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Topic: Help! My dog is 2 and very stubborn. I need any advice I can get for training...
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sheltielover
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posted March 27, 2004 05:43 PM
My dog's name is Cleopatra (cleo for short). She is a Rottweiler mix and is 2 years old. I slacked off training her since we live on a farm, but I want to be able to take her with us when my mom and I move into town. I need any advice I can get on training her basic commands as well as getting her to adapt from running around all she wants to a smaller fenced in backyard. I don't want to completely destroy her spirit though. Please help!
Posts: 15 | From: United States | Registered: Mar 2004
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DaxAriel's toy
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posted March 28, 2004 08:36 AM
You can take her to classes which would help you as well. Training is not breaking their spirit. Dogs do things because they want to please you. You can start at home with basic commands - Come - Sit - etc. Use treats as rewards but be consistent. Do give the treat unless dog performs the command exactly. She'll pick it up in no time.
Posts: 748 | From: Edmonton AB Canada | Registered: Mar 2004
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sheltielover
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posted March 28, 2004 11:23 AM
Thank you very much for your help doglover. I will take any other advice that anyone else will give me. My dad doesn't want to pay for obedience classes, and I don't either unless it's just for one or two. They can get very expensive quickly so anything I can do at home will be very helpful.
Posts: 15 | From: United States | Registered: Mar 2004
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ellierat
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posted March 28, 2004 01:39 PM
she is still only a young dog, and if you had previously done some training, retraining should be quite easy for her.
As stated, some treats in your pocket, her favourite foods, Cheese, sausage, etc. get her to sit first, then continue on, only give a treat every so often though or she will end up not doing as you ask if you have no treats available at other times.
The back yard, she will become accustomed to it in time, so long as you exercise, give her plenty of love and attention, she should not become too destructive, give her some chew toys. Boredom would become your main problem from the switch.
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I love my labs.
Posts: 880 | From: australia | Registered: Feb 2004
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GretaJack
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posted March 29, 2004 05:07 AM
The one thing that is a must when training obedience is to make your dog perform the command the first time you tell her to. Make sure that you start any training on a leash so that you can help her learn. When you tell her to sit, make her sit. Only tell her once, a hand on the rump, or using a treat whatever it takes. But then praise the living daylights out of her. And only train one command at a time. If she sits, don't expect her to stay. As soon as her rear end hits the ground she has completed the command. Once you have taught her the stay command, then a sit stay can be taught. Remember to keep training sessions short so she does not get bored. And always end it on a good note. She that she remembers that learning is fun
Posts: 195 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Dec 2003
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sheltielover
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posted March 31, 2004 02:50 PM
I have done all of that such as teaching her to sit. I think she understands it, but unless I force her to, she doesn't sit. When I praise her (and believe me, I praise her a lot) it seems as if she doesn't care. She's an independent dog and I don't think that she has that urge to please anyone. I will still train her for a couple more weeks before giving up. Thank you for all of your help everyone :-)
Posts: 15 | From: United States | Registered: Mar 2004
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Brattina88
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posted April 02, 2004 04:46 PM
Some dogs are like that and IME then you will have to find something that pleases her as a reward. It is possible to praise too ravishly, and soon it will become not such a big deal and the reward won't motivate the dog to perform for you. Try different treats and find her favorite, but don't over use it. You could try hot dogs cut up into tiny little pieces, or teeny pieces of cheese. I used there regular dog kibble one piece at a time, if they're interested.
You said that she doesn't sit unless you force her to. Maybe she isn't making a connection, then. Have you tried putting the treat between you fingers and holding it by her nose, tell her to sit, and then move your hand up/back so she follows her nose back and has to sit. Once her butt hits the ground you give her the treat and praise her. Then, in time she'll reconize the hand signal. Hand signals may help with your training... Consistancy is everything. When teaching her to sit make her sit for EVERYTHING: to be let in, to be let out, to get fed, for example... That'll make it sitck ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Posts: 24 | From: Ohio | Registered: Jan 2004
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sheltielover
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posted April 03, 2004 08:29 AM
I have tried that, but unless she gets the treat, she won't sit. A couple of times I would pretend that I was holding a treat but praised her instead of giving it to her. But it only worked a couple of times.
Posts: 15 | From: United States | Registered: Mar 2004
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Sirlocksley
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posted April 09, 2004 07:00 AM
That is why I do not like using treats very often in obedience training. No treat, no obedience. You will have to be very concistant with this dog. If you give her an inch-she will take a mile. She will work to please you, but be stingy on the praise when not in a training session. The physical size of a Rot makes it a little harder to "put" them into a sit, but with the proper techniques you can do it.
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Joseph L. Bickel
www.obediencedogtraining.com
Posts: 10 | From: Indiana | Registered: Mar 2004
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DaxAriel's toy
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posted April 09, 2004 09:19 AM
Rotti's because of their shape sit easily.
Call their name - point up to the sky with your hand at face level or gently tip under thier chin. The butt goes down - i don't know why. Praise with Good Dog or a treat (i keep a whole bunch in my pocket sometimes they get it other times not. They never know so they perform all the time) Do not accept anything less then compliance. A half sit does not count. Keep lesson < 1/2 hour and do three times a day and always before you feed them.
Posts: 748 | From: Edmonton AB Canada | Registered: Mar 2004
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DaxAriel's toy
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posted April 11, 2004 08:24 PM
Have you tried any commands yet? There is an excellent book (& inexpensive) call "TRAINING YOUR ROTTWEILER" by Barbara McNinch.
It has excellent training tips. I bought a copy from Amazon.ca. It was really designed for training puppies but the techniques will work for an older dog too.
Remember 1) a two year old dog is a young adult. They will be more stubborn and require more work.
2) don't be afraid of trying new things ie. hotdogs as a treat. Something they want so much that their mouth waters for it.
3) a dog has a relatively short memory - a response learned today will quickly be unlearned unless it is reinforced. So don't teach your dog to sit this week then think you are done. Just as true is a behavior they have been doing for two years (such as not coming when called) needs to be broken like a bad habit.
Posts: 748 | From: Edmonton AB Canada | Registered: Mar 2004
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Barbara Smith
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posted April 14, 2004 04:24 PM
You could also buy an Obedience Training Tape. That will show you just how to do it. I have a book which is good but I think a tape would be better. You only have to pay for it once and look at all the use you would get out of it!
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Barbara Smith
Posts: 127 | From: Norf.,Va | Registered: Apr 2004
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Tammy
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posted April 14, 2004 04:44 PM
I don't know how people feel about training collars, but I believe the one I got has saved my dogs life. He wanted to chase cars. No matter what I did to stop him. I have him on leash at all times but he would pull and try so hard to chase cars. He's a german shepherd and 7 months old right now. I was afraid he would get so big he'd pull us both into the street and we'd both get hit. Anyway, I got a training collar and after only 3 zaps with it he now just watches the cars go by and doesn't try to chase them at all. I still keep him on leash. It has come in handy for so many other things as well. He use to sit and bark at me for no reason, not anymore. I don't even have to zap him much at all, now. He listens to me better. I have a samoyed that stays outside and he has an invisible fence. He's had it for 12 years and does great with it. The systems I have are from innotek and I love them. We're all happier and less stressed out.
Posts: 2 | Registered: Apr 2004
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Barbara Smith
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posted April 17, 2004 08:14 PM
When I was training Twinkie, I thought she understood what sit meant. I was wrong, so when I realized she didn't understand, I took my hand,after telling her to sit, and pushed down on her but to a sitting position. I then said, "Good girl", and gave her the treat. After a couple of times she knew what I wanted her to do.
If she gets stubborn and doesn't want to sit I take the treat, put it away, then she will sit, for she knows she doesn't get the treat or her supper until she sits.
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Barbara Smith
Posts: 127 | From: Norf.,Va | Registered: Apr 2004
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NicoleLJ
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posted April 17, 2004 08:22 PM
Here are some questions. DO you free feed? She sounds independant but also a little bit of a leader type. What I would do is use feeding time training time. THis is definately easier if you use dry food but you can do it with wet. First off don't free feed. THen separate the amount you feed her in a day into 3 containers which will give you 3 training sessions. She may be indifferent to treats and praise and such but I have never know a dog to not want to eat it's dinner. Do as everyone said as in giving a command and then making her do it and then when she does give her a few pieces of kibble or a little soft food. Keep this up and she will be workinig for her supper. THis is one of the tricks I use to teach my foster dogs obedience when they come to my home and believe me they catch on quick. Train until all the food is gone and then do it agian at the next feeding time. She will enjoy in and it will put you in the lead postion.
Nicole & Sheena
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Lets teach the public to spay and neuter pets and leave breeding up to the experts, to help decrease the thousands of animals destroyed monthly in shelters and pounds around the world.
Posts: 82 | From: Raymond. Alberta | Registered: Oct 2003
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