Management - how much is too much?

Kim_MacMillan

Wow, I'm really glad that the family got a second opinion! Thank you for sharing.

 Me too.  When I just went to look at their testimonial regarding this experience and their results with good training, I found a second person in a similar situation who came to find real results in the same proven training methods/trainer after having consulted two veterinary behaviorists who prescribed drugs to resolve behavior issues.  Part of her testimonial:

Behaviorist #2 - Upped the Prozac and Xanax - Jackson was catatonic and began having seizures, his separation anxiety was so horrible, he had the cops called on him for barking 5 hours non-stop. The behaviorist said there was "nothing she could do." 

J* and I were lost, fighting and frustrated we had nowhere to turn, we were discouraged and even getting to the point of breaking up. I was $3,000 in debt because of vet bills, Jackson wasn't any better behaved and now he was epileptic from the medicine he was on."

Training gave them results these two behaviorists and bottles of medication could not.

Great topic and great thread Kim!

Karen, thanks for your example!

I have my garbages in cabinets, although I can't say it was just because of the dogs. We separate our compost/waste here and I don't like having several garbage cans out in the open, so we hide them to make things look a little nicer. But it does automatically then take away (aka manage) garbage raiding opportunities. I do think this also comes down to safety as he would be eating inappropriate objects and you don't want him to get intestinal problems from that.

kpwlee

Kim_MacMillan

 I think everyone has agreed thus far that when it comes to safety, management is crucial. I'm now referring to all those things that are not necessarily about safety, but rather convenience on behalf of the owner, and nothing more

 

Here's an example of me being lazy and managing a situation versus fixing it.  In DH's office the garbage can is up on the file cabinet.  Bugsy loves paper in an unnatural way and an office bin is always full of paper. He doesn't go in any other bin and he only goes in this one when the mood strikes ie he is bored and I/we are busy (I work at home). We worked on it for a while and he got better but even if we went months without him going in it eventually he'd be back in it again. So we put it back up and there it stays.

It just doesn't feel like a big deal and it saves us from the mischief (well this example of mischief LOL)

Bugsy is almost always on a long line when swimming, hiking, doing field work.  When he gets a scent he is unreliable, in fact darn near un-contactable. We've worked our butt off on this one but his eyes glaze over and he is in some other world - at least I am not having to hold the long line all the time now ha ha

haha!! thats Zoey with the darn flirt pole! I haven't figured out a middle ground with that thing - Its like I'm invisible when that thing comes out.

I do manage my dogs a bit. But with past dogs its to promote good behavior when I'm not around ( house manners - obviously doggie manners with Bella didn't turn out so well), I completely trust Bella or Amber being in the house ( not together) by themselves. Although Amber will get into garbage if the opportunity is there. Honestly I dont spend hardly any time training Amber & its about the same for Bella.

Zoey spends her unsupervised time either in an ex pen when I'm at work - although I've started letting her out this week just to hang out and cruise around the office. If she's at home she's either following me around the house when I can watch her or redirect her, or she's in teh crate with a food ball ( when I can't watch at all or have to leave), or she's in the front yard with Bella.

I've increased her outside time with Bella and she's doing well with it. I only let her out there when I am home though, I don't trust what could happen if I leave.

In the car Zoey is in a crate right now, until she learns what to 'do' while riding in the car. Before the only thing she wanted to do is crawl down near my feet!!!  so the crate is a safety thing.

 There are many things I am working on - but managing right now to prevent bad behavior, for example the chickens. oh how zoey wants a chicken!!I've been working with her slowly, but for now it's management.