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Dog

  • 01-11-2011 4:50am
    #1
    Einhard
    Registered Users Posts: 6,920 ✭✭✭


    Hey all,
    Having a problem with one of my dogs. He's about 3 years old, and generally sleeps in the house with the other, older dog. They're out in the back garden for much of every day, but allowed to come into the house and make themselves at home too. Quite often, they'll both sit outside the door looking to get in, but this has generally manifested itself in longing stares, and the odd scratch on the glass.

    Until recently that is. Now the young dog has changed his MO, and will literally attack the door, hammering at it with his paws, and whining and snuffling at it. And he doesn't stop. He can continue for over half an hour. It's incredibly disruptive, and annoying. We slapped him once or twice when he started but it had no effect, and now we simply ignore it, and only let him in when he's stopped. But that doesn't seem to have an effect either.

    Anyone have any ideas on why he's suddenly started acting like this, and how to wean him away from such behaviour?


Comments

  • #2
    Whispered
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,772 ✭✭✭✭Whispered


    Think about it, he scratches and you open the door - as far as he's concerned his scratching has worked. The slap is just a nasty, and unnecessary, shock for him after, and he wouldn't associate it with the scratching because at that stage he'd have stopped. That's why it's uneffective and hasn't worked for you.

    I have a boy who did the same, he almost had a window washing routine, his paws wiping furiously at the glass while he danced back and forth, the door was constantly destroyed! What I started doing was I'd watch for him approaching the door and before he had a chance to put the paws on the glass, I'd walk towards the door to open it, If he jumped up, as soon as his paws hit the glass I'd turn my back and walk away. I'd then wait for even a second pause in his "dancing" and I'd approach the door again. I'd do it as many times as necessary for him to allow me get to the door and pull it open. It only took about 3 days for him to realise that paws = door stays shut. The first few times you might end up walking up and down your room like a fool but I bet within 3 or 4 goes he'll be doing it a lot easier for you.

    It's good to ignore the behaviour you don't want, but you also have to actively enforce the behaviour you do want, opening the door when he's sitting at it instead of jumping at it will do that.


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