Spray Bottle

I've decided I'm going to try using the spray bottle on Mac.
He is constantly biting at LuLu's face and causing her to have sores.
She is pretty good at letting him know when she's had enough, but there
are times when I can tell she's just tired of it.
I'd like to hear from others who use this method if you accompany the spritz
with something like "no", or if just the spray is enough.
I started a little this morning, and I can tell the spray of water distracts him.
I'm hoping this method is effective.
I'd love to hear others' experiences!

I've been using this method on Kimchi when she mounts Thurston. She seems to get the point pretty quickly when I squirt her an say NO! She still does it, but the frequency is lessening. If I don't have a spray bottle handy, I make the sound of a spray bottle and say no. That works about half the time.

I also use this method with my cats. Calliope was insistent on getting on top of the fish tank and trying to get to the filters. I use the spray bottle and say NO! She learned after 3 times that she would be squirted when she got up there and jumps down when she sees me coming, She's now stopped going up there at all. I have one next to my bed for the times Scoundrel like to play "gravity" on my dresser at 3 am. That's worked really well too.

I think my cats are easier to train than the dogs.

I've been using the squirt bottle since the girls were puppies. It works great for us. If I don't have the squirt bottle handy, I'll tell them "I'm going to squirt you" and they know what it means and usually stop doing what they aren't supposed to be doing. I'm at the point where I only have to shake it or point it at them and they stop. But if that doesn't work, a quick squirt in their side is all it takes.

I use the squirt bottle for excessive barking and to stop spats. Like everyone else said just the threat of the bottle is usually enough. If not I give a little squirt to the backside.

I use it with Ruby and it is very effective. I give the firm "NO" along with it in hopes that someday that alone will be enough. However, she knows when I don't have the bottle and she doesn't take me as serious without it. I have to get it and show her, then she listens. I don't always have to spray, but she needs to know that I can.

I have also been using a squirt gun very effectively outside. She is a maniac/completely out of control at our fence when the neighbor is outside. It stops her instantly if she knows I have it - I don't even have to spray her.

Javalita wrote:I have also been using a squirt gun very effectively outside. She is a maniac/completely out of control at our fence when the neighbor is outside. It stops her instantly if she knows I have it - I don't even have to spray her.

I need to do this with Violet! She is so much like Ruby! She just hates the neighbour and their dog.

I've used the spray bottle on and off, with varying results. I find it works in the moment, but doesn't really help with training for the long-term, at least with mine. They seem to have a one-track mind for barking at the window!

The spray bottle works wonders for us. All I have to do is pick it up
and the bad behavior stops, except for Frankie! Being blind, I have to
tell him he's going to sprayed; that does the trick!

I've used the spray bottle on the boys only a few times. But it's effective. Now if they're barking I just have to say "hey!" and they stop. If I do take it out, Murphy goes running and parks himself quietly on the couch. (It's a must for working on at home and being on conference calls.)

My cat got sprayed so much that after a while he didn't care anymore so I didn't do the bottle with LuLu and its rare she needs to be told anyways.

What I do and taught them both is that if I hiss at them it's not good, they disobeyed no. The cat runs and LuLu just lowers her head to the ground. Both of them learned they get time out if they don't listen to the hiss.

I am getting back to the bottle (!) recently, but haven't had time to figure out if I tossed the ones I had, or where I "stored" them.. and I could not see any easily when I was shopping the other day... Then as I was in a checkout line last night at building 19 (like overstock or job lots), there were water bottles for $0.19 - I picked one up to see what was so great about this kind of water, and that bottle had a slight puncture in it from the box cutter which had been used to open the "display"... it squirted a fine, but noticeable spray!

Home I went (saving the 19 cents!), and "bladed" one of the remainders at my house... Captain knows what it's all about already again!

We use the spray bottle here. Diesel couldn't possibly care less most of the time. In fact, when he's been outside, I've turned the hose on him to break up a fight and doesn't phase him - he likes water. Big turd. Makayla, on the other hand, hates water and hates being squirted with the bottle. Most times, all I have to do is pick up the squirt bottle and show it to her and she stops whatever she's doing.

We use it here, mostly for the pugs who like to bark at squirrels, kids, leaves and anything else that moves outside the window. Especially when I'm on a conference call for work. They hate it. Like most of you, I just have to aim it and they'll back down.

My cat on the other hand...loves the squirt bottle. If you grab it, she'll walk up to you and meow in your face until you squirt her a few times. Freak!

I use a squirt bottle here mostly when I'm making the pugs breakfast or dinner & Pugsy & Yoda's barking gets to be too much. Usually all I have to do is pick it up and Yoda will stop. Not Pugsy though because she's mostly blind now. I warn her with one small squirt & that does the trick. I feel bad because our foster Duke obviously did not have a good experience with the squirt bottle in his previous life and he ducks and runs when he sees me with it. Poor little dude!

TxAllieGrl wrote:

My cat on the other hand...loves the squirt bottle. If you grab it, she'll walk up to you and meow in your face until you squirt her a few times. Freak!

LOL! Some cats like the water. I had a childhood cat that when my mom filled up the kiddie pool it would come in with me.

we use a squirt bottle here too. works well, cause now Franklin just has to SEE the bottle and he stops whatever he's doing.

We have a name for our squirt bottle. Is called Mcwirter Mcsquirter. We only have to say the word Mcwirter Mcsquirter and reach for it to stop bad behaviour.

We haven't used the spray bottle but we do use compressed air to help curb some of Leo's more annoying habits like barking at everything that moves and being a little too aggressive with his brothers. We don't point or spray it at him, just shoot it in the air near him and the sound is enough to stop him in his tracks. Works great for indoors since I don't have to mist everything I own. When the compressed gas thing is not nearby, I just make a loud hissing sound at Leo and that works pretty well too.

That reminds me of Sam the Cat's predecessor, Casey Cat. I would use the squirt bottle to keep her off the counters, until I came home one day and found the shredded squirt bottle in the middle of the living room floor. A heap of shredded plastic. The only part I could identify was the squirter.

Pugsaunt wrote:That reminds me of Sam the Cat's predecessor, Casey Cat. I would use the squirt bottle to keep her off the counters, until I came home one day and found the shredded squirt bottle in the middle of the living room floor. A heap of shredded plastic. The only part I could identify was the squirter.

Holy canoli. I knew there was a reason I'm scared of cats.

I've tried mine when he barked a lot before and he's barely barking anymore. It's definitely worked, it's painless, and worth giving a shot! :)

the first few times i did it..he was sooooo confused, haha. it was pretty funny.

honey only really barks when someone either drives by the hosue or comes into the driveway i wouldnt wanna keep her form doing that b/c i wanna know when someone is here...honey and princess (brothers dog) bark together but only for those reasons i just listed

Love the spray bottle method. I only have to grab it and Murphy will stop what he's doing. However, Jack seems to like being sparyed by it. Of course, Miss Lillie doesn't really do anything worthy a spray.

TxAllieGrl wrote:We use it here, mostly for the pugs who like to bark at squirrels, kids, leaves and anything else that moves outside the window. Especially when I'm on a conference call for work. They hate it. Like most of you, I just have to aim it and they'll back down.

My cat on the other hand...loves the squirt bottle. If you grab it, she'll walk up to you and meow in your face until you squirt her a few times. Freak!

My one cat is like that. The summer we got him there was a heat wave, and us with no a/c at the time. We have to give him cool baths and spray him with the spray bottle to cool him down. Even now, he will meow at the spray bottle if he gets hot, we soak him down and he goes and lays down in front of a fan. Weird cat!

Happy the pug and our other cat, do NOT feel the same way about the spray bottle! lol