Ugh, so here's the issue....my sister-in-law is causing major regressions in Mud's training. She has a lab mix who is allowed on furniture, allowed to jump on people, allowed to eat scraps, etc. Mud has always been very good about staying off of furniture, not begging, and not jumping. I've spent a lot of time getting her to be a polite member of the household, and she's wonderful. But here lately everytime someone sits down I'm having to tell her to get off the new leather couch, or having to get her off of a visitor and put her in a sit-stay to let them pet her.
I've told my sister-in-law a thousand times to stop this. It's caused very obvious new behaviors with Mud, and I'm not exactly thrilled. Last night she ate at our house and kept calling Mud to her to take bits of food. Naturally, in only a few times Mud was hovering near her. I took to tossing treats far in the opposite direction every time my sister-in-law called Mud over, but still... This is incredibly frustrating and I don't like seeing regression in training. Pissed off my sister-in-law, but I don't care. The only idea I have for the food is teaching her "YUCK"--turning her face away every time 'people food' is offered. I don't mind using cooked meats for training, but I am not going to have a beggar when she wasn't even a beggar when I got her.
Talking to my sister-in-law is obviously not doing anything--I've beat the issue to death trying to get her to stop. I'm not sure what to do about the food except for the "YUCK" command, which is a cute trick anyway. As for the couch, I'm at a loss. Every time she so much as raises a paw towards the couch, I give an "Ah-ah" and she'll sit and wait for petting. But the fact that she's still trying after a couple weeks is irritating, because Mud knows better. If you ignore her instead, she'll leap on the couch. My parents have told me that while I wasn't home, if she was excited and playing around the house, she would leap on the couch and have herself a seat. They don't allow this either, and they handle it exactly as I do--so I know it's not a consistently problem, aside from my sister-in-law. My parents have tried to tell her to stop as well and she just doesn't see it as a problem. What can I do to teach Mud to ignore the things my sister-in-law is instilling in her?
I've told my sister-in-law a thousand times to stop this. It's caused very obvious new behaviors with Mud, and I'm not exactly thrilled. Last night she ate at our house and kept calling Mud to her to take bits of food. Naturally, in only a few times Mud was hovering near her. I took to tossing treats far in the opposite direction every time my sister-in-law called Mud over, but still... This is incredibly frustrating and I don't like seeing regression in training. Pissed off my sister-in-law, but I don't care. The only idea I have for the food is teaching her "YUCK"--turning her face away every time 'people food' is offered. I don't mind using cooked meats for training, but I am not going to have a beggar when she wasn't even a beggar when I got her.
Talking to my sister-in-law is obviously not doing anything--I've beat the issue to death trying to get her to stop. I'm not sure what to do about the food except for the "YUCK" command, which is a cute trick anyway. As for the couch, I'm at a loss. Every time she so much as raises a paw towards the couch, I give an "Ah-ah" and she'll sit and wait for petting. But the fact that she's still trying after a couple weeks is irritating, because Mud knows better. If you ignore her instead, she'll leap on the couch. My parents have told me that while I wasn't home, if she was excited and playing around the house, she would leap on the couch and have herself a seat. They don't allow this either, and they handle it exactly as I do--so I know it's not a consistently problem, aside from my sister-in-law. My parents have tried to tell her to stop as well and she just doesn't see it as a problem. What can I do to teach Mud to ignore the things my sister-in-law is instilling in her?