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Help! Feel like I'm getting nowhere with training.

6 replies

mycatoscar · 29/01/2013 21:32

New puppy is now 16 weeks and gorgeous, she's a lab x collie and very boisterous when out or with new exciting people (exciting = anyone except me, dd and dh).

When out in quiet areas, she's a dream. Trots along next to me, fetches a ball, explores woods etc. comes back pretty well. She plays nicely with bigger dogs, but gets very distracted and won't come when called if she's run off playing with another dog. We use a dig walker a couple if days a week while I work and they say she plays nicely with other dogs, and say how gorgeous and sociable she is.

Indoors she's pretty good, will sit and down on command, we are working on stay, five and off with lots of success. She asks to go out to the garden and is very gentle with dd.

Walking on the lead is hit and miss, she still pulls a lot, enough to make herself sick the other day. We are consistent with stopping and refusing to walk when she pulls. A 10 minute walk can take forever. She just doesn't seem to be catching on to not pulling.

We go to training classes locally and she is twice the size of the others. She jumps on others and is generally Barky , jumpy and ridiculously excited to be there.

It's getting to the point that the other owners are starting to comment on her, and they are concerned for their puppy's safety. Hmm I'm beginning tk feel like a really crap dog owner Hmm

I feel like its one step forward, two steps back and everyone else thinks she's the hulk in disguise! Any tips on training her to be a calm, sociable dog? And any tips on the pulling on the lead would be fantastic, as walks simply are not fun for anyone unless she's off the lead.

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mycatoscar · 29/01/2013 21:32

Oops that ended up way longer than I thought! Smile

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fanoftheinvisibleman · 29/01/2013 21:38

No tips as my pup is 6 mnths and still insane when it comes to trying to garner the attention of other dogs and people.

We have clicker trained lots of commands and he responds fantastically as home but puppy class was hideous and I used to hear snickers going round the room when we were called. If it makes you feel any better a lab puppy actually climbed into a holdall to escape the over enthusiasm of my terrier who was a third of the size Blush.

I am hoping it is an age thing but wanted to say you are not alone.

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mycatoscar · 29/01/2013 21:43

Thank you Smile it's nice to know she isn't the only holy terror out there! After tonight's class where I was asked to put her back on her lead and sit away from the rest of the class, I'm really beginning to feel like a complete failure though Hmm

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fanoftheinvisibleman · 29/01/2013 21:51

Don't, 'time out' for rudeness (yes doggylonglegs I am looking at you and your fondness for sitting on other dogs heads...rude...just rude Blush) was standard at ours too. He spent at least half of his playtime in time out every week! The trainer did say it wasn't all bad as it is sign of his confident out going nature, we just need to work on manners.

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littlewhitebag · 30/01/2013 06:15

Don't worry too much. My lab pup is very enthusiastic in the company of other dogs and was mental at puppy class. We now go to junior obedience classes and at almost 9 months she has learned much better manners with other dogs. It just takes a bit of time.

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ballybee · 31/01/2013 16:16

I trained my dogs not to pull by just standing totally still, and not moving until the lead was loose again. If your pup isn't interested in the best treats(cheese, either solid or primula, ham, hot dogs, liver cake) then try buying an extra special toy thats only for walks. Recall is massively important so i would suggest keeping her on a flexi or longline until she gets the message, a harness would be needed with these for safety too.

Try lead walking her in the garden first, then move to quiet areas and build upto busy spots, if she pulls then you can do the standing still trick, if you've built this up properly she'll click quickly.

You need to be SOOO interesting, whether it's because you have lovely food or a great toy but you need to build up your bond. Try using the food she gets for meals as training treats and make her work for them, both collies and labs needs mental stimulation too, you can try doing things like scattering her food in the garden or using a kong or food dispensing toys to use her brain as well. Brain games(training) are an excellent way to build up a bond, and again you can move this to outside and this should help her focus on you when running about, i can call both my dogs away while they're playing if i need too(not that it happens often).

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