Giving an inch etc.

[stillalsations2me]

Originally Posted by LindaM

I can see that some of you are very experienced with these dogs so a question

If I give Lukey extra hugs or am more lenient with him he thinks we have swapped jobs so to me (and I may well be wrong) he then thinks he is in charge and he will lay across walkways into room wanting me to step over him, etc and the more I fuss him the more he will take the proverbial.

At other times he might hear an outside noise then move to lay across a throughway to an other room but move when I walk through so I don't step over him nor have to ask him to move. I see that behaviour 'as working with me'.

So, assuming they are all like this - oh dear I could be in trouble here - be kind if I've been wrong

'What do you do to get the balance back'.

Lukey would go on taking the proverbial etc. and become well not unmanageable but difficult. I do find if I put him in a down/stay for 10 mins he will 'relax' and not think he has to do so much 'looking after' or 'taking the lead'.

My close (now departed) guide dog owner friend used to say when her dog was in harness she behaved differently and that was her 'cue'.

I'm reading this back and wondering if I am making any sense - oh well

Linda

I don’t think you stepping over him lay down is a problem at all, if you had to step over him blocking a thorough way standing up then that could be an issue.

[Stuart]

I think you may be miss-understanding,.. making something out of nothing at all,...I dont give my dogs treats, and Sam and Jazz [ more than Kee ]...will still lie across doorways and walkways .

I think in our case at least, with the mild temps outside, and depending on your house temp,..... they tend to lie in doorways and corridors because it is often cooler in those places.

...and Sam will always move before we reach him, because he doesnt like us stepping over him,... and the fact that we have always told him to move in the past

As for the guide dog,.. that is completly different, because a Blind dog knows that a certain work is about to take place when he is fitted with his harness

[Moobli]

Originally Posted by LOVEGSD

Linda he sounds like a delight tbh!

We've all had to learn hun, we all had to start somewhere and we will all continue learning...keep us updated on how things go if you decide to do things differently....oh and I think we're probably overdue some Lukey pics

Absolutely! However many years you have dogs, you never stop learning!

[stillalsations2me]

Just thought to add he could be associating it with getting attention i.e. If i lay in my basket i am just another piece of furniture, lay in a doorway well that’s a different story, they do crave interaction of any kind.

If it is a problem maybe try not acknowledging at all when you pass not even eye contact

[LindaM]

Thank you everyone - my kind of gut feeling about the throughways is that he creates a boundary, so if he hears an outside noise he will move to form part of the perimeter of a boundary with the furniture (and me in the middle somewhere) almost as though he has created a safe space for me to be in as anyone coming in in the room would have to step over/move him. I have watched him make so many moves I think they are well thought out ............... but of course I can and mainly do chose to ignore them

Our living room is one that you have to walk through to either get to the kitchen and out into the garden or in the other direction takes you to the hall, stairs and front doorway - a bit of a nuisance when we are all in and moving around the house.

[Kealagirl]

Originally Posted by LindaM

Thank you everyone - my kind of gut feeling about the throughways is that he creates a boundary, so if he hears an outside noise he will move to form part of the perimeter of a boundary with the furniture (and me in the middle somewhere) almost as though he has created a safe space for me to be in as anyone coming in in the room would have to step over/move him. I have watched him make so many moves I think they are well thought out ............... but of course I can and mainly do chose to ignore them

Our living room is one that you have to walk through to either get to the kitchen and out into the garden or in the other direction takes you to the hall, stairs and front doorway - a bit of a nuisance when we are all in and moving around the house.

Ok in this case then I would be moving him. If he has just positioned himself there and feels he needs to be there to protect you then you need to let him know by moving him that you don't need his help

[LindaM]

Originally Posted by Kealagirl

Ok in this case then I would be moving him. If he has just positioned himself there and feels he needs to be there to protect you then you need to let him know by moving him that you don't need his help

Thank you, that is my gut feeling too. He doesn't show any aggressive behaviour at all to other family members or friends but once he feels he needs to move and create this boundary then he is more inclined to follow me around whereas I am fine on my own and he is fine to sleep and not be on 'high alert' - more relaxing for him.