NW_MONTANA_BC Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I am not sure how to ask this but someone else must have had some of the same feeling as I have been experiencing. I love everything about Hershey as she was my first and has been with me for 6 years. Taffy is a little sweet heart that I love her more and more each day. I have only had her for 3 or 4 months but like Hershey have truly touched my heart. I find myself all ways doing everything with them. Then there is Cody. Cody is a very clingy dog and just loves attention. I find myself kind of put off by his personality. He is just different than the other 2. He doesn’t like to play ball, or Frisbee. I have to watch him closely. He is just a pain in the butt. Has anyone ever had a dog that they just didn't like? I feel bad saying this but Cody just does not fit in. Any advice from everyone would be helpful or has anyone else experienced this problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agilityrunningdogs Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 When I first began my search for another dog, I did my homework, my careful research and adopted a puppy from a reputable breeder who is also a trusted friend. I really put alot into this puppy, training her, caring for her, making several late-night Petsmart trips (oh yeah, puppies should have piddle pads!). And yet, at the end of four weeks, I felt like I hadn't bonded to her like I had my previous dogs. As much as I tried, I potty-trained her, played with her, taught her sit and come, I took her work with me everyday, I just couldn't make myself fall in love with her. I was so twisted with guilt, that I was torn at what to do. I thought that maybe the puppy would grow on me - but what if she didn't? I never treated her any different and I liked her well enough, but there was just that feeling that was missing. So, I took her back and honestly, I'm glad. She went to a great family who really loves her and kids to throw balls with her and after waiting a few more months I got my lovely Mal who is just perfect. I was lucky in that she was a puppy and the breeder was my friend - who holds no ill will with me - honestly I don't know what to do in your situation, just sharing my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 There has only been one dog I owned that I just could not get along with. I tried everything, even leaving my other dogs with my family for 3 months so I could focus on bonding with her. I finally gave up when she was 3 years old. I felt that keeping her was unfair because she knew I didn't like her as well as my other dogs. I gave the female BC 3 years before selling her because I had another dog who I didn't really bond with until he was 2 yrs old. He was a hard puppy to raise (trouble maker, loud mouth) and not exactly affectionate. Then one day he showed me what he was really made of while working. His honesty, heart and dedication blew me away. With that dog respect grew into love. I realized that he did love me, but that he wasn't a touchy feely kind of dog and a quick pat on the head was all he wanted. There has only been one dog who I could say I fell in love with the day I got him. Even with him it took many years for our relationship to mature into a really deep bond. After his death I distanced myself and found it hard to love the 2 pups who entered my life soon after. They are nearly 3 years old and I just admitted to myself this past winter that we had a deep bond. BTW, when parents say they love all their kids equally I don't believe them. I love all my dogs, but I love each one differently and for different reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theshine Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 Yes....my previous dog that is with my ex-husband now. I got him from a shelter after looking and looking at dogs...there was nothing wrong with him, he was a couple years old, housetrained, good with the kids. I like him as much as I like any dog, but he really got/gets on my nerves. He's very whiney, nervous, hyper and in your face, and on top of you the minute you sit down. Sweet dog, not my type of dog. He's 10 years old now, and had I not gotten divorced he'd still be my dog...I could never find a good enough reason to rehome him and my ex likes him fine. When we got divorced, he kept the dog, I took the cat. There was also a stray I found a couple years ago...I think she was dumped, never found an owner and decided to try to keep her. After about 3 months she just wasn't fitting in. I can't describe it and it sounds bad, but she just wasn't what I had in mind for my pack, again, just not my type of dog, very terrier like, scrappy personality...plus she was fearful of my husband and it really bothered him. I rehomed her and she is fine in her current home....at the time I felt really bad about it, I was on a "pets are for life" kick and even though she was a stray I found and not a dog I sought out and picked out, I felt like I made a commitment and was breaking it, but in the end it was obvious that there was a better home out there for her, she was young and cute and I had several people who wanted her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1sheepdoggal Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I have had a few dogs over the years that I didnt care to have around for many different reasons. fact is, if you try, and the outcome is the same, then its best to rehome the dog. Thats what I have done and it worked out best for both myself and the dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herdcentral Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 How long have you had Cody for? I adopted my first BC at 5 months old. I just couldnt seem to bond with her like with my two ACDS. She didnt seem to fit my personality and even my 2 ACDS prefer to play with each other rather than her even though she is the middle dog in age. I found her irritating and difficult to work with. I wasnt having fun with her the same way I do with my other 2 dogs. She seemed happier to run and say hello to complete strangers rather than me. This is the first dog that I ever owned that I felt was a complete stranger to me. However! I persevered and tried to figure out what made her tick and spent lots of time working one on one with her. She is now just over 2 years old and we are really starting to bond. She has suddenly become more confident and sees me as her person and is quite joyful to see me and will actually push the ACDS out the way to greet me. Needless to say I wouldnt swop her for anything these days. She often comes and pushes her nose under my hand and is now mad keen to chase balls with me. It has taken time and often been frustrating but things are continuing to get better and better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbc1963 Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 When I first brought home my rescue dog, I brought him to work to show people. Someone remarked, "Do you just love him to death?" And I thought, "Well, no. I hardly know this dog - never mind love him." The notion of "falling in love" with a complete stranger-dog seemed totally foreign to me. Lucky for me, I did get to love him within a few months. I do understand the idea of just not getting along with a dog. I like most dogs and can find them very easy to love, but once in a while, there's a dog who just seems really pushy (and usually stinky, too!), and I just want to scream, "Get AWAY from me, you whiny, clingy thing!" I'm an introvert who needs a lot of space, and I guess that rolls over into dogs, too: I don't want to have to sit with them 24/7. Remember, there's probably someone else who will completely love Cody - so you're not a bad person for feeling this way. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 About a year after we got Sammie, we decided that we wanted a second dog. We went back to the SPCA where we got him, naively thinking that the same thing would happen as when we adopted Sammie - that we would pick a dog on impulse and fall in love and all would be great. We really didn't take to any of the dogs there, but one of the volunteers really pressed us to consider this little terrier mix type dog. Thinking that my husband wanted a dog like that (I'm not sure why I thought that because it turned out he didn't), I agreed and we adopted him. Neither of us liked the dog. We treated him well and we tried, but he drove both of us nuts with his barking and getting into things. Like the dog that theshine had, he was a scrappy terrier type of dog who had been a stray. He was pushy, barky, and very in-your-face and I knew zero about training or handling a dog at the time. Sammie had been, in comparison, very easy. Of course, we had loved Sammie and that made a big difference. Feeling that we had made the commitment and needed to stick with the dog, we tried to make it work, but after a month my husband made the decision that he needed to go back. The shelter was a no kill, so we knew he would not be PTS or anything. As bad as we felt, it was for the best. A week later we met and got Speedy and that is one of the single best things that has ever happened in our lives. Now, on the other hand, I didn't really care all that much for Maddie at first. I did like her better than that other dog, but for quite a while after we adopted her, I just couldn't muster up any real affection for her. She did "fit" with us much better and Speedy adored her, but she and I simply could not bond. I really considered her my husband's dog for quite a while. In her case, the bond and the affection grew over the years. I couldn't love a dog more now, but that came after years of living together and training together. I don't have any advice, but thought I'd share that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carson Crazies Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I had one I really disliked - got her as a puppy and she was SUCH a troublemaker that I never really adored her. As fate would have it I rehomed her and the husband. Worked out great in the end for me. In all seriousness though - it got better as she aged. She was still a troublemaker but she had some redeeming qualities. Had the ex-husband not walked I was resigned to making it work. She wasn't a bad dog - just not a good fit for me. That being said I didn't really love Linc's personality early on. He grew on me bigtime - and now I adore him. Sometimes they do that - they just sort of grow on you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 How long has Cody been with you? I do think some dogs are just poor fits for their owners. I don't like to admit it, but I regret getting my Lhasa. If he wasn't so hard to rehome, I probably would have done so a couple of years ago. He's frequently starts trouble with my other dogs, demands constant attention, is amazingly strong willed, needs special arrangements for his tiny bladder while I'm at work, is unfriendly with strangers and loathes children. But I do love him and find him endearing in other ways. It isn't so much that I don't like him as he is a difficult dog to live with. At any rate, I've accepted him as my fuzzy cross to bear for the rest of his life. As far as just not liking a dog, it took me a few weeks to bond with Quinn when he was a puppy. I know someone who got a puppy right when I got Quinn and she's said right from the start she wasn't sure if she was going to keep the puppy because of some temperament issues. It's almost 4 years later and she is still saying she wants to return the dog. I don't know how she can stand living with a dog she doesn't like. My few unbonded weeks with Quinn were miserable but by 6 months old he became my favorite dog. I'm like Mary in that I do not fall instantly in love with my dogs. If I had to wait to fall in love, I'd never have owned any dogs. If you feel this dog just isn't right for you, I'd consider rehoming. There might be a perfect family for Cody out there where he will be extremely happy and life will be easier for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicheleS. Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I think I know how you feel. We may have different circumstances because each one of my dogs was chosen by either my husband or myself. But in all honesty, I got off to a rocky start with my last 3 dogs. My first dog I loved from day one. He turned out to be the one that I could never really bond with. It took dog #2 for me to realize that. Dog #2 had me a little nervous because he wasn't happy, playful like dog #1 but he turned out to be one of my best buddies and working partners. He holds a special place in my heart. Dog #3 was pushy, in your face, seemingly somewhat reactive and food aggressive. She scared me This one turned out to be my best working partner yet. I adore this dog. She is my shadow and constant companion and has taken me places I thought I'd never go. Good and bad and I love her for it. Then came dog #4. He was so different from my last 3. So shy and sensitive that when you looked at him cross-eyed he ran for cover. What was I going to do with this?! Right now, he is turning into one fun and funny dog to work with So I guess what I'm trying to say is that I went through periods of introspection and contemplation (that felt like bordering on depression) with my last 3 dogs. I never gave up on any of them. Changed my mindset with each of them and tried to understand each of them. Each one has taught me valuable lessons and each one held a rightful place in my family. I hope reading everyone's advice and stories helps you. Good luck. Michele & Hughie & Gypsy & Chase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NW_MONTANA_BC Posted June 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I adopted Codee March 5 of this year. Its not really that I don't like him, its there are many things I don't like or care that he does. He is very clingy. When I bring him in the house at night he has to sit right on top of me and all ways wants me to pet him and never stop nugging my hand. He is pushy and in your face all the time. I believe he was terrible neglatied in his first home. He is the only one of my dogs that is ABCA registered. I believe he would be better off in a home where he could be worked on cattle. He has a high drive to work something that I can not provide him with balls and frisbees. He doesn't seem to be afraid of anything. When he was first introduce to my horses he jumped up and like to took the horse nose right off. This is a quote from mbc1963 that seem to fit "I do understand the idea of just not getting along with a dog. I like most dogs and can find them very easy to love, but once in a while, there's a dog who just seems really pushy (and usually stinky, too!), and I just want to scream, "Get AWAY from me, you whiny, clingy thing!" I'm an introvert who needs a lot of space, and I guess that rolls over into dogs, too: I don't want to have to sit with them 24/7." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kajarrel Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I don't immediately fall in love with our dogs and (after giving this some thought) don't really expect to . . . somehow it just happens, and I definately don't "love" each the same way. And a few of my guys "drive me nuts" at times. 3 months seems a pretty short time to expect to bond with your dog. Perhaps the "clinginess" is the dog's reaction to being given up initially and sensing that you "don't like him." I would try three things: 1) give this dog some good one-on-one time each day 2) when he's clingy, ask (teach) him to do something else (e.g., "down-stay") that you can praise him for doing 3) put him in a crate when he's too much - not all day, mind you - but this is better than loosing your patience and reinforcing the cycle. I'm sure others will have ideas but I wouldn't throw in the towel this early in the game. Kim ETA: I don't think this is a problem r/t ABCA registration or that needs to be fixed by a working home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aljones Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I am finding this thread really interesting reading because I've had experiences all across the spectrum in terms of how quickly or slowly my dogs and I have "taken" to each other. My three current dogs are all foster failures, so I obviously did not intend to keep any of them. However, at some point, I realized that I couldn't adopt them out. Although none of them is a dog I would have gone out and picked for myself, I've been fortunate that it's worked out for the best. And, as others have noted, it sometimes takes quite awhile to feel a connection to a dog--my Kate, who arrived as a puppy, and I were at loggerheads for the first couple of years we lived together. However, this part of your recent post really stuck out to me (I've added the emphasis): Its not really that I don't like him, its there are many things I don't like or care that he does. I think there's an important distinction to be made between "not liking" a dog (as in, the two of you just don't connect for some reason) and and "not liking" a dog's behavior (the way it acts). The behavior, after all, can be changed! I remember, shortly after you got Codee, that you posted about his behavior on the rescue board. At that time, Mary (of Starfish BCR) gave you some information about resource guarding and ways to address it. I wondered, then, if you'd tried any of these or other strategies to help Codee behave in ways that are more acceptable in your home? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejano Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I would suspect that most new "moms and dads" don't immediately fall in love with either their human or canine children. It takes time to develop a relationship - even with a puppy, I am finding. We had one adult rescue that we took very readily to because she was so much in need of kindness and was very well behaved and responsive and was so happy to be with us. Our second rescue came with some fear aggression issues and he was a BIG dog, but he eventually became my heart's companion after we dealt with his unsuitable behaviors. I look at Robin (3 months old) and wonder if we'll ever be that close even though I've held him and played with him since he was four days old- because I've been ill I haven't spent a great deal of time with him - an hour or so each day - but he seems to know he's my dog and comes looking for me when playtime with my husband is over. He's also calm, collected and very responsive for such a young pup. I think we'll get on very well when we get to know each other but it is going to take time for us to develop a relationship. I was also told one great thing about border collies. They are past loyal to the one person they choose as "their" person. Ladybug, our first rescue, chose Ken and she will move heaven and earth to be by him. If a dog loves you, what greater compliment can there be? Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NW_MONTANA_BC Posted June 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I am finding this thread really interesting reading because I've had experiences all across the spectrum in terms of how quickly or slowly my dogs and I have "taken" to each other. My three current dogs are all foster failures, so I obviously did not intend to keep any of them. However, at some point, I realized that I couldn't adopt them out. Although none of them is a dog I would have gone out and picked for myself, I've been fortunate that it's worked out for the best. And, as others have noted, it sometimes takes quite awhile to feel a connection to a dog--my Kate, who arrived as a puppy, and I were at loggerheads for the first couple of years we lived together. However, this part of your recent post really stuck out to me (I've added the emphasis): I think there's an important distinction to be made between "not liking" a dog (as in, the two of you just don't connect for some reason) and and "not liking" a dog's behavior (the way it acts). The behavior, after all, can be changed! I remember, shortly after you got Codee, that you posted about his behavior on the rescue board. At that time, Mary (of Starfish BCR) gave you some information about resource guarding and ways to address it. I wondered, then, if you'd tried any of these or other strategies to help Codee behave in ways that are more acceptable in your home? You are right I do not like the Codee's behavior. Thanks for pointing that out. In saying that I would rather spend my time training my other dogs. I don't like training Codee not because he doesn't learn quickly, because he is not interested in what the other dogs and myself like doing. It’s fairly easy to exercise Hershey and Taffy paying ball and Frisbee but it is dam hard to figure out how to stimulate Codee's mind and exercise his body less taken him for walks which I could do. As far as resource guarding and Codee I have solve the problem by feeding each dog in their own dish and giving Codee a lot to eat. He maintains a good weight and is not guarding anymore. When I come home Codee is jumping all over wanting to see me as well as Hershey. Taffy on the other hand seems to care less that I am even there though if I call her name a few times and approach her I do get a slight wiggle out of her tail. Taffy is the one though that is all ways following me around watching what I am doing. Taffy also does not like the other dogs around me. The fights between Taffy and Hershey have diminished greatly and they play together good now. It is Codee that is very submissive and just does what the ladies say. Others have given good information also. I know I have not given Codee enough time for me to bond with him, he seems to love me. My intent is not to get rid of him I just feel guilty of not giving him equal time. I believe this is more about me than it is about Codee. I just don't like his behavior and I don't want to spend the time to change it. I guess in saying that everyone would conceder me a bad dog owner but I love my dogs but with Codee it’s like living 2 different lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aljones Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I'm glad to hear that you've had improvement in some of those areas that were tough right at first, especially with the dynamic among the dogs themselves. I would think it would be overwhelming to bring two new dogs home in such short order, but I'm happy that, with your help, they have worked out many of their problems. That, at least, must make day-to-day life easier. I just don't like his behavior and I don't want to spend the time to change it. I guess if this is really the bottom line, I would then have to ask why aren't you planning to rehome him? I do think the suggestions to give him more time and try different training techniques with him are excellent ones, but if you don't want to do those things, what is to be gained by keeping Codee? He will just keep behaving as he is, which will aggravate you and make you want to spend less time with him...so it seems like a pattern that benefits neither you nor him. Am I missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 Have you ever taken a training class with Codee? It might be worth your while. Maddie and I really started to bond once we began training together. She's a slow learner and at first I thought she didn't like training. I like my dogs biddable and interested and she did a lot of rolling on her side and sniffing. Once she started to learn, though, she started to change and that's when we started to connect. I also find that when I'm in a class with a dog, that gives me a structure of things to work on with that dog and I appreciate more taking time out to train with that dog individually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kajarrel Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 He will just keep behaving as he is, which will aggravate you and make you want to spend less time with him...so it seems like a pattern that benefits neither you nor him. I agree - and you potentially set him up to fail with his next family, by allowing these problems to become more ingrained. Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurelin Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 Yes, I have a dog I really did not like for a long time. Actually my whole family did not like him and sometimes I wonder why on earth we kept him. I think it was mainly a sense of responsibility for dogs we chose to get no matter what, we've never rehomed or given up on a dog before. I'm very glad we did keep him though as I've come to have a very close bond with him. It only took 6 years and me to change the way I looked at him and treated him and compared him to my other dogs. He was devoted from day one. Trey (my old sheltie) is a very strange dog. Doesn't play, doesn't really do much at all. . He's a notorious ankle nipper, hates strangers, is shy, has a bunch of fear issue, seems to not be able to read human or canine body language at all, and is really really dumb and hard to train (I say that lovingly). My other shelties had all been the polar opposite. For a long time he just existed in the house. I don't know what exactly changed, but I decided it wasn't fair to him to be the least favorite dog. There was little I liked about him other than the fact he was gorgeous. I started working with him and we got a long ways. He will now accept strangers into the house, will accept petting. He still is afraid of cars but he can walk past them okay. One big thing was to stop comparing him to the others and recognize him for what he was and focus not only on his limitations but what was good about him. There was a lot good about him. He's sweet and loyal to a fault for one. He's just a very simple creature and a good one at that. He is still not the kind of dog I like, I never want another dog like him. He still drives me crazy every now and then but I do love him a lot. He's curled up at my feet right now. That's not to say you should force something to happen. Maybe it's best to rehome the dog, I don't know. I do know that a lot of the problems we had were MY fault and not his and I had a tendency to blame him when I was doing little to help him become a more stable member of the family. I was letting him down not the other way around. Getting over that was the key step to creating a bond. My heart dog (if you like that term) and I did not bond immediately. I liked her enough, it was nothing like it was with Trey, but it wasn't an instant click or anything. I took her home and she loathed my other dogs. She turned out to have SA and was dog reactive. She didn't play with toys or with me, but she was very active and smart. I was at a loss how to exercise her. We started agility class which was a lifesaver and I do a LOT of walking and clicker training with her. I was used to only walking short distances and playing fetch for a long time with the boys but she's a completely different kind of animal. She's clingy and in your face which is annoying at times but with some work she's able to chill at my feet and not be obnoxious all the time. But we went through a lot together a little under a year after I got her and I ended up leaving her for a few weeks. That seemed to be the catalyst for the relationship that came. She's my life now and I can't imagine loving a dog more. I hear people talk about bonding with their dogs immediately and I can say it's only ever happened ONCE for me. The rest required varying amounts of work and time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martySQ Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I had wondered how well I was bonding in my heart with Bess, as I am a cat person at heart... we only had a cocker spaniel previously that was a nusance for me., but was my son's dog. One night, I couldn't find Bess, and when the feelings rose up... it wasn't about the money I had spent on her, or anything else surfacy... It was "I can't handle not having her affection and compaionship". I got my answer loud and clear. Yup, there's times she is a pain... dogs are certainly not like cats! But then, my old diabetic cat is starting to become a pain too...LOL... but I'll never give up either, and I'll be devastated when they pass. (unlike all my duck pets... who are fun, but not personable. Ok, I'll be sad when the oldest leaves, but she's been around for 6 years at least) I'm glad you are thinking this out now. I hope you find your solution soon and not have to wait for years to feel bonded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 One night, I couldn't find Bess, and when the feelings rose up... it wasn't about the money I had spent on her, or anything else surfacy... It was "I can't handle not having her affection and compaionship". I got my answer loud and clear. Your story brought back the memory of a cat I had when I was in my early 20's. He was an amazingly smart, constantly into trouble cat and over time I've come to discover I'm not really a cat person. Talk about a pain. We lost track of the hundreds of dollars of damage that one little cat did. At any rate, one cold, extremely windy December night, he didn't come home. I was so worried and when he still didn't return the next morning, I went through the neighborhood in the bitter cold and winds, calling his name like Heathcliff on the moors. I came home despondent but an hour later, he showed up meowing at my window and I opened it to pull a very surprised cat into my embrace. Until he was lost, my overriding emotion towards him had been irritation. It was only when he went missing that I realized that I actually loved that demon of a feline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
painted_ponies Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I have a clingy dog. It doesn't bother me (Scot feels like a big stuffed teddy bear and I love for him to sit in my lap) - but it does really annoy DH. Here's how DH deals with it: the dog gets no attention for being clingy. None at all - which means no pushing him away (cause that's attention ) other than a repeated "annngh" sound until Scot peels his great self off of DH. DH won't even look at him. Once Scottie has all four feet on the floor and is in reasonable possession of his emotions again, DH will stroke his head and quietly praise him. DH will also invite Scot to come snuggle occasionally. The trick is that Scot is only allowed to snuggle after being invited. And of course DH isn't subjected to Scot 24/7. Scot goes into his crate when I go to bed - which is about 8:30 or 9:00 pm, so DH has some time, er, Scot-free. Anyway, you may find yourself more willing to work with him if you don't feel as though you're being smothered all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maralynn Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 You are right I do not like the Codee's behavior. Thanks for pointing that out. In saying that I would rather spend my time training my other dogs. I don't like training Codee not because he doesn't learn quickly, because he is not interested in what the other dogs and myself like doing. It’s fairly easy to exercise Hershey and Taffy paying ball and Frisbee but it is dam hard to figure out how to stimulate Codee's mind and exercise his body less taken him for walks which I could do. I got Kipp and a couple weeks later I was thinking "what in the world did I get myself into?" He would not play ball, he would stare off into the wide world on the other side of me. He was not used to much human interaction and was used to amusing himself and nipping cats. And Missy was not sure at all that she liked this pushy dog. So I put him through "boot camp" for a few weeks. I kenneled him and pretty much ignored him for a couple days except to feed/walk him. And then all exercise was on a leash with me. I did NILIF and I taught him how to play ball. It worked. He wasn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but there was some glimmers of hope. Missy started to enjoy and play with him, he became more interested in interacting with me. Then I decided to train him for SAR - not because he was exactly the ideal candidate for it, but because I had always been interested in it and I knew he had enough drive for the job if I could channel it. The first night I took him to training he was a shy, introverted dog that wouldn't even play. So I worked harder with him and took him out and about more to train. And it worked, but it took alot of work and time on my part. And Kipp still take alot of work - he is headstrong and determined, but also a bit of a wimp. But I have become rather endeared to my little rascal. He will never be the type of dog Missy is (she was my dog and I was her person from the get go) but working with him has taught me alot. The past couple months as I've worked him on search problems, I can see it really clicks with him and he is working, enjoying it and staying focused. It's a pretty good feeling I get when I see that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maralynn Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 And of course DH isn't subjected to Scot 24/7. Scot goes into his crate when I go to bed - which is about 8:30 or 9:00 pm, so DH has some time, er, Scot-free. Anyway, you may find yourself more willing to work with him if you don't feel as though you're being smothered all the time. That's a really good point! Kipp is a chewer and I used to have to supervise him constantly to make sure he wasn't chewing the wrong thing. His crate was a sanity saver! When I wasn't ready to deal with him or Missy got annoyed with him, he got crated. A couple hours later, I'd be ready for him again and let him back out. Down time was good for both of us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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