HELP!!!! I am so new at this obedience thing and I am so angry (at me) that I could scream! I have a wonderful GSD 17 weeks old and I have done some good things and some not so good things. We just went for a walk and it was not fun! She has just started pulling and that would be fine if we were training for sled dogs but of course we are not. Every time she pulled I stopped and when she put slack in the leash we started again I would praise her when she walked with a light least and stop when she tightened it well it took us a very long time to walk three blocks. And by the time we got to the house I admit I was yelling and pulling the leash and I so mad I could hardly keep from strangling her! When we finally got in the door I put her in the kennel (crate) and gave her a cookie. She was as frustrated as I was!! When I sat down to think about what happened I realized she really had no part in the whole thing. I could tell I was not making my self clear and she didn’t know what I wanted and that just frustrated me more and then not knowing how to get her to understand I just got mad. To be fair to me this is part of the problem: I have always raised my dogs in the dominant roll, as in “Do I say or else” well that has always worked for me but his dog (Nakita) is just more challenged by the dominance roll and does not respond well so for that reason and because I thought it was time for me to learn a new and better way to train. To be honest I am very tired of the sergeants roll and really wanted to find a calmer way for me and the new puppy to learn. I have read 2 books in preparation. “Purely Positive Training” and “I Love My Dog…But” I had a trainer come over and I have read may of the posts here and at RealGSD.com. I really do stress this is not about the dog this is about my methods. So how do I change from Sergeant to a fair and trusted leader? I really want to change but I have no idea how to train in a more positive way. Nakita has entered the FEAR stage and that is also a little stressful. All the things she use to chase, smell and play with she is now afraid of. I would really appreciate any help anyone can give me I want so much to learn. ....Nakita has already forgiven me she is now all curled up around my feet. She is my faithful friend even when I screw up I really need HELP!!!
I thank you and Nakita thanks you too!
Barbara

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Originally posted by Barbara Collette:
I have always raised my dogs in the dominant roll, as in “Do I say or else” well that has always worked for me but his dog (Nakita) is just more challenged by the dominance roll and does not respond well ... To be honest I am very tired of the sergeants roll and really wanted to find a calmer way for me and the new puppy to learn. I have read 2 books in preparation. “Purely Positive Training” and “I Love My Dog…But”

Barbara, could you please explain what you mean by "the dominance roll" and "the sergeants roll"--I'm not familiar with these terms. Also, who is/are the author(s) of the books you mentioned and what have you learned from these books?

Meanwhile, have you tried food to teach your dog how to heel?

Dominance roll; meaning the boss! Sergeant roll; as in the military way. If orders are not followed punishment always follows. Meaning being aloof and strict no room for mistakes. A hard task master. I don’t know how to explain it. A very heavy hand. The OLD school of dog training! The Authors of the books are Sheila Booth, “Purely Positive Training” also co authored w/Gottfried Dildei “Schutzhund Obedience Training in Drive” “I Love My Dog, But…” by Joy Tiz. I have also read the books by the Monks of New Skete, “Top Working Dogs” by Dietmar Schellenberg. But reading a book gives you the idea but not the experience. It all sounds good in the books but it’s like reading a Dr. Spock’s book and thinking it all sounds so great until the baby comes and you are working with the REAL thing! That is where the rubber meets the road. I’m not even sure these books are realistic and I have never seen this kind of training so I get frustrated and that turns into anger and that gets us no place. I feel like I am losing ground instead of making progress. I’m not sure I care if my dog walks a tight heel I just want her to stay with me and NOT pull on the leash. Maybe I am asking to much of a 4 month old puppy. If so what should I expect her to be able to do? Last week she followed me every place I went and stayed really close this week she doesn’t even know her name! Again thank you!

Barbara,

I got my young dogs to walk in a heel by using food as a motivator.

I held a treat in my right hand (leash in left hand) and had my right arm crossed over to my left side - which had my right hand resting on my left thigh (where the dog could see the treat).

Each time the dog walked next to me and was either looking at me, or the treat I would say "heel" and "Good girl" and give her the treat.

I did this over and over, until she got the message that this is where I want you to be and if you do this, you get a treat.

I used reward based training for my 2 young dogs. If the dog is not food motivated, then I would maybe use a toy or something else that the dog really likes - to get it to stay where I want it to be while walking.

I have found that frustration, short tempers & shouting at my dogs (I'm sure it happens to us all at some time!) - achieves very little.

Find what motivates your young dog and use it to your advantage. Make learning fun to the young dog, happy voices, aren't we having fun doing this etc. But if the attention span doesn't last too long - don't force things. Keep it short, end on a good note. I have found that my dogs thrive if they think they are doing well and I am pleased with them.

Just my 2 cents <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Another thing to do is change directions frequently. Pups have a short attention span, and if you don't do something to maintain their interest they will find something more entertaining to do. As others have stated treat for being in the proper position. If you just stop when the pup gets to the end of the lead, you aren't giving direction so the dog doesn't know what you want. Give commands and reward for doing them properly.

It sounds like you have done some homework. You know a lot of things that need to be done. I'm sure you have a lot of training ideas to work on. Like you said though, you need a little help. What I'd be concerned about is how you to get so angry and frustrated so quickly. Forget about obedience, ect.. for 2 weeks at least. Do nothing but play with you dog, no goals what-so-ever. Have fun! Do not do it if you have had a bad day at work, or if you have a time constraint. I find that my worst training days are when I'm pressed for time or already pissed off about something else. It is not fair to my dog. What I have learned to do on those days is just play with her, and you know what...I feel much better afterword. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I’m taking your advise! Today we just played and had fun. I have thought a lot about what made me so angry and am convinced it was the frustration of not knowing how to feed the food or what it was to look like and expecting way to much way to fast. I am setting new goals and have been playing with a kong today I filled it with different foods at different times and find I can manage that better then pockets full of food. The books tell you to use food but don’t tell you how to use it and I have to be honest I’m not sure I like Nakita always looking for food on me or in my hands. She pays attention to me if she thinks I have food but not so eager to listen if she is not sure where the food is. She can get very aggressive with food and I have some scares to prove it. It’s hard to praise her for the right behavior when she has just removed a few layers of skin to get the reward. So during this play time we will back up and relearn some manners one being how to take food from my fingers. Thank you! any other suggestions are very welcome.

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She can get very aggressive with food and I have some scares to prove it. It’s hard to praise her for the right behavior when she has just removed a few layers of skin to get the reward.

Hi Barbara,

You have to teach her how to take food gently from you. There are several ways to do so.

Method one:

Leave enough of the treat visible for the pup to have the opportunity grab onto the food rather than your fingers. Say "gentle" (or whatever command you want to use) and offer the food. If the pup snatches at it and your fingers, quickly pull your hand away and look away from her. When the pup calms down try again. Keep repeating until successful. When the pup is successful, give soft verbal praise. You're going to have to help out if the pup is starting to get frustrated and use a larger treat leaving enough available to her to get her teeth on without getting your fingers. Over time you can make the pieces smaller and smaller.

Method two:

This one takes a little more courage. Use something soft like small pieces of chicken. With this method you barely have any of the treat visible. Hold the treat between your thumb and middle finger with your palm up. Say "gentle" and offer the treat. When the pup snatches at the food, GENTLY push your index finger into the roof of the pup's mouth just behind the incisors. This relaxes the jaw and the pup will learn to take the food gently with it's incisors. Again, when the pup is successful, give soft verbal praise.

Either method will work and you need to do a 2 or 3 minute sessions several times a day.

I have a hard mouthed Malinois and the second method worked very well for her. However, I don't do bitework and that may be a consideration for you.

Natalie