Help me help Peaches!

[Stefie C]

I met a girl today who adopted a boxer (I'm not sure of the age) a few days ago and she was quite upset and frustrated with the dog already. Seems the dog, Peaches, ran off after only being in the home 2 days and the owner took it personally. She can't understand why the dog doesn't love her as much as she loves the dog! :confused: The dog won't come when it's called! Imagine that! I tried to talk to her and tell she's is expecting way to much to soon and told her about NILIF and +R training but I feel I'm talking to a brick wall. She doesn't have Internet so I want to get her a book. Frankly, I doubt she'll read a book much less implement anything she reads but hey it's worth a shot to try & help this poor pooch. So, I'm looking for recommendations for a good training guide. The more basic & simple the better. I haven't gotten around to reading it yet but Pat Miller's "The Power of Positive Dog Training" was recommended to me before. I was thinking about that one becase Rebekah Hartman wrote in another thread " it's actually like a game plan for training and she has charts in the back that you can use for tracking your progress." Any other suggestions for an absolute doggie ignoramus? And I mean that in the nicest possible way. ;)

[Stefie C]

Well, I just had a brainstorm. I'm going to print her a copy of NILIF and some other articles that were the most helpful to me when we 1st got Sandy. I think the small, easy to understand articles might be more helpful to her than a book. When I mentioned some of the books I had read she didn't seem to enthused. I am still just totally stunned that anyone could actually believe that a dog is misbehaving and running off because it doesn't love them! This girl was visiting my neighbor and came over to talk to me after watching me play with Sandy and do a little bit of training. She was in awe of how much Sandy loved me because she did everything I asked & didn't run away. I would have laughed if I wasn't so stunned. I just can't stop thinking about poor Peaches. I sure hope I can get the owner to educate herself, stop expecting so much and do some training or I'm afraid poor Peaches is going to end up back in a shelter or tied up in the yard! :(

[Renee Premaza]

Hi Stefie!

Good for you for trying to help educate this woman with the Boxer. She hasn't chosen the easiest breed either.

I have a book recommendation for this woman, because it's really just a pamphlet. The booklet is called, "How to be the Leader of the Pack," by Dr. Patricia McConnell. It's all about NILIF and why it's important and how best to implement these ideas. Also, you can inform this woman that her dog will bond very strongly with her if she trains her and teaches her that SHE is going to be her most valuable resource for everything that's good in her life.

Here is a good link also to pass along to her which explains a lot about the Boxer temperament and personality:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/boxer.htm

Good luck. I hope you can convince her.

Well, I just had a brainstorm. I'm going to print her a copy of NILIF and some other articles that were the most helpful to me when we 1st got Sandy. I think the small, easy to understand articles might be more helpful to her than a book. When I mentioned some of the books I had read she didn't seem to enthused. I am still just totally stunned that anyone could actually believe that a dog is misbehaving and running off because it doesn't love them! This girl was visiting my neighbor and came over to talk to me after watching me play with Sandy and do a little bit of training. She was in awe of how much Sandy loved me because she did everything I asked & didn't run away. I would have laughed if I wasn't so stunned. I just can't stop thinking about poor Peaches. I sure hope I can get the owner to educate herself, stop expecting so much and do some training or I'm afraid poor Peaches is going to end up back in a shelter or tied up in the yard! :(

[Luciann]

Stefie

You might try and explain some of the trials you had with Sandy in the beginning before you started training her. The woman needs to understand that her dog's love is not a given it is earned as well as the dog's respect...I know that sounds cornny by it is true you dog is not going to love you right off, you have to show it that you love it and it will usually return the feelings ....it is like a boyfriend....they learn to love you not instantly (at least in most cases)

good luck with this person

[Stefie C]

Renee, Thank you for the suggestion. A pamphlet would be great because I don't think this woman is going to spend to much time reading! I'll print her the info from the link you posted too. Hopefully, she'll read at least some of it and perhaps realize she needs to give the dog some time to adjust and she also needs to put some time into training the dog. I tried to explain that six months ago Sandy behaved much the same way her dogs does now. And I tried to impress upon her how many hours we've spent working with her. I just didn't feel I really got thru to her but I'm going to keep trying.

Luciann, The woman needs to understand that her dog's love is not a given it is earned as well as the dog's respect.

I don't think that sound corny at all. I wish I had been smart enough to explain it so simply & eloquently but frankly I was just stunned anyone could be so uninformed! Also, there were several other "experts" giving her advice. You know the type, the roll up a newspaper and whack'em brigade! I'm going to try and talk with her again when there aren't so many distractions. She did seem impressed when I told her we've never spanked Sandy and don't yell at her. So hopefully with a little education she'll make a nice home for Peaches.

[Luciann]

Stefie,

I have had friends tell me that I have a way with animals, but i know how it is. you get frustrated when you see, seemingly intelligent people treat their animals as creatures that are just dying of adoration for human on sight and it does not happen that way. It is kind of like expecting to delivery a baby and can take care of itself instantly.

If you would like to use my way of seeing it to the lady you are more than welcome to. Good luck with her as well cause Peaches deserves to have a happy home that is for sure.

I use to live in an apartment complex and i would have college student coming to me with questions about their animals all the time.