@Vanessa626:
Along the same subject line….
PetsMart offers a puppy training program and I remember they showed us how to "take control of the situation"
Basically when your puppy acts up you are supposed to put the dog on its side and put 2 fingers on its neck and your other two fingers on its back end. You are supposed to be firm but not choke them. They will squirm and try to get out of that position but your not supposed to give in. In time they will sigh and then you can let them go.
Anyone do this to their basenji when they act up and is it a successful method? The trainer at Petsmart says it will work but do they really know basenjis?
I have taught this before to students, but slightly differently…no fingers on neck....easing dog down. Left elbow on hip, left arm up body, left hand on shoulder, right hand under/on collar, or helping hold front end down. I was taught it was called a 'down restraint'. I think it is really useful for teaching self control. But IMO it usally needs to be taught as a puppy. I don't think I would ever try this on an adult basenji that already has a history of biting....the human would be setting themselves up for a royal battle, and probably end up getting bitten. Again, this goes back to the force issue. You can force dogs to do things as puppies that they would never allow you to do as adults, once they are conditioned to it, you can continue to do it all their lives. Once a dog has learned to use his mouth, force becomes an aversive and the battle usually escalates to a point of making the dog even more aggressive than he was before.