# Licking Her Chops!



## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

:lol: Samson has grabbed whole slices of pizza off of the kids' plates when they leave them unattended for a moment. And he can finish that slice off before any of us can do anything to stop him.....


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

HAHA Dusty did that with my mom's bagel and my toast two mornings in a row ... but then we played more "couch zen" games and he does better now ...


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## MegB (Jul 19, 2005)

katieanddusty said:


> HAHA ... but then we played more "couch zen" games and he does better now ...


Huh? 

I have never heard of this term, but if it helps keep your dog from eating off the table, it is definitely something I'd like to know more about!


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## VeronicaLovesHerGoldens (May 27, 2005)

I left a bowl of American Chop Suey on the counter with no cover - went upstairs for a minute - when I came down my whole family's supper was gone thanks to my little Zaz - the funny thing was he didn't make a mess - there wasn't a speck anywhere to be found!


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

> I have never heard of this term, but if it helps keep your dog from eating off the table, it is definitely something I'd like to know more about!


Doggie Zen is a dog self-control game. You start with a treat in your closed fist, first a lower value treat like packaged dog treats. Show it to them and let them paw, bite, lick, whatever, hold your hand still and don't respond. Don't give it to them until they turn their head away or back away, then click and give them the treat. Keep doing that until they don't even start licking/pawing/biting. Then start opening your hand so they can see the treat but if they try to get it close your hand back up until they back away, then open your hand and try again. Then switch to a better treat like string cheese and go back to having your hand closed then open your hand again. Then plain chicken, then whatever yummy smelly treats you can think of.

Once your dog knows the basic game of leave food in my hand alone, you can transfer it to leaving food alone when it's anywhere. On the floor, on the couch, on the table. I'll describe the table. Hold a low-value treat in your closed hand and put your hand on the table. Click and give the dog the treat when he leaves it alone. Then start opening your hand, then increase the value of the treat. Then go back to the low-value treat and put it on the table with your hand right next to it, then increase the value of the treat again. Then go back to the low-value treat and move your hand an inch away from the treat, then increase the value of the treat, then go back to the low-value treat and move your hand a few inches away, then increase the value of the treat, you get the picture. Once your hand is very far away from the treat but still on the table, you can probably put it at your side and the dog will leave the treat. Then you move away until you're in another room peeking around the corner or something. At each step do at least 15-20 times at each step (maybe spread out over two sessions, I do around 20 times per session, 10 times are review of the step we did the previous session, 10 times are the new step).

If you go really slowly and don't skip any steps, your dog shouldn't ever go for the treat after the initial fist and low-value treat. If she does go for the treat, close your hand if the treat is in your palm, or put your hand over the treat if you're close enough. If you're farther away from the table, you're going to have to let her eat the treat. If you get mad at or correct anyone it should be you because you're not moving away gradually enough or spending as much time at each step  Just move closer and do 10 or 20 times at the closer step, then end the session. The next session do another 10 times at the closer step before you try moving away again, and do at least 20 times at that step too.


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## Dilligas (Jun 17, 2005)

Pardon me if these are stupid questions, but where do you get a clicker? What does it look like? Can you do something like snap your fingers instead?

I really like the idea of "clicker training", but have noooo idea where to start on it.


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

You can find clickers at the check-out counters at most pet food stores. They are rectangular plastic, a little more than an inch long, usually brightly colored. One long side is a piece of thin metal that you press to make a clicking sound.


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

Petsmart has them at the check-out counter. I prefer clickers to any other sound because it is easier to time the click correctly, you can move your thumb a fraction of an inch faster than you can do pretty much anything else including say a word. Also the click is a really distinct sound that your dog has probably never heard before and won't ever hear outside the context of training, where your dog has probably heard you snap your fingers before in everyday life and your dog has definitely heard you say a word like "Yes" before.

If you can't get hold of a clicker yet, you can start with one of those pens where you push on the end and the point goes in and out, or if you get a Snapple lid the little bubble in the middle should make a clicking sound when you push on it. It's possible to use a short distinct word, most people use "Yes." But clickers are much more efficient for normal training. I use "Yes" when we're next to the agility ring and the clicker could distract the other dogs. I also use it in the agility ring to reward contacts and stays, the reward is the release to go on to the next obstacle.

Where to start, check out www.clickerlessons.com and/or get the book Clicking with your Dog by Peggy Tillman. Both have easy-to-understand introductions to the basics of clicker training and then step-by-step plans for training basic behaviors with the clicker. Once you learn the principles of clicker training you can use it to train literally anything your dog is physically able to do.


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## Dilligas (Jun 17, 2005)

Interesting, thanks. I'll pick one up the next time I'm out there.


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## shaneamber (Apr 20, 2005)

Timberwolf has a lot of good info on clicker training. I like it because it's positive reinforcement training.It teaches the good things to do rather than what bad things not to do.
I don't use a clicker,but my voice.The trick is to use only one short word, no phrases or sentences. Sometimes I use NO,but that's just for situations where they can get hurt or they can hurt someone.
As for counter or table surfing,we don't allow that.I can put a chocolate chip cookie on the edge of the coffee table and go to bed.It will still be there in the morning,but anything that hits the floor is their's.
It take a few days to make the new dog learn the rules,but it seems the older dogs teach the new dogs about what they can do.
I really haven't had to do much inforcing and/or teaching of the rules for at least 5 or 6 dogs.Once in a while I have to refresh their memories,but never anything big.
Sam has gotten addicted to Craisins,(dried cranberrys,like raisins) If I put some down on the coffee table,he will lean over the bowl and sniff.If he sniffs hard enough,some Crasins will fly up out of the bowl and onto the floor where they then belong to him.We should have called him Hoover!
Other than that they are all very good about surfing for food.
Shane


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

shaneamber said:


> ...but anything that hits the floor is their's.


So no five second rule in your house, huh?


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## shaneamber (Apr 20, 2005)

If you reach for something that fell,you just might pull back stumps.With 4 jaws a snaping nothing even bounces more than once.
Shane


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Katieanddusty, thats an excellent site. Thanks.


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

You're welcome


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## jeffreyzone (Feb 8, 2006)

Katie, the Zen approach is great! I'm gonna work on this. Thanks for posting!

-Jeff


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

You're welcome  Dogs that have had a lot of Zen work are really amazing. Most dogs see food and eat it or paw the person holding it or sit and stare at it, dogs who've done a lot of Zen see food and try to stay as far away from it as possible in order to get it ...


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## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

Brinkleysmom said:


> Well, this is a new one for Brinkley. I had just made a nice turkey sandwich on wheat bread with lettuce and mayo. I sat it on the coffee table, as the phone rang. I was in the den looking up some information. I was gone for maybe three minutes max! I come out to the living room to watch a little tv and eat my sandwich and there she is, sitting by the table, looking at me, licking her chops and sandwich gone. She knew she did wrong. The tip of her tail was just wagging a little, as if she was waiting to see what I was going to do. I had to laugh. I know it was wrong for her to do that; but it just cracked me up. I wish I had been able to snap a photo just to see her sitting there. It was just funny and I thought I would share.:wave:


Has anyone seen the commercial where the dog steals the sandwich off the plate and eats it "off" camera and then steals the beer and drinks it "off" camera and then you see the dog come back with a cat in his mouth and puts the cat on the plate!! : :roflmao: 

Brinkley's mom: My lab, Hershey, does that "tip of the tail" wag when she's not sure if she should be happy or not. It's so funny to see it.


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## goldencrazy (Dec 15, 2005)

gold'nchocolate - I have a copy of that commercial saved on my hard drive. Too funny!!
I used to have an Irish Setter named Kip. During social gatherings (AKA: Parties) Kipper would be the best behaved dog you could imagine. As the party wore on and folks got a little - uh - Out of it, Kipper would walk the room and quietly steal food off peoples' plates when they weren't paying attention. I don't think he ever got caught, but he sure had a lot of people wondering what happened to the food they were eating! I never said anything, just enjoyed the show. 
BTW: I don't think Brinkleysmom hangs around on this site any longer.


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## Goldndust (Jul 30, 2005)

Don't they look so innocent when they do it...lol


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