My dog sniffs my friend’s crotch and it is very embarrassing.
Is there anything I can do?
Dogs sniff. Most of the time, we love them for it. They sniff out drugs at airports, help find lost children and uncover bombs.
But, if it’s your visiting friend’s crotch that’s in the firing line, then that’s another matter.
Fortunately, there is something that can be done.
Sniffing is a dog’s natural way of getting to know someone. They use it to check out other dogs to see if they're friendly or not. To stop them using the same approach to humans, it’s plain old discipline.
You might want to enlist a fairly laid-back friend or two to help overcome this.
When your friend arrives, ensure the dog is made to sit. When he or she obeys, provide a treat. Keep repeating this every time the dog is tempted to sniff. Tell the pet to sit, and provide a treat when they obey.
For the truly incorrigible you may need to use a lead to interrupt its sniffing ways and make it sit.
Another idea is to provide a distraction such as a special toy that is only used when visitors come.
For those who take a more dim view of their pet’s behaviour, make the dog sit and simply scold when the behaviour is inappropriate – that is when it goes to sniff – rather than rewarding when the behaviour is good. Do not let guests pat the dog if the dog is in sniffing mode. However, bear in mind that the positive reinforcement approach is usually the better one, so try that first if you can.
Whichever technique you choose, repeat, repeat, repeat. In a couple of weeks the dog will get the idea.
| Sound familiar? Well, we are here to help. We are going to try to answer your questions, give you some tips for reducing the 'annoying' behaviour and sometimes just give you some understanding. A wise person once said, understanding is the booby prize because sometimes you just can't do anything about it ... but we can try. So if you have a question click here and let us know. |
« Back to My pet is perfect, but ...