How to change a behavior?

Wendy C

Wendy C

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We have done really well calming Cooper and I would say barking is down 80%. Lately the little time watcher bugs and barks to go out for a walk just because. It’s not that we mind walking him it’s his insistence. usually he has been for a walk a couple of hours earlier so it’s not that he has to go he can hold it at night from 10 p.m. - 6:30 a.m. I wondered if we calmly marched him upstairs to his crate for awhile? We have tried to distract, but man he can be so stubborn. Thoughts?? Thanks as always for your advice! :)
 
I agree with Sharon. We have this with Sprite. She is relentless and there is no discouraging her when she determines it's time for something. She will stand and issue single barks at us until we can't stand it. Now, a firm NO will quiet her down, but it took a while to get to that point. If distracting doesn't work, I agree that training something new for 5 minutes might work. Or perhaps a puzzle toy with some treats in it or a chew. With Sprite, she'd chew the goodie and then go back to pestering us, so I really don't have a perfect answer! The stubborn ones are hard and yes, they do train us! :rolleyes2:
 
maybe anticipate when he's going to start barking and then do the training before he starts. I assume training will involve treats and he'll make that connection too. barking = treats even if he has to do stuff to get the treats...............
 
I agree to start with distractions with other activities or redirections (like have a Kong ready to throw to him), it's the best place to start to break his focus on wanting walks. But I'd only do it about half a dozen times, maybe a week. I know from my experience with Mr D, that sometimes it's about getting your attention.

If the distractions and redirections don't work, then it may mean you're giving in to his desire for your attention and it may be 'time-out' time. I wouldn't use his crate for that, by the time you take him upstairs you've lost the momentum. Time-out for dogs should only be about getting them to calm down so it need only be short and just somewhere away from you (the object of his desire), or even in the same room if you can turn your back or completely ignore. I can't recall which behaviourist it was that talked about time-out for dogs (Patricia McConnell maybe), but they did say dogs don't need time to reflect, like a human child does, it is solely about getting them to calm down when nothing else works.
 
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