BADDOG!

[den]

I had to BADDOG Polly this afternoon. She went out the gates and onto the road. She knows she's not allowed to do this.

When I saw her I shouted "HEY!" Her tail flicked between her legs and she came charging back through the gate, her straight line only interrupted by a wide circle around me "BADDOG!" I shouted. "BADDOG!". She jumped onto the GOODDOG chair and tried to look like a GOODDOG, but I was pretty cranky with her. I needed something to hit her, but there were no small sticks or blades of grass handy. Of course there were rakes, broom handles, power cords and large branches lying around, but they would hurt her. I didn't want to hurt her, just BADDOG her.

The only thing at hand was a 0.5m x 1m sheet of light cardboard. I grabbed that and rolled it into a tube. Polly realised she was a BADDOG and hid in her kennel where I couldn't reach her.

She stayed in there for an hour until I fed her and gave her a pat. She knows she's not allowed out the front. Cattle dogs have a reputation for being bitey, and if she's running loose someone will call the pound about a dangerous dog running free. I had to put the fear of cardboard into her. Hopefully she'll remember that the next time the gate is open.

Comments

[kelloggs2066.livejournal.com]

I thought you said you weren't good with children! ;)

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm GREAT with children! they have nightmares after visiting me and finding out about the Yish, bus bugs and the headless horseman.

[weyrdbird.livejournal.com]

Years from now, think of the tears from laughter that will bring. They might even use it one their own kids if you're lucky.:D

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Don't feel guilty ... you'd be neglecting her if you didn't watch out for her safety.

-TG

[odanu.livejournal.com]

I wish it were that easy with my runaway. But with the abuse issues (it took over a year for her to attempt to play with other dogs or people after we got her) we can't do any physical discipline at all. Lots of hours on a long lead have trained her to listen when she's on lead, but it's all game to her when she's off lead...and I have 2 1/2 little boys (Elwood counts as 1/2) who still forget to shut doors tightly.

Any suggestions?

[elynne.livejournal.com]

Have you tried clicker training? I've heard it works remarkably well for dogs (and horses), and even works for cats. :) I bought a book about the cat version, and from what I've read, it's very simple: click the clicker, give a treat. Eventually, your pet will come to associate the click with treats - and will do whatever it thinks will make you click, including not run away, or to come back if she gets off-lead. That's my $.02 US, anyway. ;]

[odanu.livejournal.com]

I would, except she still won't eat out of my hand. She'll barely eat while in the same room.

[tygermoonfoxx.livejournal.com]

It must be a day for BADDOGs.

Anubis instead of going potty took off and decided to hang out about a quarter mile down the road. Inu Yasha would have followed if he hadn't been on a picket; instead he chose to nearly hang himself from the front porch. Freyja is spending the day in her kennel because she tried to steal everyone else's food, pottied on the floor because she doesn't like to go out when it's raining, and bit Simtra for the correction.

Cardboard and pennies in cans don't work on my dogs. We had to get a supersoaker.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

I've never had to train an adult dog. All mine learn what BADDOGs do when they're pups.

Sometimes Scruffy is so desperate he has to poo inside so he chooses to do it on the bathroom tiles (carpets are BADDOG territory), where it's not hard to clean. When that happens he hides so he already knows he's done wrong and I don't have the heart to punish him further.

[tygermoonfoxx.livejournal.com]

I've been working on mine since they were pups...they just choose to ignore the humans every once in a while and do their own thing :P