Think about it. Training your dog to let you know when it's time to go out or go for a walk and basic commands are general training routines. Your dog gets attentiveness and time with you. All good things.
Remember when he was a puppy and gave you a cute and silly action or response that you understanding was great? He got your attentiveness and now continues with this action, even though it may be annoying.
Pet Pillow
We think the actions our dogs accomplish to entertain us are clever and therefore we enable the behavior. No sense denying it, we are all guilty.
We have been dog owners for decades, love every one of our pets, train our dogs properly, but we have allowed some behavior that has been thought about "cute" since puppyhood.
Take a look at our current dogs, for example. Our Sheltie, Kelsey, is a real sweetheart, has been since he was a pup. He started by waking us up early in the morning by dinky grunts and squeaks from the side of the bed. Well, as a puppy, we understanding he needed to go out. So we were awake, let him out, fed him and let him out again. Our day began.
He understanding this was great. He has our attention, gets food, and more attention. Then as he matured, he could go longer before he had to go out, so we started ignoring his "vocalizations" and went back to sleep. Then he became creative.
When we ignored him, he would get up on the bed and hike (seriously, he would) up to my pillow and stare at me. That didn't work, so he stuck his cold nose in my ear and let out a series of snuffs. I'm awake now!
Sometimes I go back to sleep. When that happens, he goes and gets the big gun. Our 80 pound Collie/Husky mix, Lady. She will jump on the bed, put her head and shoulders under my pillow and push me out of bed. Needless to say, this is a daily ritual I allowed to continue. My fault.
Continuing with Lady, she would bring us toys to play with and we had a great time with fetch, catch and find it. After playtime, she would get a treat.
Well, that got her to thinking, so now she will bring us a toy, drop it at my husband's feet, and start to "talk" to him. Basically, she wants to trade her toy for a cookie. So my husband asks her what she wants and she starts her "speech." So, he gives her a treat. Yes, it's his fault on this one.
Now on to a general, but all too customary habit. You are on the phone, and just like children, your dog wants your attention. So he starts, in stages, to nudge you, whimper, bark.
In his mind, you are ignoring him. When you do get off the phone at the end of your conversation, your pet sees it as his actions causing you to hang up. The next time, he repeats this behavior, and again, and again...
These habits are by no means risky or earth shattering, just annoying. So your job, as a good pet parent, is to stop this behavior by retraining. Ordinarily a stern "No" or "Stop" a few times will do the trick. After your dog gets the message and performs the wanted response, spend some time playing or grooming him.
In the grand task of things, our dogs are our companions, confidants and protectors. They love us unconditionally and keep us focused on what is leading in life. Who can ask for a best friend?
Going To The Dogs - Is Your Dog In Charge?
