Abby, “Moms, it’s snowing!”
Abby, at the beginning, didn’t know or understand that once we were home she was not allowed to run like crazy, nip people, grab things off of the floor as toys, etc. Well, time went by, 9 weeks, and she is starting to understand that certain things are expected of her if she wants to help Cynthia cook.
Abby, “Mom, I am not presentable and you are distracting me from helping mom Cynthia finish cooking our meal.”
I like to have Abby in the kitchen when Cynthia is cooking because this is the perfect time to work on behavior. How? Well, for one, she is not allowed to jump while Cynthia cooks; for two, she is to keep those beautiful teeth away from nipping or biting; and lastly, she is not to frantically pace back and forth. This is not basic training but rather behavior modification.
Marcela, “This is Abby letting me know in no uncertain terms that she is not happy that I am not saying that she is perfect.”
I also like Abby to be in the kitchen because I want her to get used to the different sounds and smells that are typical in a kitchen. Abby, so far, has been the hardest puppy I’ve ever had to train and work on behavior modification with, but also the most adorable. Why am I sharing this with you? Because I want you to understand and know that dogs are individuals and as such they learn at their own pace.
Abby, “Mom Cynthia, how much longer before we eat?”
Alex, our pit bull mix, was very easy to train. She got all her obedience cues and behavior, behavior always being the most difficult to achieve, pretty fast and because of that I joined the legions, yes legions, of pet parents that told me that female dogs are smarter than male dogs. By the way, I no longer thing so. Why? Abby proved all those pet parents wrong. If you got a puppy or dog recently, please work with a trainer and/or behaviorist in order to start your canine companion on the right path. Many of the dogs I see in shelters are there because of behavioral problems. Don’t give up on your dog, and find the help of a professional to guide you and teach you how to properly communicate with your dog.
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