last night i got out of bed in the middle of the night to give the dogs a potty break, and taylor decided to explore the backyard at her leisure. i was tired and not in the mood to wait, so i yelled, "Taylor! Inside! Now!" she looked up from her sniffing and stared at me. "Come! Inside Now!" taylor didn't budge. i stomped towards her, and when i reached out, she jumped away, which made me angry.
i realized what i was doing was totally counterproductive, but i just couldn't help myself. i was annoyed, and i wanted to go back to bed, and i didn't feel like being nice. nowadays, i try to stay away from the punitive training approach, but i very much wanted to punish taylor for "disobedience," but at the same time, i didn't have the energy to chase her, so i went back inside with luke and penny and closed the door, leaving taylor alone in the backyard.
i gave myself and taylor a time out, and i went back to get taylor, who was sitting quietly by the door to be let in. then, we all went back to bed.
from taylor's perspective, i can understand why she didn't want to come near me. i was saying, "Come," but my voice and body was telling her i was angry and she should stay the heck away. i could have easily called out to taylor in a pleasant voice, maybe bent down and opened my arms, and she would have scampered back inside in a hurry, but i didn't feel like it.
even knowing how i could easily get her to come to me, i wanted her to come to me as i was, annoyed and angry. doesn't make much sense, but i felt quite stubborn about this. dogs are truly wonderful creatures, because they put up with our stupidity and moments of injustice, where we are apt to blame them for troubles that we cause for ourselves.
taylor says, "momma is crazy, but i love her."
i realized what i was doing was totally counterproductive, but i just couldn't help myself. i was annoyed, and i wanted to go back to bed, and i didn't feel like being nice. nowadays, i try to stay away from the punitive training approach, but i very much wanted to punish taylor for "disobedience," but at the same time, i didn't have the energy to chase her, so i went back inside with luke and penny and closed the door, leaving taylor alone in the backyard.
i gave myself and taylor a time out, and i went back to get taylor, who was sitting quietly by the door to be let in. then, we all went back to bed.
from taylor's perspective, i can understand why she didn't want to come near me. i was saying, "Come," but my voice and body was telling her i was angry and she should stay the heck away. i could have easily called out to taylor in a pleasant voice, maybe bent down and opened my arms, and she would have scampered back inside in a hurry, but i didn't feel like it.
even knowing how i could easily get her to come to me, i wanted her to come to me as i was, annoyed and angry. doesn't make much sense, but i felt quite stubborn about this. dogs are truly wonderful creatures, because they put up with our stupidity and moments of injustice, where we are apt to blame them for troubles that we cause for ourselves.
taylor says, "momma is crazy, but i love her."