Question:
My 9 month old dog stopped listening to me. I've tried nearly everything. Any suggestions?
M.L.E.
2009-01-17 11:27:59 UTC
Please don't respond just to be negative. I've done the whole treat thing. Tried that awful bark collar with the shock. She feels it, but SO doesn't care and just keeps running. This is when we're outside. Inside she's an angel. I've tried leash training and she's great on it, nearly flawless. But as soon as she is off the leash she goes wild. I also can't keep her from jumping on people. I CAN NOT afford a trainer. I live in Vail, CO and they charge unbelievable prices! I've read abt becoming the "pack leader" but so far no luck. She is a mixed breed. She has Great Pyrenees, German Shepherd and something else. Guesses have been: Golden Retriever, Coyote. She was found with 8 brothers and sisters in a field and was rescued at abt 3 months of age. I got her when she was 4.5 months. Any helpful tips?
Nine answers:
2009-01-17 11:40:17 UTC
Hi there! I am sorry to hear you're having so much trouble... And yes, I understand what is like to not be able to afford a trainer. Neither can I. I looked for several sources of information and I found that the Dog Whisperer is not a good way to go. The whole "being the pack leader" idea is just garbage, both scientifically and practically, unless you have a killer dog in your hands. Anyway, I read several books that helped me with my wild rescued dog. I read "The Dog's Mind" by Bruce Fogle, "How Dogs Think: Understanding the Canine Mind" by Stanley Coren, and even the first book by Cesar Millan (big waste of time). The best practical training advice was in "The Culture Clash" written by Jean Donaldson. I highly recommend this book. It has advice on leash training, coming when called, basic commands and all sorts of useful things to teach your dog, laid out in step by step instructions.



More immediately, I would say lose the bark collar, it is actually harmful to your training efforts. Also, she probably needs double the amount of exercise she's getting right now. Is there a place for her to run off leash and/or play with other dogs? After I started taking my dog to the dog park and letting him run and play wildly with the dogs, he becomes an angel on the leash. And also, forget everything you learned from television. The good advice on the Dog Whisperer is to increase the amount of exercise dogs get, but please, don't put her on a treadmill. The risk of injury is just too great.



Good luck to you and your dog. Get the books and you will realize everything you have been doing wrong and how to make it right. If you need something quick, I would just to straight to "The Culture Clash." It is the best, most practical advice available to dog owners out there.
Nedra E
2009-01-17 16:17:39 UTC
You say you've done "the whole treat thing" but I really have no idea what you've done, in spite of your assumption that we all understand what you've done.



From what I read, all you've done is confuse the poor dog. doing the "treat thing" doesn't mean you did it right.



Doing the "treat thing" is negated by your use of the bark collar that shocks her. She's SUPPOSED to bark, so why are you punishing her for doing her job? Her job is to do pre-emptive barking to ward off intruders and predators.



You are combining attempts at positive training with negative training and that is causing you to fail.



I don't know what you read about being pack leader, but if you were doing what it tells you, with an air of confidence and an attitude that "failure is not an option", then you'd have succeeded. So go to the websites below on being pack leader and read and LEARN how to be one.



I'll give you links to websites that explain dog behavior.



As to jumping, she's a puppy, and it's necessary to train her NOW! You can either turn away from her, cross your arms and look UP, or you can step forward into her space which makes jumping up on you much more difficult for her.



Your homework is:

google great pyrenees breed traits

google german shepherd breed traits

google golden retriever breed traits.



Join the yahoo group below to ask more questions.

Read up on those breeds and learn what breed traits she MIGHT have. You never know what blend of traits she'll have.



REMEMBER:



Pyrs are intelligent guardians. They were bred to make independent decisions, which makes training more challenging as you give a command and the pyr thinks about it and has to decide if it's the right thing to do as you command.



GSD's are a herding breed and bred to work with a handler. This makes them easier to train.



Pyrs respond well to positive training, and you can screw up training royally if you get upset when the dog doesn't obey commands.



AND

all large breed dogs need enough exercise to be well behaved. If you're not exercising her enough, then that could well be a good part of your problems. -!-
Patient Paws
2009-01-17 11:36:55 UTC
Your dog is going through the rebellious stage (imagine a teenager in your dogs body). Its a stage that you HAVE to overcome, or this will continue for the rest of her life



The bark collar isn't to stop her from running. You need a remote training collar. A dog that ignores the shock, vibrations and sounds is a dog that needs a more powerful collar.



NEVER trust this animal off lead. Ever. Unless she's in a fenced in area, she should be on a leash the entire time.



Start this riot dog on the NOTHING IN LIFE IS FREE plan http://www.dogo.org/Education/NILF.htm and follow it to an EXACT.



To stop her from jumping on people, get an anti-jump harness and have her wear it when you're in public. The first time she goes to jump she'll be in for the shock of her lifetime- and she will NEVER do it again.

http://www.gundogsonline.com/dog-collars/nylon-dog-collars/anti-jump-restraint-harness.html



When she encounters people, put her in a sit and HOLD HER THERE. Do NOT allow this dog to move under any circumstances.
Nisa R
2009-01-19 08:07:13 UTC
Hi:

I'm responding to your question regarding tasks. The tasks I give my pyr are in the form of treat holders that she has to interact with in order to get the treats inside. She is especially fond of buster cubes and rubber kong holders. Instead of swallowing her treat in a nanosecond, she has the work to get the reward and this can keep her busy and focused for a good hour. The other task I give her is practice session. We'll work for 30 minutes with plenty of praise when she follows commands and this is followed by a play session.

Hope this helps

Nisa
Noel W
2009-01-18 07:33:13 UTC
Hmm, How many times a day does she get a good walk? And do they have dog parks around where you live? I only ask because I have a few ideas of what it might be but I want to see If I can narrow it down.
?
2017-02-18 13:24:49 UTC
1
2017-02-15 19:39:29 UTC
Many people love the idea of owning a dog but one thing that they have to keep in mind often times, is that the dog needs to be trained. Learn here http://OnlineDogTraining.enle.info/?3930



While the pet may look heart-breakingly cute when it's in a shelter or at the pound, picking out the dog is only the first part of the relationship between dog owner and the animal. Many people don't understand that they have to put time and effort into socializing the dog.



An unsocialized dog will intimidate others, tear up the home, and will create an environment that can become so bad that the it will have to be returned. Many times when dogs have to be returned to shelters or to other resources, it will end up euthanized, which is very heartbreaking. All of this can be spared if a person learns the various techniques in order to socialize the dog.



One thing that they have to understand is that the he wants to be told what to do. It's in the canine nature to follow a leader. The dog will be more than willing to obey the leadership of its master. Here's a look at some common techniques that are used in dog training:



"Dog Whispering"



This is a technique that has been around for a while, but gained national notoriety over the last 10 years. Some people might hear this term and wonder how in the world whispering to a dog can train it! Whispering isn't meant to be taken literally in this case. As trainers have shown, whispering is a term that refers to connecting with a being or an entity on a very deep and almost spiritual level. When it comes to dog training techniques, dog whispering involves careful observation of the dog's behavior and actions.



It literally entails getting inside the mind and the behavior system of the canine. When a person uses dog whispering techniques, they interact with the dog on the canine level. Again, one the most common mistakes that people make is treating the dog like a small human being.



"Reward Training"



Reward training is very simple and it's one of the older tricks that works. This is a simple method of training the dog by positive reinforcement. Once he does what it is told to do, it receives a treat. How this works is that the dog owner must entice the dog towards the treat. Once the canine develops awareness for the treat, it develops a strong desire for it. When the desire for it is extremely strong, the dog owner pulls back. Then the dog receives a command and when the dog obeys the command, it receives the treat. The object is to make the dog associate a treat with the command.



"Clicker Training"



Other dog training techniques include one that is similar to reward training, which is called clicker training. How this works is that the clicker is incorporated to get the dog's attention. The clicker is clicked as a form of communication with the dog. It learns that there is a command or reward associated in conjunction with the clicker. Many people claim that this is fun, and they actually make a game with the dog by using the clicker for their dog training tasks.



"Ultrasonic Whistle"



Last, a relatively new form of dog training technique is called the ultrasonic whistle. This works because the ultrasonic sound is only heard by the dog. When the owner is trying to communicate a command, or stop the dog from barking, they will blow on their whistle when they want to communicate a command to the dog. The benefit of this is that the humans can't hear this noise, but the dog can hear it, and they will learn to associate the sound with a command.



Dog training techniques aren't hard to incorporate, but they are something that absolutely must be incorporated from the time a dog owner brings their new dog home. No matter how old or how young the dog is, they will need training. Once they are trained properly, they will be a wonderful addition to one's family.
2009-01-17 11:44:27 UTC
most dogs listen when they see food or treats but if that really doesnt works than try letting her off her leash in a small closed in area and just call to her until she calms down and comes to you, than reward her big time
bob ©
2009-01-17 11:33:12 UTC
keep her on a leash. try a gentle leader head collar or a no jump harness.



is she spayed?


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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