My dog has a foot fetish?!?

[Wolfnatas]

Hi everybody. I've been lurking around reading up on some info today and although I've already conqured nipping, sitting, staying and some other tricks, I think I'll be starting NILIF with my pup tonite based on your recommendations.

My pup's name is Kitta, and she's almost 1 year old now. I went thru an 8 week class at pet's mart, but I was unimpressed with the training methods and/or material. It seems that what they're teaching is the same stuff I can find for free on the internet, and the main benefit to their classes was the socialization that Kitta gets. I had already taught her to sit, stay, and lie down before we got to those subjects in the class. The only thing I hadn't taught her that we got into, was drop it. She's still a little shaky on drop it, but I have some new techniques to try after reading around on this site today.

My current unsolved problem with Kitta is this. I have some of those child gates separating my dog from the parts of the house she's not allowed unsupervised in. Whenever I step over the gates and come into her area, she's happy to see me and comes for attention. Whenever my girlfriend steps into Kitta's area, the dog immediately put's her nose to the shoes, licking and nibbling them, even if those shoes are walking. It's so bad that Kitta won't even let my girlfriend walk thru there until the dog has been reprimanded and they've spent a little time together. It's not just one pair of shoes either... this happens no matter what shoes she's wearing. What would you suggest we do to correct this? If we attempt to ignore the behavior, the dog is going to get kicked in the face, because she positions herself directly in front of my girlfriend when she's trying to walk. I think Kitta is just really happy to see her, but why the feet? After all, she doesn't do it to me or anyone else.

As a side note, she tends to get so excited at meeting new people that she pees. As far as I know, there's nothing to do about this except to socialize her more and hope that she grows out of it, right?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Storm]

Get her to tie a toy of some sort to a string and toss it around as she approaches thereby divrting the dog's attention. Once in safely ;) have some food in a pocket and feed the dog at short intervals, then toss the toy again then feed. Play, feed etc. This all creates another dimension for the dog where it becomes stimulated by other more constructive means and forms good associations avoiding to have to reprimand it for what is just puppy behavior or behavior that has been misdirected unintentionally.

[austin]

Is your girlfriend participating in her training? It could be a dominance thing. That is one of the things my dog did when I was having dominance issues with her, and she never did it to my SO. If you are starting NILF tonight, make sure your girlfriend is doing the same.

[Wolfnatas]

Originally posted by Storm
Get her to tie a toy of some sort to a string and toss it around as she approaches thereby divrting the dog's attention.

We'll try this suggestion tonite. Thanks for the responses. I don't think we'll graduate to the food in pocket part of your suggestion quite yet though, because I'm trying not to train Kitta using food rewards. I'd much rather use verbal praise to accomplish the same thing if at all possible. I used food initially to teach her sit & stay, but now I almost never use it as a reward for those tasks.

Originally posted by austin
Is your girlfriend participating in her training?

Yes, my girlfriend is using all the same commands as I am. Kitta doesn't seem to obey nearly as well for her though.

[austin]

Originally posted by Wolfnatas
Yes, my girlfriend is using all the same commands as I am. Kitta doesn't seem to obey nearly as well for her though.

I would definitely have your girlfriend doing NILF. I was having some similar behavior issues with my dog and worked with a behaviorist who picked up right away that I was letting the dog dominate me in very subtle ways (like letting the dog sit on my lap and letting her come up and stick her nose in my hand to "demand" petting). Its somehting to think about ;)

[Storm]

When people let the dog do as it wishes with no constructive training and basic obedience then sure dominance can become a problem, we cause this problem, especially with various breeds. In some instances the degree of call it dominant behaviours varies, some conducive to more serious problems and others not. The idea of food is not a concept where the dog gets to waffle around and only do a little dance unless you are waving a roast chicken in its face, it is a means of developing individual drives and manipulating these drives or behaviours where they are channelled into more constructive and "pleasing" behaviours as opposed to one for example namely dominance. By developing these drives or desires one has the ability to become a means of stimulation and resourcefulness to the dog where he associates you with something not only resourceful, but of great value and importance, learning that through interaction with you it is very beneficial to him and automatically adopts a more asking attitude then one of commanding or dominance. With a dog focused on things that you are able to produce in conjunction with the desire been developed the dogs head is totally picked and is so busy trying to work on what he has to do to obtain success that he just doesn't have the inclination to be hard ass and exert dominance as here it gets him nothing. He can't exist by himself you are the one with the resources, with this association developed in every instant you become the focal point! Stop asking and begging and change the tables where YOU are the source of "life" and all its resources and where the dog becomes aware of this.

[Judi W]

You perhaps expected a bit fancier training than you got a Petsmart, but didn't seem to persue it. 8 weeks is not a trained dog, nor should the socialization be undervalued regardless of where it takes place. If your dog is kept confined even when you are home, then she is going to be too excited when she is meeting someone and I believe she is simply displacing her excitement to the shoes. Sounds like she tries to please, but hasn't been given the opportunity to become comfortable with interaction.

Have her greet new people outside the front door when they arrive in case she piddles. Ask them to ignore her other than a brief nod of the head and a hello. Then let her be in the areas where people are. She is not going to gain confidence isolated nor is being around people going to become old hat for her.

Find some training classes and get her back into it. If you are going to own her, you must give her every opportunity to use her mind and develop her character.

[Wolfnatas]

Thanks for all the advice. I took Kitta with me to my Uncle's house for Thanksgiving just to get her better socialized. She's not even allowed full run of MY house yet, so of course I had her on a leash & harness the entire time. She was a little frustrated by being unable to explore all his cool fragile stuff in the house, but meeting him and his dogs was good for her. I've re-enrolled in another Pet's Mart class, starting this Thursday nite. I really think that just socializing her more is what we need. She learned the basic sit & stay commands so fast, I don't doubt her intelligence. I think the main reason she's unruly sometimes is because she's so excited to meet new people and see new places.