May 19, 2011

My SchH 1 GSD whines during the long down and this is carrying over into her heeling. Do you have any ideas?

Full Question:
Dear Cindy

I have a 3 year old GS female SChH 1 that leaks/whines during obedience during the long down. She will not move but will cause a commotion.

I have tried nylon chocker, lifting up until she is quiet. I've also tried food when she is quiet but that does not last long. As soon as I walk away, she will start back up. The leaking carries over into healing.

Any thought that might help my girl, I will be happy to call you?

Thank You
Dan
Cindy
Cindy Cindy's Answer:
This is something that can’t always be eliminated completely, especially if she’s been doing this for her entire life. GSDs are prone to this leaking of drive, and if you don’t teach them containment at an early age it can be a struggle for the working career of the dog. I know many dogs who do this to some extent. The more reps she gets with the whining, the harder it will be to ever fully eradicate it.

The only suggestion I have is to teach her a alternate behavior to do in the situations she is whining. Correcting it away will likely be unsuccessful and may make it worse. The Thinking Dog ~ Crossover to Clicker Training is a book that addresses how to use clicker/marker training in dogs that have had traditional training and I believe there is a section in the book about how one trainer solved her competition obedience dog’s whining issue.

You may want to join our forum and post your question there as well. Maybe someone will have an idea that I haven’t thought of.

Cindy Rhodes

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Expert Dog Trainer Cindy Rhodes
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