Just got back from a holiday and I had to give both the boys Rory and OH a proper telling off mid week. Both were on there best behaviour for the rest of the week. My oh is crap with the dogs really terrible thank goodness we had no children.
OH's gunna be fuming with me when he gets up this afternoon for another night shift and realises I didn't get anything out for his tea like I said I would. I got distracted by getting Stanley's eyedrops in, then I was late for work.. Oops
You can't do everything Stanley can,t get his own eye drops in but oh can get his own food he's a grown up
We very, very rarely have cross words, and the only times I can remember have all been over Pongo, and always about our different reactions to mis-behaviour. I'm pretty sure Paul doesn't really buy into all this positive stuff, but he is happy to go along with it to keep me happy. It's when Pongo does something bad - usually run off and chase other dogs and people - especially if it happens "on Paul's watch", that he get really fed up with him. He doesn't "punish" (at least, as far as I know!) but he will go into a huff with the dog, not talk to him, growl and snap at him for nothing, for up to two days! As if he really believes the dog will remember what he did wrong and why dad is now in a foul mood. It used to annoy me, hence the cross words; but now I ignore it. Pongo sails through it all completely unaffected ("Dad's acting a bit weird, I'll just avoid him til he is a nice person again"), so I don't think it is doing any real harm. I really hate having a bad atmosphere in the house but it passes eventually. If anyone can recommend a positive-based OH-training programme to address this particular problem I'd be interested....
I never found the time training pays off with my oh I just work around him and make things work. I too very rarely get cross and am very patient, but can be a bit like a fury when ive finally had enough. As ive got older I 've found that being less shouty and being calmer and making my point is much more satisfying it works well wuth my oh in the family my nick name is little lion by auntie is/was known as the grizzly bear. We are a bunce of very fierce and scary women
Amazon often recommends dog training books to me (no idea why ) and the title of this one caught my eye: 'The Human Half of Dog Training: Collaborating with Clients to Get Results'. It's aimed at professional trainers, but the blurb makes me think it would be pretty good for members of the family who don't go to all the training sessions, read all the training books, do all the practice etc etc . This bit from one of the reviews made me : Other tips that, in hindsight, should be painfully obvious to a science-based/force-free trainer: treat a client who has difficulty like you would a dog. Adjust your criteria to their level, mark the smallest improvement, don't punish them for trying, gradually 'proof' their skills towards a more real-life setting, etc.
@Allie I've just downloaded a sample of the book you mention. I'm currently helping out at one of the dog clubs I belong to, shadowing a trainer, so this could be a useful book. (You'll all hate me if I say I don't need it for my OH )
Oh yes, I feel your pain! I've been up most nights recently calming H down over firework bangs while hubby snores through the lot.
OH often comes with me when we take the dogs training. Benson and Bramble go to group classes now. Sometimes we do exercises where one dog is being handled, and the rest of the group observing, if I am about to throw something, guarantee my husband will take a few steps back...or duck..
I can't imagine that was like a gentle tap though....more like completely floored and seeing stars for a few seconds!
Ha ha, OH & I are as bad as each other at throwing. Someone once told me "the unpredictability of the throw will keep the dog engaged" - well it's certainly unpredictable! And Coco does seem to enjoy searching for the ball every now and then.
Pongo refuses to play football with me because he knows he is likely to get hurt by (a) ball kicked straight at his face instead of past him or (b) ball missed completely and foot ending up in his face instead. He will actually swerve me entirely to give the football to his dad, who might play rougher but at least is coordinated and reliable.
My oh never comes to training and i took Doug to hydro once a week for 8 years and he only came once when I broke my collar bone. He has no interest at all and finds it all to bothersome so i go on my own and have fun. Its nice to have some peace, he waits in the car. He us a bit weird
I've lost count the amount of times OH annoys me over Mabel. I just keep reminding myself he loves her very much it has just taken a while. I wanted her and he has just gone along with it. Must be love, .
