Quote: Jinn Schmitz

I’ll re-read the articles on groundwork and start over slowly, sounds like I just confused my poor dog. I still feel awful about it, but at least now I have direction and a lot of great advice to learn from.

That's the spirit! And feeling awful is counter-productive. Don't indulge in that. :>

Your dog will start over with you, and when I say that marker training is fun, I really am not exaggerating. Grab a bait pouch of HVTs, and you and the dog spend 5 upbeat minutes several times a day on marker training, and not only her manners, but your bond with her, will be enhanced.

The suggestion about marking good stuff more than correcting bad stuff is a good one. When the dog is doing ANYTHING desired by you, you can mark it. Emphasize the good stuff.


And the trash -- I'd get a baby-lock on that cupboard. Dumpster-diving can be a PITA, yes, but also very dangerous. To a dog, a trash basket is a lovely buffet.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

That's the spirit! And feeling awful is counter-productive. Don't indulge in that. :>

Your dog will start over with you, and when I say that marker training is fun, I really am not exaggerating. Grab a bait pouch of HVTs, and you and the dog spend 5 upbeat minutes several times a day on marker training, and not only her manners, but your bond with her, will be enhanced.

The suggestion about marking good stuff more than correcting bad stuff is a good one. When the dog is doing ANYTHING desired by you, you can mark it. Emphasize the good stuff.


And the trash -- I'd get a baby-lock on that cupboard. Dumpster-diving can be a PITA, yes, but also very dangerous. To a dog, a trash basket is a lovely buffet.

Thanks again! I feel better knowing it's not some permanently scarring traumatic thing for either of us, we can work out of it and get on the right path. Thank goodness animals are forgiving - and forgetful! ;3

Yeah, the trash surprised me since I never had a problem with a trash can that had lids before. Unfortunately there is no door on the trash can place - the pantry has no room and it's just a little nook under the counter, but I'll look into a wire mesh or some sort of flap for it. It's really frustrating to think she jumped on the counter (which she's never done!) and dragged bags down from there, much less pulled the trash can from the nook and got the lid off.

 Quote: Jinn Schmitz

It's really frustrating to think she jumped on the counter (which she's never done!) and dragged bags down from there, much less pulled the trash can from the nook and got the lid off.

It will also change her life when you have your new regimen in place (tomorrow, right? ) of getting up an hour early for a power-walk, and leaving a tired dog in the crate when you go out.

The difference between a tired, well-exercised dog when you leave and a dog who is full of pent-up frustrated energy is huuuuuuge.

And again: a tired dog really IS a happy dog.

And when you are doing frequent ob training sessions...... tiring out that brain of hers is even more beneficial.

 Quote: Jinn Schmitz

She was mighty determined -- anything with food and she'll tear off her own tail to get to it. I can't figure out why she has such a high food drive, it's aggravating to me since I don't use food to train (she just focuses on the foodfoodfood and has no concept of anything but FOOD)

Why don't you use food to train? LOL.....if she'll tear off her own tail there is nothing you won't be able to teach her with food and your progress will be amazing!!!!

Do you think you might inadvertently emphasize the importance of food, making it become more valued than anything else....remove when roommates give it without permission or get or even argue with them.....she's a smart girl, I'm sure she doesn't miss a trick

mouse traps on the counters! just use the little ones. I also had to remove the trash cans from the backyard to not give her any temptation.

And I totally agree with Connie...she's a smart girl with maybe some bad experiences before you got her, but she will really benefit greatly by giving her some rules and structure and you will enjoy her so much more in just a few weeks!

my pup resonds in a huge way to treats or her favorite toy...she kills herself trying to figure out what I want her to do. Find out what motivates your pup and focus on strengthening that motivator.

 Quote: sheila buckley

Why don't you use food to train? LOL.....if she'll tear off her own tail there is nothing you won't be able to teach her with food and your progress will be amazing!!!!

Do you think you might inadvertently emphasize the importance of food, making it become more valued than anything else....remove when roommates give it without permission or get or even argue with them.....she's a smart girl, I'm sure she doesn't miss a trick

That may be true, I never noticed! I don't use it to train because I found she was too eager to do ANYTHING for a treat that she stopped listening - "sit" became OMGOMGOMGSITSIT?! SIT? LAY DOWN?! I'm laying down! OMG! I'm up! Food food food! Sit! Oh I'm down again! That's what you wanted right? FOOOD! I'm up I'm up! and would end up just barking at me and jumping at my hand with the treat (or trying, I had my foot on the leash to keep her off). She focused so hard on the food she didn't seem to retain any knowledge of a command, just go through a routine of sit-down-up-jump-sit-up-down-jump-run in circles-down and so forth --I couldn't handle her being so hyper and through a 30 minute session she wouldn't calm, just stared at the treats and tried to grab them from me. I think she's more prepared to work for a treat than I am for training her with them, it's me who needs to training. :P

I began working on making her give me direct eye contact before ANY treat, and she's improving a LOT. Before I could hold a treat at arms' length from my side for 15 minutes (I timed it) and she never ONCE would even glance at me, now she'll hold a stare for 2 or 3 seconds before looking back at food, so I reward her when she looks at me. I remember reading that here and thought it was a good step towards getting her to focus on me. I like how eager she is to work FOR food, but I want that same desire to work without treats - if I don't have them, I'm lucky to get half that response from her, but she's improving.

It's still early but I hope she improves. My roommates talked with me last night (as did one frequent houseguest who was over) and agreed to not feed her extras in her bowl or give her commands, and they won't pet her unless she sits for them (she usually runs up and puts a paw on you, or sits and then "grabs" your arms as you pet her and holds herself up). They also agreed to not let her pull them if they take her for potty (they don't know how to use my prong so they always take it off and put a flat collar on to let her go potty, and I've seen her just try to yank them all over - not cool).

Thanks for the great advice and reads - I hope I learn as much as she does. ;D Fortunately I can take her to work, and we have a big patch of grass in the parking lot so for about half an hour every 3 hours or so I take her out on a 20' cotton lead and we run around and she chases a ball to let her energy out while at work.