10
My Everyday Dog Training Tools by Doggy Dan
The Online Dog Trainer
Somehow you know that it is not working, however there seems to be very few
alternatives. Over the course of the next few minutes Fido succeeds in winding
you up like a grandfather clock resulting in you shouting your head off at him
and chasing him all over the room. Sound familiar?
Well the great news is that it doesn’t have to be that way and here’s why. One of
the biggest reasons that dogs do not change their behavior is that we are
actually training them to continue the old patterns. Let me explain. Fido very
likely did not actually want to sleep on the couch as much as he wanted some
attention. And our technique of shouting at him, getting frustrated and chasing
Fido around the room gave him all the attention he could have wished for and
more!
Now when you become the pack leader your dog or puppy is going to be far
more respectful of you. Put very simply they are not going to jump all over the
couch knowing that you do not want them up there. However when your dog
thinks that they should be running the show you will run into more areas of
contention than you could possible would wish for.
So what is our alternative option for dealing with our dog when they jump up on
the couch? Here is the solution. The first time they jump up, take them very
calmly and place them on the floor without a word being spoken. If they jump
up again you take them by the collar and put them in Time Out. Close the door
on them and walk away. When they are quiet you can let them out, but make
sure you ignore them.
It’s as simple as that.
A couple of points to cover off some questions you may face.
Firstly, if you are concerned that you can’t catch your dog because they are too
fast then carry on reading. In the next chapter I shall explain how to ensure that
your dog no longer has the upper hand on you in the speed department!
Secondly. Your time out room needs to be safe for your dog and secure. Usually a
bathroom or toilet works well as they have few windows and are quite small.
Remember when your dog is in Time Out they are not supposed to be having
fun, so sometimes outside in the garden is not the best option.
Thirdly. If your dog is barking you really want to wait until they stop before
letting them out. If they are quiet then a couple of minutes is usually long
enough first time round for them to think twice about doing it again.