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From: murphy@voder.UUCP (Neil Murphy)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Re: dog problem
Message-ID: <819@voder.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 17-Jul-85 16:45:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: voder.819
Posted: Wed Jul 17 16:45:10 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 21-Jul-85 23:40:19 EDT
Organization: National Semiconductor, Santa Clara
Lines: 29


We got our (first) dog from the pound about four months
ago.  He was then roughly a year old. He peed whenever 
he got excited or afraid.  Roll over on his back and
squirted in the air. We availed ourselves of the services
of an animal behaviorist (San Francisco SPCA provides this
service for free!) who told us our dog lacked confidence.
By the way, he knew he was into bad behavior and looked
incredibly guilty after his performances.

Here's how we handled it.  Absolutely no punishment.  He knew
he was wrong already.  When a dog rolls over and pees he's
saying "I give up, your the big boss and I'll do anything
for you".  When he did it, I picked him up and put him outside
where he was supposed to go (30 lbs of dog).  I even walked
him to a tree, lifted his hind leg, and when he go scared and
peed, I'd pet him like mad. GOOD DOG. We also tried to antici-
pate when he was going to need to pee. Like in the morning
first thing.  Put him out quickly and generously reward a
good performance with verbal and physical strokes. It's all
in consistancy and positive reinforcement.  It took about
a month to get him 90% cured.  Now he's fine.  My mate and
I both work and Torpedo was lonely during the day so we
go him a pet dog of his own - Ruba.  She seems to hardly
ever pee - anywhere!  They have a dog door so they have
access to the back porch and the yard during the day. They
think they own the world. They do.   
		       
		       Woof,   Neil Murphy