My little grandpuppy, be thankful that he does't have them
Gil is getting to be a big boy...and smart in a way that is new to me. I am used to border collie smart, where once you get the dog's attention it is all about working together. Gil is different. Some of his intelligence seems to be aimed at getting into trouble and getting away with it. Thus we must put the dish towels in ever changing places because he will get them...every time....and damn the consequences.
He can leap straight in the air, reach out without touching anything, snatch one off the middle of the kitchen table and be gone before you can grab the squirt gun. Hell hath no fury like grandma when one of Aunt Lisa's home woven towels is his victim. He does not care. The fun is worth it to him. I have had to teach him the word, "trade" so he will give me the things he steals without a chase. I am too old to chase...and I know it is encouraging him and enabling him to be a bad boy to give him a treat under the circumstances, but I cannot run as fast as he can, especially under the chairs and tables. Even I am too tall for that.
Anyhow, I babysit for the grandpuppy when Beck is at work and he has learned to be quite a little leash hauler. He has darned near dragged me off my feet a couple of times. Old Arthur Itis was visiting yesterday so I put the pronged training collar on the little monster, for the first time ever, and purely in self defense.
He raced to the end of the leash to pop me off the porch, hit it, stopped and looked at me, as if to say, Well, dang! and NEVER tugged again the whole walk, even after I took it off.
Wow, can you imagine if that little dog had opposable thumbs?
No dish towel in the world would be safe, ever again.
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10 comments:
Man, he must wear you out body and soul, that little baby!
Good work with the trade and the prong collar! Whatever works, works, I say.
(But I'm the one with two horribly spoiled dogs...)
I was going to suggest a prong collar, that'll solve the pulling problem.
"trade" is an effective training tool, the trick is to wean him off of a reward for doing so with items he stole. Once you're POSITIVE he's gotten the concept, just stop giving him the reward (treats, pats, exchange of toys, etc) for the items you know he STOLE rather than legitimately found.
As for the hand towels, soak them in viniger, and leave a few wet-smelly-nasty ones just in his reach (hide the rest in a cupboard or something). BTW, if you haven't already, baby locks on all bottom cupboards.....
This is hilarious! "Trade" !
Ahaaahahahaaahaaa!
And don't think we don't understand about those pronged collars. They're the only reason I'm still upright.
Sometimes I think I missed a lot of puppyhood by getting all my dogs as adults.
But then again...
Smart boy indeed! Good thing he's cute too.
Hahahahahahahahahaha...
June, he is hard at work getting as spoiled as he can. lol, I love him though. He has a lot of heart
Ruth, thanks for the towel idea. He is a pip and they are about his favorite thing....after biscuits, of course
Cathy, I never had a dog that would heel like it should until I got one for Mike. The BCs fight them a lot more than Gil though. He understood and accepted it instantly making my life much more pleasant.
Jan, lol, pups are a lot of work for sure, but never a dull moment. And we are having so much fun learning a breed that is new to us.
Shirley, exactly! He is lucky he has such a dear, funny face. lol
Jinglebob, yeah, my thoughts exactly. lol
I just love the thought of a puppy...having one would be exhausting but rewarding!!
Linda
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Linda, puppies are wonderful and I love Gil so much, but wow, is he ever a huge drain on time. He needs so much attention, constantly. Becky has gotten discouraged with him a couple of times...she has never trained a puppy before...and offered to give him to me. I have no trouble at all saying, no thanks. lol Of course, if you got a pup, it would probably be blogging in no time......
are you sure you don't want a puppy? :P
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