[Sunshine]

I've just seen an information brochure (I found it in one of the discussions here) on the NILIF program.

I am going to start this straight away - after reading it, it sounds exactly what has been going on with Abby lately!

I have a question though.... if I ask her to do something and she doesn't - what do I do?

And should I leash her every time she goes outside?

Also, should I make her sleep on the floor instead of my bed? I have some old pillows that I could do up with her blanket to make her a bed - but how do I get her to stay on it? Should I set up her play pen again until she is used to sleeping on it?

I'll feel so bad making her sleep on the floor. I know she'll hate me for it...

 

[Sunshine]

I've just found at that she is definitely just being 'ignorant' (not wanting to follow my orders). I told her to sit before we walked out the door. She stood there and looked at me. I didn't say anything else, I just had my hand on the door handle and watched her (I wasn't glaring or anything). I actually started to think to myself and raised my eyebrows - then she sat?! She did the exact same thing later on when i told her to "down". She sat there looking at me for a bit and then when I didn't even move I just waited, she did it ???? It's like she has to put a 15 second delay on everything just to show me that she's not a dog

BUT, in saying that, she is getting the hang of it even already. I made her sit & down & wait for her dinner last night, until I said ok and patted her. She didn't think much of it, but she did it after only picking the bowl back up once!

The hardest thing so far is ignoring her when she jumps up on me, or does her little attention seeking "dance", or scratches at my lap. I hold out until she gives up and lays down or something - wait about a minute, then I call her over, tell her to sit and then pick her up and give her cuddles and play.

I'm about to send the document I found to my mother - her and my father have to learn it!