Pooches Don't Like Smooches

Dear Dog Lady,

When my boyfriend moves in to kiss me both of my dogs go crazy and jump on the both of us until we move apart. I know it's not him because they have always done this. Help. I would like to kiss my boyfriend without being jumped on or barked at.

Liz, San Francisco, CA

Liz, gee whiz, your dogs are trying to protect you. They’re acting out a hound dog version of “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree With Anybody Else But Me.” By not disciplining them, you allow them to become the kissing bandits, robbing you of peace during moments of pleasure.

An easy solution would be to put your dogs in another room before smooching with your boyfriend – or anybody else. But why disrupt your life like this? Kissing is part of nature. So have treats ready when your boyfriend arrives. Sweetly tell your dogs to sit and stay. Kiss boyfriend. Reward dogs with goodies for calm behavior. Kiss. Put them back in a sit ‘n’ stay if they act up. Kiss. More reward. Kiss. Sit ‘n’ stay. Kiss. Reward. Kiss. You get the idea.

At first, this routine will take the spontaneity out of your passion. But eventually, through your persistent Alpha efforts, your dogs will learn to associate your boyfriend’s presence with calmness followed by lip-smacking tidbits. Sweet commands and praise from you will only reinforce the idea that a kiss is just a kiss.

Posted by Dog Lady at February 26, 2005 04:03 PM