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

[Tracy Carcione]

I don't ever recall any talking about anger management in class, though I
may have forgotten.  Often, it seems like a dirty little secret no one
wants to talk about, that sometimes we get frustrated with our dogs.

When the dog is screwing around a lot while guiding, alledgedly, and
really getting on my nerves, I have found it helpful to (a) correct him
for sniffing or whatever, and (b) stop and do a couple sits and downs,
holding each for at least 30 seconds.  It's a thing we can agree on--he
knows what Sit means, and I can congratulate him when he does it.  I may
also throw in a Stay, and walk away to the end of the leash for a bit. 
It's really a time-out for me.
I've also occasionally stood there and cursed the dog out in the sweetest
tone of voice I can muster.  "You stupid, useless mutt!  You sorry excuse
for a trained animal!" and so on, in the syrupiests of tones.  I suspect
the dog knows i'm annoyed, though.  It does help me feel better, though.
Tracy

> Lisa brings up a good issue here. What do you do when you're angry with
> your
> dog?
>
>
>
> I'm sure just about all of us have had those moments when we were
> incredibly
> angry with our dogs. Whether they chewed up a favorite possession, went
> after some food for the millionth time or just went seemingly brain dead
> during a guiding task, I'm sure we've all had pause to consider just what
> to
> do. Sometimes we don't pause and that can lead to all kinds of problems.
>
>
>
> One of the things that really hit me when I got my first dog was that I
> was
> now responsible for another being, not only its care but its actions, and
> I
> couldn't always control those actions as well as I'd like.
>
>
>
> I wonder if this is what new parents feel like with toddlers? OK, all you
> parents, am I close? <grin>
>
>
>
> I'll pose the question here. Do you talk about anger and frustration
> during
> guide dog class? Did it surprise anyone when first encountering anger
> toward
> your dog? Do those of us who have had many dogs over time still feel angry
> and frustrated with the current dog over things or does that lessen like
> it
> seems to with kids, the youngest getting away with more things because the
> parents are either tired, or have just relaxed a bit with experience?
>
>
>
> If you were to craft a class lecture about anger management, what might
> you
> say? We can't all be Buddha all the time just for our dogs' sakes.
>
>
>
> We've all, I'm sure, seen someone whom we feel is over correcting his/her
> dog. How do you handle that, especially if you can tell it's out of
> frustration?
>
>
>
> It's a good topic to discuss. Lisa, I feel for you here. My last dog was a
> champion at destroying things when out of harness. She chewed up a Braille
> watch, numerous bits of paper, including a dividend check for over $500,
> and
> the insoles of many a pair of shoes. I did everything to keep her from
> these
> exploits, but when allowed freedom, she exercised her superior Poodle
> intelligence and Labrador tenacity by redecorating my house. I'm almost
> pleased to hear that in her new home, when thoroughly bored, she's been
> doing the same things.
>
>
>
> Jenine Stanley
>
> jeninems at wowway.com
>
>
>
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