Naughty Rudie
Here are our problems: -We live in a large condo building and we run into a lot of people and a lot of dogs in the hallways and elevators. He barks at EVERYONE. It scares people because he is big with crazy eyes and a deep bark. He also lunges and growls at dogs, however I don't think he would bite. He is almost always fine when were out of the building, and he gets along with my friends dogs and dogs we meet at the park just fine. -He will not listen to me unless I have a cookie. He is stubborn as can be. The only command he knows right now is sit, which is accompanied by a hand signal because of his possible hearing problems (I honestly think he doesn't have hearing problems, just stubborn!) He won't even look at me to see the hand signal when I give him a command. I literally waited 10 minutes in front of our door for him to "sit" and gave in when he sat down to scratch his ear (I think that was a real F you to me) Help! |
|
|
I was sure Chauncey was deaf until he was 3 
Maybe it is because he is in a confined space with the other dogs, and it's outside his comfort level? |
| Not a pro-trainer, just what I would try...
Do short training sessions several times a day... literally just a minute or two... and make it fun so he'll look forward to the game. Stop before he looses interest. Leave him wanting more. Use treats for every command, then gradually taper back on the treats. Use tiny tastes of something he really likes but only use it for training. Use the leave-it and look-at-me commands when he begins to act up in the hall. Use super good treats to get and keep his attention. No-nonsense forward movement down the hall with a leash correction if necessary, dog on the opposite side of the people/dogs approaching. Even if you have to be walking to the left of the people approaching (dog on your left). If space allows, change directions if he acts up and try again. It would be great if you had people in the building that would help you to work this through |
| He needs soem corrections - look at it this way - do you stop at a redf light becasue the cops give you $5 each time you do - or because you know its not safe nto to?
However you decide to make him figure it out - he has to learn it isn't safe to challenge other dogs- nor is it neighborly and is likely to make some very unhappy neighbors in your building or at the very least casue a lot of stress to the other dogs. You need to become the safe place so that he defaults to being next to you when he feels threatened. It also can't be something that takes six months to solve - unless you want to look for a new place to live. FInd a good trainer who has real experience with these tyes of dog issues. And as I always say - no one method works with every dog so you need to find a trainer with a lot of tools and the ability to figure out which ones to use. Training needs to be fair, consistent and immediate with dogs to be useful. |
| Jaci, how do I teach "look at me"? I think that would be a veryyyy useful command because he literally looks down when I give him a command.
We are signing up for group classes for an "Urban Training" where your dog learns to behave in a city environment. I am hoping the things I learn there will translate well into the condo building. I think I just always feel like the dog should respect me and do what I ask without a treat, unfortunately I'm a pushover and the same size as my naughty dogs so it doesn't work that way  |
| the "look" command is one of my favourite commands.
The way I was taught was you start with a treat while they are in a "sit" position. You hold the treat in front of them, up close to your face and say look.. when they make eye contact you give them a treat...even if it a brief look.. quick look at you then treat.. give anyways.. after they have mastered the eye look.. you hold the treat out to the side and say look....of course they will focus on the treat that is being held out to the side.. but as soon as they make eye contact.. give treat. I use this command ALL the time with Murphy.. he is not the most friendly dog with other dogs so now when we are in the park and we are passing other dogs, (in the past he would turn into "demon" dog), I have the treat ready and when we are almost side to side with the other dog.. I say "look" as we go by... and he would get his treat. When ever I want his attention.. I say "look" and 9 x out of 10.. he does it. Oh.. and I used liver treat.. he lovessssssssssssssss liver...but now I very rarely have to use treats anymore. Jaci may use another method, but this is the one that work best for me. |
| very cool! i will start tonight |
| Heather do you think he is being territorial? Sounds like it as he is fine when you are out of the building with people and other dogs as there not on his home turf.
Do you think also he may have put a guard up around you? If so try hubby taking him out of the building using rewards and commands if he does not do that when in your partners controll. Has your partner tried this ? Sometimes they bond so strong with one individual in the family and sort of put up a protective guard around them, if this is the case then your partner needs to work with him and for him to be not so reliant on you as an individual. Takes others to be invovled and for rudie to learn to listen and obey from you both and not put emphasis on you only. If non of these then you really do need a trainer to help so rudie learns others live here too and all is OK. |
| He does it with my husband too, he just listens a bit better when Dave tells him no, plus Dave is better able to control him.
We had 2 friends and their 2 dogs over tonight. He barked at them until they each gave him a treat and then he was fine. He was initially fine with both dogs, but about two hours into the night he started growling at one of the dogs (who is extremely dog social and good mannered with dogs) when she would walk by. I think it was just him being a crab, and maybe also him being territorial. He also growled at her when she was playing with Marley, which I think was more out of annoyance than anything. I don't think he's a bad dog, I just think he doesn't know any better and has probably never had any kind of training in his life. I'm on the hunt for the best training class, I'll keep you updated with his progress. |
Lil Walty wrote: We had 2 friends and their 2 dogs over tonight. He barked at them until they each gave him a treat and then he was fine..
OK, so let me get this straight: he was obnoxious and they rewarded that with treats?  
I know, I know. I fall into the bribery trap too. Next time perhaps you can suggest they ignore his rude behavior (more proof that one should be careful what one names one's dogs, right Sybil? ) until he shuts up and THEN hand him a cookie - though I'd make him sit first too if it were me - thus rewarding the behavior you want.
Boot camp. Nothing in life is free. And though I'm a cookie trainer by nature, I'd still correct him for his glaringly rude transgressions. Even my nutcase foster dog who's just not wired quite right can take a fair correction. Dogs like knowing what's expected of them and exactly where the boundaries are. And, no, I don't mean beat'em with a stick. In Daphne's case it can mean "you misbehave, you're banished from the room, no ifs, ands or buts". Since she desperately wants to be near me, she rethinks things like thinking she can decide which one of my dogs can be near me and so on very, very quickly. Dogs do what works for them. If a behavior doesn't get them what they want, they'll typically abandon it very quickly. They're incredibly well adapted that way. Chances are all of his rudeness is long established behavior and as likely as not the reason he was dumped at the shelter in the first place. Since no one (probably) bothered to nip any of it in the bud, it's probably going to take a fair amount of time, patience and above all consistency on your part to snap him out of it. But since the other option is lifetime management which is a PITA, I have faith you'll whip the little hoodlum into shape.
Kristine |
| He did have to sit first and stop barking before he got his treat, can't say he got the association though haha. We are doing the "nothing in life is free" approach, we literally sat outside our front door for 5 minutes yesterday until he sat.
What would you all suggest as far as a 'correction' in the hallway when he is barking at other dogs or people? Right now we give him a little tug on the leash and our firmest "no". Dave does a little pinch on the butt (it works wonders for Marley), but he has that big old sheepie butt and I don't think he even notices. |
| Once the "look" command is perfected (LOL), you can use that. We have scooted by so many situation in the park using this command....
I know it's not funny...and it's a very serious situation.. but I just cannot stop laughing over the picture in my head of him sitting scratching his ear as you described the other day...."yeah yeah...sit this momma" |
Lil Walty wrote: What would you all suggest as far as a 'correction' in the hallway when he is barking at other dogs or people?
Here's the kicker: there is no one size fits all in dog training. (Yeah, OK, you knew that). It's relatively easy to give a description of how to teach something in a positive way (such as the "watch me" command). A lot dicier to dole out advice on how to correct a dog because what is a fair, tempered and effective correction to one dog, is darn near abuse to another, and may not even register with a third. That's where knowing your dog comes into the picture. Truly great trainers can read almost any dog like an open book and their understanding and timing is almost mystical. They're not locked into methods or philosophies so much as: what does this dog need? Most of us are lucky if we learn to read our own dogs. And a greater majority out there have neither the time, the patience nor the inclination to even bother trying. Dog training isn't easy. If it was, only a fraction of the dogs that currently end up in shelters and rescue would be there. OK, blah, blah, blah, what does that mean to you? Though you have to work on the issues in front of you to be able to peacefully coexist with neighbors and so on, the bottomline is there's something in your relationship with that dog that's not yet where it needs to be which is impeding that progress, so you need to work on that at the same time. If you think beyond the mechanical and start studying Rudie he'll tell you what is an appropriate and fair correction, if and when he needs one, and what it's going to take to make him feel secure in his surroundings and his trust in you as a benevolent, competent leader whose approval is worth working for. Says she who spent how long working to convince Sybil she was more interesting than dirt? Literally
With him what I'd probably try out first for size is anticipating and stepping into the space between him and whatever you know he wants to bark at, lean over him (often they'll sit when you do this...you can use your body language and manipulation of space to change his thinking and intent - and, why not? dogs do it to each other all the time) and growl NO like you mean it. And by that I mean deep & low and throaty: loud is not the point, his hearing's a lot keener than yours anyway. I find that except with a dog who has already crossed the threshhold into full fledged hysteria, an almost imperceptible, low, gravelly growl often takes me a lot further than volume ever could. Add to that absolute stillness, but coiled spring tension to your body and you've usual got their attention (OK, I'd never try this with a truly dominant dog and generally not with any dog I just met. Same old mantra: know your dog) What you're telling him is "I've got it covered. Not your job, boy-o! In the mean time you're hopefully working on the watch me command described, because it is one of those beautiful things that is incompatible with the behavior you don't want. And, it's also telling him - I'm in charge - I've got your back AND mine, so just chill out and enjoy being with me. Some of it's just learning by trial and error for both of you. There really is no cookie cutter solution in cases like this. You play with it and use what works, discard what doesn't. Much like dogs do when they're learning their boundaries. Kristine |
Quote: Jaci may use another method, but this is the one that work best for me.
I wrote this out before reading yours, Brenda. It's pretty much the same 
Look-at-me... I just take a treat between my middle finger and thumb, bring it up toward the outside corner of my eye and then tap my index finger to my thumb a couple of times to attract their attention. As the dog follows I say "look-at-me" and make a happy face. As the dog begins to catch on, I put my hands behind my back so the dog isn't looking at my hands for the treat. I say look at me and wait. The dog usually will look up at you... if not, you can say their name once or take a treat from behind your back and bring it up to your face. It doesn't need to be prolonged eye contact, a brief glance is good. And yup about not needing to use treats anymore. Oops... it's probably a given but as soon as the dog makes eye contact you give them the treat
I taught look-at-me to Bumble as a pup... if he's being naughty, he still automatically looks at me if I say it  Or if he's being a little stubborn about coming in. That and "stand"... the dude's gotten so he'll lie down in the tub but quickly stands when I ask him to. They're very good things to teach. |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|