Unsure How To Interpret This Behaviour (and Change It)

[DistinctivelyTish]

Hello to all.

I have a 5 month old Brittany crossbreed and whilst she's lovely to have around, we do have some issues with 'obedience'. She is generally a well behaved girl, but not 100%. For example, she likes to get into the bin but knows she is not to do it - she will sneak off to rummage through the bin when we are out of the room, or when we turn our attention away for a moment. Yet when I catch her, one look or a stern "Leave it" is enough to make her stop. Sometimes she will anticipate me telling her off and run off from it as soon as she realizes that I have caught her redhanded. It is the same with jumping onto the couch (she used to be allowed on, but not anymore to reinforce her position in the 'pack'). When I see she is about to jump on it, I say "Ah Ah" and she won't do it, but a few minutes later she will try again (and again, and again). When she gets on the couch without me noticing and has settled down to sleep, I tell her to get off but she will just look at me until I make a move towards her. Only then (when she realizes I am coming over to get her off the couch) she will jump off it. Sometimes she will get off the bed or couch when I say "Get off" (and I make sure to reward her after she does it so it is clear to her what I want). But sometimes, she will refuse to budge until I make a move toward her. It's as if she were testing me.

I ran a search on the forum to see if anyone has sought help for this issue before. In doing so, I came across and read the 'Triangle of Temptation' thread. With Morgan, I trained her to Sit and Stay until I give her the "OK" command before she can eat her food. She has done this reliably since 3 months of age; she will look at me until I say "OK". I'm assuming this would be a variation of the TOT method since it is still withholding her rewards until she is looking to me for the go ahead. I also make her Sit and Stay before entering rooms, or before she is allowed certain things.

I realise she is still a puppy, but I want to establish the ground rules early. Could this possibly be a leadership issue? I'm not sure how to interpret it as she knows what she is not allowed to do, but does it anyway (yet at the same time, runs off when caught red-handed). Any help would be appreciated!

[helen]

You need a bin that she can't get to. With Cocker Spaniel and Brittany she is sure to have a good nose and want to get in to the bin. You will get better results managing the situation then trying to train her not to try and get all the yummy food scraps

She has been allowed on the couch for a long time now so it will take time, consistancy and patience to teach her not to go on the couch, would be good to have a nice comfortable place for her to sit near you, one of those nice soft dog beds or some such thing. Teach her an alternate behaviour - sitting on her own bed and give lots of rewards for doing so. Telling her what you want her to do instead of simply what you don't want her to do will make life easier.

I would suggest you look at the behaviour and training pages of http://www.k9events.com , especially the leadership under behaviour pages ( http://www.k9events.com/behaviour_Self_Control.htm ), and this page too - http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm

here are some more good ones

http://www.k9webs.com/patscott/management.htm

Have a look under settle as well

http://www.k9events.com/training4.htm

http://www.petalia.com.au/Templates/StoryT...ry_no=1722#ct-3

Don't forget to have some fun and scroll down the training page a bit and go to the tricks

Here are a couple of great fun scent games you could play with her which would be great to exercise her mind

http://www.k9webs.com/patscott/findthecookie.htm

http://www.dogscouts.com/scent.shtml#Find

Edited June 28, 2007 by helen

[leopuppy04]

How long after she jumps off the couch are you rewarding her?

If immediately I have a feeling she is doing it to get your attention - not to mention - she is one very smart cookie that has learnt to link behaviours together.....

Mum not paying attention to me - jump on couch - get attention - get a reward.

So even though it has a slight negative connotation to it, jumping on the couch is still a little rewarding for her.

Try rewarding her around the house for doing things that YOU want her to do - lying quietly, on a mat, chewing the right toys etc.

If she jumps on the couch - give her a stern "off" or whatever command you wish and ignore her after she gets off until she settles in the "right" spot and then lavish her with praise.

make sense?

[helen]

That is great advice Leopuppy, that is typical Brittany behaviour LOL

[Guest rhapsodical78]

Personally I think you need to heighten the consequences of her actions. If she knows there will be an unpleasant consequence for misbehaviour then she has a real motivation to behave. Dogs don't just do things to make us happy, much of the time, there's another end goal involved. She knows you don't approve but she knows that all she'll get is another 'ah' so she doesn't care.

Maybe you could try puting her outside with a firm 'no' as soon as she misbehaves.

[DistinctivelyTish]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. My boyfriend has said on multiple occassions he will get a bin with a lid so she can't get into it, but then the pictures of all the lovely DOL dogs with the bin lids on their heads came to mind! lol. I might have to relocate the bin (into a cupboard perhaps). We're already playing the "Find It" game, and she's honing in on the scent a lot more quicker as she gets older. She'll probably enjoy the other games on the website too.

She already has a spot on the beanbag, but because we use it sometimes as well, she might not see it as her 'space'. She has a crate, but prefers lounging around with us rather than be in the corner of the room. I'll get her a doggie bed and see if that helps as well. She is very smart, and she inadvertantly 'trained' me to give her cuddles when she wanted. She would zip around the room and grab items she wasn't allowed to chew on (i.e. shoes), it was unusual behaviour in that she is not usually 'naughty' and after a while of this, would come to me and put her paws up on my lap (I'd be working on an assignment or studying for an exam, thereby ignoring her). The only way to stop her rampage was to cuddle her and she'd fall asleep within minutes.

So zip around, grab as much forbidden stuff as possible = attention + cuddle time. lol. I've stopped that now that I see what that cunning little thing is up to!

However, with the couch and bed, it seems to be motivated by her comfort instead of a ploy for attention. Reason being that once she's on the couch, all she wants is to be left alone to sleep. No more bratty behaviour once she is there, she's calm and settled. She has had negative consequences for disobeying couch/bed rules - being put out on the balcony, put into another room, smacked etc. Neither positive nor negative reinforcements work, which is why I'm so frustrated. I am definitely going to get her a bed of her own and see how that goes; maybe all she wants is a comfy spot for herself. She sure knows where all the good spots are, lol.

[Muttly]

Please try not to smack her.

She is still a pup and it will take her awhile to unlearn the couch (she'll never forget she used to be allowed on it). Try to remain positive training, and stick with it as inconsistency will confuse her further. Her own bed will help a lot, and you could consider crate training

[DistinctivelyTish]

Please try not to smack her.

She is still a pup and it will take her awhile to unlearn the couch (she'll never forget she used to be allowed on it). Try to remain positive training, and stick with it as inconsistency will confuse her further. Her own bed will help a lot, and you could consider crate training

She has been smacked a grand total of two times, lol. Light ones mind you, I know she is a baby. I intended it to distract her rather than hurt her. And she is already crate trained. I'll get the bed for her asap. The weather's so horrible at the moment, I really don't want to venture out of my warm apartment! lol.