.  I was 
feeling pretty good when I sat down on the couch to wait for the floor to 
dry.

then I realized that there were some odd noises coming from my bedroom.  I 
called Monty.  He came promptly and happily, but he looked odd...a bit more 
gray than black.  I reached out to touch him and there was this odd fluff 
stuck all over him.  I had no clue what had happened...until I went into the

bedroom.

My ordinarily dark green and brown bedroom was white.  Upon closer 
inspection I realized that there were feathers all over everything.  Teeny, 
tiny goose down feathers that had previously been encased in my favorite 
pillow.    I didn't know whether to cry or scream.  I found the mangle 
pillow, showed it to Monty and hollered at him.  Then I got a grip and  put 
him in his crate.

If you have never had the joy of cleaning up a down feather mess, let me 
tell you that the feathers stick to everything.  I vacuumed it several times

and still found feathers for days.  I took the bedspread outside to shake it

out, except that it was a rather windy day and I ended up covering myself 
head to toe with feathers...feathers in my hair, feathers stuck to my 
sweater, feathers in my shoelaces.   Yeah, it was a good time.

I'd like to say that Monty learned his lesson, that hollering at him had 
some effect, but I'd be lying.  I can say that I learned my lesson.  I was 
much better at keeping tabs on him and what he was doing.  the next time he 
grabbed something with lots of fluff inside I was able to intervene sooner 
with a firm "no" and removal of the object before destruction.  Well, most 
of the time I got the soft fluffy thing before it was destroyed.

For me the best thing I can do when I'm angry or upset with Monty is to have

a time out.  He goes in his kennel and I go do something soothing.   Half an

hour or an hour later I go get him and we resume life as usual.

Julie



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