My dog is trying to avoid his collar being put on for training. I'm unsure of what to do.

Question

I had emailed not too long ago about having sent my Golden to training and it being the worst thing I could have done. Well, I did order the basic obedience video (coming in the mail soon), I got a prong collar, and an electric collar. I read the information in the web site and tried to do what it suggested. I used to just give him his food, but I started asking him to down-stay and wait until I release him and give him the okay to get his food.

The first day was almost a complete disaster because I had the bowl in my hand and I was trying to give him the commands and he was not paying attention to me. This went on for 5 to 10 minutes because I was not about to give him his food until he did what I ordered him to do. After several minutes he started jumping on me trying to get the food. In a gentle way, but still jumping. I could see the frustration in his eyes and could sense that this was going to take a turn for the worse, so I went back inside with his food. Placed the food in the deck area where he could not get to it and came back outside with the pronged collar. Because the basic choke collar had already been used with him, he hears the sound of the chain and he already knows what is going to happen. So he kept moving his head and laying down purposely trying to avoid getting this collar on. Once I got it on, I healed him to the spot I wanted, Sit and Down-Stay. He cooperated wonderfully, but when I went to get his food he got up. I told him No, I put the food away, went back to him and did the same thing. After I put his down I gave him a small tug and told him Stay. I went got his food and he did not move until I released him. Day two, I did not even bother going out without the collar. Everyday, he is getting more and more evasive and it is getting more difficult getting the collar on. When I try to heal with him he is trying to bite the leash turning him head to the right because it is on the side. Even with the prong collar on he is starting to try to jump on me. I can see a change in him. When the trainer came to drop him off I saw and thought that he was using excessive force with him, and after reading the materials in your web site, I KNOW he was using too much force for the mistakes he was making. I have this bad feeling that my once soft puppy has become a hard dog. He is not quite there yet, but I can sense the tide changing. Please help me. I do not want anyone to be hurt by him or have to give him up. Thanks.

Lupe

Accepted Answer

I think you are rushing things too much. I would never ask for several minutes of a stay from a dog I was retraining. You are retraining this dog, and it takes longer than if it had been done correctly in the first place.

Have you followed the groundwork in the article? This is what you should be doing until the videos arrive.

I wouldn't be trying to heel or do so much, so soon.

Also, it's very normal for dogs to try what has worked for them in the past and when they find things are not working, they become more frustrated and hectic. Take the heeling out of the equation, always have his collar on when he is not in a crate, and reward him for very small steps in the right direction. If he will stay for 5 seconds reward, then the next time ask for 6 seconds, then the next time reward after 2 seconds, and so on. He needs to feel successful to want to try.

I would not be using the food bowl if it's causing so much excitement. Use his food as rewards, piece by piece for cooperation. Take the food bowl completely out of the picture for now.

Back up and restructure this dog's life, by using the steps outlined in the groundwork article and then study the video when it arrives.