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  1. #1
    Real Retriever alixb's Avatar
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    Getting a bit pushy: is the honeymoon over?

    I have had Hope for 6 months now & she was so obedient when I got her. I have worked hard to keep up on her obedience. She is a retired hunting dog & is almost 7 years old.
    She is starting to be a bit pushy about food, my food & when we are going out + wanting her toy at the park. Any good tips on standing my ground with her.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    My suggestion would just be to re-assert your expectations, reinforce commands in the situations where they are starting to wobble. Give commands in the trouble situations that are counter to what Hope is trying to do. She can't jump at the toy in your hand if you reinforce that she needs to sit and wait if she wants you to throw it for her every time. I think it's when you get lax about your expectations that they start asserting themselves. It's almost as if you need to start over teaching some of the commands she used to do reliably. It usually doesn't take long for them to get back in line but you have to be consistent in your expectations.

    Chase, who's nearly 9, decided to start pushing his way to the door, shoving himself between me and the door, for example. I'm not always as strict as I should be about him not doing that and my husband lets him do whatever he wants, so I guess he's decided to take advantage of the situation. I don't say anything, I just insert myself between him and the door and back him up. If he then rushes the door when I open it, I close it before he gets out and we do this over and over until he gets the message and waits for me to say it's OK to go out. Same with him trying to stick his face up onto my plate or into my lap at meal time. I make him go lie on his bed or make him lie down by my seat. These were things he used to just do automatically. He's better about mealtime again, not so good about rushing the door. Lark, who's 2 1/2, has better manners than Chase does in many instances. Even my husband has pointed that out but he's not really interested in making Chase do anything he doesn't want to do. *Sigh*

  3. #3
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    You were probably a bit lax somewhere and she figured it out. It happens to the best of us. I've become a bit more lax lately with the sofa and it's basically turned into a dog bed. Oops!

  4. #4
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    Even Mardi, at 13, will try to push the limits if I don't correct her. They are like little kids in their minds, always looking for a way around restrictions.

    Keep up the training, even back up a little and go over previous training. You have a normal lab.
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