|
|
Hello!
Dec 28, 2013 20:16:23 GMT
Post by migsy on Dec 28, 2013 20:16:23 GMT
Hi Katherine,welcome to the forum,Lucas is beautiful.You seem to be coming on in leaps and bounds so congratulations.My dog is Skip,an 11 yr old Border collie x Sheltie,adopted from the local r.s.p.c.a. at just under a year old.We are his third and final home.We were lucky,as we didn't have any issues with him at all.
We were members of the local all breeds dog training club(which we enjoyed belonging with our other dogs).A VERY important lesson we were taught from the beginning,was hands are for training only,e.g. hand signals.As a test,after obedience training,we had to do training lessons without using our voices,just hand signals.Hands must never ever be used for chastising a dog,it will only make them nervous,and an innocent child flapping hands near a dog could then be interpreted by the dog as the child going to hit it,then disaster.Be calm and clear with your commands,don't nag or keep repeating them all the time,and everyone must use the same commands,or the dog will be confused.Try to be calm and kind at all times,but firm.A superb but cheap dog training book which is very well illustrated is the Collins need to know?Dog Training book.
It's £9.99 in Smiths,but I bought a copy for my grand daughter for £2 from Amazon.Good luck.
|
|
|
|
Hello!
Dec 28, 2013 20:37:13 GMT
Post by katherine on Dec 28, 2013 20:37:13 GMT
Yes he used to growl at people outside on walks before. It's a case of trial and error. When we find what works we will all be settled. I'm trying to get my partner to trust him more like I try my best to do and not be so worried all the time as dogs can pick up on human emotion and if he thinks we are worried all the time then it might affect him. :-) Ah. Then yes, if he's now not bothering something must have gone right for him to think that they're not bad now. I'd say go with lots of praise when he ignores a person outside and maybe the odd treat or two, just to show him that's what you want. Why is it that your partner doesn't trust him? I think at first it was down to the fact he wasn't used to having a dog and the fact Lucas' behavior was so temperamental, we couldn't leave him form two minutes, but that is to be expected at times obviously because he's a puppy. But my partner is getting better after me telling him to try and not get so worried about him or frustrated. In saying that, Lucas pushed all the wrong buttons with me when we were out before and I just had to bring him back home. Its so weird. On some walks hes perfect and on others hes the naughtiest handful, but that seems to be more at night time when its dark and others pass by, even with several tugs on the leash and encouraging tone of voice he can be really difficult. Thank you so much for your welcome and advice migsy. Sometimes I point when I tell him NO and then he will lick me. I do this when he does not stop doing what i have already asked him not to do. In terms of hand signals on walks, if I point him in a certain direction and use a nice tone of voice and encouragement he goes exactly the way we need to go... That's when hes being good of course. |
|
|
|
Post by migsy on Dec 28, 2013 20:50:06 GMT
You will be fine Katherine.Use short sharp commands like sit,and off,and longer lower ones for down(to lie down)and wait.You will get there,we all did,and it's very rewarding when you notice things start to click with Lucas,which they will,it just takes patience.Most of all,have fun,and don't be scared of making a fool of your self,just enjoy it.
|
|
|
|
Post by katherine on Dec 28, 2013 20:58:12 GMT
:-) I suppose its like being a parent and raising your child, you just want to do whats best and try not to go wrong, but its as much a learning process for us as it is for him.
|
|
|
|
Hello!
Dec 28, 2013 22:19:00 GMT
Post by cazypops on Dec 28, 2013 22:19:00 GMT
:-) I suppose its like being a parent and raising your child, you just want to do whats best and try not to go wrong, but its as much a learning process for us as it is for him. That's exactly what it's like.  When we got Jasper we would take him in the park and let him have off lead walks, but he kept wanting to follow all the other dog. That was fine if they were going in the same direction, so you can imagine how frustrating it was when he'd turn tail and go after a dog that was passing us, he'd have to go back on lead then. He was 12 months old before he got that he had to stay with us when called but one day it just clicked, and now he has a fantastic recall.  As migsy say just have fun with him, Oh! and learn how to take a deep breath too, lol. |
|
|
|
Hello!
Dec 28, 2013 22:35:51 GMT
Post by orpheous87 on Dec 28, 2013 22:35:51 GMT
I think at first it was down to the fact he wasn't used to having a dog and the fact Lucas' behavior was so temperamental, we couldn't leave him form two minutes, but that is to be expected at times obviously because he's a puppy. But my partner is getting better after me telling him to try and not get so worried about him or frustrated. In saying that, Lucas pushed all the wrong buttons with me when we were out before and I just had to bring him back home. Its so weird. On some walks hes perfect and on others hes the naughtiest handful, but that seems to be more at night time when its dark and others pass by, even with several tugs on the leash and encouraging tone of voice he can be really difficult. Thank you so much for your welcome and advice migsy. Sometimes I point when I tell him NO and then he will lick me. I do this when he does not stop doing what i have already asked him not to do. In terms of hand signals on walks, if I point him in a certain direction and use a nice tone of voice and encouragement he goes exactly the way we need to go... That's when hes being good of course. That's understandable. We got Pepper as a 10 week old puppy after our 16.5 year old collie cross was PTS. Now, having been used to a well behaved, trained (sort of) dog, a puppy was a big shock because we'd all forgotten what it was like. Obviously we expected the house training accidents etc., but everything else was as though it was new. On walks she loved to run away from us when it was time for home. We got so frustrated with her. But that all stopped once she'd had her first season. Obviously that won't be the same for Lucas, but it will happen eventually. Like you say, you just need to take things as they come and then deal with them. Is there any way you can avoid walking him at night, other than a last, quick walk before bed? |
|
|
|
Hello!
Dec 29, 2013 11:04:51 GMT
Post by katherine on Dec 29, 2013 11:04:51 GMT
In answer to your question, he usually has a walk between 5 and 7 o clock which at this time of year its dark, and then a quick walk round the block for if he needs the toilet before bed. I have just got back from walking him now and he has been quite restless, the most hes been during a morning/day time walk. Hes just discovered birds  |
|
|
|
Post by Jademoo on Dec 29, 2013 16:14:54 GMT
Welcome to the forum Katherine . |
|
|
|
Post by orpheous87 on Dec 29, 2013 16:33:28 GMT
That thought did occur to me after I'd posted katherine! I understand that. I usually walk my two at around 4.30 and it's dark then too, so hard to avoid at this time of year! In that case, I'd use the opportunity to do some training and start praising/giving treats when he's doing what you want him to. Do it both at night and during the day too, because then he'll get the idea that you don't just want him to do it at night time, but ALL the time. I take it you don't let him off the lead yet? Do you use a fixed length lead or have you got a flexi lead? |
|
|
|
Hello!
Dec 29, 2013 17:14:02 GMT
Post by katherine on Dec 29, 2013 17:14:02 GMT
Welcome to the forum Katherine . Thanks Jademoo! Actually orpheous, we have both types of leads but tend to walk him at the moment with the non flexible one. Get this though... such a confusing dog! ... the other night on his walk before bed, Liam and I tried him off his lead. It was extremely quiet, late and we were on a field near a residential area. He was good as gold and although he wasn't off for long we just tested to see if he would listen. He was doing as he was told but I also wonder whether that's to do with the fact Liam is a man so his voice is a lot deeper and commands sound a lot more well... commanding than mine ha ha. I don't know. Bahhhh! x |
|
|
|
Post by orpheous87 on Dec 29, 2013 17:31:03 GMT
Haha, well it's a good sign at least that he was listening. He'll probably do as he's told at first, then go through a rebellious phase when he's a little bit older. I know Pepper certainly did that.
I was just thinking if he seems restless, it might be an idea to put him on a flexi lead (away from roads of course) to let him have a bit of controlled freedom. He might tire himself out a bit more that way.
|
|
|
|
Post by caz2golden on Dec 29, 2013 18:18:48 GMT
Though I have come to the party late, just wanted to say welcome:) Good luck with getting on top of your training issues, looks like you have had some great advice from other members already. Lucas looks gorgeous I am owned by two mutts, who are my furry babies (but treated as dogs) |
|
|
|
Post by katherine on Dec 29, 2013 18:23:49 GMT
Thanks a lot for your welcome, Its amazing how at home I feel already from all you lovely people.
I don't know if I could cope with two! You must be very patient ;-)
|
|
|
|
Hello!
Dec 30, 2013 11:26:44 GMT
Post by SarahHound on Dec 30, 2013 11:26:44 GMT
Glad you've had lots of help already katherine and you feel it is helping. Perhaps this time next year you'll be looking back at this thread and thinking what a distance Lucas has come I adopted a 2 year old Greyhound a few years ago who had been locked in a shed for those 2 years, never experienced anything normal pet dogs do. Oh she was horrific at first! So many things scared her, and she chewed everything in sight. There were a few threads on the forum I used at the time saying I was going to have to give her back to the rescue centre because I couldn't cope with her. Well, its funny now, I can look back on those threads now and smile, because she turned into the most wonderful dog I have ever had. Sadly she had an accident 2 years ago, aged 4, but she really was something very special. So even though as times you may feel exhausted with Lucas, it will pass Make sure you take a bit of time away from him as well if you can, even an hour away from him can make you feel so much better! |
|
|
|
Post by scallywag on Dec 30, 2013 11:39:08 GMT
Hi katherine bit late but welcome to the forum, I am mum to a nutty Springer called Beau. |
|
