See both of my dogs, MILLIE and GUINNESS even though, they have the full access to my house, they will not enter our Master Bedroom. Such Household rules are necessary.
Dog being dog, if they learned that with or without the human in their life will not affect them, the human values in their heart & mind will be the lowest. Being the lowest priority, why will our dog response to the owner? The main reason why we need to keep our dog always dependent on us, for food or anything positive and good, revolve around the owner. To add value to the dog that all good & rewarding stuff comes from the owners.
In training there's no magic, neither is Dog Training a Rocket Science! However, trainers that have common sense will be able to read their dogs; what is need to gain control of the dog for better management. House Rules is what and it is all About!
We will be discussing FOUR, 4 tips to work on this special House-rules. I know there are many methods that are available on the internet, however, I would like to pen down these four which I think it's more effective and easier for your dog to understand the small incremental steps. The better you can break down the training into biteable bits, your learner will have a higher chance of success.
1. Where your food is where your dog will be,
Naturally, your dog will gravitate towards the owner. However, food is a primary reinforcer or motivator, therefore, where your food, is where your dog will be. I would place a few feeding stations on the opposite side of your master bedroom or before the crossing line from your living room to your master bedroom. Every time I walk into my master bedroom, I will drop some treats on the feeding stations. Over time, your dog will stop on the crossing line as he can predict, he will get treats for waiting or staying at the feeding station.
2. Create a load of fun everywhere except for the master bedroom,
Now, keeping the fun at home at any other locations except your master bedroom. Try not to make your master bedroom as a centre of attraction. If there's less or no fun activity in your master bedroom, your dog will stop associating the master bedroom as an area of interest. When we manage to down-played the importance of the master bedroom, your dog will try to be in any place except in your master bedroom.
3. Prevent playing or feeding in your master bedroom, and
So the clever thing to do is to stop playing or feeding your dog food or treats. As you may already know the TWO Golden Rules is if you want a behaviour to be repeated, you will need to make the situation fun, exciting and rewarding. Likewise, if you don't want a behaviour to be repeated like GOING INTO THE MASTER BEDROOM, you can make the situation non-fun, not exciting and non-rewarding, the behaviour will getting into your master bedroom will extinct overtime.
4. Practising Stays as a game.
The last exercise you can do is to start practising the stays exercise in front of your master bedroom. After every successful stay, you will return to your dog where he is staying outside your master bedroom. With every successful reinforcement, this behaviour will be reinforced and it becomes stronger and harder to break.
Another advantage is to train your dog to get used to staying outside your master bedroom and without fail, he will be rewarded.
Happy Training. Have fun, stay safe and be positive.
Dexter
