OMG that is so scarily true in our house. Very funny, just shows how they wrap us round their paws!!!
sounds exactly like my house.... team it with four student boys, she is definately the leader of this house
Having just got our Foxhoundx about 5 weeks ago how quickly she has managed to get to rule number 7. I now have a copy of the rules on my wall just to remind me!!
lol we are rule 5 and they r not coming upstairs nooo way... can't handle the dog hairs in bed as well as everywhere else ..mmmm lets see how this goes xxx
About Rule 8: It never occurred to me that Pikey would try to sleep under the covers, but he does. I didn't know what he was up to at first when he stuck his nose under the sheet and then went all the way under. I was afraid he might not be able to breathe but it seems he does get enough air. I guess when he's sleeping he doesn't need much air, so I let him do it wen he wants to.
For an old thread I had not seen before, it really made me laugh! Up to rule 7 is fine by me. Rules 8, 9 and 10 - No Way!
My previous Beagle, Joe, lived for 13 years and I never had this problem. My newly adopted Beagle, Pikey, has the problem of barking at dogs on the daily walk and also when a dog passes my house. I've watched Cesar Milan demonstrate how the handle this, but I've been unsuccessful so far. When he sees a dog, he starts barking and lunging. Even at 25 pounds he is hard to control. When I see a dog coming, I watch Pikey for the exact moment he sees the other dog and instantly give a quick jerk of the leash. On Dog Whisperer this always works but not with Pikey. I am desperate for suggestions about what I can do to correct this behavior.
CM's methods tend to be a little out of fashion these days, the emphasis is on positive, reward based training methods. The following worked for my reactive rescue, and is based on the methods of US trainer Leslie McDevitt, in her book, 'Control Unleashed'. I would start with a pocketful of really yummy treats, and commence training by getting the dog, on a lead, to 'watch me', and reward him for making eye contact with you. (You can even hold the treat in front of your face to begin with). In the beginning, do this where there are no other distractions. When this is reliable, I would go to a place where there are going to be other dogs, but still allow plenty of space between your dog and another (on a lead) dog. Tell him to 'Look at the dog', then 'Look at me', and reward him for turning his attention back to you. Only allow this distance, between your dog and another, to diminish by stages, as he becomes less reactive, and more focussed on you. It may take some time, but it does work. I remember the lightbulb moment when Eddie started to go, 'Look there's a dog there, reward me for looking away from it!'. Magic!
Thank you so much! I was hoping for a good suggestion like yours and I have printed it out and will begin using tomorrow (Saturday, Jan.3). Thanks again for your help.
Awww that applies to any breed really. Reminds me exactly what happened just before we adopted Sophie. Hubby's family had dogs in the past but they weren't much more than shooed under the coffee table and barely tolerated. Hubby decided yes I can have a dog but...it would sleep with the kids or in it's own bed. Sophie came home all needy and clinging...okay she can sleep in her bed...on the floor...on my side of the bed. After a few nights of Sophie getting stuck under the bed in panic mode...okay she can sleep on my feet, on my side of the bed. By the time Callie came a couple years later...one big dog in the bedroom is all there is room for...Callie can sleep with my daughter. Then we realized by dawn Callie would magically be in our room. He was also a very intelligent guy...he became hubby's best pal in a matter of days. Now the usual arrangement is Sophie on my feet and Callie laying between us...nose at our feet, he's super short haired so prefers to be fully under the covers. Hey we spent how many years sharing the bed with nursing babies and toddlers, just the natural progression of things...did I mention the cats?
Distracting the dog with food/toy is more effective then jerking lead I find stilton is brilliant distraction with scent hounds, just waff in front of nose & the dogs head will turn automatically towards you.
Yes Tina, I should have added, Do wear old clothes for training, as your left hand pocket will soon become very greasy and smelly!
Pikey is turning out to be more interesting than I had expected, and is providing some challenges which I am not really that unhappy about. A dominant streak is showing and I think I am going to have to show some 'pack leadership'. He likes to go to bed right after dark and he goes to sleep on my side of the bed which requires that I wake him up and make him move. He does this every night and he shows mild irritation when he has to move. This is a good thing because I feared a 'rescue' dog might be overly docile.