Re(2): [PyrNet-L] Cleaning up after your dog..

[wetheri@emmanuel.edu (Ann K. Wetherilt)]

Vivi, have you read the book, "Mother Knows Best?" It recommends a lot of
the same techniques others have suggested, and we found it very helpful
with our dominant boy. Another thing our trainer had us do from very early
(3 months) was to teach the down/stay command, and do it daily, starting
with just a couple of minutes, then gradually increasing length and
distance from us until he'd maintain 30 minutes. If you haven't done it
before, you might have to start by sitting by him, gently placing him in a
down while you say down...stay...and placing a hand gently but firmly on
his back (not petting or stroking) while he stays in place. If he gets up,
put him down again and make him wait at least a few seconds before you
release him. Gradually over a few days withdraw your hand until he'll stay
by himself, then begin increasing the time and your distance from him.
It's been a wonderful and very useful training for us. In addition to
telling Paddington in no uncertain terms what his place is in the pack,
it's great when we are eating dinner, or we have company, to simply be
able to tell him "down/stay" and know that he'll not bother anyone. In
your case, I'd start it yourself, maybe alternating with your husband,
then when he clearly knows the command, start having the girls give it to
him, supervised by you of course, and have one of them sit with him.
I agree with others that he's probably at the adolescent stage of testing
the boundaries again. It's important to work on the behaviors of course,
but I wouldn't worry that he's turning mean!
Good luck!
Ann, Peg, Paddington and Ivy Rose