So I have a huge problem in training my dogs. It's not the dogs- they're smart. Sara (new dog that moved in on 18,Jan 2013), learns most new commands
within a few minutes. George learns quickly as well but he is my housemate/uncles' dog.
The problem is my housemate/uncle Bill. He does not show the dogs that he is a leader. The dogs know they can walk all over him. While Bill was gone
(2 weeks), I had the chance to work with both of them and we had a nice, peaceful and respectful 2 weeks. Bill comes home and they act like they're
retarded.
I can not make Bill understand that he can't beg the dogs, repeat commands (if they don't follow an order the first time, you MAKE them do it). You
don't have to be mean or angry- but you make them know (like Cesar Millan says) with calm, assertive energy, that YOU are the leader. Bill can not
grasp this. He is 70 years old , next month. I know that it's almost pointless to try to make him learn, but I have to- for the dogs' sakes.
Every command I teach them, he poisons by repeating the command over and over again when they don't listen to him. How do I get passed this? The dogs
listen to me 98% of the time. They do not ever listen to him and he does not understand how to make them do what he says. He refuses to learn even
though I have told him time and time again. Maybe it's just the fact that I'm "junior" (yes Uncle Bill gave me a masculine nick). I've signed up for
obedience classes so maybe, if he hears these things from some one else, he'll listen to them. Sara has only been here for a month, but she's eager
to please. George and I are just making friends since I've overcome some personal bias against him. Even though he wasn't high on my list of friends,
he does want to please me.
They both see me as leader- and only occasionally can I not grab their attention enough to recall- but those occasions are when I most want them to
recall...like they see the neighbor and go running to say hi...if 'neighbor' turned out to be a stranger, this could get them into a lot of trouble.
Especially Sara since she has obvious "Pit Bull" looks. She's been listed as "American Pit Bull Terrier" by the shelter, the shelter veterinarian, and
my own vet (who loves and lives with pibbles). So for her protection, against the uneducated, she needs to constantly be with a good leader. I
[r]really don't want to keep her from these morning (off-leash) walks with George (dog) and Bill(Uncle/Fail dog leader). She enjoys them so much.
It's not that she won't get a walk if she doesn't get to go on those walks- I'll take them both on field and pack walks (leash walks down the
roads)...but she's a puppy- only about a year old. She needs all opportunity to get energy out.
I've signed us up for obedience classes in the hopes that if someone else tells my uncle how to interact with the dogs, maybe he'll listen.
I'm really at my wits' end. Every day I try to point out his errors- either directly or by showing him a better way....he just refuses to learn...and
he's going to ruin these dogs' training. Not necessarily ruin them, but definitely make my job a lot harder. I need them to listen as close to 100%
of the time as possible. I'm very ...ermm.....well...dominant, with my dogs and they absolutely must do as I say most of the time, with very little
error.
In closing- I do believe my uncle is the majority of the problem, however, I am still learning too. I do not claim to be the perfect dog
leader/trainer- though I have never had problems training a dog for myself or another- as long as the other listened.
I firmly believe in the dog psychology angle. I use that in a combination with clicker training. I'd like to phase out the clicker training as I
believe that's not ideal. Dogs want to please their leader. Sara is extremely food driven but I feel like it's too much. If I treat train- she knows
i have treats no matter how much I try to hide them, and she knows she will get them if she does as I say. We actually have another food issue with
her that maybe I'll go into at another time (fear, not aggression).
I'm rambling- I've been drinking....so this post has turned into almost a bloggish post (is 'bloggish' a word now?). I apologise for that.
Edited: I should add that my Uncle has shown no desire to work with the dogs in their training. I train, he (tries) to command. Example- he knows to
say "off" if the dogs jump on him. I tell him 'stick out your knee, do not speak to, touch or make eye contac twith the dog when she or he is acting
out'. I try to enforce the "no talking, no touching, no eye contact' ideal but Bill just won[t get it.
"off offf offf OFFF offf offf"
No! George. Georgie GEORGIE.. SARA COME. GEORGE. NO...
^ Bill.
It's frightening to watch, honestly. Some of you might think it's cute. It's far from cute. I'm like a leader dog and I see him treating my pack this
way and I want to....shut him up. It's not good. He is going to ruin these puppies!
edit on 12-2-2013 by Hushabye because: (no reason
given)