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  #1  
Old February 14th, 2005, 07:38 PM
Daisy's Owner Daisy's Owner is offline
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Am I creating a bigger problem?

We have a water bottle that we use on Daisy if she is refusing to correct her bad behaviour. She knows what it is, and she doesn't like it when she gets squirted, so it works for us.

Here is my problem.

I haven't had to use it in awhile. All I have to do is pick up the bottle and she stops the behaviour. So, she knows that what she is doing is not allowed, but she will wait until I pick up the bottle to stop.

How do I, or even do I need to correct this?
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Old February 14th, 2005, 09:08 PM
Lucky Rescue Lucky Rescue is offline
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What is Daisy doing when you need to squirt her? What is the behavior?

What you have done is to teach her she can safely ignore you until you pick up a water bottle. Since you may not have a squirt bottle on you at all times when you are other places with her, it's best for her to learn and obey voice commands and to obey the first time.
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Old February 15th, 2005, 06:53 AM
Daisy's Owner Daisy's Owner is offline
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The particular behaviour that I'm bothered with the most at the moment is the jumping up on people. "Off" has been a constant correct and redirect. I have started to step on her leash to self correct but she isn't always on her leash.

She KNOWS that she is not supposed to jump on people, because as soon as we grab the squirt bottle she stops. She knows the "Off" command because we use it for other stuff and obeys it.

I know I don't want her to correct because the alternative, a squirt, is worse, but what is better / more fun than jumping on people?

And you are right, I don't want to spend the next decade carrying around a water bottle.
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Old February 15th, 2005, 07:41 AM
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mona_b mona_b is offline
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How is Daisy with her "sit" command?

Once you give Daisy the "off" command,get her to "sit" right away.Then praise her.
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Old February 15th, 2005, 09:13 AM
sammiec sammiec is offline
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I would try and avoid squirting her. When I was little we had a dog that we would squirt with water guns... Poor bugger. He became TERRIFIED of water! He hated going near it, the rain anything...

I would work on sit/stay commands and keep the leash on Daisy when people come over. When you greet them at the door, have Daisy sit and stand on the leash, this can prevent her from jumping...

Hope things work out!
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Old February 15th, 2005, 11:37 AM
Daisy's Owner Daisy's Owner is offline
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Her sit command is good. Consistent without distraction. pretty good with minimal distraction and almost non-existent when she is greeting someone.

I will just try and maintain patience and work on sit more.

Thanks
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Old February 15th, 2005, 11:42 AM
sammiec sammiec is offline
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Practice makes perfect! I am sure that everything will work out just fine!
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Old February 15th, 2005, 12:11 PM
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bluntman bluntman is offline
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I'm haveing the same problem with Zena, She is about 7 now and she gets so excited when I, or anyone come's in she jumps up to greet them. she is so worked up and happy to see someone, commands don't work, so now I do not give her any affection, untill she has 4 paws on the floor, It's slooowwwly starting to sink in, I'm sure we will get there eventualy.
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Old February 15th, 2005, 12:49 PM
Daisy's Owner Daisy's Owner is offline
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Yup, Bluntman we tried that too. That did work to some extent, and I am sure if we were consistent with it, that could work well. But I don't want Daisy to be jumping on kids AT ALL!!!!! Even during a learning phase. The two older kids are fine with it, but the youngest (9) is a little timid around her. So I am trying to find something that I can be consistent with all the time, everytime.

Patience, sit and stay.
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Old February 15th, 2005, 03:48 PM
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tenderfoot tenderfoot is offline
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The reason your dog performs for you should be relationship which involves love trust and respect. If you rely on a device, treats, squirt bottle etc. your dog is relying on that also. It comes down to you, your body language your tones, and words. If you ask your dog to do anything at all, and they don't perform they are challenging you, lack of relationship. Many people work on the problems and not the relationship, and many times the problems are difficult to change or won’t change until they change their relationship. If your change your relationship you don’t have these problems because your dog will simply do what you ask of them. The most important drills are relationship and respect drills. If you’re truly a leader to your dog when they have a decision of any kind to make i.e. jumping, barking, bolting, lunging, chasing or fighting, they should first look to the leader for advice, before they react. This level of relationship solves most every problem you will have. A follower naturally looks to the leader for advice. Our first drills on our video are relationship drills. These drills directily correspond to your dogs performance.
Jumping is a symptom of lack of respect. A dog who respects people will not jump on them unless they are invited to.
We teach the "off" which means four feet on the ground. It is off of the couch, off of me, off of other people.
You as the parent dictate your dogs manners. Know that he will want to jump so set him up for learning. Put him on the leash and have a friend just stand there and do nothing – you approach the person with you dog from across the room. As you see your dog start to shift his weight to jump up, you give a couple of leash corrections (dinks on the collar) and say ‘OFF’ in a firm (not loud) tone and walk away from the person.
Then you do it again. Each time giving a correction for the bad choice and walking away. In about three tries your dog should start to realize his mistakes and stay down – typically he will actually sit on his own volition. When he is good, then reward him with praise and soft touch. Repeat this game a couple of more times to ensure success and learning.
Ideally you have to stop him as he is thinking about jumping up not when he is half way in the air - he can't stop himself then. Try to anticipate his actions and tell him ‘off’ before he has a chance to react. This is teaching you to read your dog's thoughts and to react in time to help him make a better choice. Always use just enough energy to get results - not so too much so you intimidate him but not so little that he blows you off. Each time and day might be a little more or less according to his mood, and as he gains respect for your word then it will be come just the hand signal or just the word and barely any energy at all.
The key is that you re-create the situation and correct the bad choices and give him another chance to make a better choice. As your dog gets good at this game, have the person pat their chest with energy and when you even see him thinking about jumping, you say 'off'. Invite him in again and again until he chooses to sit for his greeting.
The problem is usually people teach failure not success. A dog jumps up you eventually get them off and then the day goes on - but the dog never learned not to jump up. You have to give him multiple chances to make a better choice and then do it once more to enforce it and then reward the heck out of him for the good choice.
This can be taught in five minutes if done correctly.
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  #11  
Old February 16th, 2005, 06:53 AM
Daisy's Owner Daisy's Owner is offline
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Thanks Tenderfoot. That makes alot of sense. I can see that technique working. I will give it a try.
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