So, yea, I just picked up a copy of "Nintendogs + Cats" (I know, I'm a little behind the times in video games sometimes), and there's one aspect of the game which is frustrating the heck out of me in a game which should be a fun, cute, and calming experience.
My problem comes when I'm walking the dog, and the dog starts to misbehave (run towards puddles, go after birds, head towards trash cans or fire hydrants, etc).
I know this is "bad behavior" and needs to be corrected, but I'm having trouble getting the leash to pull at the proper time and place to make the dog turn around with the exclamation point over his head.
I read on Thonky that I have to swing the leash when the puppy is standing still...well, the puppy doesn't exactly stand still at any point during the walk unless he stops to tinkle in the grass or sniff at the ground (or meet another puppy).
The other suggestion is to put the leash at the (bottom) corner of the screen when the puppy is in motion in the opposite direction of the distraction to pull the dog away from it.
Swinging the leash or pulling it in the other direction only causes the puppy to let out a yip and sometimes make a choking noise as it is yanked back. I only get the dog to actually turn around with the exclamation mark about 1% of the time, and even though I give the pup a treat when he does that, he continues the bad behavior (sometimes on the same walk).
Seriously, I'm getting annoyed at how difficult it is to keep the dog out of trouble (love how the leash type is one of those "retractable" leashes, but there is no option to actually pull it back to heel the dog...that was sarcasm. It's so much easier to train a puppy in real life than it is in that game), and how even more difficult it is to actually tug the leash just right to get the pup to turn around with that exclamation mark over its head.
So, to make walking less frustrating, my question is this:
What's the best way to pull at the leash to get the dog to turn around with that exclamation mark?
Also, how long of the tug-exclamation-treat method does it take before the pup will ignore the distraction? Will that ever happen?
While I'm asking questions, I've got a final one:
I know ownership points are lost when the pup pees on the path instead of the grass (I got so annoyed at my pup this morning because he went to a grass patch, stood and sniffed in it and did nothing, then took two steps off of it and peed on the path); is it the same with when the dog poops? Cause my pup absolutely refuses to poop on the grass. >.>
Please and thank you!
My problem comes when I'm walking the dog, and the dog starts to misbehave (run towards puddles, go after birds, head towards trash cans or fire hydrants, etc).
I know this is "bad behavior" and needs to be corrected, but I'm having trouble getting the leash to pull at the proper time and place to make the dog turn around with the exclamation point over his head.
I read on Thonky that I have to swing the leash when the puppy is standing still...well, the puppy doesn't exactly stand still at any point during the walk unless he stops to tinkle in the grass or sniff at the ground (or meet another puppy).
The other suggestion is to put the leash at the (bottom) corner of the screen when the puppy is in motion in the opposite direction of the distraction to pull the dog away from it.
Swinging the leash or pulling it in the other direction only causes the puppy to let out a yip and sometimes make a choking noise as it is yanked back. I only get the dog to actually turn around with the exclamation mark about 1% of the time, and even though I give the pup a treat when he does that, he continues the bad behavior (sometimes on the same walk).
Seriously, I'm getting annoyed at how difficult it is to keep the dog out of trouble (love how the leash type is one of those "retractable" leashes, but there is no option to actually pull it back to heel the dog...that was sarcasm. It's so much easier to train a puppy in real life than it is in that game), and how even more difficult it is to actually tug the leash just right to get the pup to turn around with that exclamation mark over its head.
So, to make walking less frustrating, my question is this:
What's the best way to pull at the leash to get the dog to turn around with that exclamation mark?
Also, how long of the tug-exclamation-treat method does it take before the pup will ignore the distraction? Will that ever happen?
While I'm asking questions, I've got a final one:
I know ownership points are lost when the pup pees on the path instead of the grass (I got so annoyed at my pup this morning because he went to a grass patch, stood and sniffed in it and did nothing, then took two steps off of it and peed on the path); is it the same with when the dog poops? Cause my pup absolutely refuses to poop on the grass. >.>
Please and thank you!
