Well, I finally just upgraded this site. It was running on an ancient version of wordpress but I had the fear. I was worried that I would do something wrong in the process of updating to the new version of wordpress. Luckily I found this plugin and the whole thing took 5 minutes. If you are in the same boat I can’t recommend it enough.
Anyways, not very interesting for you i’m sure. As part of the Dog training online series I mentioned in the Dog training for dummies post the other day that things don’t always go as planned. Here I am giving out advice on simple ways to improve your life with the mutts when this is what I came home to the other evening.
Hmmm.
We were only gone for an hour or so. Just for a quick beer after a hard days blogging. Of course, there was a ringleader as always, and there is no doubt that it was Faye.
She thought it would be a good idea to steal a wicker basket that had a lid on it. Inside there were bars of soap that Mrs Three Dog Blogger had made from our own Olive Oil and some wood ash that I distilled (well, poured water on). It’s strange but true, it really did make soap. Anyway, the tissue paper they were wrapped in was all over the dining room but thankfully no one had a taste for soap so it was still, for the most part, intact.
I tell you this to show that anyone who promises you that you will have a perfect Dog in a few weeks is a liar. You know, the sites that say “Train your Dog in 7 days” and the like.
You may well be able to get your Dog to behave quite quickly and to perform a few tricks but their nature will out given half a chance.
Frustration is a major role in Dogs misbehaving. Faye is a big baby and hates to not be the centre of attention. That is her nature and that is what makes her the Girl she is.
Although extremely annoying it is an event that has not happened for some time. Stopping Dogs eating the furniture and generally messing up the house takes time and the easiest way to get them to behave is to give them a large amount of exercise before you go out if this is in their nature.
This is something that we didn’t do. The other two girls have never done anything like this if left in the house all day on their own. Jet never even did it when she was a little puppy. In fact she has never even needed much toilet training. She has never once gone to the toilet in the house.
Sometimes you get dealt a break when you get a Dog and other times you will get a Dog that needs a lot of training. It’s just the way it is.
So what is the Online Dog training tip of the day?
Don’t make soap!
Just kidding. It’s don’t get complacent. If you know that you have a Dog that is likely to act in a certain manner then do what you need to do in order to avoid the situation. Don’t forget that a two year old Dog like Faye is not an adult. Naughtiness abounds in her very tiny and confused brain.
I should have known to follow my own advice and take her for a walk before we went out. I just wanted a quick beer though.
Anticipate the actions you dissaprove of and take the steps needed to train your Dogs to behave better. When you find something that works to stop them making a mess of the house don’t forget to implement what you know works.
And this, dear reader, is why this Dog blog is called The unProfessional Online Dog Training School.
May the Doggie Force be with you all.
I made the mistake of tossing a tuna can into the kitchen wastebasket before going out the other day. I could have exercised them for hours. They would still have inspected everything in that gloriously scented wastebasket. This is after years of no problems.
Jan,
I did a similar thing once with cooked bones. Luckily they were all OK but it’s a good point. Some Dogs will go through the rubbish if there is anything that smells nice in there.
oh my, what a mess she make!!!
Hi Chewie,
You can say that again. At least the soap was mostly intact, if a little “Dog Hairy”!
All you need is patience and consistency to really get the job done.
Animals away,
You are right. That is exactly what I am trying to get across in this online Dog training mini-series.