kimblebee
now my thoughts will be worth 5 cents
- Joined
- May 28, 2009
Meh I know *some* dogs like carrots, but definitely not what I’d consider a high-value reinforcer. Every dog is different though. My friend’s bichon will only work for cantaloupe. I’d imagine your dog has some treat it likes, you just haven’t found it yet. Even if not, you can use the kibble that you feed each day as the the reinforcer - just make him work for his food instead of putting it in a bowl each day.
It’s hard to convey over the Internet, so please take my tone to be educational and not judgmental, but any dog can be trained to do any behavior that it’s physically able to... how much you’re willing to work on it is the deciding factor, and sometimes much of the work is just finding an approach that will be successful. Stupid, lazy, stubborn, prissy etc. are labels that can prevent success. If a child was dyslexic and falling behind in school, we’d be wrong to label that child as stupid because they didn’t read and write like others. If a child was really great at swimming but not so much at soccer, we’d be wrong to say the child was stubborn when it came to playing the latter. Dogs are all different and have different strengths, weaknesses, and struggles and it’s important to remember that they didn’t choose them. Understanding how your specific dog operates could open up an entirely new world.
And for what it’s worth, I do believe they can read your emotions. If you don’t like the dog and hold it in low regard, you’re not setting yourself up for success.
I don’t see judgement in your replies at all. I make no secret of the fact I don’t like the dog so I appreciate not being shamed for it (not by you, but there are those on these boards who equate not liking an animal to Satan worship lol).
Part of the reason that it’s hard to find a treat for him is that he has a sensitive stomach. He eats special food and that has helped a lot. We tried a treat that was specifically for sensitive stomachs and he wanted nothing to do with it.
I will say that I 100% disagree with comparing animals to humans so I’ll leave that whole arguement alone..
I don’t like the dog, but I don’t treat it like I don’t like it. I always make sure he has food and water and gets out regularly and goes for a walk as often as possible. I even have relaxed the rules a lot because it’s now summer and our upstairs is very hot (where’d he’d usually have to go to bed for the night or where he goes while we are eating). I also know that as he gets older the stairs are getting a little harder for him. That’s part of the frustration too, up until a month or so ago he would spend the whole day sleeping upstairs with my husband but now the dog is downstairs around me all day and all evening. It’s too much. I need time away from the dog so I don’t blow up.
I think we’ll try a squirt bottle for now and see how that goes.
We’ll also get in to see the vet for a general check up.
I do appreciate all your insight and I do also appreciate not being told that I’m Satan because I don’t refer to him as my baby.