Mooshi's Mummy
Well-Known Member
Well isn't this a hot topic! I have to say that reading everyones replies and responses have been an eye opener for me....and I have to say, for me, Kris and Terie have it down to a 't'. IMO my dog lives with me, I don't live with it. What I say goes, end of story. You growl at me I am going to growl back one hell of a lot louder and with one hell of a lot more 'force'. You do as I say, end of story. And for those of you who don't know me I am an owner for a 4 year old TM bitch with a medium to hard temperament. She would however NEVER think about growling at me EVER for any reason. Why? Because what I say goes. That's it and that all about it. This is my house, I own her butt and everything that surrounds it. I also own an Akita dog and he is the same, he knows that anything that comes out of my mouth he better do. I have never hot either one of them, ever, but I have let them know from day one that I do not mess around when it comes to telling them what I want them to do. Mooshi doesn't like having her nails trimmed and will 'argue' with me by pulling her feet away as much as she can, guess what...she gets them done anyway. Yeah she gets a reward when i am done with her BUT she does as she is told first. A nice loud OI! or NO! is all it takes for her to settle her ass down and let me get on with the job. For me this has nothing to do with treats or bribery or food rewards it has to do with attitude and who has more of it and that person is me. I have confidence, strength and attitude coming out my backside when it comes to my dogs because as I said earlier they live with me I don't live with them. Take it or leave it, you don't like it? Tough sh*t you gotta do it anyway because I said so. End of story. IMO the OP has to go back to basics and stand up for themselves, let their dog, TM or otherwise, know who rules the roost and who makes the rules. If that cant be done and they are living in some sort of fear of the dog, get rid of the dog because that dog picks up on that fear and one day someone is going to get hurt, badly. BTW my two are spoiled beyond belief....they get taken on holidays, they have more treats than I probably have underwear and they are loved and fussed and spoiled plain and simple. BUT and I mean BUT they know, without a shadow of a doubt that when I tell them to do something they do it, no questions asked.