How To Discipline This Dog?

[Sambuca]

I just adopted Sailor. He's shy with strangers, but confident and sorta goofy in a serious way with me. He's also smart. He picks things up pretty quickly and if I say a firm "no" he pretty much never does whatever I've told him not to do again. He is overall very well behaved, but he has some things I can't get him to stop doing. Some examples are when he wants dinner he kicks me and he'll try to steal toilet paper out of my hand when I need it to wipe. All the issues behaviors I can't get him to stop are really funny even though they are unwanted. Here's the main problem, he seems to be more intune with my emotions than any dog I've met. For example, I had a somewhat physical altercation where I was at a disadvantage (it was minor I'm fine). We were at my house so there were 3 greys sleeping in the room including the one I've had for 2 1/2 years. While this was going on I heard a dog moving around. When I could finally look around, Sailor was right next to me. I don't think he growled or anything, but he was the only dog that even woke up. So I'm pretty sure he knows I find certain behaviors funny which I'm sure is the reason he's not listening to me say no. How do I get him to stop doing his funny, but bad behaviors?

 

Just an aside-My sually discipling is either a "no", "uh uh", clapping my hands, water bottle(mainly for cat training or excessive barking), or gently grabbing a collar and pulling the dog away from a situation. I'm not into harsh or physical discipline. I also praise or thank a dog when they walk away from something when I say no or clap my hands.

Edited July 14, 2011 by Sambuca

[FountainLady]

For the toilet paper one ... close the bathroom door and not let him in there with you when you are on "the throne" ... LOL.

 

As for him kicking you when he wants dinner, make him go and lay down in his bed. Wait 5 minutes and then feed him (if it is actually feeding time). Give him another command and make him do something different than what he is asking you to do.

 

These guys are SO smart, they will try to train you.

 

 

[Guest KennelMom]

All the issues behaviors I can't get him to stop are really funny even though they are unwanted.... <snip>....So I'm pretty sure he knows I find certain behaviors funny which I'm sure is the reason he's not listening to me say no. How do I get him to stop doing his funny, but bad behaviors?

 

 

When you stop thinking they're funny, he'll start believing you're serious about wanting them to stop. It's pretty darn hard to lie to a dog b/c our words have very little meaning to them.

 

For now, I'd keep him out of the bathroom when you're in there. As for kicking you...I dunno...that actually would irritate me so my correction of the dog would be coming from an honest place. Behaviors like that tend to escalate (ie, if you ignore the kicking then he'll start barking).

[Guest june]

You're right. He won't take you seriously until you take you seriously. He sounds like lots of fun and will keep you on your feet. Redirecting him to do something else is probably your best bet.

june

[cleptogrey]

For the toilet paper one ... close the bathroom door and not let him in there with you when you are on "the throne" ... LOL.

 

As for him kicking you when he wants dinner, make him go and lay down in his bed. Wait 5 minutes and then feed him (if it is actually feeding time). Give him another command and make him do something different than what he is asking you to do.

 

These guys are SO smart, they will try to train you.

 

 

 

there is an excellent book, "control unleashed" which might give you some insight, give it a peek. but the advice mentioned above will really help. give him a special spot/place- a small rug or mat and have him wait there. call it - place/ go to your place. first bring him there on lead, do a down stay and wait- praise& reward him for his down/stay at his place, it will sink in pretty fast. this place can become his cooling area or as with kids it's time out(but place works much better w/ dogs than kids). after the desired behavior of chilling and relaxing is obtained the reward of food/meal is given.

 

as to the kicking it sounds like it would escalate to nipping in the butt...watch out!

 

the t.p routine did make me laugh especially since i happen to have one attached to my hip who barges into the bathroom. i generally make a run for it after coming home when i have been sitting in traffic....nothing like a hound in your lap.

Edited July 14, 2011 by cleptogrey

[heartdogs]

When Prince (3yr old) gets too excited & slamps me with his very longs legs I take him by the cillar and say "time out" & crate him where watches everyone for a few minutes & then settles down. Sometimes he will just take a short nap & then I let him out & tell him he's ok. At first he had several times a day but has gotten much better & will stop what he is doing when I say NO.

[Batmom]

I wouldn't discipline him. Just redirect to what you want him TO do -- go lie down, play with a toy, whatever.

[kudzu]

My suggestions is along the same line as others. Think of what you WANT him to do instead. Train him to do that. Then when he does those undesired behaviors instruct him to do what you've trained him to do. An example - If you teach him "Go Mat" or "Go Place" means go lay down on the nearest mat then in the bath room you can tell go to lay down on a rug or mat in there. Make sure it is far enough away from you that he cannot reach the tp. In the mean time until you have trained the desired behavior you will need to keep him out of the bathroom when you are going to handle tp. If you reward him well enough for doing what you want & use adequate management to prevent him from practicing what you don't, then he will quickly give up the undesired behavior because it has stopped being rewarding.

 

You do, though, need to attempt to control your laughter. Sounds like that is very rewarding to him. This is also why in your case I would use a preemptive command when possible to avoid you needing to control your laughter. Much easier than trying to blurt out Mat in the midst of giggles.

[Guest BrianRke]

Frank can be very demanding when he wants to eat. In my face, barking, jumping on me, grabbing my hand with his mouth. I have been trying to correct this behavior by not giving in to what he wants. I will go upstairs or outside when he does this. When he is not "demanding" his food, is when he gets it.

 

This seems to be working but its taking some time. This is MY fault because for a while, I would feed him when he did this. Its much harder now to undo the damage I already did.

 

Live and learn.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

One of my females is a boxer. She gets so excited that she has put many bruises on my wife's legs at breakfast time or at walk time. She does not do this to me. Two reasons:

 

1) the first few times she did it, I scared the bejesus out of her. Basically I imitated an "air snap" and made a lot of racket for a second. She learned from one time, dont do that, but instead she would slam her paw down on the ground in front of me intentionally not making contact.

2) when she would pound her foot, would tell her to sit. She has trouble sitting and pounding her paw at the same time.

 

In your situation, I would try to teach a very reliable sit and use that when he is doing things you dont want. Basically I think if you try to find a command that is in direct opposition to the bad behavior, then the bad behavior will be extinguished with the good behavior.

 

Chad

[NeylasMom]

I wouldn't discipline him. Just redirect to what you want him TO do -- go lie down, play with a toy, whatever.

[Guest katethegreyt]

I wouldn't discipline him. Just redirect to what you want him TO do -- go lie down, play with a toy, whatever.

 

Agreed.

 

Does he know many commands that you can use to redirect? An obedience class can be a lot of fun (and might teach you how to control your amusement with his bad behaviors, haha), and I've also had a great time working on clicker training with my girl (lot's of great resources out there to learn how to do it). A clicker is sometimes super useful when teaching "place" or "mat" or "go lie down" because once he figures out that clicker = good, you can start to shape his behavior even if you're just sitting on the couch watching tv (you can do this without the clicker too if you want to just use treats.) Then we he gets annoying, you can say "place" or "go lie down" and he'll think, "Oh goodie! Yes, ma'am!" and go do it instead of bugging you... In theory, haha. Lots of different ways to go about teaching this, but most dogs (even our independent grays) can figure it out pretty quick!

 

I also try to have my girl do something to get something. She sits to get food, sits/waits to get a collar and the door to open, etc. I think that can help their attitude as well, so they don't just think of you as the auto food and love dispenser.

[GreytNut]

I agree that the easiest way to keep him from bugging you in the bathroom is to shut the door. He'll likely whine outside the door, but it beats the alternative.

 

With regard to kicking you and demanding food, that is disrespectful and it needs to stop. You don't have to be harsh. As Batmom suggested, you can teach him some commands. Not only will it give him something else to do besides accosting you for dinner, it will make him "earn" his dinner and reinforce the idea that you are the leader and deserving of his respect.

 

Riley and Tiny are/have been my pushy alpha dogs. Both of them used to mug me for food. Tiny was so bad he'd stand up and snatch food from my plate. I stopped that behavior by teaching them to lie down and wait for their meals. After a while I didn't even have to tell them. They'd see me scooping up dog food and go lie down. Riley is so good that I can even leave the room. He will still wait until I tell him it's "OK!" He also has to sit for treats. It has made life much easier.

[Gryffenne]

the t.p routine did make me laugh especially since i happen to have one attached to my hip who barges into the bathroom. i generally make a run for it after coming home when i have been sitting in traffic....nothing like a hound in your lap.

Glad I wasn't the only one that cracked up (and also has a hound that likes to be RIGHT there while I am in the bathroom) Sammi is so funny, too. She likes to stand nose-to-nose with me while I am sitting on "the throne" and she wags her tail. I always imagine that she is thinking, "Goood Girl! Good potty!" in her head, in the voice I use when I praise her for going potty.

[Sambuca]

Thanks for all the replies. Sorry this took so long, it's been crazy around here. I don't give in when Sailor kicks me and he doesn't just kick me. He kicks the floor, the garbage can, the crate, his dish, anything else he can reach then me. I wait until he settles and lies down before I feed him so I don't give in to him. I guess we are going to have to start obedience soon. I was going to wait a bit since I did classes to soon with my other boy and it was a waste of money.

 

I have also run into another problem with Sailor reading me to well. Last weekend was crazy for me and Sunday I got hom after 11 and I was really tired and grumpy. After I walked the dogs I found a fresh hole is Sailors side. Well the poor guy could read my mood and although he is usually right next to me looking for love, he seemed afraid to come near me. I was almost in tears because I'm sure he was in pain and now almost afraid of me. I tried to focus to and get myself in a better mood and finally got him loaded up and brought him to the evet. What was I supposed to do? Grumpy moods happen and I HATE that he seemed afraid of me.

[RobinM]

No, he was probably in pain. What happened to cause this? Another dog?

[Sambuca]

I actually started another thread on this called My Sweet Boy. I really don't know how how he got it but my guys guess is he walked into a bush.