I kinda worded that wrong, I mean chewing not nipping
I know it works, but why does it work?
Seems to me giving them a toy would be in their minds like, ok so your chewing on me or something I don't want you to chew on so here is a treat!
Like we are praising them for chewing. Lol sorry if this sounds dumb, but it is a question that stays in my head when I do this
Why do you all think this works? I have no idea to be honest but thought I would throw that out to see what your opinions were on this.
I kinda worded that wrong, I mean chewing not nipping
I believe it's called redirection. They are chewing on something they aren't supposed to. You say"no" and redirect that activity toward an appropriate object, the toy. Eventually they figure out what they can chew on and not. Our Leo is a bit different though because I always know when he's got something that he's not supposed to have, even if he's never grabbed that object before. He'll grab it and run away. This tips me off that he's got something not appropriate. I tell him to leave it and usually he does, unless it's a living object like birds or rabbits. That he has to lose interest in it before I can get them back... Little stinker!
I think you are correct and if you don't watch the timing it can seem to them that you are rewarding. Try to Direct, not REdirect. IT probably only takes a few puppy nips and you are able to see one coming, get the toy in there BEFORE the nip.
Hidden Content
Castilleja's Dubhgall Oban, the Black Stranger of The Little Bay
Oct. 15, 2007 - June 13, 2021
Oxtongue Rapids Park. Oct. 2019 Hidden Content
I don’t think it’s rewarding as much as teaching them which objects are allowed chews and which are not.
Remember, assuming that you have appropriate chews/toys available to them at all times, your are only intervening when they have something inappropriate. So they don’t get “rewarded” every time they chew, other than the intrinsic satisfaction from it. And since I hand them a toy/chew they already have had, they don’t see it as much of a reward since it’s something they could have accessed on their own, anyway.
What’s funny and tells me that they really do understand the concept of “these are allowed, these are not” is that all of mine are well behaved and non-destructive around the house, but we have always let them chew sticks they find in the yard (and occasionally bring in through the dog door). As a result, the one household object that is not safe if it falls on the floor are wood pencils. I figure there’s no way for them to really tell the difference, so I don’t get upset - I just try not to let the pencils roll off the table, LOL.
Annette
Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009
And remembering:
Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015
And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014
Hidden Content
Maxx&Emma (09-19-2016)
Not a Member of the Labrador Retriever Chat Forums Yet? | |
|
|