Hi All,
I have a 6 year old male Cairn Terrier and added a female American Bulldog Puppy 3 weeks ago, she is now 11 weeks. I've watched the 8 week to 8 month DVD, Marker training DVD and the 1st chapter of training with food.

My pup is very noise sensitive and will need a lot work for environmental socialization but we are making progress. She is extremely sensitive to car mufflers but again...it's getting better.

My Questions:
1) I've charged the mark using "yes" and have re-enforced it rewarding for eye contact. Should I be using "yes" in all situations including "sit" and things like "out" or should I be directly training those command words at this stage?

2) We have been going on short walks to a field close by. Again, I've been marking use yes for eye contact but after a certain period the pup shuts down a little ( tail down but not under and ears get pinned straight back). Should I continue marking with yes at this point or just call it quits? She does move forward and does take the food but with very little if any enthusiasm.

Thanks!

Rob

"Yes" will be the marker for any behavior you want to reinforce, however, I would only recommend using it during numerous, short, upbeat training sessions throughout the day - not constantly while on walks, etc...

Begin your session with an upbeat "are you ready?" This sets the stage that you are going to be working/training on something fun. If you are working on the "sit" for a pup that young I'd lure her into a sit without the command, when her but hits the floor "YES!", brief pause and reward. After a few sessions of this and she is sitting when lured, then you begin adding the command, then lure, then mark, then brief pause and reward.

Keep the sessions short, fun, and always end on a high note. If you are introducing something she doesn't quite "get" - go back to something she does so that you can end with her feeling proud and successful. When the tail goes down and ears back she is letting you know she is tired, bored, etc... something. She is very young, it could be partly just the energy of the walk, all the stimulus, trying to figure out what she is supposed to be doing with you, etc... could easily add up quickly on her. Especially if she is sensitive to noise - you want to expose her to stuff little by little and at a distance - not throw her in the middle of all the scary stuff. There are numerous threads on desensitization which might be helpful.

I'd watch the marker video a few more times - every time I watched that early on I picked up more info I missed the first time.

I hope this helps - post back with any other questions!

Yes, that does help a lot and it makes sense. I never really realized how noisy the city was until now. She's a quirky little thing though. I noticed that if she knows where the house is, she is more sensitive. If I load her in the truck and take her some where neutral, she pretty good to really good.

So how would you deal with this...she has a real hang up with leaving the yard, either threw the gate or through the front door. Today I used a "yes" and a reward to get her down the front stairs when she looked at me and it worked great. First time she came down the stairs. I used two more yes's to get her moving and away we went for a quick 10 minute walk. I've tried luring with food, raw food, excitement and have even just hung out with treats but she locks up. Given the chance, she will bolt back to the backyard. Any suggestions?

Thanks again

Rob

Do read the desensitizing threads - they will really help.

However, in the meantime, I'd tend to stay in my own yard and let her gain confidence and have fun with you without having to cope with scary things right now... jmho. YES - you DO want to expose her to new places and surroundings, but at 11 weeks old you have tons of time to do so.

If she is happiest right now out back, why not play out back and let her simply have a great time being an 11 week old pup with you - and gradually begin taking her out front and then gradually out the front gate and then go right back in to your own yard. Baby steps. As her bond with YOU grows she will be more and more confident going strange places with you, so don't feel the need to force it all at once.

Get a childs swimming pool and put empty plastic bottle, balls, etc... in the pool and get her comfortable jumping and playing around things which move and make noice. Toss her favorite treat in the pool and let her take her time getting her courage up to wade through the noisy bottles - in the safety of her own back yard. Little things like this will help build her confidence in the big scary world...

I personally would get her confident and comfortable in her own surroundings and then go out the gate a little bit, then the next day a little more, etc... Hope this helps.

"gradually begin taking her out front and then gradually out the front gate and then go right back in to your own yard. Baby steps. As her bond with YOU grows she will be more and more confident going strange places with you, so don't feel the need to force it all at once."


Me too. Down those steps and out the gate and then right back in the yard is a happy stress-free session. A little more each time, heading back before it's even had time to get scary or even tiring.

And I sure like that "going in the truck" with you. Nothing better for exposure to the world with her buddy, I think, and that buddy becomes more and more the person she follows as a matter of course -- out that gate and down the sidewalk, too.