Hi, I have read every e-book on this site and have watched Ed's training videos, all have been so helpful and although Ed makes everything look so easy, I am having major issues.

I have a 4 1/2 month old, 4lb Pomeranian and as much as she sounds innocent she is not, she is a handful.

I started out all wrong when I got her and pretty much let her do her own thing and I am now paying the price,

the first change that I have made is trying to establish myself as the alpha, it just doesn't seem to be totally working, she listens sometimes but not others.

We have our own business so I get to spend all day with her and I try to work with her as much as possible

On the down side to that I feel that maybe she had way to many new people around her when we first brought her home.

I keep her in the backroom but it seemed like everybody knew we got a puppy and everyone just had to see her, I got frustrated with the whole situation because I really didn't want people handling her, especially since she is so small but my fiance' doesn't really understand the principle behind training and would let people back to see her.

Anyway, I am working with her on basic commands and she has the sit thing down, the come command has been a challenge though,

it almost, to me seems like she is afraid to come and I don't understand why, she has never been physically reprimanded, EVER, I have raised my voice to her but have never screamed or yelled, just firmly told her no.

I follow the instructions given by Ed in his videos but after I give her, her reward and try to praise her she kind of flinches and runs like I am going to hit her or take her food, it's strange.

Also when she is eating if you walk by her she backs away from her food, like she is doing something wrong by eating and when she does eat she'll pick up a piece of food then come sit by my feet then walk over and grab another piece and come over and sit at my feet, it's a daunting process,

I try to encourage her to just eat and let her know that it is okay but she continues to do this.

I noticed to that when new people or animals come around she, she starts shaking really bad and making this whining noise, some would think she is just excited, I get the sense, though, that she's petrified.

She has been socialized with other animals and people so I don't understand why she acts like this.

Can someone help me understand her behavior, I was starting to wonder if it's because of her being so little, does she look at us like monsters? When I train her or pet her I always kneel down so I am on her level and she doesn't feel overwhelmed and she still acts this way.

My question is could all this stem from my not enforcing the pack structure or could this be related to her environment before I got her, I had her shipped from a kennel, she was 10 weeks when I got her.

I really want to help her get over these fears, also I am having a hard time crate training her, she is afraid of her crate, she actually walks out of her way to go around it and I am wondering if it is because it reminds her of when she was shipped, she was in a crate for 8 hours that day.

Would trying a different type of crate help this, she always goes off and hides when she sleeps so I really thought she would like being crate trained, I don't know I am new at all of this and really need some sound advise as to what I am doing wrong and what I can do to help her

any advise would be greatly appreciated, thanks

Edited by Connie Sutherland (09/18/2008 12:01 PM)
Edit reason: paragraphs added

I made paragraphs in this long, dense block of type.

It sounds like you have a very handler-soft dog.
It also sounds like you have, despite your feeling, established yourself as "pack leader". Which is why your dog is moving away from food when you approach- the dog is willingly submitting to you.

It also sounds like, in addition to being soft, your dog has a slightly nervous temperment. Not a huge deal, just something to be aware of when living with and training your dog.

It will be very easy to overcorrect this pup, and this pup will likely become stressed and distracted quickly if the task isn't fully understood.

Marker training, LOTS of marker training, will help build and solidify a nice bond and friendship between your dog, and help alleviate what sounds like some confusion on the part of the dog, with regards to expectations.

Also, try and avoid (and ask others to avoid) bending over/standing over your dog. Dogs interpret that as you asking them to submit, and too much of that can increase confusion and stress for the dog, who is already being submissive...

Almost like, "Hey, how many times a day do I have to agree that you are the boss?"

There's a lot there. I could address a couple of beginner steps.

Number 1 is obvious, and I see that you see it too. Stop letting strangers and other animals accost this anxious dog.

Put her food where she can eat in peace. NO ONE nearby. Let her relax.

What does "socialized with animals" mean, exactly?

Spend some relaxed sessions throwing very high-value treats into the crate and letting her go in for them and walk right back out.

Please describe how you work on "come."

Welcome to the forum.

P.S. I'd institute number 1 now. JMO. Her pack is enough for now.

 Quote: Alyssa Myracle

... Marker training, LOTS of marker training, will help build and solidify a nice bond and friendship between your dog, and help alleviate what sounds like some confusion on the part of the dog, with regards to expectations.

Yes. It could start with the recall (come command), so if the O.P. describes her efforts so far, we could make it easy and clear for the dog. And FUN.

Shannon, welcome! Wow, that was quite a post. Next time, try separating your thoughts into paragraphs; sometimes people will skip reading a long post if it's not broken up into paragraphs.(I see now that Connie made paragraphs for you...)

A couple of things to try;
when you are feeding her, leave her alone (go into a different room) so that she doesn't bring each piece over to you. You may find she will eat better when you are not present.

Crate: you will have to work a bit to overcome her negative association w/ the crate. Start at first (when she's hungry, if possible) by tossing in yummy treats (like chopped chicken breast) one at a time into the back of the crate. Let her go in and eat and go right back out. Do this several times in a row, several times a day. Don't close the door. Don't ever force her into the crate...

As she gets more comfortable going into the crate, try closing the door for a few seconds and then letting her out. If you can see that she's comfortable, you can gradually increase the length of time the door is closed.

Read this free e-book and start incorporating marker training into your pup's life. It should help build your pup's confidence and it's a great way for you to improve your bond and communication w/ her.


Well, for some reason I can't find the link to Ed's marker training e-book.
Here's a link to a clicker training book that Leerburg sells; very similar info (marker training and clicker training are the same thing)
http://leerburg.com/979.htm

If I find the link I'll post it later...
http://leerburg.com/pdf/markers.pdf (here it is...)

Dear Shannon: Try this it might help with her crate fear. My newest dog was in a crate a lot on the week ends, she is a rescue at Pet's smart. She hated crates! I take her in the room where her crate is, its a quiet room, almost dark. I leave her crate door open, I sit next to it. I toss a treat in and she goes in for it. (make sure your pup is hungry and your treat smelling good and tempting) In the beginning she wouldn't go in, so just wait, she will look at you. don't do anything. Soon, it will take awhile, maybe days, she will begin to stick her head in, then a foot , then more of herself. You can even begin by tossing a treat just in the door way. or just infront of the door. Even though my girl was afraid of her crate, she still had to go in at night and to take naps. She cried, she got over it.
You might even begin feeding her in her crate. Put the food in, then her, close the crate. (I had to close it, or she would run out and not eat) She now eats in her crate, runs to her crate and has starting going in when I say, In
There is hope. start there. also,don't loose heart, it may take time but the light bulb will go on. Start with one thing, don't overwhelm her.
I am not a professional dog trainer, this just worked for me and Terra.

Thank you all for your advice, it is all so greatly appreciated and Connie thanks for paragraphing my post sometimes I just start blabbing and don't really think about grammar, again thanks.

First to answer your question I try working on the come command by walking a short distance away from my puppy and telling her to come, I always use a very friendly upbeat voice, I believe she knows what it means because a lot of the time she will come and then other times she'll lay down and look at me for about a minute then come walking over to me, it's almost like she's testing her limit. I always say "come" repeatedly until she gets to me, then I repeat it one more time when she reaches me and give her her reward. I always try to praise her by saying "Good Come Sadie, Good Come" and I try petting her but like I said if I give her a treat and try to pet her she flinches and backs away like I'm going to take the treat back. If anyone has more advice or suggestions on how I can work on this please let me know and thanks in advance.

Second is the crate training, I'm starting to think the problem is the type of crate that I have, it's one of the travel crates and I don't think she likes the fact that it is enclosed. I tried the throwing a treat in thing and she wouldn't even budge. If the crate is sitting on the floor she walks way out around it and stares at it like it's going to attack her. I even took the door and the top part off of it to see if I could get her to at least lay in it like a bed and it's a no go, she hates the thing. She won't even sniff at it. I have tried for weeks to get her to warm up to it and she just won't. I thought maybe if I got a wire crate she would do better since it would allow her to see more.

I really wish I could read her mind cause she acts so goofy sometimes, like when I walk out of the room she flips out, whining and carrying on but when I come back in the room she wants nothing to do with me or she'll come over and start jumping on my leg but when I pick her up she wants down, I just don't know what she wants and I want to understand her so badly.

I also have a hard time finding treats for her, she is really picky and she'll only eat something a couple of times before she is sick of it, does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could try, thanks

Last point first. Have you tried little bits of real cooked meat? I would.

Now the recall.

"Take the treat back" implies that the food reward is large. Something that she has to take somewhere and eat?

Teeny and high value are the big points here.

This way, the reward is gone the minute it hits her mouth, and there is no ned in her mind to take it away to chew on or protect it.

So, you start with a hungry dog and a pocket or baggie full of very high-value treats.

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/62

I'd probably have her on a leash, and I would do this indoors with no distractions. No strangers or animals nearby -- just you and the dog for now.

Give the command once, and when she complies, mark and reward. Praise! Have a party! If she does not, I would reel her in with no comment and no reward, but no correction.

About the crate, I'd do the little crate exercises of treats near the door with the very high-value treats and the hungry dog. No need to put the treat inside the door yet. And when you do, no need to close it yet -- slow and gradual.

 Quote: shannon dippold

... I also have a hard time finding treats for her, she is really picky and she'll only eat something a couple of times before she is sick of it, does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could try, thanks

A hungry dog who is not free-fed or over-fed is going to be eager when presented with a food reward of real bits of cooked meat or maybe bits of no-nitrites hot dogs.

Try this and post back.