When you first get a dog, you think, "I will be the best dog owner with the most well behaved, talented dog". I certainly did think this last year when we purchased our puppy, Roxy. She is 1/2 Black and Tan Coonhound and 1/2 Plott hound. Gary had a hound growing up that he absolutely loved - thus the breed choice. Roxy is a very energetic and fun dog....those same qualities are also her worst downfalls. We tried everything to discipline her....
1. Firm but gently using the word "No"
2. Using an annoying sound so she could differentiate from good and bad.
3. Gently tapping on her nose
4. Using something other than our hands to tap her nose (a rolled up magazine)
5. Cayenne Pepper sprinkled on her nose, yuck!
6. A soft air gun
7. A squirt gun sprayed onto her face
8. Firmly "whacking" her
9. Bird shot (from a distance when she would chase cattle - a BIG no no)
10. Now, after she has chewed through at least one wire cable completely to go play with our new neighbor's dogs....we have put an electric fence around our yard. Is that corporal punishment if she now has 1 acre to run around and only gets shocked when she climbs the fence????
This just goes to prove that every dog is different. Roxy is still a happy go lucky dog who just loves to play, eat trees, and dig randomly. The only thing we ask is for her to stay in our yard. Nothing we done has scarred her...she isn't even gun-shy. The electric fence (used to keep cattle in...) is working great! Maybe corporal punishment isn't so bad afterall.
Poor Roxy!
ReplyDeleteIn some ways, kids are the same way. Before you have them, you think, "My kids will NEVER do that." Which pretty much guarantees that at some point one of them will.
ReplyDeleteWe can't wait to see you guys. Are you looking pregnant yet?