the best place to be….

[ulster exile]

If he wants something he’ll come and lay his head on my lap, or paw me – he’s got very good control of his paws if you know what I mean?  Sometimes he’ll sit (we taught him to sit to tell us he needed a wee and he sits for everything he wants now).

We’re doing a late walk tonight so currently he’s laying down watching me and waiting for the signs that we’re off out 😀

[kizkiznobite]

what about when you out? at criteria 5?

[ulster exile]

Nothing we do is at criteria 5!  Although we have had these two for 6 years or so we’ve never really tried hard to train them consistently, so this is our first real attempt.

Outside is a bit of a battle – we’ve got them walking on the lead without too much pulling, but when they go somewhere new, we lose their interest.

[kizkiznobite]

are you using food rewards?

[ulster exile]

Outside he is difficult and will ignore them (sausages and meat treats) and me.  If I sat in front of him, he’d probably try and look through me – it’s actually quite depressing.

[kizkiznobite]

ok then take the training back to criteria 1 – use the lowest value treats like cheese then take it up through the criterias increasing the treat value as you go ending with liver cake – dont move up until fluent

also what do you do when he communicates in the way you have said – do you always acknowledge? – what does he do when you arrive home? who is the dog pack manager of the 2 dogs?

[ulster exile]

Ok, back to criteria 1 it is.

As for his communication, it depends on what it is he’s doing tbh.  We were told that we shouldn’t give the dog fuss on his demand, so if he plants his head on my lap for some fuss, I ignore him til he goes away then I wait and call him to me.  Similarly when I come in at night I usually ignore the dogs for a bit until they are chilled out.  When he sits for out, I ignore him as if he had his way, he’d be running in and out of the house to have a bark at the cats/neighbours every five minutes.  He gets out back when we get in, then obviously we have our walk and he is out once before he goes to bed.  Is all of this right?  ???

As for the dog pack manager – well I really messed up there ::) the hubby’s dog came first in the household and was dominant, but I couldn’t bear my dog to be second, so I enforced “equality”.  However, the hubby’s dog displays dominant behaviour most so I assume that he still regards himself as No1 (unless there’s a bone involved which is the only thing my dog will stand up to him for).

Sorry for the long post!

[kizkiznobite]

ok – you need to look at your pack i think because i am getting the feeling you are not ‘hearing’ them right and if you are not re-enforcing the pack manager there is going to be shutting down on you – i dont use words like dominant and submissive as they are not measurable – what behaviours does hubby’s dog ( what are the dog’s names save me looking back in old posts?) exhibit that you interpret as ‘dominant’

as for the ignoring – mmm – a good manager is a flexible manager – i call it sometimes we do and sometimes we dont  🙂 so sometmes we come in and go nuts greeting them – sometimes we come in and say hi and sometimes we come in and ignore and apply this to all situations – it keeps them on their paws – they look to cue – and start to read your body language – when they understand that you got it made because they will self cue as the ‘read’ you and you will be the instigator of their responses to you

with me?

[ulster exile]

Sorry, the hubby’s dog is Sam, a Jack russell.  My dog is Jake, a bitsa maybe lurcher/lab.

Behaviour – Sam will guard his food from Jake and will growl at him.  If Sam has been invited on the sofa, he will growl at Jake if he comes too close.  Same if Sam is playing with a toy.  Sometimes Sam will stare at Jake and intimidate him off his food, because Jake then moves away.  The only exception to this is when Jake has a bone – for some reason they’re worth standing up to Sam for ::)  Sam is always the one who’s trying to lead the walk – he sits by the door and always tries to go out first.  Jake really doesn’t appear to be bothered with all of that, and he’s the one who is least responsive when outside.

I’ll bear in mind what you say about the ignoring thing, cheers.

[kerrie and stan]

ok i have read this topic and have a few questions ;D

stan will follow me everywere (including the bathroom) untill we get to places like the beach, park, field ect then he will go off on his own, he does look back to me but not as often as he probly should and i will fully accept that it is my fault for ignoring his looks. so when he follows me around my place is he checking on me? should i alow this behavour? also how do i get him to keep checking back with me?

[kizkiznobite]

now read general levels of criteria to see why this happens

you need to re-enforce the looking to cue….when he looks he is asking is this ok..can i carry on doing this?  mine have to check back in every 3 – 5 self chosen behaviours when off cue depending where we are and what we doing ….when they do it i  respond back …on you go or go play or a fluent cue….never do silent walks …i talk to them all the time….acknowledge the look…re-enforce it by chucking a treat at him …it hard to get back when it been lost…also teach him location distances around your feet but at a set distance….stay by wait up etc 3ft 6ft etc,…this is for off leash but under cue stuff….also the nudge….walking behind you but touching you with nose every so many feet…all this is best place to be stuff….

there are some posts on here re all this…have a search

[kerrie and stan]

right will go for a hunt ;D

[kerrie and stan]

i have found:
STOP!!!!
leave it
looking for cues

still looking about the forum but if anyone sees any please shout ;D
will be reading all of these later ;D

[Author]

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