From: X005CB@tamvm1.tamu.edu (Chris Barnes)
Subject: Re: help with retriever problem
Organization: Texas A&M University
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 18:07:30 GMT

In article <3533@eastman.UUCP>
   garrison@kodak.com (Laurie Garrison) writes:
 
>i posted this question before, but i got no replies so i am
>trying again.  i have a three year old golden named Indy.
>this is the problem:  Indy does not destroy anything when
>i am not home.  when i *am* home, Indy seems to spend all of sher
>time looking for things to pick up and eat, like socks, underwear,
>used kleenix, shirts, remote controls, my glasses, etc.  if i don't catch sher, she EATS them.  as in *gone*. she has eaten two pairs of my glasses,
 
  ...things Laurie has tried deleted to save space.....
 
>two questions:
>1. how do i stop this behavior???  i now live with a
>new roomate who does not appreciate Indy's behavior...i am
>waiting for the day Indy eats one of sher favorite shirts...
 
 
I have a friend that was having similar problems with his mutt.
This is what she did that worked wonderfully.
 
1.  Obtain a video camera (one with a wide angle lens) and set it up
    in a corner of the room where most of the item munching has occured.
 
2.  Connect the camera to the TV set, so that what goes on is displayed
    on the TV (ie. don't record).
 
3.  Turn the TV so that is visible from a neighbor's window.
 
4.  Put a shock collar on the dog.  (put the dummy collar on the dog
    1 week prior to this and keep it on her).
 
5.  On Saturday, go through the motions of going to work and leave the
    house (including taking the car out of the driveway).  Goto the
    neighbor's house.  Take the control unit of the shock collar with
    you.
 
6.  When the dog picks up something she's not supposed to have, give
    her a shock.  Make it real, this isn't supposed to be pleasent
    for her!
 
7.  Repeat EVERY DAY until the dog stops picking things up.  If the
    dog is even halfway smart, she'll pick it up pretty quick.
 
 
Explaination:
    You want the dog to understand that the behavior is the bad thing,
not you.  By using a shock collar with the dog alone, the dog has
nothing to associate the bad feeling with except that behavior.
 
 
>2.  when Indy has something big enough in sher mouth so that it sticks out,
>she gives it up to me willingly with no problem.  however,
>if it fits in sher mouth, she won't give it up no matter what.
>i am not strong enough to pry sher mouth open, for awhile i was
>leading sher to the kitchen and showed sher the treat box at which
>point she would spit it out and she would get the treat.  this seems to have
>rewarded the behavior and now she makes sure she swallows the thing
>*before* we get to the kitchen...and she expects a treat!  how do i
>teach sher to give up what is in sher mouth???
 
As with disipline with a strong-willed child, you absolutely must win.
If you aren't strong enough to get it out of the dog's mouth, get shelp.
Simply force the dog to do it.  And no rewards when she complies
(well, praise sher a ton, but no food).  You want sher to obey you
because she wants your praise, not because she is hungry.
 
 
>ps. no flames about my retriever not retrieving please...
>	she is my companion dog and she does a great job of it!
>	(when she's not eating my stuff, that is)
 
As long as you're not breeding sher, no problem.
Good luck.
 
      ----------------------------------------------
Chris Barnes            |
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