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Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I have a 3 yr old Rottweiller who is (usually) a model of > obedience and good behavior.  He is worked with regularly and can sit, > stay, stand, drop, roll-over, give high-fives, play dead, catch, etc. > Two months ago I got married and my new wife moved in with her cat. > The cat had severe emotional problems with the transition, and > routinely knocked over the trash, broke things and attacked people. > We found a new home for the cat, but now my Rottweiler has learned to > get into the trash can when nobody is watching him.  On three > occassions he has even stolen food off of the counter that was left > out.  He is fully aware that he is not allowed to do such things, > since he will never do them while we are watching. > However, during the day, he has repeatedly been getting into the > trash.  When we return, he crouches in place with a massive expression > of guilt and remorse even before we notice that he has been in the > trash.  (Usually his crouching is our first sign he did something.) > On the 1-2 times we’ve been able to catch him red-handed, we gave him > solid dicipline (a good yelling, a stage slapping, and sent to the > garage where we usually put him on his back with a hand to his throat > – the standard submissive position)  I’ve also tried both putting > mouse traps in the trash, and keeping a muzzle on him while he is > unsupervised.  Doesn’t seem to be working. > Although the above methods worked quickly and effectively when he was > a puppy and he was doing the same things, they seem to be having no > effect over the last two months. > HELP!  My wife is ready to kill my poor puppy, and I need ideas to > help correct his behavior!

I’m hoping you’re exaggerating your reaction to finding the dog has gotten in the trash and you don’t really slap him and alpha roll him (both really, really bad ideas and an excellent way to make your dog a mess, incidentally.) Now, it seems to me the easiest thing to do is keep the trash away from the dog. Close it in a cupboard when you leave, or if your kitchen has a door, close the door. This is behavior modification at its simplest – modify your behavior. "But that isn’t teaching my dog anything!" you might say – well, thats true. But its not really fair to expect the dog to stop a self-rewarding behavior (knock over trash, get goodies, yum!) if you aren’t around and its sitting there tempting him. His reaction of "guilt" and "remorse" is actually that of fear, since dogs don’t feel guilt or remorse. He knows when you come home, you slap him and yell at him. He doesn’t relate it to the yummy garbage at all. I know, this is hard to believe, but dogs don’t feel human emotions like that. Please, try putting the food/trash away before leaving, and next time you go out, pick up "Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson so that you can learn more about the way dogs actually think. It will help you relate to your dog much better (wife should read it too.) I just wish you’d thought to give the cat a chance. Animals take time to adapt to new living situations, and if it never spent time around a dog, it was probably quite a shock. Your dog is likely still adapting to new routines as well – make things easier on yourself and the dog and go for the simple solutions. And don’t yell, slap or alpha roll him, because those are really bad people behaviors. Christy

Response:

> Once again, that’s not the solution. I defrost ten or fifteen pounds of > meat on the counter within easy reach of my critters, leave my dinner > there too, and nobody bothers with it, except whomever placed it there.

Well trained rats huh. Before you buy.

Response:

Hello Greg,

> Well, I tried the suggestions of getting a covered trash can, and it > worked . . . for a week or so.

Hiding forbidden items and confining and avoiding behavior problems only serves to keep the behaviors in force. > I came home today for lunch and he has now figured out that he can > knock the can over, pry the lid off, and get at the contents. > Rottweilers are smart dogs.

Hell, even Canis55 could figure out HOWE to open a locked tras bin for a tasty pizza crust… > Also, I’m positive he knows that he is bad.

Sorry Greg. Even Canis55 knows that a dog doesn’t know right from wrong, no matter HOWE well he’s trained. Dogs are dogs, and they have no conscience as such. > On non-trash eating days, he always comes to greet me when I come home. > Today, even though I made no sounds or actions different than normal, he > hid in the back room and wouldn’t look at me when I walked in.  I called his > name in a cheerful tone, and he hung his head and acted terified. Same > pattern on most trash eating days.

That’s because he associates tras on the floor with you getting upset. He doesn’t realize that HE put the trash on the floor. It’s a coincidence that is beyond his thinking capacity. > What else can I do?  I don’t have a cupboard or closet where I can put > the garbage completely out of his reach.  Help!

Once again, that’s not the solution. I defrost ten or fifteen pounds of meat on the counter within easy reach of my critters, leave my dinner there too, and nobody bothers with it, except whomever placed it there. I’ll continue through your earlier post. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Greg Wilson > I have a 3 yr old Rottweiller who is (usually) a model of >obedience and good behavior.  He is worked with regularly and can sit, >stay, stand, drop, roll-over, give high-fives, play dead, catch, etc. >Two months ago I got married and my new wife moved in with her cat. >The cat had severe emotional problems with the transition, and >routinely knocked over the trash, broke things and attacked people. >We found a new home for the cat, but now my Rottweiler has learned to >get into the trash can when nobody is watching him.  On three >occassions he has even stolen food off of the counter that was left >out.  He is fully aware that he is not allowed to do such things, >since he will never do them while we are watching.

He won’t do them in front of you because you’ve been playing policeman, instead of training him. That’s why I get so frustrated with our "expert" dog trainers here, who hid the trash, and lock up food, and lock down their dogs, because they don’t have any concept of REALLY training a dog. They think forced control is training… >However, during the day, he has repeatedly been getting into the >trash.

That could be in large part because of anxiety. > When we return, he crouches in place with a massive expression >of guilt and remorse even before we notice that he has been in the >trash.  (Usually his crouching is our first sign he did something.) >On the 1-2 times we’ve been able to catch him red-handed, we gave him >solid dicipline (a good yelling, a stage slapping, and sent to the >garage where we usually put him on his back with a hand to his throat >- the standard submissive position)

Yes. That’s why he crouches when he’s gotten into mischief. If that worked, I’d be using it. It don’t work, and will probably cause your dog to turn on you as you’ve taught him, and that will get him killed, thusly solving the trash problem… Not a very wise option. At that, even I’d opt for a tighter lid on the trash. But I don’t, because I’ve got something better, it’s call training. > I’ve also tried both putting mouse traps in the trash, and keeping a muzzle > on him while he is unsupervised.  Doesn’t seem to be working.

Nope. That’s because he needs to be taught abut the trash in a more productive manner. If putting traps in the can worked, I’d do that instead of training the dog. The traps are O.K. ONLY AFTER training, to "proof" the training. >Although the above methods worked quickly and effectively when he was >a puppy and he was doing the same things, they seem to be having no >effect over the last two months.

Did they? Really??? >HELP!  My wife is ready to kill my poor puppy, and I need ideas to >help correct his behavior!

Here’s what to do. Set up the trash, counter, and tables, etc. with "forbidden" food items. Set up some mirrors so you can observe him without his knowing it. Perhaps you’ll need to go outside, in order to tempt him to take some of these items. When you observe him thinking of taking one, create a sound and praise him for five to fifteen seconds. The next time he thinks of attempting to take from them, create another sound from ANOTHER direction. Repeat this till he THINKS of making another attempt, but hesitates, and PRAISE THAT MOMENT of hesitation. THEN, prepare for him to make one more and likely FINAL attempt at stealing. Repeat this procedure with food on all counters, tables, trash cans, etc.  Then, you can set a can with a few pennies precariously perched on the trash bin, and hopefully he’ll have learned sufficiently, the can or mouse traps left there for his benefit will not be necessary. The objective is NOT to punish, but simply to distract and PRAISE. One word of caution about using mousetraps, they can bust your dog’s nose or teeth… If you’re going to use them, cover them so they’ll be sprung harmlessly. Now, quit punishing and confronting your dog, and study the rest of the information you need to learn to properly handle and train him. You can get all the information you need to properly handle and train your dog using non force, non confrontational, scientific and psychological behavior modification and conditioning techniques, from the Wits’ End Dog Training Method manual available for free at http://www.doggydoright.com "Thus we should beware of clinging to vulgar opinions, and judge things by reason’s way, not by popular say." Montaigne "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent." Salvor Hardin "If you cannot convince them, confuse them." H.S. Truman. DRAINING THE SWAMP, AND RELOCATING THE GATORS… j;~) "CUSTOM WILL RECONCILE PEOPLE TO ANY ATROCITY." G.B. Shaw. "I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives."                                              Leo Tolstoy Is it any wonder that the following sig file has generated more complaints to my personal email than any other controversial post I have made to date, bar none?:                                             caveat If you have to do things to your dog to train him, that you would rather not have to do, then you shouldn’t be doing them. If you have a dog trainer that tells you to jerk your dog around, choke him, pinch his ears, or twist his toes, shock, shake, slap, scold, hit, or punish him in any manner, that corrections are appropriate, that the dog won’t think of you as the punisher, or that corrections are not harmful, or if they can’t train your dog to do what you want, look for a trainer that knows Howe. Sincerely, Jerry Howe, Wits’ End Dog Training http://www.doggydoright.com Nature, to be mastered, must be obeyed.                       -Francis Bacon- There are terrible people who, instead of solving a problem, bungle it and make it more difficult for all who come after.  Who ever can’t hit the nail on the head should, please, not hit at all.                      -Nietzsche- The abilities to think, rationalize and solve problems are learned qualities. The Wits’ End Dog Training Method challenges the learning centers in the dogs brain. These centers, once challenged, develop and continue to grow exponentially, to make him smarter. The Wits’ End Dog Training method capitalizes on praising split seconds of canine thought, strategy, and timing, not mindless hours of forced repetition, constant corrections, and scolding.                   -Jerry Howe- Any trainer who advises you to punish, hurt, or confront your dog, should get the hell out of this business.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Well, I tried the suggestions of getting a covered trash can, and it > worked . . . for a week or so. > I came home today for lunch and he has now figured out that he can > knock the can over, pry the lid off, and get at the contents. > Rottweilers are smart dogs. > Also, I’m positive he knows that he is bad.  On non-trash eating days, > he always comes to greet me when I come home.  Today, even though I > made no sounds or actions different than normal, he hid in the back > room and wouldn’t look at me when I walked in.  I called his name in a > cheerful tone, and he hung his head and acted terified.  Same pattern > on most trash eating days. > What else can I do?  I don’t have a cupboard or closet where I can put > the garbage completely out of his reach.  Help! > Greg Wilson > I have a 3 yr old Rottweiller who is (usually) a model of >obedience and good behavior.  He is worked with regularly and can sit, >stay, stand, drop, roll-over, give high-fives, play dead, catch, etc. >Two months ago I got married and my new wife moved in with her cat. >The cat had severe emotional problems with the transition, and >routinely knocked over the trash, broke things and attacked people. >We found a new home for the cat, but now my Rottweiler has learned to >get into the trash can when nobody is watching him.  On three >occassions he has even stolen food off of the counter that was left >out.  He is fully aware that he is not allowed to do such things, >since he will never do them while we are watching. >However, during the day, he has repeatedly been getting into the >trash.  When we return, he crouches in place with a massive expression >of guilt and remorse even before we notice that he has been in the >trash.  (Usually his crouching is our first sign he did something.) >On the 1-2 times we’ve been able to catch him red-handed, we gave him >solid dicipline (a good yelling, a stage slapping, and sent to the >garage where we usually put him on his back with a hand to his throat >- the standard submissive position)  I’ve also tried both putting >mouse traps in the trash, and keeping a muzzle on him while he is >unsupervised.  Doesn’t seem to be working. >Although the above methods worked quickly and effectively when he was >a puppy and he was doing the same things, they seem to be having no >effect over the last two months. >HELP!  My wife is ready to kill my poor puppy, and I need ideas to >help correct his behavior!

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Well, I tried the suggestions of getting a covered trash can, and it >worked . . . for a week or so. >I came home today for lunch and he has now figured out that he can >knock the can over, pry the lid off, and get at the contents. >Rottweilers are smart dogs. > The problem with this type of incremental approach is that you’re > teaching him to keep at it in order to get to the trash.  It’d be > better to go from open trash in kitchen to something locked into a > trunk or under the counter than it would be to go from open trash, to > a trash can with a lid, to a trashcan with a spring lid…with the > latter approach he learns with a little more effort, he can get to it. > Is it possible to put the garbage under the sink in the cabinet? Even > get one of those wire things that screw on to the back of the cabinet > door where you drape a plastic bag over it? >Also, I’m positive he knows that he is bad.  On non-trash eating days, >he always comes to greet me when I come home.  Today, even though I >made no sounds or actions different than normal, he hid in the back >room and wouldn’t look at me when I walked in.  I called his name in a >cheerful tone, and he hung his head and acted terified.  Same pattern >on most trash eating days. > Look at it from another angle.  He knows that when there’s X on the floor, > you get mad. > BUT…he doesn’t think AHEAD to this when he dumps X on the floor. It’s > only when you come home that he’s upset.  So he’s not thinking that HE is > a "bad dog", just that YOU get mad when you see this. > To test this out, you can have a friend come by, dump the trash on the > kitchen floor and then you see how he reacts when you come in. > Or, let’s say that when you go on your daily walk, you always yell at > and lecture this one signpost on this route.  You’d find that he got > upset everytime you guys approached the sign, because you get "upset". > You may not have much alternative at this point (if you can’t get the > trash put into a cupboard or closet) but to take the trash out of the > house altogether in the mornings before you leave. > –Cindy

That’s BRILLIANT training advice. YOUR OWN DOGS raid the trash. Some trainer you are. Tell him HOWE to twist and pinch his dog’s ears to control that habit. Or is it that you only twist and pinch to teach MOTIVATION??? Yours for silent screams, Jerry "I Don’t Hear NO Screaming When I Twist And Pinch Ears," Howe. You can get all the information you need to properly handle and train your dog using non force, non confrontational, scientific and psychological behavior modification and conditioning techniques, from the Wits’ End Dog Training Method manual available for free at http://www.doggydoright.com "Thus we should beware of clinging to vulgar opinions, and judge things by reason’s way, not by popular say." Montaigne "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent." Salvor Hardin "If you cannot convince them, confuse them." H.S. Truman. DRAINING THE SWAMP, AND RELOCATING THE GATORS… j;~) "CUSTOM WILL RECONCILE PEOPLE TO ANY ATROCITY." G.B. Shaw. "I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives."                                              Leo Tolstoy Is it any wonder that the following sig file has generated more complaints to my personal email than any other controversial post I have made to date, bar none?:                                             caveat If you have to do things to your dog to train him, that you would rather not have to do, then you shouldn’t be doing them. If you have a dog trainer that tells you to jerk your dog around, choke him, pinch his ears, or twist his toes, shock, shake, slap, scold, hit, or punish him in any manner, that corrections are appropriate, that the dog won’t think of you as the punisher, or that corrections are not harmful, or if they can’t train your dog to do what you want, look for a trainer that knows Howe. Sincerely, Jerry Howe, Wits’ End Dog Training http://www.doggydoright.com Nature, to be mastered, must be obeyed.                       -Francis Bacon- There are terrible people who, instead of solving a problem, bungle it and make it more difficult for all who come after.  Who ever can’t hit the nail on the head should, please, not hit at all.                      -Nietzsche- The abilities to think, rationalize and solve problems are learned qualities. The Wits’ End Dog Training Method challenges the learning centers in the dogs brain. These centers, once challenged, develop and continue to grow exponentially, to make him smarter. The Wits’ End Dog Training method capitalizes on praising split seconds of canine thought, strategy, and timing, not mindless hours of forced repetition, constant corrections, and scolding.                   -Jerry Howe-

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->You may not have much alternative at this point (if you can’t get the >trash put into a cupboard or closet) but to take the trash out of the >house altogether in the mornings before you leave. >–Cindy > Invest in a trash compactor!  Something I thought of as a waste of space when I > first bought my current home, it’s wonderful for keeping all sort of beings out > of the trash (except for the mice that move in during the winter!). > Janet Boss > Best Friends Dog Obedience > "Nice Manners for the Family Pet" > "Second-hand dogs AREN’T second-rate" > see Lucy at:   http://www.flyball.com/nsl/

A REAL dog trainer would teach the dog not to get into the trash, WITHOUT choking him, of course. Yours for keeping TRASH out of dog training, Jerry "Get The Hell Out Of This Business Before You Harm Any More Dogs And Hurt The Families Who Love Them," Howe.

Response:

>You may not have much alternative at this point (if you can’t get the >trash put into a cupboard or closet) but to take the trash out of the >house altogether in the mornings before you leave. >–Cindy

Invest in a trash compactor!  Something I thought of as a waste of space when I first bought my current home, it’s wonderful for keeping all sort of beings out of the trash (except for the mice that move in during the winter!). Janet Boss Best Friends Dog Obedience "Nice Manners for the Family Pet" "Second-hand dogs AREN’T second-rate" see Lucy at:   http://www.flyball.com/nsl/

Response:

>Well, I tried the suggestions of getting a covered trash can, and it >worked . . . for a week or so.   >I came home today for lunch and he has now figured out that he can >knock the can over, pry the lid off, and get at the contents. >Rottweilers are smart dogs.

The problem with this type of incremental approach is that you’re teaching him to keep at it in order to get to the trash.  It’d be better to go from open trash in kitchen to something locked into a trunk or under the counter than it would be to go from open trash, to a trash can with a lid, to a trashcan with a spring lid…with the latter approach he learns with a little more effort, he can get to it. Is it possible to put the garbage under the sink in the cabinet?  Even get one of those wire things that screw on to the back of the cabinet door where you drape a plastic bag over it? >Also, I’m positive he knows that he is bad.  On non-trash eating days, >he always comes to greet me when I come home.  Today, even though I >made no sounds or actions different than normal, he hid in the back >room and wouldn’t look at me when I walked in.  I called his name in a >cheerful tone, and he hung his head and acted terified.  Same pattern >on most trash eating days.

Look at it from another angle.  He knows that when there’s X on the floor, you get mad.   BUT…he doesn’t think AHEAD to this when he dumps X on the floor.  It’s only when you come home that he’s upset.  So he’s not thinking that HE is a "bad dog", just that YOU get mad when you see this. To test this out, you can have a friend come by, dump the trash on the kitchen floor and then you see how he reacts when you come in. Or, let’s say that when you go on your daily walk, you always yell at and lecture this one signpost on this route.  You’d find that he got upset everytime you guys approached the sign, because you get "upset". You may not have much alternative at this point (if you can’t get the trash put into a cupboard or closet) but to take the trash out of the house altogether in the mornings before you leave. –Cindy

Response:

> Put the trash out as you leave each day – with a covered can lid locked down > it should be ok > Nancy

You mean like a giant buster cube??? Yours for avoiding problems, Jerry "Got My Eyes Closed, You Can’t See Me Now," Howe. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Well, I tried the suggestions of getting a covered trash can, and it > worked . . . for a week or so. > I came home today for lunch and he has now figured out that he can > knock the can over, pry the lid off, and get at the contents. > Rottweilers are smart dogs. > Also, I’m positive he knows that he is bad.  On non-trash eating days, > he always comes to greet me when I come home.  Today, even though I > made no sounds or actions different than normal, he hid in the back > room and wouldn’t look at me when I walked in.  I called his name in a > cheerful tone, and he hung his head and acted terified.  Same pattern > on most trash eating days. > What else can I do?  I don’t have a cupboard or closet where I can put > the garbage completely out of his reach.  Help! > Greg Wilson > > I have a 3 yr old Rottweiller who is (usually) a model of > >obedience and good behavior.  He is worked with regularly and can sit, > >stay, stand, drop, roll-over, give high-fives, play dead, catch, etc. > >Two months ago I got married and my new wife moved in with her cat. > >The cat had severe emotional problems with the transition, and > >routinely knocked over the trash, broke things and attacked people. > >We found a new home for the cat, but now my Rottweiler has learned to > >get into the trash can when nobody is watching him.  On three > >occassions he has even stolen food off of the counter that was left > >out.  He is fully aware that he is not allowed to do such things, > >since he will never do them while we are watching. > >However, during the day, he has repeatedly been getting into the > >trash.  When we return, he crouches in place with a massive expression > >of guilt and remorse even before we notice that he has been in the > >trash.  (Usually his crouching is our first sign he did something.) > >On the 1-2 times we’ve been able to catch him red-handed, we gave him > >solid dicipline (a good yelling, a stage slapping, and sent to the > >garage where we usually put him on his back with a hand to his throat > >- the standard submissive position)  I’ve also tried both putting > >mouse traps in the trash, and keeping a muzzle on him while he is > >unsupervised.  Doesn’t seem to be working. > >Although the above methods worked quickly and effectively when he was > >a puppy and he was doing the same things, they seem to be having no > >effect over the last two months. > >HELP!  My wife is ready to kill my poor puppy, and I need ideas to > >help correct his behavior!

Response:

Snappy Trainer works fine. http://www.omahavaccine.com/ has the best price.  Get a couple of packs of 3 because they’re handy all over, just to cover the shipping as a percentage. — Ron Hardin On the internet, nobody knows you’re a jerk.

Response:

Put the trash out as you leave each day – with a covered can lid locked down it should be ok Nancy

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Well, I tried the suggestions of getting a covered trash can, and it > worked . . . for a week or so. > I came home today for lunch and he has now figured out that he can > knock the can over, pry the lid off, and get at the contents. > Rottweilers are smart dogs. > Also, I’m positive he knows that he is bad.  On non-trash eating days, > he always comes to greet me when I come home.  Today, even though I > made no sounds or actions different than normal, he hid in the back > room and wouldn’t look at me when I walked in.  I called his name in a > cheerful tone, and he hung his head and acted terified.  Same pattern > on most trash eating days. > What else can I do?  I don’t have a cupboard or closet where I can put > the garbage completely out of his reach.  Help! > Greg Wilson > I have a 3 yr old Rottweiller who is (usually) a model of >obedience and good behavior.  He is worked with regularly and can sit, >stay, stand, drop, roll-over, give high-fives, play dead, catch, etc. >Two months ago I got married and my new wife moved in with her cat. >The cat had severe emotional problems with the transition, and >routinely knocked over the trash, broke things and attacked people. >We found a new home for the cat, but now my Rottweiler has learned to >get into the trash can when nobody is watching him.  On three >occassions he has even stolen food off of the counter that was left >out.  He is fully aware that he is not allowed to do such things, >since he will never do them while we are watching. >However, during the day, he has repeatedly been getting into the >trash.  When we return, he crouches in place with a massive expression >of guilt and remorse even before we notice that he has been in the >trash.  (Usually his crouching is our first sign he did something.) >On the 1-2 times we’ve been able to catch him red-handed, we gave him >solid dicipline (a good yelling, a stage slapping, and sent to the >garage where we usually put him on his back with a hand to his throat >- the standard submissive position)  I’ve also tried both putting >mouse traps in the trash, and keeping a muzzle on him while he is >unsupervised.  Doesn’t seem to be working. >Although the above methods worked quickly and effectively when he was >a puppy and he was doing the same things, they seem to be having no >effect over the last two months. >HELP!  My wife is ready to kill my poor puppy, and I need ideas to >help correct his behavior!

Response:

Get a pack of Snappy Trainers, mouse traps with a plastic paddle added to slow them down and make a racket, and put one on top of the rim or in the trash, and the others on the counter. http://www.omahavaccine.com/ has the best price I think. — Ron Hardin On the internet, nobody knows you’re a jerk.

Response:

Well, I tried the suggestions of getting a covered trash can, and it worked . . . for a week or so.   I came home today for lunch and he has now figured out that he can knock the can over, pry the lid off, and get at the contents. Rottweilers are smart dogs. Also, I’m positive he knows that he is bad.  On non-trash eating days, he always comes to greet me when I come home.  Today, even though I made no sounds or actions different than normal, he hid in the back room and wouldn’t look at me when I walked in.  I called his name in a cheerful tone, and he hung his head and acted terified.  Same pattern on most trash eating days. What else can I do?  I don’t have a cupboard or closet where I can put the garbage completely out of his reach.  Help! Greg Wilson – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >    I have a 3 yr old Rottweiller who is (usually) a model of >obedience and good behavior.  He is worked with regularly and can sit, >stay, stand, drop, roll-over, give high-fives, play dead, catch, etc. >Two months ago I got married and my new wife moved in with her cat. >The cat had severe emotional problems with the transition, and >routinely knocked over the trash, broke things and attacked people. >We found a new home for the cat, but now my Rottweiler has learned to >get into the trash can when nobody is watching him.  On three >occassions he has even stolen food off of the counter that was left >out.  He is fully aware that he is not allowed to do such things, >since he will never do them while we are watching. >However, during the day, he has repeatedly been getting into the >trash.  When we return, he crouches in place with a massive expression >of guilt and remorse even before we notice that he has been in the >trash.  (Usually his crouching is our first sign he did something.) >On the 1-2 times we’ve been able to catch him red-handed, we gave him >solid dicipline (a good yelling, a stage slapping, and sent to the >garage where we usually put him on his back with a hand to his throat >- the standard submissive position)  I’ve also tried both putting >mouse traps in the trash, and keeping a muzzle on him while he is >unsupervised.  Doesn’t seem to be working. >Although the above methods worked quickly and effectively when he was >a puppy and he was doing the same things, they seem to be having no >effect over the last two months. >HELP!  My wife is ready to kill my poor puppy, and I need ideas to >help correct his behavior!

Response:

> I have a 3 yr old Rottweiller who is (usually) a model of > obedience and good behavior.  He is worked with regularly and can sit, > stay, stand, drop, roll-over, give high-fives, play dead, catch, etc. > Two months ago I got married and my new wife moved in with her cat. > The cat had severe emotional problems with the transition, and > routinely knocked over the trash, broke things and attacked people. > We found a new home for the cat, but now my Rottweiler has learned to > get into the trash can when nobody is watching him.  On three > occassions he has even stolen food off of the counter that was left > out.  He is fully aware that he is not allowed to do such things, > since he will never do them while we are watching.

That is probably not true. He knows he’ll get in trouble if you see him doing it. That’s not really the same as knowing he’s ‘not supposed to’. Dogs don’t really think that way IME. Okay, first things first. He’s doing these things because it is rewarding – he gets food!!! My solution would be simple: use a coverd trashcan &/or put it in the cabinet under the sink. Food should not be left on the counter. I have little dogs – the tallest is only 17" at the shoulder – but I follow these simple rules, and the problem is solved. If I didn’t they’d be counter surfing and dumpster diving for sure. For them, food reward is THE pay off, and short of very drastic measures I could not hope to compete. Even then, they’d be forever trying to out smart me. If these two EASY things are not options for you (and I suggest you consider them long and hard) then you must take the pay off out of the behavior. Temporarily put the trash can away, and stop leaving food out. Booby trap the counters (all of them all the time) and perhaps get a new trashcan to keep garbage in & put it out of reach. Booby trap the old one (the old one stinks, the new one won’t). You can use mouse traps, stacks of soda cans, or anything that will make a loud, scary noise or come raining down on him. This will do 2 things: remove the pay off & make negative consequences for the action even when you’re not present. If you’re putting a mouse trap in the ~trash~, it’s obvious that the pay off is still greater than the price – eating delicious trash is worth putting up with a scary noise. Take away the pay off. This should work for many dogs. However, the possibility that it won’t is real. He may, at a later date rediscover that trash diving is "safe" and fun!!!!! Randomly hiding the trash & setting the booby trap may help reinforce training as time goes on. If he’s a determined sort that likes to test the limits, it’s very possible, even likely. You may just have to resign yourself to a trash/food free environment. Or get one of those really cool "bullet" trash cans like they have in some restaurants & a bread box. Don’t bother correcting him if you don’t catch him in the act. The "guilty" behavior is only because he’s expecting to get in trouble, not because he necessarily knows he did anything wrong. This is probably because knocked over trashcan + mom & dad coming home = unhappy humans, and not because he knows he’s been bad. He simply knows that a specific set of circumstances won’t be good, but doesn’t have the forethought to know he shouldn’t do it in the first place. He is a dog, after all. — Andrea Stone Saorsa Basenjis "The average dog is a nicer person than the average person." — Andrew A. Rooney

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->    I have a 3 yr old Rottweiller who is (usually) a model of >obedience and good behavior.  He is worked with regularly and can sit, >stay, stand, drop, roll-over, give high-fives, play dead, catch, etc. >Two months ago I got married and my new wife moved in with her cat. >The cat had severe emotional problems with the transition, and >routinely knocked over the trash, broke things and attacked people. >We found a new home for the cat, but now my Rottweiler has learned to >get into the trash can when nobody is watching him.  On three >occassions he has even stolen food off of the counter that was left >out.  He is fully aware that he is not allowed to do such things, >since he will never do them while we are watching. >However, during the day, he has repeatedly been getting into the >trash.  When we return, he crouches in place with a massive expression >of guilt and remorse even before we notice that he has been in the >trash.  (Usually his crouching is our first sign he did something.) >On the 1-2 times we’ve been able to catch him red-handed, we gave him >solid dicipline (a good yelling, a stage slapping, and sent to the >garage where we usually put him on his back with a hand to his throat >- the standard submissive position)  I’ve also tried both putting >mouse traps in the trash, and keeping a muzzle on him while he is >unsupervised.  Doesn’t seem to be working. >Although the above methods worked quickly and effectively when he was >a puppy and he was doing the same things, they seem to be having no >effect over the last two months. >HELP!  My wife is ready to kill my poor puppy, and I need ideas to >help correct his behavior!

keep the dog, get another wife.

Response:

>         I have a 3 yr old Rottweiller who is (usually) a model of > obedience and good behavior.  He is worked with regularly and can sit, > stay, stand, drop, roll-over, give high-fives, play dead, catch, etc. > Two months ago I got married and my new wife moved in with her cat. > The cat had severe emotional problems with the transition, and > routinely knocked over the trash, broke things and attacked people. > We found a new home for the cat, but now my Rottweiler has learned to > get into the trash can when nobody is watching him.  On three > occassions he has even stolen food off of the counter that was left > out.  He is fully aware that he is not allowed to do such things, > since he will never do them while we are watching.

He is fully aware that it’s not a good idea to trash raid or counter surf when you’re watching. He doesn’t know that it’s bad thing to do when you’re not watching, in fact, it’s a pretty good thing to do when you’re not watching because he gets all sorts of goodies. Be careful of assigning moral characters to your dog. He probably doesn’t have a very well developed (if any) concept of right and wrong. He knows "this is rewarding" vs. "this is not rewarding". Counter surfing when you’re not watching is very rewarding. Jean Donaldson does a great job of explaining this in her book "Culture Clash". I HIGHLY recommend you get a copy. It can be ordered from http:www.sitstay.com It sounds like he learned how rewarding treasure hunting can be from the cat. Animals learn very quickly from each other. > However, during the day, he has repeatedly been getting into the > trash.  When we return, he crouches in place with a massive expression > of guilt and remorse even before we notice that he has been in the > trash.  

Again, a moral judgment on his part? Nope. It’s very unlikely that dogs are capable of guilt and remorse. I think they feel a lot of the same base emotions we do (love, anger, sadness, grief, happiness, joy), but on a much simpler level than we do. I don’t think they’re capable of the more complex emotions. I feel certain that guilt and remorse are beyond them. Those emotions involve having strong feelings about something done in the past. Dogs don’t spend too much time there. It’s here and now and a few minutes from now, at the most. > (Usually his crouching is our first sign he did something.)

Crouching is to make himself small and to try to avoid a confrontation. He’s learned that when his pack returns they’re aggressive towards him, so he starts off with a surrender flag as soon as he sees you. If he only crouches when there is trash around then he’s picked up on the environmental clues. Trash + humans return = aggression. Same response — crouching to difuse the situation. I don’t believe he’s capable of the type of thought patterns needed to conclude "I’m the one who put the trash on the floor in the past, so if I don’t do that at some point in the future my pack won’t be aggressive towards me again as they are about to be now". > On the 1-2 times we’ve been able to catch him red-handed, we gave him > solid dicipline (a good yelling, a stage slapping, and sent to the > garage where we usually put him on his back with a hand to his throat > – the standard submissive position)

I don’t know what stage slapping is, but the rest of it can be construed by the dog to be an unprovoked attack. He has NO idea what’s wrong other than you come home and are angry and aggressive towards him. At 3 years old, he’s still young. If you continue to use this form of discipline, by the time he’s 5 years old he’ll be a neurotic mess or he’ll attack you in self defense as soon as he senses that you’re about to attack him. You also run the risk of him becoming fear aggressive with humans. The ‘alpha roll’ was a hot item at one time. It quickly became clear that it caused way more problems than it solved and that the theory was all wrong. Alphas do not put sub-dominant or submissive pack mates on their backs. The subordinates *voluntarily* roll on to their backs if involved in some sort of serious conflict with the alpha. Bitches hold pups on their back while cleaning them and insist they stay there, but I’ve never seen a bitch force a pup onto his back as a form of discipline. > I’ve also tried both putting mouse traps in the trash, and keeping a muzzle on him while he is > unsupervised.  Doesn’t seem to be working.

It seems so obvious to me, but maybe it’s because I deal with it so often. How about just putting the trash where he can’t get to it and keeping the counters clear? You said he already knows not to steal food that you claim as your own, by virtue of your presence in the room, so you don’t have a real food issue. This is simply an opportunity issue. Taking food where you can find it is a very normal animal behavior.  He knows NOTHING about messes. Trash all over the floor bothers you – as it would me — but he’s clueless. He might even prefer such a decor. He knows NOTHING about trash cans not being play grounds full of treasure. Imagine how absolutely wonderful the trash can must smell to him and think of how excited he must have been when he figured out that he could actually partake of such wonders. He does know that park harmony is in jeopardy if he shows interest in such things when the pack is together and park harmony is not affected at all if he shows interest when he’s alone. A smooth running, efficient pack is one of his strongest needs. If he had any clue at all that trash raiding was the behavior causing all of this  conflict you’d be getting somewhere, but he doesn’t. Really. My advice is to keep goodies out of his reach and work hard at regaining his trust. I’d do as many fun things with him as you can find — even take him out for some ice cream Does he have a doggie friend that could come visit a few times a week to work off his stress? Work him on his normal obedience routines, including silly pet tricks, and give him extra special rewards for a job well done. Keep him as strictly scheduled as possible. A strict routine will help him feel secure. He’s bound to be terribly confused by the move, having a new "mom", the cat being there then gone and your continued anger and aggression towards him for no reason that he can figure out. His sense of pack is probably all out of kilter. Help him through it and you’ll be rewarded 100 times over. And, if you come home and find trash on the floor, just clean it up. It’s too late at that point to do anything about it except figure out how to hide the trash better. Deb*

Response:

        I have a 3 yr old Rottweiller who is (usually) a model of obedience and good behavior.  He is worked with regularly and can sit, stay, stand, drop, roll-over, give high-fives, play dead, catch, etc. Two months ago I got married and my new wife moved in with her cat. The cat had severe emotional problems with the transition, and routinely knocked over the trash, broke things and attacked people. We found a new home for the cat, but now my Rottweiler has learned to get into the trash can when nobody is watching him.  On three occassions he has even stolen food off of the counter that was left out.  He is fully aware that he is not allowed to do such things, since he will never do them while we are watching. However, during the day, he has repeatedly been getting into the trash.  When we return, he crouches in place with a massive expression of guilt and remorse even before we notice that he has been in the trash.  (Usually his crouching is our first sign he did something.) On the 1-2 times we’ve been able to catch him red-handed, we gave him solid dicipline (a good yelling, a stage slapping, and sent to the garage where we usually put him on his back with a hand to his throat – the standard submissive position)  I’ve also tried both putting mouse traps in the trash, and keeping a muzzle on him while he is unsupervised.  Doesn’t seem to be working. Although the above methods worked quickly and effectively when he was a puppy and he was doing the same things, they seem to be having no effect over the last two months. HELP!  My wife is ready to kill my poor puppy, and I need ideas to help correct his behavior!

Response: