Have you done any obedience with the dog? What have you done so far? Cool looking dog,
AL

 Quote: thorunn arnalds

Ok, a few more answers, I have been startled at night when someone appears suddenly and that might have triggered him into growling. But that was only once or twice. That doesn't happen in the day. I'll be back tonight to answer more questions, gotta run to school. Thanks for asking all these questions, it's making me think about the whole picture.

If you ever (even once or twice) praised for responding to your uneasiness with a growl to a stranger, then corrected for it, you have confused him. Not AT ALL trying my darnedest to "blame" you ..... just trying to see a possible source of anxiety for the dog.

Al's subject about what ob work has been done is one I would like to hear about too.

It's ok Connie, I have been thinking back a lot to try and remember if I have praised him, and I can't say that I have. I have always just corrected and moved him away. What I have come up with as something that could have confused him without me trying to is that the first few times he growled I was so surprised that I probably didn't correct him the way I should have. It wasn't a praise but more a weak correction and a startled owner that could have made Loki feel uneasy. I have worked on that and am more aware of my surroundings. I have done obedience with him, not marker training though...I know I should be doing that, but I kinda found it easier to begin with to name what I wanted him to do.

We work on Sit and Down a lot through the day, he sits for everything, going in and out of the house, car, for food and such. He does it outside with minimal distractions. The down is really good too inside and outside with little distraction. I have also done some heeling, although one day two months or so ago he decided to just walk nicely on the leash...no prong or nothing o.O So that was easy. Also, he's getting good at Out and stay. I've been getting some good ideas from reading posts here such as having him step behind me or to leave it which I'm working on now. And thank you Al, we have been told that he's an ACD/Catahoula mix



Edited by Thorunn Arnalds (01/30/2009 10:58 AM)
Edit reason: Spelling

Don't avoid situations. Make it an obedience thing, when he growls at somebody make him sit or down or whatever

The way I like to do what Al is saying is to sit him looking at me while the other dog passes. Then I move slightly to a different position and as long as he keeps looking at me I release and reward him. Then I'm not worried about rewarding for the wrong thing.

Another oops, I see your not talking about other dogs but the idea is the same.

Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I'm taking him out in a few minutes so I'll give it a try.

Good luck with the dingo, lol

Dingo you say So I took him out for a quick walk, and of course there wasn't a single person out and about. It's like a ghost town here...Oh well, I'll get another chance later.

Thorunn,
Do you have a leave it command? One he'll obey for whatever stuff you don't want him to have? If so it's reasonably easy to transfer that command to anything or any instance you want.
Once he learns the 'leave it', be it for garbage you don't want him to eat, or the stupid stick you don't want him to have, you can use the command for anything you want him to ignore. Man, beast, garbage, all them are an 'it' to a dog.
It gives him some reference for what you want from him. From the simple don't eat that trash to, no don't pay attention to that movement in the distance. Also it makes clear for the dog what the corrects are for, not leaving it.

And in the darkness giving a clear 'leave it' command gives any weirdos second thoughts about what your dog may do given the opportunity.
I hope all that makes sense.

If my dog isn't learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

Well, I haven't had any formal sessions with him to teach a leave it command, but I say it whenever he sniffs the garbage, plate, something nasty on the street etc. I'm not sure he knows it 100% but he does stop what he's doing when I say it. I will definitely keep working on that with him. It makes sense to use it, thanks.