# Discipline methods...



## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

Ok...we're having a problem keeping Miley off the table. She hops up on a chair and then onto the table. We thought it was funny the first time. That was our first mistake. And now we can't keep her off the chairs! What discipline methods have you used for a dog that won't listen? She is 9 months old. Previously, if she gets into something, we just "fix" it so she can't get into it anymore. For example, she was getting into the trash can, so we bought a different trash can that she can't get into. Well, we can't get rid of our dining room chairs. She has to learn good vs. bad behavior at some point. DH says to put her outside in the fenced in yard if she gets on the chairs. But I'm not sure she'll put 2 & 2 together to figure out that's a punishment. Someone at work suggested spraying her with a water bottle. Not sure if that would be effective, as she LOVES to run through the sprinklers! It might just be a game for her. Any ideas you have for me would be great. I want to discipline her without being cruel, just not sure what will get through to her....


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

I think you use the squirt bottle!!! In fact, squirt the bad one in the face when they don't push their chair back under the table <BG>

While I think my first recommendation will work, I would not encourage it and use off and just take her off and use a word for it "off."


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## MopTop Havanese (Sep 25, 2006)

Could you try to put tin foil on the chairs? Maybe the loud sound of her landing on the tin foil would stop her?


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## SaydeeMomma (Sep 9, 2008)

Renee
Even though Miley likes sprinklers (so does Saydee) you might be surprised at how effective a good squirt bottle is. Set it so it shoots as far as possible, the opposite of mist. We had a problem with Saydee jumping up on the leather couch and it only took maybe 10 times of a clandestine squirt and a firm "OFF!" for her to get the message. We keep the bottle on the coffee table so we can grab it whenever the need arises. We also use it for when she tries to jump up on guests. I like to sneak the bottle out so she doesn't even know where the squirt came from. I think the combination of the "OFF!" command (or whatever word you've chosen) and the wet squirt really gets her attention.


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Renee,

Since Miley likes the sprinkler, I agree that spraying him with a bottle might be a reward instead of punishment.

I'm sure Miley dog could be different, but with all of the dogs I've had, a stern facial expression, verbal "Off!" and putting them down at the same time has been quickly effective. Then, after a few times of doing that, if I'm not close by and they try it again, ("maybe it's only when Moms standing here that I'm not allowed..") I'll clap my hands once real loud at the same time I say "Off!" They have never given me much trouble with this, and it's only taken a few times to have it stopped.
Good luck.

Sheri and Tucker


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## Laurief (Nov 7, 2006)

To funny!! Logan thinks the water bottle is a fun game & tries to catch the spray with his mouth! The tin foil might work, it does for cats on couches! You have to crinkle it enough so that when they touch it, it makes a noise. I just taught my guys "down" of course they dont always listen when greeting me, but if I say down in a stern voice, they do not get up.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Kubrick learned Off at a young age. I don't like having his flossies and bully sticks on the couch (he's allowed up there all he wants but no chew treats and/or food) so I taught him off early. I used positive reinforcement with him so every time I would say off (and make sure he got off) we would have a mini party on the floor and/or he would get a treat. Now I can just say off and he runs off no problem. I always make sure to say "good dog" afterwards, to reinforce his good behavior. It has worked really well for him.


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

Renee, you need to train yourself to train your dog. You're the alpha, not the dog. Read this website and live it and I promise you'll see good results. http://www.pets.ca/articles/article-dog_nilf.htm
There's nothing wrong with using a squirt bottle. Just don't put vinegar in it like some do. A dog can move so quickly that you could hit them right in the eye with it.


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## isshinryu_mom (Mar 23, 2008)

The squirt bottle didn't work with Roxie (she kind of liked it), but it seems to with many dogs, so we used a shaker can (one firm shake usually does it) coupled with a stern "off" and removing her... soon she learned to get off with just the word. Now she just stays off. The shaker can is just a tool to get her attention when the desire to misbehave is so strong that she's not listening. It's not meant to be a punishment (although she does hate it). 

I've seen Victoria Stillwell (on that show "It's Me or the Dog") put things that will make noise when the dog jumps on it to teach them it isn't allowed too.


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## Perugina (May 28, 2008)

The noise thing and squirt bottles are both good ideas. Distracting them from their purpose is the goal. However, the "off" command should be used when you catch her in the act. Projecting your authority (alpha) firmly but calmly with this command will let her know it's not appropriate behavior. Now with Sophie, if I see her eyeing something on the coffee table, a firm uh-uh-uh will keep her from following through. Unfortunateley, with two teens stuff gets left all over the house that looks interesting to her; so I also have to train the kids.


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## isshinryu_mom (Mar 23, 2008)

Perugina said:


> ; so I also have to train the kids.


... and, sadly, training the kids is proving waaayyy harder for me than training the dog! :suspicious:


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## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

You guys all have great ideas that I will try. I especially liked the link that Jan posted. I printed it off so I can put some of those methods into place. I know I have to be the Alpha, I just don't know "how", and that article really had some good ideas. It's really hard not to treat her like a human, because she's so darn adorable. But DH is getting frustrated with her doing anything she pleases. We push in the chairs, but she knows how to roll them where she wants them to get what she wants. She's a stinker, I'm tellin' ya. I've never known a dog quite like her....


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## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

Renee~ Jan is Tori's breeder. She encouraged me to use nilf with her right from the start, which I did. I think this may be one reason Tori was able to pass her CGC test on the first try without having had any formal obedience classes. That, and the fact that she's about the smartest dog ever! :biggrin1:

Our previous Hav, Shadow, was a major climber like Miley. The only solution we could ever get to work to keep her off the tables was to remember to push the chairs in. Although she knew she wasn't suppose to be up there, she'd wait until "the coast was clear" then get up. As soon as she heard someone coming, down she'd hop. These Neezers are so clever!


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## gelbergirl (Jun 9, 2007)

A climber huh?
well, I always made that uh-uh noise, kind of high pitched so Henry would know when things were a no-no, or even worse, dangerous.

If all else fails, use the pennies in the can. They hate that. And i found it highly effective.


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## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

Climber, jumper, flyer, escape artist....you name it. If she wants it bad enough, she finds a way to get it. And she's also one to wait til the coast clears. In addition, she has bionic hearing so she knows when we're sneaking up on her to catch her in the act.


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## SaydeeMomma (Sep 9, 2008)

JASHavanese said:


> Renee, you need to train yourself to train your dog. You're the alpha, not the dog. Read this website and live it and I promise you'll see good results. http://www.pets.ca/articles/article-dog_nilf.htm


Renee, the NILF thing has helped me tremendously. I'm so glad Jan posted that article! I'm definately no pro but some of these other gals are.

We NEVER treat without it being earned (shake, roll over, stay, come, etc.). We don't walk until she's sat to put on the leash and then sat some more to show she's calm enough to go ahead. Saydee doesn't get her bowl of food without sitting and waiting for it. I'll hold it in my hand and talk to her while she's waiting and tell her what a good girl she is... and then... I use the word "OKAY" which means "now you can eat!". Sometimes I'll even lift the bowl up mid-meal and pretend to snack on it, just to remind her who's boss. She will just sit there and patiently wait because she knows it's not HERS until I GIVE IT TO HER.

I can honestly say we've practiced these techniques since Saydee came home and I really think it helps with behavior issues. It may take a while to establish them with Miley, but I've read that being firm and always winning the battle is the best to really train a dog.

There's sooo many ways you can use the NILF technique to gain a little control. It really does help improve your family-dog relationship. I don't know if it will specifically help with the chair climbing issue, but it's a really important tool nevertheless.


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:



SaydeeMomma said:


> Renee, the NILF thing has helped me tremendously. I'm so glad Jan posted that article! I'm definately no pro but some of these other gals are.
> 
> We NEVER treat without it being earned (shake, roll over, stay, come, etc.). We don't walk until she's sat to put on the leash and then sat some more to show she's calm enough to go ahead. Saydee doesn't get her bowl of food without sitting and waiting for it. I'll hold it in my hand and talk to her while she's waiting and tell her what a good girl she is... and then... I use the word "OKAY" which means "now you can eat!". Sometimes I'll even lift the bowl up mid-meal and pretend to snack on it, just to remind her who's boss. She will just sit there and patiently wait because she knows it's not HERS until I GIVE IT TO HER.
> 
> ...


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

Leslie said:


> Renee~ Jan is Tori's breeder. She encouraged me to use nilf with her right from the start, which I did. I think this may be one reason Tori was able to pass her CGC test on the first try without having had any formal obedience classes. That, and the fact that she's about the smartest dog ever! :biggrin1:


And you actually listened to me! :hug: My own daughter got a hav from me and* didn't* listen. Guess who took over the house? I flew down there and taught my daughter NILF and I swear Missy (the hav) mumbled cuss words at me for changing the behavior in the house but she got over it :biggrin1: Now they have a nice happy home
Give Tori a :kiss: from us


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