Advice wanted: Should I punish my doggie or not?

[Mike 03]

I realized today that when I'm gone, my dog has learned how to break into the closet where I keep his dry food, and he does what any dog would do and eat it. But from the level of the contents in the bag, I can't really tell how much he has eaten, but I was so angry I decided he would not get his supper tonight.

But now I am having second thoughts.

What would you do? Would you punish him for eating his dry food when I was away, or give him his dinner as usual.

One thing I have obviously learned is to put his food in a place where I know he cannot get to it.

[lunatica]

1. You don't need to ever 'punish' animals

Your dog will understand if you point to the bag of dogfood and say "No" or if you do the same about or with anything else. Animals have to know what you want. If you don't give him dinner he'll never understand that he's being punished. That's just plain and simple abuse.

You're the smart one. You can move the food and maybe leave your dog some for him to eat while you're away.

[Mike 03]

2. Thank you. I was hoping for an answer like this.

Thank you.

I don't know why I asked this question. I knew the right answer in advance.

[flvegan]

3. Hi, Mike. You've already gotten good advice, but a friendly reminder for everyone

To teach (scold, to some) a dog NOT to do something, you need to catch them *in* the act. Dogs live very much in the moment, and don't understand being corrected minutes/hours after the fact. Kind of like the old "rub their face in it" if they have an accident. I have no idea what moron came up with that.

For example, if you walk through the door after 8 hours at work and realize that the dog has had an accident and you yell and rant and rave, the dog associates your anger with whatever he she was doing at the time, which was likely showing elation that you were home. Message sent: getting a toy and wagging my tail when dad comes home is bad.

[Mike 03]

4. Flvegan, Thank You.

I know you are totally right. I just wanted to make sure I was not being too lenient. My Dad and Mom always accuse me of being too lenient with my pets, but I love them so much.

To be totally honest, during some hard times over the last couple of years, they have motivated me to keep living. They are like my babies.

My veterinarian told me my dog and cat are like five-year-olds, and that I need to treat them like that. And be respectful of them.

They mean the world to me.

Thank you.

[MiddleFingerMom]

8. I found the answer to "accidents".

.
Having come home several times in a row to this, I was feeling so desperate that I was
ready to rub my collie's nose in it.
.
Instead, I called her in to watch ME poop on the rug... and rub my own nose in it (during
which I really overdid it with my whimpering and such).
.
She was so horrified by the scene that she never did it again.
.
To this day, I don't know whether she was afraid of having it done to her... or petrified by
the thought of having to watch me go through all that again.
.

.

[flvegan]

10. Oh my!

Smart dog.

[backwoodsbob]

5. NEVER EVER punish an animal after the fact

he wont know why he is being punished..he will just know you didnt feed him.

put his food where he cant get it

if i catch my shepperds chewing one of my socks*their favorite pastime* and give them both an ass smack they know why...if I find a sock in the bedroom and smack their ass in the livingroom 8 hours after the fact they just know they were smacked on the ass..they dont know why

[Mike 03]

6. Thank you. You are right. *Done* NT

[AlienGirl]

23. You don't need the ass smack if you teach the "Leave it" cue and apply it to ALL socks.

Teach the dog that "Leave it!" means "Take your nose away from that!" by using positive reinforcement. To teach this, get the dog to sit. Hold one treat in each hand, one hand exposed and the other behind your back.

When the dog sniffs the available treat, say "Leave it!" As soon as the dog's nose moves away, give him *the hidden treat*. (He must *never* get what he's been told to leave: this is crucial.)

After a few repititions the dog will learn the cue. Then you just tell him "Leave it!" whenever he goes for a sock, and reward with praise when he abandons the sock. Make sure he has his own plush toys or fabric toys that are clearly *not socks* and redirect him to them.

Smacking hasn't stopped the dog from going for socks when he thinks he can get away with it, has it? This training technique might.

Tucker

[Mike 03]

7. I just fed my sweet dog. Thank you for advice. He is the light of my life right now, and I could

never not feed him, but I just wanted to make sure I was not being a pushover.

Thank god for our animal companions. Honestly, without my dog, I have no clue how bad things would be for me.

[backwoodsbob]

11. the ONLY thing I have ever pushed on DU is PAWS

I love my animals SO MUCH..have my two shepperds and the thing my wife calls her baby..a Parson Russel terrier who rules our hill.

The neighbor has a shep/rotty mix who weighs over 100 lbs who absolutely BOWS before that little twenty pound dog.She rules this hill with an iron fist :)

[marzipanni]

9. One of our old dogs dragged bags of granola ingredients from the kitchen closet

to the living room. He ate some rolled oats, almonds, and raisins, but most of it was still in, or next to, the bags. Raisins and grapes are bad for dogs, but I don't think I knew that at the time.
Does your dog have a window to look out? Our dog likes watching the world go by :) (and barking at other dogs being walked. :( )
Since we have music or the radio on a lot, I leave it on low when we go out without the dog, so the house doesn't seem so empty and quiet.

[surrealAmerican]

12. As others here have said ...

... there's no point in "punishing" him, but on the other hand, you probably don't want to be over feeding him either. If he would "normally" experience bad side effects from overeating, feeding him now really isn't doing him any favors.

[lukasahero]

13. Sounds like you already have the answer

Punish yourself (or at least learn from your mistakes!)

You can't "punish" a dog for doing something after the fact. If you're not able to 'catch them in the act', the best you can do is learn from the experience and keep things out of their way.

But you already knew that. ;)

[Rhiannon12866]

14. The others are right. Dogs have short memories and he wouldn't understand.

You might consider hiding doggy treats for him to find while you're out, which I've done, or get one of those Kong dog toys that dispenses treats when your dog plays with it. If you can find something like that to keep him busy, he'll be less likely to get into things when you're not home. Also, if he gets a walk/exercise, he'll be more likely to nap. I love my guys, too. :loveya: :hi:

http://www.kongcompany.com/

[Skittles]

15. give him his dinner

he has no idea why the fuck you are pissed

[KG]

16. crating dogs while gone keeps them out of trouble.

[guitar man]

17. I know the feeling

I have a dog I rescued 10 years ago from the pound. She was starved almost to death when she was picked up off the streets by animal control and I guess she still has a deep seeded fear that she could still go hungry even after all these years. If there is food within reach, she's going to eat it. I eventually just gave up trying to break her of it and found a place to lock up the food so she can't get to it.

good luck

[yawnmaster]

18. You need to have a good sit-down with your pup, and explain why he shouldn't break into the bag...

"No", is simply not enough.
The dog sees you get food when you want it from a cabinet.
He thinks, "what, am I a second class occupant of this house? I thought we were a team!".

You need to explain how, as a dog, he has very poor compulsiveness control, and how its better for him to have his food given in measures.

You might also explain how some humans also need this rigor, so he is not alone.

Tell him its for his own good and that you still love him.
and then give his face a good lick.

[Mike 03]

19. To reiterate, "Punish" was the wrong word to choose. I just meant, should he get

two dinners. My question came out totally botched, but it was really: My dog did a bad thing (although he doesn't know it), should I feed him another dinner?

I hate that word "Punish" and it was dumb to use that word.

As you can probably guess, I fed my best friend a second dinner, we cuddled all night, and he is still the best friend I have. If it were not for him, I sometimes wonder if I could have made it through these last two and a half years.

[WinkyDink]

20. I'd say your dog did what many HUMANS would do! Well, with Girl Scout cookies, anyway!Hahahaha!

[Mike 03]

21. Yah, he did exactly what I am doing lately.

Overeating, and enjoying it.

Who can blame him.

I wish I had not used the word "Punishment." My dog is the best thing in my life right now. He keeps me going.

My Veterinarian just makes me feel bad that he is overweight. She hates that and calls it "abuse."

[AlienGirl]

22. Give him dinner as usual, since you don't know if he ate enough.

Then lock up the food more securely, and consider some foraging toys for when you aren't home!

Tucker

[Generic Brad]

24. He should be waterboarded

Then he will reveal his accomplices, future plots will be thwarted, and freedom will be secured for all canines willing to be tethered to a leash.