Last week I decided that I would no longer allow Yaz on the furniture. She seemed to think SHE owned the couch and recliner and that was getting to be a problem with the kids. I really was expecting nothing more than the kids not having to fight the dog for a place to sit. I am SO amazed at what else has happened as a result of this. She no longer chases the cat. I even carried Claude into the living room and put him on the couch with me. Now normally Yaz would have attacked Claude for just being NEAR me. Or just in the room. She looked up, saw what I wasdoing, went back to sleep. She no longer barks at passing dogs. I have been able to "claim" the front door. Used to be that whenever anyone came in she would charge them and jump all over them. Now I block her with my body and say "off" and she runs to her bed. WOW! I should have done this a LONG time ago.

Amazing isn't it. Vinnie is still doing very well. Something set him off last Thursday before we went to the trainer and he was very anxious ... extremely anxious ... when we got there. Set us back a little but no biggie. I taught him the "Stand" command yesterday ... just for mind stimulation. He's known "down" and "sit" forever, but I could never get him to stand up. Can now!!! Yippeee. Also bought a hoola hoop for some fun jumping (low). Now our training is on hold for a while due to the fact that our trainer is an EMT and he called Sunday saying he was heading to Louisiana to help get through hurricane Gustov. He will call us when he returns. That's a priority for him right now and I admire that. Keep up the good work Amy.

Doreen, you and Vinnie were the catalyst for me doing this. My vet reccomended it when we first got Yaz. I didn't listen. Nora reccomended it when I was having problems of her snapping at the kids when they would try to sit on the furniture. I didn't listen. When you said how well it worked for you, I listened. I can be thick headed. We also got a seatbelt attatchment thing for the van. $7 for that as opposed to $50 plus for a seat. Same idea though. THIS is YOUR place in the van. WE own the rest. FANTASTIC!

WOW! Right now Yaz is in her bed and Claude(cat) is on the couch! Poor Claude has not been able to sleep on the living room furniture since Yaz came home two years ago! WOOHOO!