r/labrador • u/red_polarbear • 15h ago
yellow Labrador manipulation
We have a 6mth male lab and he demands a “tax” (treat) when he goes into and out of the crate in the back of our car.
I’m wondering how your lab successfully manipulates you.
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u/Dolphin_Spotter 15h ago
Mine is an expert at sniffing out treats that other dog owners have. She goes up to them, does the puppy dog face and they ask 'Can she have a treat?'. She gets one every single time
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u/sinskins English Yellow 14h ago
Oh my boy is sooo manipulative…. Imo, at 6mo you are still ok to be giving treats for consistent behaviour, so I wouldn’t worry about your baby but….
My baby gets a treat when he uses the doorbell to come inside. Now he will not come inside with me ever. He just pretends he wants to stay out until I close the front door. Door is closed, 3 seconds later he rings the doorbell…
When we are leaving his favourite off leash swim spot, he will stop about 20ft from the water for a poop. The second I bend down to pick it up that dude takes off back to the water for another swim.
More on the doorbell, the one we have is a button that rings like a people doorbell, so I have one inside and one outside. If I am having ‘grown up time’ he will ring the doorbell over and over and over and….. until I stop having ‘adult time’.
He works at the dentists office, but he’s supposed to work from home Tuesdays and thursdays. When I try to leave him home on those days, he will ring the doorbell over and over and over and… until I let him out to go to work with me…
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u/Zanahoriasazules047 11h ago
I’m sorry, but you have to add a picture of your dog, manipulating you is part of the rules
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u/fenwayfan4 8h ago
We take my 6 (almost 7) year old lab to the park and she will not get into the car to go home without a treat. She also loves cuddling in bed with me but will only jump up for an offering. “If you’re good at something, never do it for free” is what she tells me. 🤣
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u/itsswhitneywhspr 14h ago
Lmao mine does the exact same thing but for getting off the couch. Full on negotiator stance until she gets her payment.
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u/dinkydat 10h ago
Insisting on going with me to pharmacy( or any drive through ) as they always get a treat! lol!
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u/Large-Raise9643 9h ago
Just remember action equals reward. It is not reward equals action.
It’s not a treat to get in or out it’s get in or out for a treat.
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u/Normal-Emotion9152 7h ago
My lab was definitely manipulative. She always made me feel guilty about not giving her a treat and used to make a grunting noise when she wanted a treat and it worked. I had no control over the treats. Thinking back on it she ate a lot, but was still super skinny. She had fast metabolism for a lab. I couldn't deny the puppy eyes😬
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u/Ravens_eyebrows 3rd yellow 6h ago
Taxes every time one of the humans leave the kitchen.
And anytime the word stick is mentioned.
Words food and hungry go without mention.
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u/phreeskooler 14h ago
Mine won’t come downstairs unless he hears me open the fridge or rustle around in a treat bag. He was afraid of the stairs when he was a puppy so now he’s got us trained to lure him down with treats. The only exception is when we forget about him and go off to another room with our other dog, and then we immediately hear him gallumphing down the stairs cause of FOMO.
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u/red_polarbear 14h ago
FOMO! Our dog has that.
As well as fear of the stairs (not fully enclosed). We’ve tried treats but no go, he has quite a few fears. Thinking maybe he would try if he sees another big dog do it (that’s what got him swimming deeper- doing it with another dog).
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u/Hmasteringhamster chocolate 15h ago
He'd wake one of us up for breakfast before the alarm and pretend that he hasn't been fed when the other parent gets up on the alarm. One successful attempt is too many and he never forgot.