Might have to give up Gunner - Owner keeping him

[Catu]

For crates, I like Vary-Kennel

[GunnersMom]

Originally Posted by aubie

I'd like to reiterate this way of training...not just leaving the dog in the room, turning up the TV and hoping they quiet down, but actually rewarding the desired behavior.

Mom and I were talking about this last night and it's brought up another question for us.

When I come back in the house after however many minutes and he's quiet, I want to reward him. But I know that you're not supposed to make a big deal of it when you return. So how exactly do you balance the two? Maybe just a treat and a low-key "good boy"??

He's still doing real good with the barking, but he was pawing at the blinds again yesterday evening. (Luckily, he only broke one slat, way down at the bottom, so it's barely noticeable.) For now, I've figured out a way to keep him away from them. There's a cedar chest right underneath that window, so I'm putting a storage ottoman and the computer chair on top of it, so he can't get to the blinds.
I'll be crate shopping this weekend.

[Kayla's Dad]

Sounds like you're making progress and that's great news. As far as rewarding I would keep it low-key. You don't want to ramp him up right after he's done so well. You want to maintain that quiet relaxed state while in the apartment. treating should be fine along with a low voiced good boy-maybe a scratch behind the ears kind of award.

[aubie]

Low key...but the true reward is YOU, that's what he wants anyway (and apparently very much so! ). As soon as he quiets, you enter the room--calmly. If he starts to bark, you leave. That's why you may also have to try this when he's on a leash or where he can see you, but either way you want him to realize:

I WANT my mom! Bark bark bark! Hmm...wait, here she is when I'm quiet! Maybe if I stay quiet she'll come back, barking makes her stay away!

Now he's getting the opposite, if he barks, you stay home/come home to quiet him so it seems as if barking gets what he wants. He needs to learn that NOT barking is what will get him what he wants. Hope that makes sense.

Glad he's being quieter already!

[GunnersMom]

Major progress today!

Mom had to take me to a doctor's appointment. (Damned kidney stones again. ) We only have the one car, so she had to go with me because we didn't know if they were going to admit me or not. (Obviously, they didn't.)
Anyway, we had to go and leave the boys here alone. I was really nervous about what Gunner would be doing while we were gone, but ... ~drumroll~... he was an angel!! And we were gone for a little more than 2 hours.

I put a small area rug over the carpet seam that he'd torn up before, held down by the baby gate, so he couldn't do any more damage. I could tell by looking at it when we came home that he hadn't been scratching at it, at all! No new scratches on the wall. Nothing. He may have barked while we were gone (and if he did, I'm sure we'll hear about it) but I'd be surprised if he did. The worst barking almost always starts as we're leaving, and he was quiet this time. Whining a bit, but no barking. We stood outside for a couple minutes and didn't hear anything. And we did the same when we came back home - stood outside the door and couldn't hear a thing. So I'd be willing to bet that he was quiet while we were gone!

And I thought it was going to be bad. I had gotten ready to go and then I went back in the living room and sat down for a bit, to keep him from getting too worked-up before we left. The big baby was sitting behind me in the chair, with his paw on my shoulder, like "No. You stay here."

He was whiny and really didn't want me to go... but he was good!!

Of course I kinda blew it when we came home. I know I'm not supposed to make a big deal of it when I return, but I couldn't help it. He wasn't even barking when I came back in the house, so I had to fuss over him, tell him what a good boy he is and how proud I was. (I know, I know... but I couldn't help it. This was a huge test and I was just so proud of him!) I think somebody might just get some steak tonight.

Granted, Riley was here, where Gunner could see him (which helps) but it was the first time since we moved that mom and I went off together and left them. I half expected Gunner to have a complete meltdown and he was as good as can be.

Can ya tell I'm just a little bit happy?
Now we just have to get him to behave like that when I leave with Riley. One thing at a time...

[LaRen616]

Whoo hoo!!!! Congrats! You wont have to give up your baby after all!

[Catu]

Great news!! There is light at the end of the tunnel

[GSDSunshine]

That is such great news Deny! Keep up everything you are doing and soon it won't even be a problem at all. Now might be a good time to add in a stuffed/frozen kong when you leave so he will have something else to occupy his mind while you are gone. A double whammy. Are you still planning on crating?

[GunnersMom]

Originally Posted by LaRen616

Whoo hoo!!!! Congrats! You wont have to give up your baby after all!

Nope - sure doesn't look like we'll have to!

Originally Posted by Catu

Great news!! There is light at the end of the tunnel

There is! I fully expect a setback or two, here and there. There may be days when he's just in a mood, and that's fine - we'll deal with it. And I know we still have a lot of work to do. But at least now, with the progress I've already seen, I know it's do-able.

Originally Posted by GSDSunshine

That is such great news Deny! Keep up everything you are doing and soon it won't even be a problem at all. Now might be a good time to add in a stuffed/frozen kong when you leave so he will have something else to occupy his mind while you are gone. A double whammy. Are you still planning on crating?

Yeah, I have to pick up another Kong tomorrow. I was looking for it this morning and can't find it. (Must be one of those things that got lost in the move.) But if he was relaxed enough NOT to bark his head off, or tear at the door trying to get out, he might be relaxed enough to enjoy a Kong.

I don't know about the crate, now, since he did so good today. We're planning to go out tomorrow and again on Sunday to see how he does. Probably about the same amount of time, maybe a little shorter. If he does as well as he did today, we might not need one. But on the other hand, it might be a good idea to go ahead and get one, and start introducing it, just in case there would be a setback at some point.

And yes, definitely - we're not going to let up, now. We're going to keep working with him. If we let up now, it'll go right back to the way it was before.
One good thing is, I found out that mom can take him out on a leash. It really worried me because he doesn't always listen to her and he can get in his moods out there where he wants to pull. But last night, when I was wondering if they'd admit me to the hospital or not, I figured we'd better find out! Turns out he was really good for her. She said he tried to get pully once, found out that she wasn't going to stand for it and was perfect from then on. So I can throw that suggestion into the mix now too, and let her take him out when she's home.

[frenchie27]

Let's celebrate the news!!!!! I would hate it if you had to give him up!!! They are just such an important part of our families Hope he keeps it up!!!!!