Help, if you feel like your dog just doesn't 'get it'

[Muzzlenuzzles]

C&C -- I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciated your comments to Anna about the challenges of walking an energetic, excitable dog. I have one of those, too, and our walks are pretty frustrating on days when she's distracted by every blowing leaf. I always enjoy the positivity of your posts and I'm going to try to remember to stop and enjoy a little cuddle with Bella the next time we have one of those walks.

[AnnaCS]

Muzzlenuzzles, I agree. The posts here are SO helpful and it is nice to know that a) my dog isn't the only one who does these things and b) there are sound ways to deal with it and c) there is a ton of support for us. I hope your walks get easier too.

[JesseGirl]

Hi All,

Things have been going really well with Rollie. I'm so happy we followed the advice of so many and skipped puppy pads b/c his housebreaking is going really great. Of course we're in and out a lot, but it seems worth it. We can go days without any "in-house events." (I think we're close to a week now). But we remain ever-vigilant.

I do have a couple basic training questions. We're doing really well. He's pretty consistent with "sit." In fact, as soon as he sees me get out the treat belt, he comes on over and sits right down. It is easy to get his attention to start, but I'm finding it hard to keep it. After just a handful of trials (sometimes just 2-3) he seems highly distracted. He is 14-weeks old tomorrow and I know that his attention will grow with age, but I was wondering if anyone has tips for how to deal with this. So far, I've been leaving off the training once he loses interest. Is this right? Is there a way to hold his attention or re-capture it? I have been using his kibble and little pieces of dog treats that he likes, but maybe I need a higher value reinforcer . . . A friend used "pupperoni" treats and actually just had the dog lick the treat - she said that was enough b/c they're so tasty (to dogs that is - for me just the smell = gag).

Also, I'm just wondering how much I should be trying. He's pretty good with "sit," and we started recall immediately b/c it was a game he liked from day one. He's also starting to learn "stay" and "leave-it." Should I wait until he's solid on one command before starting a new one? I've been focusing on one per session, but I didn't know if I should be mixing it up - that is, doing multiple commands per session (and/or switching from one to another across sessions). It seems like with his young age and limited attention, it may be too hard to try to work on multiple commands in one session. Is it too taxing to teach multiple commands at the same time but in different sessions (I hoped it would help keep his interest).

I guess I'm looking for guidance on the actual pacing of training and moving from one thing to the next.

As always, we appreciate everyone's comments & perspectives!

[Nileska]

Hey Jesse,Rollie is just a baby so lets not expect too much from him yet...Most training clubs put puppies that age in the play and sociaisation class and do not attempt formal training until 6mo which is standard....That is not to say it cannot be done earlier [depends on the breed and the individual dog]...My XOH brought home a Siberian puppy at 6 weeks and began training immediately,she had previously trained a 6mo old Husky and it took a while but he eventually finished his CD title in the US and Canada.....Since a puppy cannot compete untl 6mo the object was to be the youngest Siberian to finish a CD in history....Alyeska finished at 6mo & 2 weeks,a record which I believe still stands...Alyeska added a CDX and a UD to her resume in short order then retired for motherhood.

Richard

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Richard, I keep reiterating the same message regarding Rollie. He's a baby, with the attention span of a gnat! While he may learn simple things, like sit especially with a treat involved, he simply is incapable of wrapping his head around any prolonged training.

Like an infant, he is learning to walk and talk. He is also learning vocabulary, and despite knowing a particular word (or command) on a certain day, he may well forget it the next.

Personally, the training on which I would focus at this age is house training. It is SO important, especially with toy breeds as their owners seem to think they'll figure it out eventually. If one works on that diligently, it lays the foundation for better communication between dog and human. By the time they are six months of age, one is no longer (hopefully) working on the housetraining issue constantly, but is ever vigilent.

With a dog that is considered to be a pet, while training is necessary, it need not rise to the level of competition training particularly with Rollie's breed type. I would go so far as to suggest that Rollie's parent's would do well to have a small dog that does not have accidents in the house, ever, and comes when it is called...for starters! Spend the first year honing that skill and the rest will fall into place.

[Nileska]

Deb,Right on,thanks...Remember,repetition is your best training tool .....Now then,Jesse,I realized that I had not answered all of your questions....First find a good training club,ask around and visit before you sign up.

..Training is usually done by an add on method in classes.Each week you will be taught one thing which [hopefully] you will practice every day.Each following week a new exercise will be added and you will practice all you have learned up to that point...The order of training is up to the instructor.

At the end of the course the club often has a students match which covers everything you have learned...The match is judged by one of the instructors and ribbons are awarded...If you are not satisfied with the results many clubs will let you repeat the course without additional cost providing the have space [most classes are limited to a set number of dogs]

Richard

[J-Bean]

I've been reading through this post, and a lot of other threads and can see that a lot of owners should read more. If your dog doesn't seem to 'get it' then double check that you've 'got it' or wait for them to grow up a bit so they have the capacity to 'get it'.

One particular statement opened my eyes...

These highly motivated dogs can be some of the hardest dogs to walk as everything is so overpowering and exciting to them. They are also the ones that naturally walk more quickly. When these dogs are young they may never really heel that well (for long periods) and will probably always pull on the lead when they see something exciting. So, while your lead training with one of these pups will work a lot of the time there will always be moments where everything will fall apart.

I've made a few realisations over the last couple of weeks. Puppy is so confident that I often forget that he's still so young and that I'm leaping forward too far, like teaching physics to a toddler. He's like one of those teenagers that in their growth spurts end up 6ft tall at 13 years old. Looks like an adult but acts like a child. Also my springer spaniel is... well... a springer spaniel. He's supposed to be energetic and interested in everything and distractable, but at the same time he's loyal and intelligent.

I've also realised that I don't want an absolutely perfect dog. I want the one I've got and if he's only 98% perfect well then so be it!

[Lana'sMommy]

I'll let you in on a little secret....when you are out on a walk or training and Abby is just driving you crazy, you are feeling upset because she is just not behaving the way you would like, pulling or just not getting commands like she did yesterday. Grab abby's lead, turn around and walk ten steps. Ask her to sit (use a hand lure if need be) then sit down on the grass with her and give her a cuddle. Let her lick your face, tickle her tummy and remember why you wanted her in the first place. I promise all your frustration will go out the window and you can try again later or tomorrow if you don't think today is working for you both. Life with your dog shouldn't be so serious.

I just wanted to say that I absolutely LOVE this advice. I'm pretty new to the forum and still working my way through the threads, and I just came across this today and it really spoke to me. I tend to have a short temper sometimes and Lana is teaching me everyday not to be so serious all the time. I can't even count how many times in the 4 weeks that we've had her that I've started getting frustrated at something and then she does something only a goofy puppy would do and all I can do is laugh and give her kisses. I'm going to always remind myself of the above message from C&C and if I find myself getting frustrated, just steal some cuddles and kisses. Thank you all so much! I love coming on here and finding out I'm not alone, or getting tips and advice. It's such a great resource to have.

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

The previous two posts are why we all come here and share our knowledge, and lessons learned.

As anyone can plainly see, it is more than just training a dog to sit or go to the bathroom outside. These are life lessons, and most of them work on children too!

[Nileska]

Don't know Deb,never could get my human kids to " heel"let alone fetch