Quote: nancy black

I'm glad you sent them as I missed a few of them in trying to keep up with the tons of posts that seemed to need answers. I don't remember seeing the one about desensitizing until today. .... nancy

However, you characterized my posts this way:

"I was not motivated to answer them as they came across as You Are NOt Doing the Right Thing, YOu have the Wrong Attitude, YOu Do NOt Deserve to Own a Dog, if there was any offer of help I missed it."

Having no idea how to take that, I'm skipping it.



Back on topic:
" I talked about this to Lorent and he is more than willing to lower the boom to Dwight on the subject of his molly coddling Kobe and how to shape up and change his ways. it will be worth the price of his coming out to hear him do that."

Good.

Nancy,

This trainer will not be a magic bullet. The work will still be done by YOU. The trainer will show you some insight into WHY your dog is doing what he's doing. He will then teach YOU how to fix the problem with proper training techniques. Hopefully he will also be able to show you how to "read" your dog so that you will be able to intervene if and when you have to (ie if the dog is nervous about something, you will need to take charge and show him there is nothing to be nervous about.)

It has been the experience of many posters on this thread that behavior doesn't change overnight. There are subtle signs that most people don't see. When behavior does get aggressive, it is usually a pack structure and training issue. That is why we tried to steer you that way....

This training will not be done overnight either. It will be a lot of work, and consistency. The dog needs to learn to trust you as his pack leader. He needs to learn that you will protect him and he doesn't have to worry about anything. He may love you and respect you, but he just may not think you are protective enough. You have to SHOW him that you are and earn that trust.

Good luck with your training. It will be training techniques that you will (hopefully) use throughout his entire life. I certainly hope that you get your wonderful Kobe back. He's just taken a slight detour, and you have to guide him back.

--Kelly

Natalya,
Good analysis about yesterday and the day before, certainly confusion and probably stress that I was not aware of. I appreciate very much your cheerleading on my work with Kobe, and to reaffirm that this kind of session will be the backbone of a better relationship and that it was not a coincidence that he acted like a "good" dog so soon after the obedience workout.
Are you a pro trainer? What you say makes alot of sense and you obviously have a good bit of experience in coaching dogs and people.
I have written to Connie and hope she understands that I was getting overwhelmed with posts, and the ones of hers I did read did not tell me much, and said some things I did not understand, except You Need A Trainer so what do you say to that? It wasn't time to take that suggestion, but luckily my husband took matters into his own hands and I may have a trainer. I just told him about talking to Lorent and he is happy to hear that someone is coming over and not foaming at the mouth when I told him the price. When I said the guy teaches Sch. he said We don't Want that, and of course he was visualizing bite work and was thinking why teach a dog to bite, we have enough problems on our hands. I told him there are other aspects to Sch. and Lorent will tell us all about that.
Happy Easter,
Nancy

Kelly,
It seems like there are alot of things to learn from a trainer, and in order to make it all worth the time and money I am prepared to invest my time and perserverance as far as I can. And even if it is not up the standards that you and other young folks can put into it it will be a whole lot better than I have done for quite a long time. From what I see of SCh work there is a good bit of running involved as you move the dog around the field. It makes me sad to remember when I loved to run and was a track runner in high school and even for years after I ran just for the fun of it. Can't do that anymore, not that I am overweight, as I wear smaller sizes now than I did 30 years ago but I just get tuckered out after jogging a couple of blocks and back pain from auto accident kicks in. So trainer Lorent will have to teach me to do work with Kobe that is more on the slow speed side, sorry Kobe, I know you would love some fast running. But we take him on bikes rides and that helps to strengthen his muscles pretty well.
Thanks for the tips about what is ahead, just hope the hot Fla. weather doesn't hit for a long time,
Nancy

Hi Nancy, What training have you done with your dog?

Nancy, I am so glad you found someone to work with you on Kobe's negative behavior! You seem well informed in many aspects of dog ownership, so you have obviously done some research, many dog owners don't! I also don't think it is a coincidence that you are back on the forum after two years, you knew you had a problem, and you came here looking for guidance...good for you!
I really don't think anyone on here thinks you are an idiot,
a lot has transpired over the last few days, and it is difficult following the thread and hearing one's "voice." So much training takes place in 2 1/2 years, now you have come to a bump in the road and it needs to be fixed, there is nothing wrong with letting someone else show you how! I have always trained my own dogs, "learn by doing," and I have trainers all around me..It's like having Emeril standing over you while your in the kitchen , but I am fortunate that when/if I need their help, I won't have a problem asking!

Keep us posted on the pending lab results, and the positive behavior you saw today..Have a Happy Easter!

Tammy,
It is true that with so much discussion on this thread it is hard to keep straight what everyone is saying and it turns out that there can be misunderstandings about what one is actually saying. I think in a face to face conversation it is easier to get the right meaning by tone of voice, facial expressions, etc. which are totally missing in written messages.
I am very excited about getting started with my trainer, which I have absolutely no objections to using, it was just that I was not sure I could find one that knew more than I did about working with my dog and would follow the methods I have used and believe in, and I think I may have found him on the first interview by phone.
I will send a report as soon as he is out of here and can't wait to tell you all that he has set up some solutions for helping us get the old Kobe back.
Nancy

Al,
After getting his Good Citizine Cert. at 10 months I have to admit I stopped most formal training. And since he never failed to obey me in everyday obedience, never displayed any unwillingness to comply to commands ( except to shut up when he heard someone at the door) I did not realize that it was a mistake to stop reinforcing his training, not because he was a bad dog but because I now see that he is a dog with the breeding and background that should not go so long without refreshing his place in the pack via of regular training of some kind. And as some on this list have said, this could be the reason behind his out-of-control behavior when he hears some one come near the house. I have learned a very important lesson in the last few days.
YOur dog is gorgeous, I wish I could add a picture of Kobe on my posts but I have tried and can't get it to work. Maybe someone can help with that.
Nancy

well, I have hit a rubber-meets-the-road dilemma. After 2 days of near perfect obedience from Kobe today he decided "not going to do what she wants anymore". Yes, he came when I called him to me, sat in front, went to heel position, stayed, but when told to go to his bed, he would NOT, even seeing the hotdog bits in my hand. After a couple of mins. of this blatant defiance, staring at me but not getting in the bed, I knew it was time for asserting my authority. I corrected him with prong but he almost laughed at that, I then put on the e collar. Started on low stims, no response, higher and higher stims brought zero response. He obviously is either made of iron or the collar is dead. It has been recently charged so even medium levels should have at least brought an indication that he felt something. I can only assume that since the collar is about 6 years old, goes back to 1st GSD, that it has died. It is a Dogtra 200. I have no idea of the life expectancy of e collars and wonder if this is the likely reason for its complete failure.
I would really appreciate some input on what is the best E collar to shop for, as well as one that will arrive as soon as possible as letting Kobe go very long thinking he has "outdone" me is not good. I will call new trainer and tell him to be sure to bring his e collar tomorrow as a way to determine if mine
is as bad as it seemed today. I'm glad this did not happen in a more serious situation.
Nancy

I would put him in boot camp via Ed's pack leadership video.
Follow every step...every one.
It works.
I think this a large part of your problems with him.
You can do obedience till you are blue in the face, but if there are pack structure problems it wont do a thing.
If you've already done the video step by step...then you need to do it again.
All of it.
Willie