More difficulty - is there any reason why he had to go out right that very second?

My point here being - if you know it's going to be a fight, why even start it? Give him a minute to check out the kitchen and meet him at the door- I might even give him a really great treat when he makes the decision to meet me at the door.... At this point he is choosing the kitchen because it's more interesting than you are. Give him a reason to choose you- if it has to be food in the beginning, then use food...

Does that make sense?

 Quote: Kelly

More difficulty - is there any reason why he had to go out right that very second?

My point here being - if you know it's going to be a fight, why even start it? Give him a minute to check out the kitchen and meet him at the door- I might even give him a really great treat when he makes the decision to meet me at the door.... At this point he is choosing the kitchen because it's more interesting than you are. Give him a reason to choose you- if it has to be food in the beginning, then use food...

Does that make sense?

YES, "catching more flies with Honey than with Vinegar" makes GOOD sense -- "Pick your Battles" is always great advice ... Working on Engagement and NOT damaging the tenuous BOND with this Pup could only be an improvement over the current situation /// How about that DVD on "Relationship Games" ??? PLAYING more & fighting LESS would surely be a Win-Win for both of you, Becky, cuz I think this guy really needs to Drain a LOT more Energy off to tire him out so he'll CHILL

Good Afternoon Becky,

I've had dogs who figured out how to use the leash to get my attention by thrashing, pulling, rolling, biting it, etc. In some cases, continued walking purposefully and giving the impression we are just going my way worked over time to modify the behavior.

In some instances, I simply do a 180 and go the other way, and then repeat the 180 until the dog is more in tune with me walking than throwing the fit. Sometimes works.

Sometimes I simply stop, and attempt to sit the dog, and do 360s until the dog sits where and how I want it to, and then after a bit of time continue on with my direction of travel. Or incorporate the 180s and 360s and sit and holds until I have the attention of the dog, and it is more focused on me than anything else.

Simple walking techniques. I'm less inclined to use the leash as a primary correction tool and more inclined to move the dog in directions I want it to go and gradually reduce its distractions focus to focus more on me. Lots of voice praise treats when earned, lots of touching treats when earned, some food treats when earned.

I sometimes just let the dog throw the fit, and wait with feet planted until it winds down, and then continue on with my objective. I don't like to fight with dogs to see who will dominate because I am dominant. I believe my attitude and resolve goes down the leash.

I think If I walked by the kitchen and a dog on a leash tossed a fit with all the bells and whistles, I'd stop, let it go a little nuts, let it sit looking into the kitchen, and then, when it slowed up on the fit, I'd get on with my original objective. I've had some success with just stopping and waiting, and then continuing on, maybe with a 180 or 360 restart, or multiples of same if necessary.

In my world, it has to do with the dog becoming conditioned to me getting my way. But I want the dog to be happy when I get my way. Might sound crazy. I think marker training is a great way, if not the best way, to reinforce training outcomes. You convey joy and pride to the dog for good outcomes. In the turn, over time, the dog seeks the positive reinforcement. At least it is my vision of the world.

Sometimes it is valuable to sit down and consider all the episodes from both sides of the situations. What did the dog do or not do? What did I do or not do, and what alternatives did I have that were unused in addressing the episode? The old saw about doing the same old things and expecting different outcomes.

Ah well, sometimes it is the simplest tweak that changes the dynamic. What do I know?

A lot more of my blather.

I don't mean to pile on here, but I was thinking along the same lines as the last three members who posted. Sometimes, we have to choose our battles. Why not make Harry think it was your idea to go into the kitchen. When you go to his crate or bed to leash him up, take him straight to the kitchen, do a few obedience exercises with marking and rewarding, then head outside. Do leash work and obedience exercises in different parts of the house, just to get him used to the idea. Dogs can be very situational and we sometimes have to expose them to different locations or circumstances for the same exercise.

Also just wondering, because every dog I've had races to the back door enthusiastically when I ask, "Want to go outside?" Do you always have to use a leash to take him out? When you release him from the crate or bed, will he not come to the back door with you unless you put the leash on?

He is on a leash because loose he runs around the house, slams into furniture, and will body bump the crap out of you.
His claws have torn up the carpet with the zoomies.
If he was in the crate, off leash he will go back into the crate. By the door there is a table. Off leash he knocks it over.
He is a large, bossy puppy.
I will put all this sound advice into good use. I thank everyone for their time.

Mike, how long of just standing or keeping the feet moving, did it take for the dog to stop? And did you physically sit the dog? Or verbally?
Thanks everyone!

Good early evening, Becky,

In the first instance, I use a leash, trailing or in hand, in the house when working with a dog that has trouble reconciling my commands with what it wants to do. I'm not a fan of hearing myself talk, so the trailing leash can be stepped on if the dog is not cooperating, or I can essentially tether the dog to me so we can passively bond. When all is said and done, I do it my way and expect the dog to adapt over time.

Now, I have stood for some serious periods of time, or what seemed like serious periods of time with my I'm not happy look on my face. And the dog is on the leash, and the dog is reminded once or twice by command to sit presuming it knows what sit is. When the dog finally settles down, we resume my objective, for example to go outside to do its duty.

I am not fond of shuffling my feet to follow the dog, so I plant my feet and move the leash around me as necessary, always with the intent to have the dog sit by my left side sooner or later.

Sooner or later it will look up at you and you can try a sit command or go on about reaching your objective.

Teaching the sit command is a process all by itself, as is stand, down, etc.

In most situations I don't verbally negotiate with the dog. Silence can be deafening when coupled with a really chilly demeanor. I think acting is a huge part of training a dog. I try to get the dog to read me as well as want to be around me.

I'm old enough to have gone through various training approaches. Some were harsh, some were in the I'm OK, you're OK vein, some were hybrids. Marker training, with acting, and reasonable corrections when called for seems to work best for me. That is not to say some come to the Lord moments have not been undertaken but no longer as a normal and customary approach of working with a dog.

So, a stand your ground approach with some acting skills. Sometimes it can be tedious but the truth of it is that you train the dog or it trains you.

If I sit with a dog it is for fun bonding times, never in training times or times when the dog was acting up. I don't want to be the dog's new best equal friend. When all is said and done, we are not equal.

I think the word is assertive by word or demeanor.

And every interaction is a training moment.

2 cents.

Excellent. We will start that asap.

I prefer silence too.
Thank you so much !

Also, would you suggest I stick with the flat leather collar?

This is just to the best of my recollection from your previous posts, so please correct me if I'm wrong, but a lot of his reactivity seems to be associated with the prong collar. If that's true, I would certainly be trying a flat collar.

As far as this:

 Quote: Becky Niedbalka

He is not in the crate at all, unless I have to go to town. Until this tues, where he slept in it at night. He loves the crate. Instead I had him tethered, before tues, on a 6ft lead, on his Kuranda pet bed. We had tried loose in the kitchen, but he would pace at night.

Does this just refer to night? You mean he slept tethered to his bed until last Tuesday, and now he's sleeping in his crate? I'm still trying to get a picture of how he spends his time during the day. In the crate if you're not home, but when you are home, just going about your business, is he free in the house or still tethered to the bed?

I'm also still wondering if he's getting enough exercise........

He is tethered to the bed in a 6 ft lead at night, outside at 7am, breakfast after 8, relax for an hour, outside at 10, walk from 11am or 12 til 2pm, with a free 29 min off leash at the river, home, brush down if dirty, yard patrol, inside the kitchen with me while I prep supper at 3, or on the deck with a chew, than place on the bed from 4-6 for a nap while we eat and clean up, his supper at 6:30-7, depending on cleanup, potty outside, walk about the yard patrolling (in winter we are outside from 10 til 3ish) playtime with his chews wherever he ends up in the house, bed for him around nine, which is his choice, I go to bed at 12, he never stays up with me.
He was in the crate when we had company for 3 days. Otherwise it's only when I need to go to town. Left loose he paces and gets anxious.

Sometimes he is great for weeks, sometimes he is a arse for days.
He doesn't like toys, will chew a ball when loose in the yard while I am working, but usually hangs out. On our walks we practice recalls and ups on rocks, but at one spot, it's his spot, open, and away from people, traffic, and where I can see everywhere.
He does flip out on the prong. He chokes himself on the dominant dog collar, and will flip on the halti. I use the prong with walks, but correct on remote collar. My hands have arthritis, so I don't leash correct more than a quick pop up for a sit when unleashing him.
I am fair, and we do obedience, climbing on stools, and training on ignoring cars while in down by the main road.
He always has been a handful on leash. Always vocal when frustrated at any of us. The remote helped a lot to correct that.

I know he is just practicing nonsense. He got a bit worse when we nixed the crate, he preferred it to a bed. But I don't like hearing him banging and kicking around at night, the dog us much roomier, and he doesn't get hot on it like in the crate. Plus taking him out of the crate is harder than taking him off the bed.

All of his petting is on the walk, or when he follows commands with no guff. Also on the grooming table, as he is doing well on it. After walks we usually hang out on the deck together.

If he wakes up with the rude, it's an all day thing. Instead of fighting him, I ignore him completely. I use those days as my cleaning days, so the fights are only for potty breaks, or a walk. I had mentioned before, it's like he wakes up moody.
Did I cover enough?