will she forgive me? Luna and I have been doing really well, she is growing and learning every day. She will be 16 weeks this week. We do a puppy class and I work with her at home. I listen to my instructor and people I know with more experience than me. So one of these more experienced people told me that a more experienced person than them told them if the dog is mucking about hold their head down towards the floor for a few seconds and it reinforces the hierarchy. Tonight I remembered this when she was mucking about after puppy class and I decided to try this technique. Probably wasn't a great time as she was tired. Anyway she barked at me. Only her second time ever, and growled ( we have had growls in play). I thought. Mummy fail. She was scared. So I went out if the room fora few minutes till she calmed down but now I feel super guilty. Will she forget I did a stupid thing?
She was probably wondering why you were trying to hold her head down and scaring her. Please ignore any advice that starts talking about hierarchies or dominance - it's very out dated and really not in line with rearing a puppy using positive reinforcement. Just ignore tonights episode and fuss Luna as normal, she forget her scare very quickly if it's reinforced by repetition. Don't feel guilty, you followed the advice of someone whom you believed to be knowledgeable - we all make mistakes
It's ok, she will get over it. I'd just do a bit of work to make sure she's comfortable with your hands near her head - just sit in the floor and toss treats towards her, getting her to come closer and closer. Let her come close to your hands and if she's not moving away then gently touch her on the chest, then a scratch on the cheek, then on the side of the neck, then in the top of the neck. Go slow and keep the treats coming. Show that your hands can be round her head and they won't grab or push. If she's comfortable with the above then everything is fine, but do repeat this exercise a few times a day for the next week as a bit of 'insurance'. Don't stress though - she will be ok.
Thanks both. I was really cross with myself as we have been buildIng such a great bound and I was worried I may have ruined it. I just sat on the floor with her and gave her a fuss and she nestled her head in beside my leg and I felt much better. I will do some special work on it as well as you suggest @Oberon. Thank you.
Now stop feeling guilty . Luna sounds happy and relaxed, as Rachael says just increase the focus around her head and neck for a few days
Totally empathise with the puppy parent guilt , my standard response to 'helpful' people Is now ' hmmm that's interesting' really meaning ' aye right , never will I experiment with that one ' . Most recently used when someone suggested tugging sharply on an ear to discipline/ focus attention . I think if it's not something you would do to your kids why on earth would you do it to any animal . Hope the guilts have passed by now and you are feeling better about it as I'm sure puppy is well on her way to forgetting xx
I have been given lots of advice from people that have had dogs before me...some I take and some I just smile and ignore - I am going with my gut but I love the positive training and advice on this site. Please don't feel guilty - I've found puppies are very forgiving little things, even when Mum (me!) has not realised there is a little fur bundle behind me and I've trod on his paw...I was more upset than him xx
We have paw incidents regularly, I walk outside calling her and she is at my heal the whole time! Thank you everyone, feeling much better.
I hope you and Luna are feeling better today. Over the years I have had lots of rubbish advice, especially from the very outdated and cruel Cesar Milan fans in our village, yes the do still exist . They give out the advice yet their own dogs don't behave because his methods don't work yet they carry on. I totally ignore them whilst feeling so sad for their dogs but feel very proud of mine. I listen to people on this lovely forum who have given me the best advice and information for 4 years and we rescued a difficult Labrador x Pointer who is now not so difficult because we use positive only training methods and buckets of love x
It's great that you quickly realised it was the wrong thing to do. She will have long forgotten it - so you must too .
