This is my dog, Raven, and for a new year’s day treat, I gave her a marrow bone in her crate. When I opened the door to take a few photos, the first thing she did was put her nose over the bone and freeze. Am I going to reach in there and take that bone from her? Heavens no! She’s telling me “This thing here…it’s mine.”
What if I needed it back for some reason? I would call her out of her crate at the same time telling her to “leave it.” And if she insisted on taking the bone with her anyway, I’d cue her with a”Drop it.” If that didn’t work, I would swap the bone with a scrumptious treat of some kind like cheese, chicken, or peanut butter, either by tossing the food or offering it to her. Peanut butter on a spoon, for example. And once she dropped the bone and was preoccupied with the food I offered her, I’d quickly take the bone back.
But I didn’t need to do that today. That bone was all hers, and after I took the photos, I shut the crate door and for the next half hour, Raven munched on her bone till she cleaned it!
Remember, dogs may be our beloved pets, but they are still animals, and their guarding instincts may kick in over such a delectable treat as a marrow bone, so don’t fault or punish them, and for heaven’s sake, don’t take their behavior personally! Instead, train them to understand what “drop it” and “leave it” mean, and learn to manage them in situations like this. Learning how your dog communicates and how to work with their natures is well worth the investment in time and money. It will last you the lifetime of your dog.
Do you need some help with your dog? Contact me today to get started on your personalized, solutions-based dog training plan.
Helen Verte Schwarzmann
Certified in Training and Counseling
Certified Pet Dog Trainer-KA
Certified Trick Dog Instructor
Your Dog Trainer for Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, Davie, Broward County South Florida
By Helen Verte
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