Yahoo! Answers

I take in special needs dogs to be my fur friends. I am definitely a treat trainer and reward good behavior with a snackie. The girls have learned to eat their veggies as a result! LOL But, I don’t ignore bad behavior, I put them in time out and withhold contact, communication and affection which for my special girls is probably THE worst punishment possible because they despise being isolated. Amazing what 3-5 minutes in the laundry room alone does because they never repeat that “bad girl behavior” again, they just find a new thing to do the next time!

I admit I treat my dogs like people — but like very young, preschool people. I talk to them in very short sentences, preferably 2 words or so at a time. When they’re good, I praise them: “Good boy! Good job! Good doggy!” It’s the tone of voice they like. They don’t really know any English (except for OUT & CHEESE). When they’re bad, they hear that buzzer sound “ENH!” or “NO!” It worked reasonably well with my tots. It works about as well with my doggy boys. I figure they’re at about the same level!

are u kidding? ignore the bad behavior? that lets the dog know that it is acceptable to shitt on your carpet. they’ll see no consequence for your action and will repeat it.

their action*

I couldn’t agree more! Dogs need discipline and actually thrive in an environment with clear expectations. My dogs get a balance of exercise, discipline, and affection (credit to the Dog Whisperer for teaching us the importance of all three).

I’ve loved dogs ever since I was a kid, but you are right its a lot of work with all the training and feeding, not to mention the money to “maintain” one.

I don’t quite agree with the ignore their bad behaviour, even though I have never owned a dog, I’ve lived with my aunt before and she had one and believe me she had to yell at him to make sure he stopped doing whatever he’s not suppose to.

I love nothing more than my dogs. When i go out shopping, I end up buying doggy toys and expensive snacks for them instead of buying things for myself.
I always praise them after every command they follow to. For bad behaviour,a loud NO with a spank on the thigh area and they learned.

okay im sorry but my dog eats with me and i havent had any problems… it seems odd to not let him eat until you have finished your meal! perhaps even cruel! and nothing wrong with letting him lead the walks either. my dog is great and very loving; he never does anything bad…

but thats just my opinion of course

Well … I’ve always figured that it’s the dog’s walk so I pretty much let him lead me. He goes where he wants, within reason, and sniffs anything that he finds interesting. It’s his only opportunity to be outside and I try to give him a sense of freedom.

Wow, what a coincidence! A friend of mine recently mentioned getting a dog, and now there’s a blog about it on Yahoo. Very helpful blog!

i need to board my cat and dog for a week.i need an address

My dog gets to come to work with me so it’s vital that she is well behaved. Some strategically timed play sessions outside wear her out so that she doesn’t get bored in the office. (A bored dog can be a destructive dog)

She does get spoiled though. Once a week she has a day long play date with “grandma” who spoils her more than I ever would.

I try to exercise my dogs regularly. The more exercise they get, the better they behave. They’re happier, and when they’re happy they’re more eager to please me. They’re also too tired to get into too much trouble.

i admit we don’t really balance dicipline and affection. my puppy is my baby. he knows not to steal my food.. but he is allowed to lay on my lap while i eat. he gets carried and cuddled all day. he eats whatever i am eating (but only when i specifially hand it to him). he sleeps with me (and hogs my bed lol). he’s mostly housetrained but if someone forgets to put him out accidents will happen.

he’s my little man and my baby. he gets treats atleast once a day and gets cuddled almost constantly. he doesn’t really walk anywhere. we do have a food bowl set up for our house dogs but honestly they mostly eat the scraps from our plates. they have atleast 50 chew toys. they even have their own toy box! and my puppy has day clothes, night clothes and play clothes. i dress him everyday.

I also have a pampered pooch She goes for a walk 2-3 times a day is spoiled rotten (LOL!!!) I adopted Coco a year ago and she fits into my lifestyle perfectly

P.S she’s part Alaskan malamute/ Black Lab

Dog are free creatures. They do not need your dominance either your pretension that the earth belongs to you and they are second category creature. Just let them be if you do not like it do not buy a dog. Or I should say invade a dog?

The theories of positive reinforcement call for you to use the least amount of positive reinforcement for the required behavior. So making a big deal about the behavior such as you’re making it as big of a deal as the SuperBowl will only lead for the behavior to be less likely to be repeated.

Psycholgy Major - Behavioral therapy

Our 3 babies our spoiled rotten! We allow them free access to the outside all day and for a good part of the evening. This allows them to run and play as they desire. When it comes to walks they can be a bit pushy on wanting to be in front but otherwise behave very well. Feeding time is always in the morning and this cuts down on the night time accidents. They do get some table food but only after we have finished eating. Bed time is fun time and 2 of the 3 sleep in our bedroom and the smaller sleeps with us. The one that doesn’t is a former show dog and prefers his crate for sleeping. We have 2 pure bred Miniture Pinchers and 1 American Bulldog. The Bulldog is a rescue and he is such a loving boy it is hard to believe that he was abused before his rescue. We love our dogs and with no children they get a lot of special attention.

I have the most spoiled Yorkie in the world. We also have 2 Bouvier Des Flanders that were rescued from shelters. Oh yeah we have pampered Pomerian who thinks he owns the world. Our dogs are very well behaved though.

We spoil our little girl with love, attention, and good quality dog food. She is allowed to sit on the couch, but sleeps in her own kennel at night. She knows her boundaries and manners. It’s just better for us all that way!

An old Man living with an old dog

An old man and an old dog are perfect companions for one another. The old dog trots up slowly to the old man and stops well clear, but close enough to lash the old man’s legs with his furiously swing tail that seems like an old rope.. The old dog cavorts about by twisting and writhing his body is a paroxysm of pure joy. His old joints don’t permit any mindless jumping. Yet, he remains far enough away to leap to safety if the old man should misstep or totter about or even fall.

When the old man sits, the old dog quietly lays his head on the old man’s thigh in silent affection as he awaits the man’s fumbling pat or stroke upon his head. When the old man’s attention wanders, the old dog simply lies down and remains cautiously alert even while dozing.

The old dog’s needs are few. Food, water, shelter and a little affection. Pretty much the same as the old man’s needs or his ability to provide. The old dog will remain faithfully near his old master. Demanding little, apparently content just to share his master‘s presence. They are both wise in the ways of the other. The give and take that passes gently between them is almost instinctive on both their parts.

The old man and the old dog are reflections of each other. Gray circles the head of the old man and gray flecks the rich, brown coat of the dog. Both are grizzled in their appearance. There is an air of quiet assuredness about them both. Born of relatively long years of enduring the vagaries of life.

They both look forward to a quiet end as they recall the past years in their dreams. Neither expect anything more of life other than that which they have both received. The man is mildly haunted with the fear that he shall outlive his canine companion, thereby suffering yet another loss from his life. The dog simply dreams the excitement of youth as his
arthritic joints twitch and quiver in his sleep.

An old man and his old dog, neither required for life. Their service done, they only have each other for company. They are both together and yet, so much alone. Neither are forgotten, just ignored in the hurly-burly of a youthful life. Such it was with their forebears and such it will be with their descendants. Each generation growing farther apart from the preceding one. This is the tale of life. It leaves an old man with his old dog. Both, dozing in the warm sun.

My dog is certainly spoiled but he does yeoman’s duty. My dog certainly does lead me, and we are equals neither is Alpha we are a team. He does not ask more than words of praise and the usual - food,a place to sleep, vetrinary attention. He does not eat “people food” and stays off the furniture. I am legally blind, and my dog is a guide dog. He is quite rightly loved and cherished and I think guide dogs are even nobler beasts than other dogs, if that is possible.

We have two yellow Labs; one will turn 8 in the fall, and the other is just under 1.5 years old. We were novices when we got the first one, and though we tried to crate-train her, she would panic and mess herself, while barking piteously. Since we had snuck her into our apartment (officially, pets were not allowed, though some other people had them, and we knew we would be moving to a house soon.)
We caved. Luckily, she learned paper training quickly (we had such a small apartment that she didn’t have many options about where to pee), and she became housebroken pretty quickly. But man, she was destructive. She bit a chunk out of the seat of every single upholstered chair in our dining room set, which was pretty much the only nice thing we had. We would scold her, but she really didn’t know any better; she probably had no clue why we were upset. Then suddenly she passed that stage and calmed down. She’s my dog, and she trusts me completely. When I sit at the computer, she comes in and sinks down onto the floor, emitting that Lab sigh.
Now the younger dog is another story. We bit the bullet and crate-trained her from Day 1. And now she likes to hang out in her crate. She knows that’s “her” place. And I have to say, it’s been hard to housebreak her. Our schedules have gotten wicked and it’s hard for us to establish a “potty” routine with her, so there are some accidents, but that is not her fault. But I have to say that she is such a calm and sweet-tempered dog, and totally innocent. I am taking time off from work and that is one of my goals for the next month: to housebreak the little one.
We have no children either, and the two dogs are not the best of friends. The older one resents her. If I am talking sweetly to the little one, the older dog immediately has to run downstairs to see what’s going on, and if I stroke the little one, the older dog PUSHES her muzzle between my hand and the dog

so it’s HER I’m petting. The little one just thinks of the other dog as another puppy, and the older dog can’t stand that. Yet with all the hideous snarls and growls, neither one of them has ever hurt the other. And it looks as if the baby’s going to be bigger than our older dog. I hope someday they get along.

The older dog is my favorite, but we’ve had so much time to get to know her.

We have a fenced yard, but it’s big and if they find an opening (and they always do) they “elope”, so now I have to be out with them when they’re in the yard.
I will never forget. One dark night my husband let them go out into the yard for the evening potty, then told me when he called for them that they were nowhere in the yard. My husband jumped into the car and started looking for them while I made an online classified ad for the local paper. At midnight, I went to bed because I could think of nothing else I could do. I was awakened at 4 am by the sound of something repeatedly banging against the door. Hoping against hope, I went to the door and there they were, banging to get into the house. They had found their way back to us. I was so grateful.

Our breeder called me the next day because he had seen the ad. I was so happy to tell him the dogs were back. He said that the older dog smelled the way home. I don’t know about that but I was so glad that they returned to us.

Now the dogs are pretty good, although the older one is the absolute worst beggar of all time. She offers her paw to get a treat even if we haven’t asked for her paw.

Amblinal, that was a beautiful post.

I didn’t balance affection with discipline. Since I was a step/foster/non-committal/guest/only female/only naturally affectionate person in the one man one dog household, I took on the task of doing nothing but loving this Boston Terrier pup to the limit. I made him people clothes, and he walked around on 2 legs when he wore them. We snuck up and out and met in the kitchen in the middle of the night and I made Cinnamon toast for us. He loved my cinny toast. I made him a custom hand upholstered ultra suede doggybed; 10 times cushier than any $300 on-line bed with round high sides. He loved it, because he loves me. I brought him the best soft rubber balls to play catch in the house with. They were just the right size for his mouth, and they didn’t hook his baby puppy teeth and pull them out. He appreciated these things i did for him.
I trained him to heal, how to walk properly on a leash, how to look where I was pointing, how to speak and how to wait until someone let him outside before he pottied. But the training did not come at the expense of discipline. It came by rewarding my pal with food, love, and crazy wild enthusiastic praise!
Boston Terriers will do anything for food. This dog would have learned to drive a car if he thought i would have fed him for it. It never took more than 2 tries before he caught on to his lesson. That BT was smarter than 40% of my eight grade class my last year of teaching.
Then, after all that, the worst came to be one fatefull day:
his daddy turned out to be a turd. He never called me again or invited me over. Gee, I wonder if he got the feeling that i liked his dog more than i liked him? I tried to make him feel first, but the dog made me laugh. The dog was always glad to see me. The dog was even-tempered and affectionate. The dog appreciated the things i did for him. The dog never got mad at me. The dog didn’t request unusual or unreasonable things of me. The dog didn’t lose his temper. The dog didn’t bitch and moan about work, traffic, money, or bills.

I don’t see either one of them any more, and i mourn the loss of my BT bud. I know he thinks of me often; I can feel it in my heart. I miss him.

Unconditional love is the name of the game.
When you are giving and receiving that, discipline just doesn’t’ seem to enter into the picture.
Thanks for asking!!

Sincereley,
maidensolo

‘m’

People OWN their dogs. Dogs do not own people.
Meaning that dogs are pack anmals. Human is the pack leader, dog is always the follower. Human owns everything, dog owns nothing. If invited by the human the dog may use selected items that the Human gives him to borrow, such as toys. To ensure that the animal understands this bonderies must be made. Dog is controlled by human, like he would be controlled in a pack of dogs. Walk behind the leader. And focus their undivided attention on the leader. And the leader always eats first to show his dominance.

My Puppy is spoiled rotten. Her name is Hemingway Elizabeth Marilyn. She has a closet full of clothes, teddy bears and special doggie treats. That’s right, she’s a Chiuahuaha (S/P?)

I “spoil” my dogs. But I would never, ever, think that not disciplining them is “spoiling” them. Unless you mean spoiling them as an animal, for your neighbors, and for the rest of society.

My neighbors ignore their dogs, let them run wild and bark (when they actually let them out of their little pen) for hours upon hours at a time, and generally do nothing for them. Oh, except breed them - which creates more little monsters that they don’t discipline or teach anything.

I had to threaten to call the cops on them (again) just to get them to shut up the other day. They will stand outside right beside them and let them bark for hours and hours. So, yeah, I guess that’s “spoiling” the dogs - and the rest of us who have to deal with it all day and most of the night.

Oh, and by the way, that’s what actually happens when you ignore the bad behavior. You get dogs like that.

my two chihuahuas are spoiled to no end, they get lots of treats and toys, they get petted all day long and they sleep in the bed with me and my husband, but i can’t help it we have no kids and they have such cute little faces when they look at you you can’t deny them anything

You missed one thing. Your dog also need to attend socialization class. It’s there they learn to mingle with other dogs and control their biting habits :).

cute

Yes, I do. His name is Kobie and he is a bichon frise. I love him so much that he is like a family member. He is spoiled

If I ignored my dog’s bad behavior, then she would get seriously hurt in fights, and people will get irritated with her to. Even when she is in the car, I try ignoring her barking, but that hasn’t worked so now I know ignoring doesn’t work with her. So, she is definitely not the type of dog that should be ignored for bad behavior——especially after I signed an aggreement saying that I’m responsible for my dogs health and behavior when my dog passed her AKC Canine Good Citizen test.

Is my dog spoiled? yes Is my dog well behaved? Yes

I think it depends on each dogs personality how you teach and train him. Some dogs need a more firm approach and to show who’s alpha in the family. Other dogs need encouragement in order to not be so timid. I’ve helped with rescues and had dogs growing up. This is my first dog as an adult, and he’s perfect! He’s a cuddler, slobbers a little, sheds a lot. He knows the command “to your crate” or “cage” and has no problem listening. He eats while we cook dinner and goes to his crate while we eat. Half the time we dont even have to tell him - nor do we have to close the crate door.

We bought a king size bed so he can sleep with us. We have couches that he is allowed on, and he has his own kitties he loves. Given his breed, he is food driven and can be stubborn. Given his size, we taught him “wait” and he slows down & stops when you say that. This helps when I am having a rough day keeping up. He’s 140 lbs and super gentle, loves kids, is leary of outsiders but doesn’t bark, growl, chew up non-toys.

I think he deserves to be loved and spoiled in a good way. He seems to be pretty happy.

I also agree with maidensolo. That’s how we raised our bullmastiff - unconditional love.

Our dog never had an accident as a puppy! We praised him, gave him treats and everytime he did something right we told him he’s the best dog in the world! We still do that. I’ve never ever spanked him or done anything to ‘punish’ him - other than tell him to go to his crate.

People always tell me how wonderful, how well behaved and how awesome both my dog and 13 yr old are. I think I did a good job so far.

Hi Everyone, I’m not usre if nayone can help me. I just sort of stumbled upon this question. I hope one of you competes in agility with your dog?? I put this post on NTI’s new blog, but no one responded yet… if anyone can help please let me know:

I’ve tried to put our dog into agility classes; however, he has a tendency to run off the course when he sees another dog walking by. It seems no matter how often he goes to the dog park, plays with other dogs, or is allowed to explore the arena he still just wants to be around dogs and could care less about the course.

They think he is a boarder collie mix, which I believe explains the increased energy and amazing speed.

Any ideas on how to keep him in the ring and focused??

Your doggy woggy is cute.

I love thus blog

I’m a certified vet tech and a dog trainer (12+ years). I have four large dogs.

I agree with people who say that exercise makes for a well-behaved dog. It does.

You said, “If the dog does something bad, ignore the behavior. Remember: Any attention is going to ensure a repeat of the bad behavior.” - - Sorry, but my jaw dropped. Sounds like some “positive-only” new-fad trainer told you that one. It’s nonsense. Only POSITIVE attention to a bad behavior “ensures a repeat of the behavior”. Negative attention doesn’t do that.

I do not believe in mistreating a dog ever. But mixing positive reinforcement with a deterrent shows the best training result. It’s statistical fact. So I combine a lot of praise with NO and AHK! - as someone above said, tone of voice is everything. I never scream at a dog - they will tune it out. Period. As they should.

You are on the right track when mentioning not letting the dog lead on a walk, feeding yourself first, etc. Those things are most important however, really for dominant dogs. With a ’softer’ dog, you needn’t worry about those things. Every dog is an individual.

Three of my dogs - a border collie and 2 greyhounds, are not dominant. My fourth, a blue heeler (aka Australian Cattle Dog) and the only female incidentally, needs much more structure or she would eat the rest of us up, spit us out, and take over the world.

Interesting that I don’t see anything mentioned by anyone here that I would consider abusive to a dog - except two comments made me wince. The person who carried the puppy around constantly and dressed him all day - is creating a psychologically damaged dog. This person should not have a dog! The other that got me was the person who insisted dogs don’t understand dominance. This person knows nothing about dog brains, and is assuming they are wired like humans. They aren’t. Knowing who the pack leader is, is necessary to their psychological health and creates security and comfort in their environment. Oh- there was one more that scared me - the person who allowed their dogs to survive on table scraps instead of dogfood. Scary. This is a sure way to severe health issues, and absolutely shortening the lives of the dogs.

Are my dogs pampered? I don’t know - I take their needs, both psychological and physical - very seriously. My greyhounds have ‘jammies’ and coats when cold, because they have little body fat. My other two do not have clothes. They all get to do doggie sports, go out with me alone (one with me) on special outings every week. They get good nutritional food, lots of praise, lots of structure, warm beds, and the best medical care. If that’s pampering so be it - but I think those things are just the obligation of every dog owner.

I love dogs and I love to babysit for a friend
of mine her toy terrier named Buddy. She
hasn’t been bringing Buddy back because
my friends daughter says that mom said I
spoil him too much.

But lately my friend has been giving in because
she doesn’t trust anyone else with Buddy. That
really warms my heart. It’s not wrong to pamper
your pet, mistreating it is.

I live in a six-dog household. Four are HUGE dogs. We all get along fabulously. There is no strife in the ranks. I don’t use many of the recommended ‘alpha’ actions, but my dogs all respect me as their leader. I feel that this is especially important in a multi-dog home, as, if I am not a strong leader, they will try to choose a leader from among themselves, leading to fights and strife.
My role is to show them I am a *trustworthy* leader.
I rarely need to discipline. I do give a lot of praise, and I never raise my voice nor my hand. I never use fear or threat of pain as a training tool. If one must resort to violence or threat of violence, there is a breakdown in communications and a breakdown in trust..

I am very affectionate to my little boy, I do call him spoiled because I do pamper him. But he knows who is in charge. I was very diligent and consistent with training. I eat first, he listens very well, but I’m never mean or anything like that with him. When he was a baby, I took him to training classes that taught me how to train him properly. But like you, I do not have kids and I do call him my baby, and my mom does call him her grandpuppy. I’m not delusioned into thinking he’s an actual child, but he’s the closest to it I will have. He’s a mama’s boy, he goes where I go (except for when I’m at work of course, which I take him to the sitters during that time to play with other pets and kids and get plenty of exercise while I’m at work). I call him spoiled because I do all I can to keep him happy and healthy and will continue to do so. I do not consider my calling him spoiled is because he is untrained, he’s very far from it. I guess your word pampered is a better word for it.

Well, I got a rescued dog that was abandoned at an early age, and I believe someone really mistreated him. He is VERY shy and when I first got him he would huddle behind my recliner most of the time. He has come out of it a lot in the last year. He will now approach very carefully anyone who comes to visit. I have spoiled him because I think he needed some spoiling. He needed lots of love and he sleeps on the bed with me. I give him treats and love and he is a doll!! He is part spaniel and part poodle, we think.

I have a little jack russell called Buster and he is more like a little baby than a dog!

I don’t ast breakfast but imake him scrambled egg! He gets new toys all the time! I buy him clothes, when I go on holiday I even bring him presents back!

I buy him things such as dog bubbles, (bacon flavourrrrrr) he loves playing with them.

He also sleeps in my bed on a night, who cares about a few dog hairs when you have a little doggy giving you so much love and attenion.

I have always loved cats until I got an english bulldog, she is my baby, she sleeps with me ( I have two boys whom I never let into my bed but my bulldog has been sleeping with me since she was 8 wks old) I love her to death and can’t imagine life without her, recently she broke her nail up close to her paw, I felt so bad for her I’ve been babying her ever since.

My dogs are my children
they the most pampered pooches I know !!!

yes. i pamper my dog so much. u dont even want to know……or begin to know

i don’t have any dogs at the moment, However I have a very spoiled kitty named Miauler. She permits me to live in my house. She is my constant companion and “talks” to me all the time with certain “meows”. She likes to play and sleep on her own schedule. She makes me laugh constantly. I rescued her from a shelter about a year ago.

most definately. i have five dogs that are VERY spoiled! peanut, peewee, jasmine, sasha

I agree with you….I love my dog whenever it did something bad~

Well, my two dogs are my children now, the two legged ones grew up and moved out (God is good). So now I have Dimples (a 10 year old Sheltie) and Fendi (a 4 year old Silky Haired Yorky) so, to say, my life is full with he two of them. He (Fendi) is all boy and is Dennis the Menace reincarnated and well Dimples, she such a lady and is so laid back and calm until the contrast between the two are totally human traits. Oh and believe you me, thy have their perks, one only eats dry dog food and one only eats canned. Fendi gets into trouble and Dimples tells on him. Oh and the Alpha thing we had to establish a long time ago, so in my house it is relatively quiet. And Dimples being a old as she is, doesn’t want anything, toy, etc., until Fendi has it - and Fendi has to have Dimples in his sight at all times.

I have one pomeraninan puppy (six months), Kingston and a elderly cat, Marvin. I love them both to pieces. They are like my children. I spoil Marvin all the time by giving him tuna, other fishes, chicken (all cooked!), etc. (no red meats though.) I counter balance this by not letting him on the counters or the table. Also I do not feed him wet food, since though he loves it it is bad for his teeth, on his birthday I mad him a wet food cake! Kingston is hyper but is one of the sweetest dogs ever, I bring him everywhere I can in my arms or purse and when I travel I take him (on the plane, in the car, etc.) I let him walk where ever he wants to, and when he does something bad I say no, he already knows that he’s done something naughty when I say no. I reward him for all of his good behavior. Both animals sleep on my bed, and my office is their personal playroom; it has his cat tree house thing for marvin, kingstons toys, marvins toys (seldom used) and kingstons little used dog bed. They are my babies

Just adding, I buy kingston new toys all the time and sometimes put him in cloths ( I think he likes it) he is the best little boy ever.

Poe,

We potty train our dogs by making sure they go out frequently enough for their needs and almost more. If they do pee or poo, we move them to the correct place. (outside or on a pad)
No shoving noses in it, no hitting, no yelling. We have well potty trained dogs with few accidents as a result, and we generally have no accidents that are their fault (I forget them, or leave them in too long, and they couldn’t hold it.) with no fear. They are pretty smart, and will figure it out.

However, potty training is the only time I won’t correct them with NO or something similar. I only do it with potty training becuase what I’ve found with yelling or clapping and potty taraining is that people say no, and the dog is given no alternate option and runs off (still in the house) to potty somewhere. There’s just not time to yell when the little baby is making a mess!

Today’s owners have come to confuse respect towards a dog with human’s approach to life. Dressing dogs is not okay and if it’s too cold then the pup shouldn’t of be outside in the first place. I also find carrying dogs in bags hilarious but sad really. They need their exercise. True for a Chihuahua the walk may be too long, but shouldn’t you be informed enough to know you might exhaust the creature? Dogs will always be dogs and if one day they start advancing as a race, they will but in their own way.

Are you kidding? LOL What’s the point in having a dog if you can’t spoil him/her? My Pembroke Welsh Corgi (Jack) is spoiled rotten but I get lots of unconditional love and companionship even when he’s been bad he still loves me no matter what. Yep, it’s all fun and games until somebody loses a tail!

I think ignoring the behaviour is the WORST thing possible. Because sooner or later, you’re going to give them affection and attention. A friend’s dachshund whines and cries and barks when anyone leaves the household even with my friend there. He ignores him thinking that it is the best method. I had him for the evening, while he and my husband went out. I would not tolerate such behaviour and each time he looked like he was going to whine, or did whine I just “shhd” him. It wasn’t a horrible experience. I was just letting him know that the behaviour was unwanted.

Instead of him whining for 90 mins like he does with his owner, he whined for 20. The second time I sat him, he whined for 10.

It’s not a bad thing to give little corrections to your dog. at any age. the dachshund is 5 years old. It’s just a way of saying “Don’t do this, do that instead!” and as soon as he stopped whining, I’d stroke him, and smile and be nice. As soon as he whined, I’d get all stiff and “shh”

it’s just a balancing act. Now, if you were shouting at your dog and making him feel bad, then that is not good because your dog learns to fear you. Respect is more productive than fear.

I agree with all of the methoids that you have mentioned, but I’m not too sure about the whole ignoring when they do something bad thing. It kinda makes sense but it depends on what you are talking about. Like if your dog is on the couch you should make her/him get off instead of ignoring it because they think that it is okay.

And about the potty training you know a lot of people don’t know that you shouldn’t beat your dog when they go to the bathroom in the house because not only is it your own fault but they don’t understand unless you catch them in the act.

Think about it if your dog is pooping in the house and you catch him and correct him and send him in the backyard he will know what he did wrong, but if theres poop in the house already and you beat them you will simply make them scared of the poop instead of just knowing that its wrong to do it in the house. I’m not saying you shouldn’t correct them but you shouldn’t stick their noses in it and beat them for it like a lot of people do.

And the reason I said that it is your fault if they have an accident is because you are not keeping up with them. You need to keep them on a schedule with when they eat and let them out about 20 mins after they eat and let them out inbetween.

I thought I knew a lot about raising a dog. The Dog Whisperer has taught me how little I actually knew. I am most grateful. Learning the proper way to be the Alpha has taught me the way to having happier and better behaved dogs. Would you put your hand in a burning wood stove? Not knowing the importance of proper leadership, regular exercise, and correcting improper behavior is like an invitation to serious problems. I for one didn’t realize that NOT doing something important can be as dangerous as doing something like burning your own hand. We have a right to dog ownership, but like all rights it comes with responsibility. Good Alpha Pack Leaders are Responsible Dog Owners. The affection, respect and loyalty we get from our “pack” is then icing in the cake.

My dog died 2 years ago. He was spoiled rotton but was the most loving dog I could have ever had. His name was (you guessed it) “hobo”

i love my 2 dogs jake and pumpkion pumpkion is very smart and sweet jake very very very loveable

I agree that dogs are family members.I love my three dogs,a German Shepherd named Lulu,who is 7,a “mystery mutt” named Maggie,who is 11,and a Dachshund/Cocker Spaniel mix named Levi,who is an old man of 15. My dogs are what some would call “spoiled.” They are given bits of whatever I am eating for dinner,they sleep wherever they want to,eat the best dog foods, and have countless toys.They are NOT,however,ignored when they do something bad! My GSD is notorious for stealing food from the counters.She knows it is not allowed,as she waits until the kitchen is empty of people to do it,and hides under the table after she has stolen it.This is because she knows she will be scolded.Of course I can’t scold her unless I catch her in the act,which rarely happens,but since she has been scolded,she thinks that if she hides,that she hasn’t even done anything wrong.She is scolded when we are walking and she goes bonkers upon seeing another dog.This is one of her little idiosyncrocies - strange dog aggression - and I will correct her! If I ignore her,how will she know that she isn’t allowed to be aggressive? It’s like a kid.If they run into the road,you don’t ignore it,you let them know that it is unacceptable,and they learn from it.It’s the same way with dogs - they are very much like kids in this way,and a correction is something that can teach them.You wouldn’t just ignore the dog if it bit someone,would you? You don’t ignore them if they start to pee on the floor - you say “NO!” and hurry to get them outside to finish,then you praise them.Otherwise,they would never learn to go outside. So my dogs are spoiled,but they are also corrected when they do something wrong - just like a kid! And seeing as I have no human children,they truly are my “kids!”

I only partially agree with the “ignore bad beghavior” area, as it depends on the dog’s motive. Is the dog trying to get attention, or does he enjoy chewing up your shoes? If the dog is nudging your arm to get your attention, you should ignore him. If he is chasing squirrels to kill them, most certainly yell at him–this is not an attention-getting tchnique, but a behavioral issue. Just reason through it. We’re better at it than they are.

If my dogs do something bad, I don’t just ignore them. It jsut doesn’t work for my dogs. I just say “No” or “Bad Dog” in a firm voice and try to take the socks they stole or clean the mess they made. Then I leave them alone for a while & not pet them. That way, when I pet them, they know it’s because they did something good! If they do something good they get treats & affection like crazy!

My husband and I definitely spoil my little toy poodle. By spoil, I mean lavish her with attention. She has never been to an obedience class, yet still does well with most commands. Plus, because we introduce “key words” all the time, she tends to get a better grasp on what needs to be done. She is full of personality and I wouldn’t trade her for anything or change anything about her.

i had a puppy that passed on.his name was Jack.quite cute and expensive to maintain.His food,shampoo not to mention his vet.he was very notty like all puppies.i decipled him by withholding contact with him.He loved spending time with me and he knew the times i got home.When he died i could not get over him.he always made me laugh and we had fun together.

I admit I do spoil my dog, Charlotte or Binky or Bunny or whatever I feel like calling her at the time. She gets treats, massages, brushes, mountains of toys and a big turkey leg here and there.

Although she is spoiled, she is very disciplined and does what I tell her to do most of the time. She can be a little onery, but, I guess that’s expected now that she’s nine going on ten. I made sure I used the same phrases with her over and over, “Go away” when she’s begging; “Stay with me” when we are walking without a leash; “Good girl” when she does what I ask her to do; “Gimme kiss” when I want one (She’s not allowed to lick my face only my nose.); “I’m mad at you” when she’s done something wrong. As a result, she knows a lot of English and responds everytime I address her. Training her has been easy because she is such a sweet doggie.

I am happy to read more than 60 views. But nobody shared their sorrowness which I am undergoing for the past 20 years. My daschund MISS, was with us for twenty years and passed away without anybody’s attention. We slowly forget the relatives when they passed away wherein we are not able to forget when out pet passes away. It is because we keep one or two wherein we have plenty of relatives. Also when we shout for the bad behaviour of our relatives includes our own kids they react vociferous wherein the dogs doesnot. Why the God’s creation. when the snakes and elephants doesnot forget when we do some mischief. Anybody wants to share. In USA they spend a lot on pets wherein many countries needs food for the survival of human being due to poverty. Why keep the pets in a cage (jail) as a capital punishment for not done any sins (pl do not tell that the training is the only remedy.) Hope I have put some views for your thoughts.

Thanks and best wishes from Chennai(Madras) India.

I think some folks are misunderstanding what it means to “ignore” the poor behavior or to “discipline” a puppy.

Ignore attention seeking behavior, such as being pushy when the puppy wants to be petted. You pet your dog when (and only when) s/he’s being polite. Being polite means they’ve come over and sat down but are not pushing at you.

Discipline means to interrupt the bad behavior. Don’t yell or hit a puppy OR dog for having a potty mistake. It’s usually the human’s fault for not taking the dog out when the dog has to go.

So, if you see him or her squat (usually you’ve missed the sniffing for the “right spot”), just say “oops” loud enough or clap your hads, causing the puppy’s pee or poop muscles to contract, and rush over (not in a threathening way) pick the puppy up and let him or her finish outside. Pretty soon the puppy will be more insistant when they have to go out.

Very seldom do people agree on how dogs, or any pet, should be treated by their owners. Its the same for parents and kids. This is only my opinion–but I am a mother to 2 sons and, at present, 1 dog & 8 puppies.
Our dog is basically treated as a pet–but we feel he is one of our family. He sleeps at the foot of my bed every night—neither of my sons have slept in (or on) my bed since they were 2-3 yrs. old.
Just as parents have their own veiws and opinions about how to raise their children—pet owners have their own thoughts about their pets.
Is it a spanking–or abuse? A form of punishment–or neglect and cruelty?

I personally think it is cruel and inhumane to keep a dog on a chain or even a pen (pen is NOT the same as a fenced yard)–but there are places near my home that have leash laws which prevents people from letting their dogs run loose.

There are dog lovers, people who feel dogs are just pets, others who tolerate them for working purposes, some that like dogs that belong to other people, and also some that cant stand the sight of them.

Most, if not all, people have their own opinion about how to treat a dog….just as parents have their opinions about kids ( even moms & dads disagree about punishment, dicipline, and how a child should be taught to do things).

As long as your dog is happy, healthy and not neglected or mistreated—well, its YOUR dog, you can let him lick your icecream cone with you or you can have him eat alpo strictly from his dish by the laundry room at 7:00 pm every night.