[nagdu] Improving House behaviors

Sat Aug 2 07:36:23 UTC 2014

Nicole,
Bravo! That is fantastic advice! Thank you for hammering home the
importance of the proactive approach. I wish more of the people I work
with got it like you do.

Julie,
Addressing problems proactively focuses on what you want the dog to
do, while addressing it retroactively focuses on the bad behavior. So
of course, your dog's behavior won't get any better until you deal
with things differently. Work on it before it happens!
as Nicole said, don't use the word "no!" Get that word out of your
vocabulary right away for the very reason she stated. It means
nothing. It provides no direction or alternate behavior.
Also, please just do everything she suggested.
teach yourself to address all problems this way. The sooner you start
thinking about how you can get your dog to do what you want, rather
than focusing on how you can stop him from acting naughty, you will
find that establishing boundaries and expectations is less of a
hassle. Show him what you want, and give him something he wants for
being compliant. Anytime he acts up, just stay focused on what you
have taught him is appropriate. You'll likely go through an extinction
burst as has been mentioned, but trust me, he'll get it.

On 8/2/14, Nicole Torcolini via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Okay... I am sure that others will have more to say, but here goes.
> 	As various people have said on the list, you need to be proactive
> instead of retroactive. First, if you do not have a way of showing him
> where
> he should be, I would recommend getting a towel/blanket or a dog bed. Train
> him to go to that area on command (e.g., call it blanket). Reward him for
> going there and staying there. Give him lots of rewards and praise for
> going
> to his blanket. Whenever he gets up off of it without permission, send him
> back to it and reward. Okay, now you have somewhere to put and send him, so
> onto the next step. Tell him to go to his blanket and stay. Phrase and
> treat. Get some human food and walk slowly toward the couch, telling him to
> stay the whole time. If you hear him get up, put the food back and send him
> back to his blanket. Eventually, he will learn that being on his blanket is
> more rewarding than trying to eat your food.
>
> As for taking things, I would recommend not using the word no. No does not
> have any meaning to a dog. No. No what? As much as possible, try to keep
> things out of his reach. Does he know drop it or leave it? When he picks up
> something that is not his, tell him to drop it, and then tell him to go
> back
> to his blanket, rewarding him for doing it and possibly giving him one of
> his toys. You could also try just outright distracting him with one of his
> toys without even telling him to drop the object that he stole. Also, make
> sure that his dog toys are not stuffed animals or fabric like. Will he pick
> up stuffed animals and clothes if you are monitoring him? If so, you could
> do a training session. Does he chew on the items that he takes? Does he
> have
> plenty of toys of his own? Do you think that there is a reason that he
> finds
> your things enticing?
>
> I know that others will have more ideas, but these are my thoughts for now.
>
> Nicole and Lexia who does not kidnap stuffed animals
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie McGinnity
> via nagdu
> Sent: Friday, August 01, 2014 10:07 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: [nagdu] Improving House behaviors
>
> Hi friends,
>
> I feel a little ridiculous even asking some of these questions, but my
> dog's
> house manners are not acceptable to me.  I've only had him for too months,
> so maybe I'm expecting too much out of him, but I hope not.
>
> First of all, if I eat a snack or a meal while sitting on the couch, he is
> all over me.  I tell him to sit, and nothing happens.  At that point, I
> want
> to put him on tie down, but I also don't want tie down to be a punishment.
> I do not currently have a crate and honestly don't have the funds to buy
> him
> one right now.  The other thing is that I want to deal with the problem; I
> want him to be able to lay down by me while I eat a meal or a snack.
>
> The other problem is that he picks up stuff-clothes, stuffed animals, stuff
> like that.  He does it sneakily, but even when I've found him taking
> things,
> he has not learned.  I tell him know and put the thing away, but he is not
> learning that this is not ok.
>
> Any suggestions?  Sometimes I feel like when I take something away from him
> or give him a command, it doesn't even register in his head that I'm
> telling
> him to do something or telling him he can't have something.  BTW, he
> listens
> well when we do obedience, and his guide work is great.  But I have high
> expectations when it comes to house manners, and I want productive ways to
> work on them.
>
> Thanks guys!
>
> --
> Julie McG
> National Association of Guide dog Users board member,  National Federation
> of the Blind performing arts division secretary, Missouri Association of
> Guide dog Users President, and Guiding Eyes for the Blind graduate 2008
> "For
> God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who
> believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."
> John 3:16
>
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-- 
Raven
"if God didn't make it, don't eat it." - John B. Symes, D.V.M.
http://dogtorj.com