Shih Tzu Loretta loves visitors. The trouble is, she doesn’t want them to leave.
When guests arrives, Loretta is thrilled to have additional adoring fans to caress her head, tickle her belly, and feed her tidbits of cheese, her favorite forbidden pleasure.
In her endearingly pushy way, she rubs against the guests’ legs, stares imploringly into their eyes, and plies the visitors with toys, squeaking her rubber duck and brandishing her ball with flirtatious wags of her tail. She is charming and engaging and relentless in her attentions.
So when guests stand and take their coats to leave, it’s a shock to see Loretta suddenly charge, barking and wild-eyed, with vehement and scary intent.
“Hold it right there, Buddy!” she snarls, “we were just getting acquainted. You’ll leave when I’m good and ready. Put the coat down, or else….”
And to emphasize her desire to extend her guests’ stay, she takes a substantial chomp out of whatever clothing happens to be accessible to her teeth.
Naturally, Loretta’s owner is appalled by her dog’s behavior. She swoops in, hawk-like, and plucks the little dog up into her arms, scolding her lavishly. Deposited into the mudroom, Loretta slams her little body against the door, loudly protesting this insult.
Just as naturally, Loretta is confused. “What the ^%$@#*??” she muses. “I greet people at the door. I keep them entertained while they are here. Ergo, it must be my responsibility to decide if and when they leave.”
Loretta doesn’t know what her owner wants her to do instead. She has received no discernible instructions so she has taken matters into her own paws.
Here’s a thought: what if Loretta Sits when someone is at the door, Sits to get the visitor’s attention, and Sits when the guest leaves?
Sit is what’s called an “incompatible behavior” – meaning Loretta can’t bark, chase, jump, or nip while she is in the PARK IT position.
Sit Happens
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