Suggestions please..nervous during training - Page 1

Hi all... my husband and I just "graduated" Basic Obedience with our two dogs, Blitz (5 months) and Una (9 months).  Blitz is laid back, takes everything in stride and obeys very well.  Una is hyper, off the walls, panting and pulling.  We don't want her to become handler shy because we are always correcting her ( sharp jerk on lead) what other corrections can you suggest without pulling on her neck?  She calms down nicely after a while but boy is she a handful (pulling).  We take daily walks (usually an hour) with visits to the park to play on the slides and skate park equipment she'll walk over steel grates and on slippery surfaces. She sits crooked too.   We have even worked her before class. Maybe not long enough.  Will take all suggestions. 

Thanks,

Shannan  :)

I would start walking and when she starts leading out and becoming a "sled-dog" without saying anything, do an abrupt about face (turn to the right so she stays on the outside) and start walking the opposite direction.  Very soon she will start staying closer to you and watching you to see where you are going.

As for getting her to sit straight - set a 2 x 12 up on bricks or cinder blocks as a "cross over".  When she is comfortable walking across - stop her in the middle and make her sit.... she will have no choice but to sit straight or she will fall off!!  This works for the down also...

First she must know where heal position is!  Heal is not the action of walking beside you but heal is the place in relation to you that she should remain in! 

First she must know what you are asking of her!  That is the number one thing and you can teach this with food.  Remember a hungry dog learns faster than a fat sassy dog!

Second, after she KNOWS what you want and expect out of her, if you give a very hard sharp correction one time you will go farther than giving her 15 nagging corrections!  You have to be strong mentally to do this also as it will make you feel bad.  But when she is doing what you ask your reward MUST be as extreme as the correction!  If you think about how dogs (wolves) learn in the wild, everything is BLACK AND WHITE and it is also swift stern lessons!  Dogs don't nag each other into the pack order!  There is swift, quick, and stern justice.  This to you and me appears to be horrible dog fights but that is how they learn and teach one another!

Vickie

www.PowerHausKennels.com

Way to young for the hard training....Graduated at 5 month? Let them be a puppies and most just play with them. Makes em hectic in training if start too young. Do just play and focus work with ball and tug. Way to young....Best regards

GERMANGUY:

You know, the younger pup just really went along for socialization purposes.  No real formal type of training just did well because he wanted too I guess.  I hadnt really worked with him at all...  didnt expect to pass out of basic, wasnt even participating to pass was just there with our girl.  I am not in a hurry with these two and I agree, let them be puppies.

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

Shannan:)

Power Haus is right.  I think teaching dogs with a clicker really helps too.  Have her sit, you click and follow with food.  (loading  her up)  This way she knows when ever she hears the clicker, she is doing what you want and will be rewarded with food.  Timing is important.  Use a Clicker when the dog is in correct heel position followed by food.  Ask her to sit, click as soon as she sits & follow right away with food.  Repeat with any command; down, here, etc.  Click when the dog DOES what you ask it to do and follow up with food.

My 16 month old dog is really high drive and I found if I threw the ball right before going to class, she would get all reaved up and over the top and unable to really focus!!!!!.  But if I got there early, threw the ball some and then gave her time to rest on a throw run (her place), she would settle down and really focused during the obedience that followed.  If you have food in your hand and she sits side ways with her butt away from you and feet kicked to the side towards you, then take you left hand to the left of her nose (don't feed her until she is in correct place/position).  You use your closed hand with the food to push her into you and sitting straight.  You don't physically push her, she follows your hand because she wants the food, so you are directing her.  First you want her sitting on command and then you want to raise the bar by only rewarding when she sits straight.  You can release her every 5 minutes or so and give her loving.  Pet her, rub her belly or throw a toy (as long as that doesn't get her hiped up).      

Teri 

My puppy was the same way at that age, and we started training at the same time as yours did.  Trainers recommended a quality prong collar which has rounded tips instead of sharp ones, so they cause no pain and do no injury to the trachea.  It has done amazing things and has really curbed her pulling!  With the prong collar, corrective leash jerks are more effective, as be sure to follow up any good behavior and her obeying you with treats.  Exercise her thoroughly (play fetch or take her for a good walk) at least a half hour before you start training, and let her get to meet and greet the other dogs in the class beforehand so she's more relaxed around them. 

If she doesn't sit right where you want her, just nudge her bum to where it's supposed to be, then treat her and give her lots of praise.  Our trainer also recommended walking her right next to a straight wall, with her between you and the wall, so she has no where to go but forward, and in a straight line.  Keep things fun, and try not to get frustrated.  When you do, it transfers to your dog and everything will go downhill from there.

She'll settle down eventually!

Thank You to all who gave such good advice.  I have renewed hope and methods to work with.  Have a great day...

Shannan  :)

Try heeling her on a narrow beam or park bench if she does  not sit straight she will lose her balance or try heeling squeezing her next to a block wall and then give the sit command. As far as pulling you if you want to do do SAR or protection do not correct that yet. If not give a hard correction until she gets it. Always reward correct behavior make a huge deal out of it play with the favorite toy or treats then etc.

Just a thought.  I know we are all taught to not feed our dogs before class, but I have one female who has to eat before class or training, otherwise she is very hyper, no focus, not wanting to be there and just miserable for both of us.  But if I would feed her like 2 hours before class once in a while she actually ate in her crate on the way to class ( 1 hour drive) she was much better, more focus, less distracted, happier dog.