By Bardi McLennan

From the dog’s perspective

Oops!

If you are caught stealing the steak (we’ll have more on table manners another time) or digging up the rose bush (we’ll get into garden parties, too) or digesting a baseball mitt, you’ll be called a whole list of names you’ve never heard before and which we can’t print here. You will know from the tone of your person’s voice that you will never want to hear them again. But pay attention! Stop whatever it is you’re doing, lower your head and ears, hang your tail and creep quietly away. Far away. If possible into your bed, or under hers. Stay there while your person puts back together whatever it was that fell apart when you were “investigating” it. That’s all you were doing, right?

It will take you time to figure out which toys are yours and which toys are theirs, so cut them some slack. Your best bet is to go with the fact that almost everything – indoors and out – is theirs, and only things they hand you are yours. Those are tough choices for a puppy to make.

  

From the owner’s perspective

How to Handle A Disaster

What you need now, is a one-word command that you know is really two, but for your dog’s benefit, you say it as one. It is “Leave it!” At first, this is given as a fairly sharp order as Rufus goes for the forbidden object. No call name required with this one. No ranting, raving or blowing your top. The instant Rufus stops, you add a cool, calm and collected, “Good dog.” If you are too late and there is cleaning up to be done, lead him calmly to his bed or, better yet, this is a perfect time-out in his crate. There is no further punishment. Isolation and being ignored make your point. Clean up the mess. Then you can go cry in the shower. When you’ve pulled yourself together, think how you could have prevented it. Teach the kids to put stuff away and plan to teach Rufus to keep 4-on-the-floor, to stay out of the closets, and to stick to his own toys by saying “Leave it” before the crime is committed.  

“Leave it” is a teaching tool, and a vital safety command. As you get better at communicating with your dog, you’ll use this command often as a warning combined with a stern look that says, “Don’t even think about it.”  

Gradually your dog will get the message and you will be using the First Rule of teaching your dog, that is, prevention.

Please stop yourself from repeatedly saying “no.” If you use “no” all the time, Rufus will become completely deaf to the word. Think how many times you say “no” and “know” in talking to the dog. “No, you can’t go out now” ... “You know I love you” ... “No candy for doggies.” And so on. The word quickly becomes meaningless to the dog. So the command and the warning are two words said as one with no additives – “Leave it!” The command is short and sharp. The warning is a drawn out “leeeaave it” with a frowning evil eye look. Either one is always followed by

“Good dog” the instant Rufus obeys, except, of course, in the case of total destruction which requires that essential isolated time out. 

Don’t wait until your puppy is already into something he shouldn’t be, before teaching him what you mean. Okay, I’ll come right out and say it. Use entrapment!  Put a shoe or slipper where you know he’ll run into it – and maybe run off with it if you don’t get “Leave it” in quickly enough. Let him see you put a bit of food on the kitchen floor near where you’re working and be ready to give him the warning. When you use this teaching method, you must be right there. If you walk away from the scene and Rufus grabs the shoe and takes off, he’s won!

The next step will be for you to teach “Drop it” (also one word, “droppit”). As you say “Drop it” extend one hand, palm up, to accept the object. The other hand holds an irresistible treat for a very good dog that drops whatever the little thief has in his mouth. But one thing at a time, please, and “Leave it” comes first.

Until next time, Be Good!

- Bardi

Bardi McLennan bred, trained and showed Welsh Terriers for 30 years during which time she wrote a monthly column on canine behavior in Dog Fancy magazine. In addition to contributing to numerous dog publications, she has written some 15 books on dogs, the latest being Rescue Me! which received the ASPCA Humane Issues Award this year