The Dog Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [56]
A Now you know how a rock star or other celebrity feels when surrounded by adoring but obnoxious fans. Katie is doing all she can to deliver canine love your way, even at the sacrifice of some groceries. Her slightly pushy behavior has worked so far in getting what she wants, which is your attention. Here is one way you can redirect Katie’s enthusiasm to allow you to walk in and out without having to play dodge dog. (See Clingy Canine, page 218, and Look Out! Launching Lab!, page 74, for other strategies.)
Situate a dog bed somewhere near your door where your dog can see you but not be in the way. Whenever you have five minutes and are in a patient mood, call Katie. Have her sit and stay somewhere else in the room while you toss a treat on the doggy bed. Make her stay until you excitedly call out Find your spot! as you point to the treat on the bed. Encourage Katie as she dashes to the bed to grab the treat. Praise her and have her stay on the bed for a few seconds.
Repeat this scenario several times. With each success, extend the time that she stays on her bed. Now, you’re ready to toss a treat and ask her to find her spot and stay there as you head out the door. Give her premium treats when she remains on the bed when you enter the house. Find your spot! works wonders when you greet someone at your door, leave your dog behind to go shopping, or want your dog not to be underfoot.
In my house, find your spot! generates a lot of anticipation and excitement because Chipper never knows which of her favorite treats she will get until she lands on the doggy bed in the family room. Sometimes, I put peanut butter in a hollow synthetic bone. Other times, I give her a dental chew or a handful of dried turkey treats. We both know the routine. I grab the treats and my purse as Chipper waits on the stairway landing. Then, I call out in a happy tone find your spot! That’s her cue to race down the stairs where she does a triumphant leap onto the bed and happily awaits her surprise goodies.
I keep a jar of treats in the garage so that before I even come in the door, I can say find your spot! and she will be waiting for me on her bed as I walk in. She knows to wait there until I toss her a treat. I use this command at bedtime, too, to get Chipper to tuck herself in her bed upstairs so I can brush my teeth and wash my face without tripping over her.
Love on a Leash
Q Callie, my happy Brittany spaniel, yanks and pulls constantly on the leash when I take her for a walk. If she wants to smell something a few feet ahead, she takes off with no regard for my shoulder or wrist. She charges back and forth in front of me or drags behind to check out different smells. Walking her is not fun. It’s trying and tiring. I scold her but she just ignores me and keeps pulling. What can I do so that she walks politely on a leash?
A Sounds like walking Callie is literally a drag, but you have plenty of company. There are legions of leash-yanking dogs all over the globe. Right now, the problem is that Callie doesn’t understand that you want her to behave a certain way on your walks. She is just excited to be outside smelling all those great scents. It can be challenging to reign in a dog on a “gotta sniff here, there, and everywhere” canine quest. Success hinges on improving her focus on you, using the right equipment, and developing your “benevolent boss” status, plus a lot of patience and practice.
What doesn’t work is yanking back. When a dog feels pressure on her throat, she responds by leaning into that pressure to get away from it. Yanking on the leash doesn’t teach her to stop pulling and can injure her neck and trachea. Because