Hello all... yesterday I took my little boy and his friend to the woods after school and bought them both ice creams. Bob was hyper jumping all over them and grabbing at their ice creams... he was really going for it and they found it quite intimidating. So I got annoyed and bopped him on the nose and said NO quite sternly. It's playing on my mind.. I feel really bad now for doing it. But I couldn't let him jump up at them like that and needed to stop it from happening. I know I shouldn't have done it.. it was an instinctive reaction... what should I do if it happens again? Thank you, and please don't slate me - I feel awful enough as it is! Lou x
Re: I bopped Bob on the nose - feel bad Don't be too hard on yourself - I'm sure you won't bop him again. It's the people who wouldn't feel bad about doing it who should really feel bad, if you know what I mean! The best approach is to train a very fast response to the 'sit' cue, but making sure you practise it in situations that are more and more exciting, so that eventually he can manage to stay sitting while children are eating. Or you can do it for lying down or drop, instead of sit. Get him to sit (on lead at first) and start feeding him treats. Have your son come into the room while you keep going with the treats. Over successive sessions have your son pat Bob (still getting treats for sitting). Work up to having your son eating something while a Bob is given treats for sitting. The other short term solution/option is for you to have him on lead and a metre or two away. You can stand on the lead if you need your hands.
Re: I bopped Bob on the nose - feel bad The only thing that matters now is you don't do it again, and that's the right thing to focus on. You could have just put your hand on his collar, and popped him on his lead. If he still jumps on lead then loop the lead to the floor, leaving just enough slack for him to stand comfortably, stand firmly on the lead and do nothing, telling everyone to step away from him, until he calms down. Added: I have a knot in Charlie's lead to mark the right length, with the added bonus that the knot stops the lead from sliding under my shoe.
Re: I bopped Bob on the nose - feel bad I agree with the others. It's the people who don't feel bad about doing the wrong thing who continue to do it. You feel bad and want to not do it again. Perfect. Like Rachael says, the long-term solution is training, but in the short term, keeping him away from the kids and on a short leash when they have something so tempting is really all you can do in such a moment.
Re: I bopped Bob on the nose - feel bad Don't worry if he wasn't hurt - just don't do it again (as I'm sure you won't!) and take it as a lesson learned for you. Dog on lead at ice cream time.
Re: I bopped Bob on the nose - feel bad Bella woke up at 5.30 am this morning and after a wee would not stop barking, whining etc , I ignored for 15 minutes but she kept going, in the end I was tired and cross so loudly and deeply said no, then ' I said no!' She stopped.. For 15 mins away, dogs drive us crazy sometimes and we just react! I'm sure he'll survive and you'll be ready for next time!! Bella keeps jumping up at me when I'm eating on the sofa. I don't want to have to shut her in the kitchen. So keep pre empting the jump by clicking and treating for all paws on the floor, it will take a lot of patience but hopefully we will get there! Keep us posted
