My dog doesn't believe me!

Sophie45 · 07-31-2007, 12:19 AM

At dinner time, I always eat my dinner first and then prepare Sophie's dinner (I use a partial Pitcairn diet, so it takes a minute or two to prepare) I make her stay in a down position while I prepare (to reinforce the down stay command) and put the bowl in front of her, say 'leave it' (I live in the city where there is a lot of garbage around, so I constantly have to reinforce 'leave it'-a very important command around here!) while I put the ingredients back in the fridge, and when I go back into the living room my command is consistently 'take it'. But often when I say 'take it', she still remains in the down position and stares at me, and often I have to say something like, "Go ahead-take it! Go eat!", almost as if I have to CONVINCE her that it's ok to eat! Like she doesn't believe me the first time! When I do this with treats, she doesn't have this same reaction and will eat it up after one 'take it'. Why is she doing this? I've certainly never 'tricked' her before, and I'm consistent with my commands, so I don't understand this unusual behavior. She always eats all of her food when she finally goes over to the food, so it's not like she's not hungry!

Any ideas?

***Cassiepeia*** · 07-31-2007, 01:28 AM

Do you stand over her and watch her 'take it'? If so, perhaps your waiting makes her a little unsure? Or maybe she was unsure to begin with and now she believes that "go ahead take it" is actually the command for her main meal? Hence the reason she waits for you to say it.
Could you try saying the command 'take it' and dropping one of her treats into her bowl then walking away from her?

Another thought. Perhaps you could use a different command for releasing her at her main meal?

Cass.

britishbandit · 07-31-2007, 06:54 AM

Maybe it's that both commands sound similar, and she's not sure whether to dive in or not. Possibly rather than do the wrong one, she sticks with the one she's already doing. Maybe try a different release command. I use a generalized release for a lot of commands, and simply say "ok".

trainingrixie · 07-31-2007, 07:07 AM

BB...."ok" is my general release command for trixie too. I use it all the time; when we come infor a walk she has to sit nicely while i remove her leash, and then she has to wait until i say ok before she does anything, same with dinner time. i like it because its an easy word to make sound excited and happy

IceyBlueSibes · 07-31-2007, 07:17 AM

Lugar does the same thing when I make him wait. I have to say "Go ahead! Go eat!" before he flies over to the bowl. LOL

I think Cass may be right. It sounds like she is seeing meal time, and treat time as two different things. And she's associating the "Take it, go ahead, go eat" as her release command.

If it were ME, I probably wouldn't worry about it and I'd just remember that my dog was associating a differen't word/phrase with a different "activity".

"Ok" is our general release command as well.

borzoimom · 07-31-2007, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by britishbandit

Maybe it's that both commands sound similar, and she's not sure whether to dive in or not. Possibly rather than do the wrong one, she sticks with the one she's already doing. Maybe try a different release command. I use a generalized release for a lot of commands, and simply say "ok".

I agree use a happier voice like "(happy)TAKE- IT"...

Sophie45 · 08-01-2007, 09:17 PM

Hmmm...I'll usually say 'take it' a few times before I go on to add 'release' or 'go ahead and eat!' in a happy voice when I don't get a response.

I definitely am careful not to hover over her, because she doesn't like that (who would?) but try and stay casual, I go sit down on the couch and just watch her

Tonight, I only had to say 'take it' once and then she was off, but last night it took some persuasion. She didn't eat very much last night (I think it was just too hot for her...) so tonight maybe she was extra hungry....I can't figure her out! Very odd....

07-31-2007, 12:19 AM	#1 (permalink)
Sophie45 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 341 Rep Power: 67	My dog doesn't believe me! At dinner time, I always eat my dinner first and then prepare Sophie's dinner (I use a partial Pitcairn diet, so it takes a minute or two to prepare) I make her stay in a down position while I prepare (to reinforce the down stay command) and put the bowl in front of her, say 'leave it' (I live in the city where there is a lot of garbage around, so I constantly have to reinforce 'leave it'-a very important command around here!) while I put the ingredients back in the fridge, and when I go back into the living room my command is consistently 'take it'. But often when I say 'take it', she still remains in the down position and stares at me, and often I have to say something like, "Go ahead-take it! Go eat!", almost as if I have to CONVINCE her that it's ok to eat! Like she doesn't believe me the first time! When I do this with treats, she doesn't have this same reaction and will eat it up after one 'take it'. Why is she doing this? I've certainly never 'tricked' her before, and I'm consistent with my commands, so I don't understand this unusual behavior. She always eats all of her food when she finally goes over to the food, so it's not like she's not hungry! Any ideas?

07-31-2007, 01:28 AM	#2 (permalink)
*Cassiepeia* Chihuahua Mum Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: NSW, Australia Posts: 8,281 Blog Entries: 9 Rep Power: 286	Do you stand over her and watch her 'take it'? If so, perhaps your waiting makes her a little unsure? Or maybe she was unsure to begin with and now she believes that "go ahead take it" is actually the command for her main meal? Hence the reason she waits for you to say it. Could you try saying the command 'take it' and dropping one of her treats into her bowl then walking away from her? Another thought. Perhaps you could use a different command for releasing her at her main meal? Cass.
	__________________ Say NO! to animals in pet shops. Rescue a friend instead: Petfinder Get more out of Global Paw. Check out these great features. Book Club ~ Blogs ~ Art Classes ~ Woof Review As a member of Global paw staff my opinions are not necessarily those of the website or the owner.

07-31-2007, 06:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
britishbandit Rottweiler Mum Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Windsor, ON Posts: 4,185 Rep Power: 180	Maybe it's that both commands sound similar, and she's not sure whether to dive in or not. Possibly rather than do the wrong one, she sticks with the one she's already doing. Maybe try a different release command. I use a generalized release for a lot of commands, and simply say "ok".
	__________________ "No matter how little money and how few possesions you own, having a dog makes you rich." - Louis Sabin

07-31-2007, 07:07 AM	#4 (permalink)
trainingrixie Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: jax, fla Posts: 746 Rep Power: 59	BB...."ok" is my general release command for trixie too. I use it all the time; when we come infor a walk she has to sit nicely while i remove her leash, and then she has to wait until i say ok before she does anything, same with dinner time. i like it because its an easy word to make sound excited and happy
	__________________

07-31-2007, 07:17 AM	#5 (permalink)
IceyBlueSibes Eyes = Mirror to the soul Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Jupiter, Fla. Posts: 7,831 Blog Entries: 1 Rep Power: 276	Lugar does the same thing when I make him wait. I have to say "Go ahead! Go eat!" before he flies over to the bowl. LOL I think Cass may be right. It sounds like she is seeing meal time, and treat time as two different things. And she's associating the "Take it, go ahead, go eat" as her release command. If it were ME, I probably wouldn't worry about it and I'd just remember that my dog was associating a differen't word/phrase with a different "activity". "Ok" is our general release command as well.
	__________________ Sheiba, Denali, Ike, Nitro (Siberian Husky), Kelso (GSD x), Lugar (Boxer/Pit x), Willah (Shepherd/Husky x), Tibby, Cheech, Chong (Chihuahua), and any foster we have in the house! 9 Kitty cats!

08-01-2007, 09:17 PM	#7 (permalink)
Sophie45 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 341 Rep Power: 67	Hmmm...I'll usually say 'take it' a few times before I go on to add 'release' or 'go ahead and eat!' in a happy voice when I don't get a response. I definitely am careful not to hover over her, because she doesn't like that (who would?) but try and stay casual, I go sit down on the couch and just watch her Tonight, I only had to say 'take it' once and then she was off, but last night it took some persuasion. She didn't eat very much last night (I think it was just too hot for her...) so tonight maybe she was extra hungry....I can't figure her out! Very odd....

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)