help

[candi]

Hey there all,

I was hoping to get some advice. I have been training my dog in obedience classes since she was 4 months...The problem...lately when I take her out to class she becomes very agitated very quickly,,,she lunges at the other dogs not just if they are moving but even if they are sitting still. I had hopes of putting her in agility classes this session however the club I have been training at feels it would not be safe to do that instead we are having a one on one class to learn some o=more attention I will be using a clicker for this. She is 11 months old and if we are home or anywhere that no one else is around she is the perfect dog. I am not sure if I have made a mistake. she does not get to play with other dogs at all. Although I would love for her to. Is there anything I can do in the meantime. She comes from a long line of excellent working dogs. I do not want to keep her away from the other dogs and would really like to start her training in agility. Please help. Any advice is appreciated.

[Bubby]

It sounds like she needs to be socialized more with other dogs. However, you really need to have good control over her, such as making her sit and stay at your side or even down her until the initial excitement of a new dog wears off in order to keep her from getting started.

 

Don't be shy about ringing her bell if she starts to act up--a good solid yank on the leash a few times will get her thinking that maybe she ought to play nice. When I take either of mine to class I make them sit right next to me at all times to avoid developing the habit of getting worked up every time, like some of the other dogs are allowed to do.

 

And don't forget, there is still a fair amount of puppy in an 11 month old Border Collie. Mia is that same age, and she is starting her third obedience class tonight because I want to make sure I can control her 100% of the time before she starts doing agility.

[Thor]

You said in another post that she tries to bite you?

 

This kind of behavior must not be accepted. If she acts up like crazy. But her on the ground and sit on her untill she relaxes and she is not to be let up until you tell her. But do not let her up until she is relaxed. Even if you have to sit on her for 2 hours.

 

When I say sit, I mean. putting her on the ground between your legs when your are kneeling.

 

ps. I agree with the post above

 

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Thor

[Shawna]

It sounds like she has a definate dominance problem.

 

Stop the treat training and get a good training collar (the kind some call a choke collar), medium gauge, should fit snug going over the head. You can't measure by wrapping it around the neck, it must be tried on. If you don't know the correct way to put one on find someone to help you or let me know and I can tell you. Get a collar that has a lifetime garantee, anything else could break while you are using it.

 

Don't use food anymore for awhile, instead teach her to work for your praise. Don't ask for a down for a time either until she is totally reliable in her sits heeling etc.

The reason for this is she is refusing to submit to your authority and at this point she will fight you on it. After you have established dominance in other areas you can come back and start the down, it should be easier on you both then.

 

A proper correction with the training collar is a very fast snap and release. If you hear the collar make a "click click click" sound you are not snapping fast enough. You should hear a fast "zip". You must release as fast as you snap. The leash needs to be loose at all times except the split second snap for a correction. Keep your hands about two to three feet up the leash from the collar depending on how tall you are and the size of your dog. Use your voice with your corrections. A growly "NO" at the same time as the snap for anything that is totally unacceptable. If you find it easier, it is okay to snarl anything at her in the process of the correction, she will just hear it as growls.

 

She already understands the sit command so it is fair to correct if she doesn't comply immediatly. Tell her "sit", give her two seconds to have her butt on the ground, if she does it PRAISE like there is no tomorrow. If however she hasn't got her butt on the ground "snap" the leash. It doesn't matter if she is half way down, you gave her ample time to be there already. Because this is a dominance thing the fastest way to gain control back is to be ready to correct and follow through. She isn't to likely to challenge you on a sit command (I mean with her teeth), but if she growls at you or snaps you MUST correct fast and hard. Two or three good hard snaps are in order here. Keep your face back at all times and you might want to wear a pair of good fitting leather work gloves to protect your hands. The chances of her coming back at you are slim but it's better to be safe than sorry.

 

After she is doing well in her other commands, try the down. Once again give her two seconds to comply. She is only down if her elbows (unless she is on her back) are touching the ground. If they are even raised slightly, you must correct, she is not submitting to your authority. If she goes into her down PRAISE. Be ready to correct for aggression. You are not being cruel to your dog by correcting in the manner I am suggesting nor are you likely to hurt your dog. If she was challenging another dog in her pack it would treat her far worse than anything you could ever do to her.

 

When you are out with other dogs and she lunges you have to use a hard correction and a loud "NO" in a growly voice. When she behaves appropriatly PRAISE HER.

 

Your praise is just as important or more so than your corrections. Without the praise she can't understand what is acceptable and appropriate behavior. It must be immediate.

 

Take her everywhere and practice her obedience. Parking lots, parks, pet stores (ask if they mind first),anywhere your dog is allowed. Mix in lots of praise and play time with every session. Demand that she listens to you. If you haven't given a release command then correct for any attempt to get out of position. There are different corrections that can be used so you aren't always jerking on the dogs neck. A swat across her tail head (more of a brush) when she starts to get out of her sit works well.

 

Take her out with dogs she knows as often as you can. Introduce her to other dogs that aren't fighters so she sees meeting new dogs can be fun. If she goes for another dog you can also grab her by the face hair, one hand on each cheek and shake the daylights out of her while snarling something in her face (watch your own though), don't worry about what to say, adrenaline usually takes care of that Make sure she gets enough exercise (minimum 2 hours a day, but not neccesarily all at once). If this doesn't cure the problem then feel free to ask me what to do next. Most times this is enough to turn a young dog around.

 

One other thing, for the next while, she eats breakfast after you, no sleeping on the bed, you go through all the doors first (make her sit and wait), and have her sit or down before you give her her meals, she only has to wait a few seconds but make sure she holds her position.

 

If you need further explaination on anything or if you have any problems or questions feel free to ask.

[candi]

What are you guys thoughts on the prong collars. I have one of these as well as a choke collar. I use them both. Sometimes she gets frustrated on the prong so I switch to the other. She heals much better on the prong. I would like to thank you all for the great advice, this is much different than what I have been receiving from the club I attend. I do not know if the fact that alomst everyone there has a dog they show in conformation for akc has anything to do with their suggestions or not, I just thought it was time to question those who know this breed the best.

[Bubby]

You should work up to the prong collar, for lack of a better way to put it. Try the choker first for a while, if it doesn't work then move up to the prong.

 

Mia is almost never on a leash anymore and a good "No" growled at her is plenty enough correction for her. Sadie, on the other hand, drags a long-line everywhere she goes, and I am about to move from using collars to dropping cinder blocks on her head for corrections. Point it, work up the ladder of intensity to your corrections.

[Shawna]

I have never used a prong collar, I have never found the need. Most dogs will respond with the regular training collar. Try using your body to give a stronger correction if need be. Hold your hands together and close to your waist, then when you need to correct, instead of pulling with your arms, turn your upper body sharply. Remember to move your arms out fast in order to give the quick release. This will give you much more power and can be used if she is just starting a lunge toward another dog.

 

I have a 70 pound shepherd mix who was very dog aggressive (attacked the tv even) and using a regular collar and some help from some friends we turned her right around. By spinning my torso I could produce enough force that I actually threw her over backwards once, not that that was my goal, but I am not a large person. She is over half my body weight.

 

With the method I described earlier, I was able to take her into agility and have her under control even though she still did not like other dogs. We then proceded to impliment another method on her and now she will initiate a game with most dogs whether she knows them or not. It was a matter of teaching her that other dogs were fun and being a nasty bitch (for lack of a better word) is not.

 

Something else, watch your own reaction as you approach other dogs with her. Try to relax and not get yourself worked up or she will think there is a problem and she must protect you.

[RoughCoat]

I started my Abby on a chain collar and had little in the way of control. When I switched to the prong, it was like a switch was thrown.

 

Some might disagree, but I think that, for her anyway, I should have started with the prong collar. But, you have to know how to use it. A sharp snap of the lead is usually all it takes.

 

My Jack, on the other hand, absolutely hates it and will not do anything but lay there like a big lump of dog. He does much better on the chain collar. It depends on the dog.

 

I have watched people with prong collars practically drag their dogs with them, and they can't figure out why their dogs won't respond.

 

Ted, Abby and Jack