I tried to teach Flynn not to bark at the fork when I was digging, he saw the earth rising and barked incessantly. I told him off and treated him whenever he was calm and quiet, he's an extremely intelligent dog that responds really well to positive training but just kept barking every time.
I'm ashamed to admit that in the end I smacked him one time and he's never barked at the fork again.
Don't be ashamed, Wintersong. He knows you love him. It was easy for him to understand. That is probably what his mother would have done. It worked if he's never done it again! I have found one quick smack (not in anger) can work wonders if the dog knows you care about him. Works with horses too. Mares use physical punishment with their foals. Human beings seem to have made a mess of it and go too far one way or the other.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
You don't need to smack a dog to show it that you want it to stop doing something - the use of voice works really well and won't cause arguments with the pro- and anti-discipline methods "brigade"!
I've had dogs for more years than I'm going to say, and learned that dogs DO recognise who's "leader" - sorry, Steve The Vet! (VERY disproven?)
If you want to put a stop to unwanted behaviour, several things are really important, and the first is that you need to be consistent. The second thing is that I believe it works best if it's down to one person - not several members of the family - to communicate with the dog, so that it learns that it needs to pay attention. The thing which works best in my experience is to use a very brief and sharp sound - imagine the word TRACK spoken very loudly and sharply twice in quick succession. I've always found this works not only to get the dog's attention but also to indicate that what it's doing is NOT acceptable! Apparently it's a similar sound to that which the bitch makes to control very young puppies' behaviour.
It works with adult dogs too - I used that method to stop two huge GSDs attacking my two dogs in the lane not too long ago.
Oh dear.................... and I've only spent 70 years with dogs as companions - ranging from working sheepdogs to Italian Greyhounds, so of course I know very little about canines..........................
Best way to deal with digging is to provide them with a place where they can dig and reward them if they do. Gentle admonishment if they try elsewhere.
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I tried to teach Flynn not to bark at the fork when I was digging, he saw the earth rising and barked incessantly. I told him off and treated him whenever he was calm and quiet, he's an extremely intelligent dog that responds really well to positive training but just kept barking every time.
I'm ashamed to admit that in the end I smacked him one time
and he's never barked at the fork again.
Don't be ashamed, Wintersong. He knows you love him. It was easy for him to understand. That is probably what his mother would have done. It worked if he's never done it again! I have found one quick smack (not in anger) can work wonders if the dog knows you care about him. Works with horses too. Mares use physical punishment with their foals. Human beings seem to have made a mess of it and go too far one way or the other.
You don't need to smack a dog to show it that you want it to stop doing something - the use of voice works really well and won't cause arguments with the pro- and anti-discipline methods "brigade"!
I've had dogs for more years than I'm going to say, and learned that dogs DO recognise who's "leader" - sorry, Steve The Vet! (VERY disproven?)
If you want to put a stop to unwanted behaviour, several things are really important, and the first is that you need to be consistent. The second thing is that I believe it works best if it's down to one person - not several members of the family - to communicate with the dog, so that it learns that it needs to pay attention. The thing which works best in my experience is to use a very brief and sharp sound - imagine the word TRACK spoken very loudly and sharply twice in quick succession. I've always found this works not only to get the dog's attention but also to indicate that what it's doing is NOT acceptable! Apparently it's a similar sound to that which the bitch makes to control very young puppies' behaviour.
It works with adult dogs too - I used that method to stop two huge GSDs attacking my two dogs in the lane not too long ago.
This is how my life is, everyone is an expert.
Don't mind me, I have only spent years working with behaviourists and spent a lot of time working competition obedience.
The pack theory has been disproven and is perpetuated by idiots like Milan who should be imprisoned for animal cruelty.
Oh dear.................... and I've only spent 70 years with dogs as companions - ranging from working sheepdogs to Italian Greyhounds, so of course I know very little about canines..........................
Thank you BL
Flynn is loved and babied and adored beyond description and it wasn't in anger, just an absolute last resort to convey a message and yes it worked
he always tries to please us with good behaviour but the digging was his thing I had to nip in the bud
Not him digging, but me
he barked madly about it