We have a 2yo bitch GSD that has soft nerves (pees on self when you correct her - with choke chain- and talk stern to her). B/c of this I have been afraid to correct her, maybe I would damage her confidence or drive? I know her actions are totally our fault, but now she has NO obedience. She listens when she wants, does what she wants. Our Male 1.5 yo GSD, is exactly opposite, well mannered (so to speak-but working on it), and takes well to correction, even hard corrections. He answers to corrections w/ a tail wag and proper action. I know sometimes he is testing, but about her, her obedience is way off. She downs/sits, but only if she wants and only for a split second to take off to do what she wants. She fights the choke chain in prong position (behind hears/ high on neck). How can I brake these bad habits of the both of us?

She did it agian today. She got out of the fence I called her to me, and I grabbed her by the collar, she coward down and peed, when I pulled her to me she pulled back - doggy brakes- I told her to come and she crawled back into the yard. Am I doing something wrong? It makes me feel so bad that she pees on her self from fright of me - her mom! She's never had a HARD correction before, she's only had 1 or 2 good corrections b/c she got out of the fence (at the time we lived VERY close to 70mph hwy). How can I help her?

Maybe I am reading too much into what you have written so far, but here it goes.

The dog is 2. You say she is disobedient but only mention corrections, not any training. Has she ever been taught what you want in a motivational manner (i.e. food, toy)?

Being soft does make things a little more difficult, but far from impossible. To me it sounds like she has no idea what you want, and only reacts to someone acting like a raving loon. If I understand you correctly she has learned over the past two years that she can do what she wants anyway.

I would recommend you look into Ed's basic obedience tape. It will show you the steps to a fully trained dog. With a soft dog like this I think you would be better off to do the basic work at home far over trying to do it in an OB class where you will only end up leaving embarrassed.

It isn't a lot of money and will probably give you a very good push in the right direction with BOTH dogs.

Sandra, may I venture to say you are doing a lot of wrong things. Look at it this way, your poor dog, gets out of the fence, comes to you when you call her only to get her collar grabbed. When a dog comes to you when you call it, it is a very happy time, lots of praise and reasons to want to come to you. She does not know that leaving the fence is wrong, but is learning that coming to you is a very unhappy time.

Stop grabbing her by the collar.
Stop pulling her towards you.
Correct her at that momment of the negative action. Never after.

Start over. Start from basics. Start obedience with motivational methods (food/toy) and don't use corrections. Always keep on a lead and you may have to construct a run until you can be sure she won't run out of the yard. After a month (or two) of the motivational obedience 2-3 times a day, you can start reinforcing with corrections, if needed. She is peeing b/c she is scared. You don't want this to go any further. Right now you need to earn your dog's trust and let her know that positive actions can be rewarding.
Stay calm and good luck.

I agree. Does she have good food drive/prey drive? With motivation, obedience isn't a job anymore. I would start back from square one, like Maggie said, and reintroduce everything motivationally. Motivational obedience usually takes longer, but there's nothing better in dog training than seeing a dog that enjoys working for the handler.

Sandra,

As a first time dog trainner I have made many mistakes. The first big tranning mistake I made was over correcting my dog and making his tranning not fun and very unexciting. He starting peeing on the floor because I was over correcting him for every little thing he did incorrect in his tranning or wrong at home.

I talked to Ed and he told me that my dog probably did not need such a high level of correction and he told me how to get my dog exciting about dog trainning. He said I should boil some liver and use that in my trainning.

I took away the correction for a couple of weeks and then reinterduced it very lightly. Now almost 3 months later he has a lot of fun with his choke collar on and has to have a level 4 correction sometimes "very rare!".

I hope this helps

John Lister

I am sorry maybe I introduced this situation in the wrong light. Rain has peed on herself from day one - hence her name. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> She would pee when Fedex would come, and especially if I baby talked her. She really has never been corrected, she was always my baby. When we would train her we always used prey motivation (She has a crazy high prey drive) and lots of praise. I realize that our ground work w/ her is shaky @ best, but it has been only recently that she bolts out of the gate and ignores most commands. Today was the first time I have ever grabbed her by her collar, and "growled" @ her. I have always used soft tones, and coaxing on her. I try very hard not to lose my cool w/ the dogs b/c I know their behavior is a direct reflection of us and our handling. I was afraid I was being to soft on her before, but now I see what happens when I use a correction. I plan on starting from scratch w/ her, including leash work. She is on over all good dog, it has just been these last few months (started school & work full-time) she has been unruly. I know her actions are our fault. I appreciate everyone's response. I see were we both need work.

Saraha wrote - She really has never been corrected, she was always my baby. When we would train her we always used prey motivation (She has a crazy high prey drive) and lots of praise.


Don's reply - I still say you need to start over and be more stren with her and stop babying her. Stop letting her get away with everything and expect as much from her as you do the male, just motivate her differently.

She is a smart dog she has trained you well. She does what she wants to do and pee/submits when you try to stop her. And you baby her, kinda like praising for peeing (which I think she does because she is confused). Espeically since she has a good prey drive.

Like Maggie said you shouldn't have grabbed her by the collar after she came back to you. You should have attached her leashed gave her a dog busicut or treat, praised her and let her follow you back with her tail held high. You should have just count your belssing she didn't get hit by a car. It sorta like punishing an infant for getting close to the steps that you thought he was going to fall from.

You know there is danger but the infant has no idea of this being dangerous. So though you got to vent the dog doesn't really know why you are upset. So she pees like Raine, confused.

IMO

I meant Sandra - not Saraha.