Squinty Cooking Partner

One of the basic household manners/obedience things I've been working on with DuPont is threshold awareness.  I, like many other dog owners, do not appreciate dogs coming into certain areas of the house when I don't want them there, like the kitchen or my bedroom.  Other times it might apply to putting them behind a threshold briefly so that I can vacuum or adjust a rug or something like that. 

Gates or barriers are not always available to me.  When I put my dogs behind a threshold, invisible or not, I expect them to stay there until I release them.  It's an important basic outside world behavior to have.  A great example?  I'm out for a walk with the dog on the sidewalk and my shoe lace has come undone.  I need to tie it.  There are other walkers, maybe bikes and rollerblades going by.  The safest place for my dog to sit is in the grass, off the sidewalk.  Where the grass meets the concrete is my threshold. 

You understanding what I'm saying?

With DuPont this is easier said than done.  He's not used to making the decision, he's more accustomed to physical barriers such as gates or crates that make the decision for him.  Asking him to sit behind a threshold and it's 'invisible gate' is difficult for him.  He will acknowledge what has been asked of him, but doesn't see why he can't put a paw or two over that line just to inch a little closer.  He's a very curious dog and as mentioned before, he always has to be all up in my biz.  What better way to do so than to get closer?

The other night I was cooking dinner.  When I am in the kitchen, furry beings should not be in the kitchen.  It was a great opportunity to also work on threshold awareness with DuPont.  We went through the usual paces, putting him back behind it when he crossed it, telling him 'out', etc.

I'd turned to work at the sink for a few minutes.  When I looked back to check DuPont's progress, he'd inched over the line and was standing there just watching me.  He really is a great cooking partner.  He would rather sit and watch me cook than play with the other dogs most days. 

As I was about to snap my fingers, point and tell him to get out, he plopped down and gave a big sigh and continued to watch me.

*shoulder slump* 
I can't scold a dog when they puppy-eye me. I can't do it. So grabbed my camera off the counter and snapped a quick pic instead.   How am I supposed to be the trainer if he keeps squinting at me?

This isn't really fair.  Not fair at all.