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Post by bectil on Aug 18, 2014 11:12:00 GMT
... licking where other dogs wee? I've got to the point now that I have got very little patience for him when he does this. Alfie will completely ignore me calling him until he has found the spot, tasted and covered (that sounds disgusting! ), then he will come charging to me and sits perfectly in front of me for his treat. Does this mean he is lacking something in his diet? How do I stop him from doing this? Thanks
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Post by teegiebear on Aug 18, 2014 16:33:10 GMT
If he knows he's getting a treat for coming to u in his mind he might think who cares if I've licked pee I'm still getting a treat. Is he neutered? A lot of unneutered dogs do this but it can become a learned behaviour. If your getting really sick of it you need to distract exactly when he does it and if he's off lead it could be tricky getting timing right, chucking a toy at him he might think is playing, have you considered on of those remote control spray collars? Either puff of air or citronella and press it when he's licking and then once it interrupts his thoughts then call him away? Some may disagree but if your really stuck and apart from long line and sharpening up a recall so its bombproof it may be quicker
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Post by zahada on Aug 18, 2014 19:03:37 GMT
I don't have a problem with spray collars used as part of training. I have used them myself. But I used odourless refill so the smell doesn't linger after the dog has finished doing the wrong thing.
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Post by bectil on Aug 19, 2014 21:16:26 GMT
Thankyou for your replies teegiebear: I just realised yesterday that I seem to have been praising him for doing that, though all along in my head, I was thinking I was praising him for coming back and sitting infront of me. It's a difficult one! He is neutered. He has always done this, though it is more or less just recently that he has really started to ignore me. I'm not 100% sure about spray collars, but it is something I will think about - like you said, it's catching him at the right time, and I think spray collars are the only way for correcting him at that time. I was talking to my mum about this earlier and she said that we don't want him to pick up anything. I also do believe he will catch on quick that what he is doing is wrong, so if I decide to go down this route, then hopefully we shouldn't have to use it for very long. zahada: I will have to remember that, thanks!
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Post by zahada on Aug 19, 2014 21:44:06 GMT
How old is Alfie? Is it possible that he's ignoring you more lately because he's entering the stroppy adolescence stage?
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Post by charlottte on Aug 19, 2014 22:00:10 GMT
Jasper does this occasionally. He's neutered. Dogs have an organ in the roof of their mouth called the vemeronasal (or jacobson's) organ. Snakes have them which is why they flick their tongues, to get the scent and process it at top speed. It's used to helping scent pheromones. Dog wee is full of pheromones so hes probably just getting a bit too into his pee-mails Not very nice but totally normal I taught Jasper a positive interruptor of 'come away' if he gets too into sniffing/licking. I personally wouldn't use spray collars but that's just me personally.
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Post by charlottte on Aug 19, 2014 22:09:17 GMT
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Post by bectil on Aug 20, 2014 18:02:04 GMT
zahada: I think he is about 2 now. I'm not sure, because like today, he started off really well and was listening to me, then when I called him again he completely ignored me and carried on running about. charlottte: Thankyou for the link, found it very interesting! He gets VERY into his ''pee-mails''. If I don't shoo (I have to move him away, otherwise he wont listen) him away, then he will stand there ages. It's not just on the field that he does this, he follows Tilly around in the garden and waits until she's had a wee, then he will lick where she's just gone and he will sniff around the garden to find other places she has wee'd. I wouldn't mind if he did it a few times, or once in a while, but it is everyday he does this!
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Post by zahada on Aug 20, 2014 18:51:42 GMT
Can you time how long he's listening? One of mine was reliable for about 20 minutes and then he'd go deaf. Once you find the time limit start working him hard just before you reach it. Worked well with mine.
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Post by zahada on Aug 20, 2014 18:55:30 GMT
zahada: I think he is about 2 now. I'm not sure, because like today, he started off really well and was listening to me, then when I called him again he completely ignored me and carried on running about. charlottte: Thankyou for the link, found it very interesting! He gets VERY into his ''pee-mails''. If I don't shoo (I have to move him away, otherwise he wont listen) him away, then he will stand there ages. It's not just on the field that he does this, he follows Tilly around in the garden and waits until she's had a wee, then he will lick where she's just gone and he will sniff around the garden to find other places she has wee'd. I wouldn't mind if he did it a few times, or once in a while, but it is everyday he does this! Sounds like he's become obsessed with the pee sniffing/licking.
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Post by charlottte on Aug 20, 2014 20:11:54 GMT
Definitely sounds like it's becoming habit You could teach him an interruptor such as 'come away/that's enough' and do it like a recall so eventually if he comes away then you can release him to go and sniff again (maybe not licking though). It sounds like the sniffing is the reinforcer so use it to your advantage
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Post by teegiebear on Aug 20, 2014 20:13:45 GMT
Can see why if he's doing it so frequently why its so frustrating for you.
The collar idea I don't think would take too long to use to train, it's more an aid but like everything you'd need to look into it and see if you think its right for you.
Maybe in the garden use a long line and harness and let him do his thing and when he goes to lick then call and pull him away and reward. Starting it in the garden might help for when outside the garden,
Trying bits of training and tricks to keep his focus on you on walks if a great idea. Key to dogs off lead is making you more exciting than anything else out there so if you are playing with them, letting them have a run themselves then calling them in and a few bits if training to keep their attention or path rowing a toy or heel work etc it might keep his attention focused on you for longer.
Enzos nose is always in the air or in some places he must follow the scents of squirrels or foxes or rabbits or something. Trying to keep us boring people more exciting than those amazing smells is tricky!
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Post by BorderTerrier on Aug 26, 2014 12:21:34 GMT
I agree with teegiebear - long line, or even a normal length lead to train this out of him! You then have control of him and you can 'reel' him in and away from the area when he goes to lick the spot.
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Post by bectil on Aug 26, 2014 18:05:15 GMT
Thankyou again everyone I am beginning to enjoy our walks again now. The last two or three walks, he has been almost as good as gold! He's had his moments, but he is listening abit more and not licking as much which is a big improvement! What I have been doing is calling him, if he doesn't come to me straight away then I keep calling until he does come, I then send him away (not giving him a treat), but as soon as he goes I call him back so he knows that he only gets a treat when he comes back to me as soon as I call him. I have also been praising him for sniffing. I'm hoping I wont have to resort to the spray collar!
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Post by teegiebear on Aug 28, 2014 8:04:46 GMT
glad you are enjoying your walks more bectil sometimes looking at it from a different angle helps and sounds like youve got a huge improvement keep up the hard work
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