End of my rope (and my rope is LONG); please help! Please!
She is constantly restless. She never rests or sits or lays down, ever. Not from sun up until she goes into her crate for bed at about midnight. That is seventeen solid hours every day of her doing the following: walking up to the coffee table and sniffing at various items on it (candles, little tray of jewelry, coaster set, art books, etc) and then biting at said item, or jumping onto table and pushing all items to the floor with her giant feet. Walking up to me as I sit at my desk working. Mouthing at me, but worse, scratching at me. Her favorite thing to do is scratch at both of us, HARD, until we scream in pain. We both constantly have long bruises all over our arms and legs and back and sides from this. Nothing stops her. I am constantly fighting her off, all day every day. Or, she will just sit and stare at me and pull her lips back and bark sharply in my face. Over and over and over again, for as long as it takes to get a reaction. She has unending patience, and has barked for as long as three hours whilst being ignored. She gets taken outside an average of 10x/day, if not more. She likes to go for a lonnnng walk outsde, then come in and immediately run into the foyer and pee all over the carpet. Our 100 year old wood floors are destroyed from this. This spring, she fractured my pelvis by running,on purpose, headlong into me whilst in the midst of the zooms. We are both permanently bruised and bloody from her. Nothing seems to help. Here is something else I have noticed about her -- she seems to have ultra-keen sight or perception. She is obsessed with shadows and light, and if, say, a car drives by and causes light to bounce off the ceiling, she will FREAK OUT and begin jumping up toward the ceiling, trying to get at it. She will then spend the next few hours going back to the same spot over and over again, looking for the light. She notices dogs on TV, in still pictures, and on the computer. She attacks the television whenever a dog comes onscreen. She has referred aggression toward out little Maltipoo. Anything that excites or upset the OES, she takes out on the Maltipoo by attacking him. Lucky for us, our Maltipoo is one tough little guy who will NOT let her get the best of him, but people on the street stare at us as the OES, seeing a dog in the distance, or a squirrel, whatever, launches at the Maltipoo in a fury of snarls and teeth and nails and the Maltipoo snarls back and they tangle for a while until we can separate them. She is a climber, the likes of which I have never seen in a dog. She has a crate that is tall enough to house a pony, and she CLIMBS onto the top of it. She climbs the cat tree. Last week, she climbed onto the top of her crate and then jumped down onto the back of my NECK as I was sitting on the couch, and my husband was on his way over to lift her down. She could have easily broken my neck. Getting rid of her is NOT an option. She's ours, we love her, and we need to find a way to fix her behavior. I do believe she has, perhaps, mental problems, OCD or something and I am not above medicating her. But her behavior is honestly affecting our jobs, our health, and our social life (no one wants to come over, because she will sit in her crate and bark the entire tme they are here) and something needs to change. I am open to any suggestion except "more exercise." She gets MORE than enough exercise already. Thanks in advance to anyone who read this and can offer help. |
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| Sorry you are having a bad time with your sheepie.
Here is my advice...Although I am not an expert, I am sure there are many on this forum who can offer you much more. Have you tried calling your breeder? Maybe she has some suggestions. Has your pup been through any training classes? This may help in getting her to understand that you and your husband are the 'bosses'... Has she been checked out by your vet? Possible thyroid problems? Ear infections? As I last resort, I would suggest you contact a behaviourist to come out and evaluate her, maybe teach you ways to get her under control. |
| She sounds like she might need some constructive activity and to learn that the world is not as scary a place as she seems to think it is (notice the fact that she is picking on the little EDIT dog when she gets anxious proves she has a desire to prove she has some control)
A good trainer with experience in anxious dogs, a work up by a behavioral vet and some activity for your puppy's mind is what is needed. That and the realization that she did not and will not run into you on purpose - she is a herding dog, doing what her instincts tell her. |
| Wow, almost text book deeply frustrated high drive herding dog. Of course, most well-adjusted ones DO have an off switch. Some of what you describe would probably get her an OCD diganosis, some is just kind of normal, albeit exaggerated (.e. neurotic) herding breed behavior. Have you lived with a herding breed before? If so, some of it probably feels familar, just extreme.
A couple of mine climb on crates and the likes. Another used to sleep on the kitchen table till I finally convinced her otherwise. OES her age are typically high energy to begin with. As a herding breed they tend to be VERY aware of their surroundings, easily stimulated by movement, and many are high prey drive. They WILL find an outlet for all that energy. And the body slamming is not unheard of. If a week passes by when I don't have at least one fresh bruise, I'd be shocked. What kind of exercise does she get? Some times it's not the amount, but the type. 15 minutes of actual training (using their noggin - agility and/or obedience) is usually as good as a 90 minute run for my resident foster dog who sounds a bit like what you describe apart from the displaced aggression. Did you by chance adopt her from an OES rescue group? They're usually a good resource in terms of information and so on. What was her history when you got her? You can certainly try medicating her. My vet is an OES breeder and when she fostered resident fruit cake for a while she tried that with her, but it had no effect on her. A vet with a background in behavioral sciences like Kerry's suggests would probably have more ideas up her sleeve. And, if you don't mind me saying so, and please don't be offended, I'm just trying to understand the situation: why would you desperately want to keep a dog who makes you miserable and sounds miserable herself? What you describe sounds very mentally/emotionally painful for her as well. I hope you find a solution and I really hope that involves being able to keep her. But I can tell you from first hand experience that there never are any quick or easy fixes to these kinds of issues, so your devotion to her is really going to be tested even more before it gets better. Kristine |
| L came to us as a rescue also, from a raided puppy mill. A close relative of mine worked with the local humane society as an animal behaviorist, she knew we were looking for a young rescue and when L was rescued from the puppy mill (a place I saw with my own eyes, a sight I will never forget), we were given custody of her. So, I cannot call upon her breeder,and the only thing I can say for sure about the first 16 weeks of her life is that they were filled with misery and neglect.
Here's what will be helpful for my family and for L: positive suggestions; other poster's experiences,successes and failures; honest, well-intentioned questions about L's daily routine, the details of her behavior and how it has evolved over her life; breed-specific information and wisdom that may help us overcome this current situation, etc. Here is what will not be helpful: jumping to negative conclusions about me, my motives, etc. Making snarky comments about my other pets. Suggesting that I get rid of L because she must be emotionally traumatized living with me (which breaks my heart to think of). Telling me that a dog cannot act purposefully. I am unmovable on the fact that I will NOT surrender my dog. When I agreed to adopt her, I committed to not just being her lifelong owner, but to doing whatever I needed to do to insure that she is a happy, well-exercised, secure, safe, and friendly companion. I love L, and not only that, I LIKE her. This thread I started is not for the purpose of me describing how profoundly she has won my heart, how she licks my tears when I cry, how she came into my life after a half-year period during which I lost not one,not two, but THREE of the people in my life who are closest to me. This thread is not for me to talk about how when I came home from miscarrying for the 3rd time, L crawled into bed with me, laid her head on my stomach and stayed like that, refusing to eat or go out, for 12 hours. I currently have my house on the market so that I can move to a place with more land, all and ONLY for L. We *will* work this out. What remains to be seen is whether or not OES.org ends up as a helpful resource in this journey or not. I am not prepared to spend time correcting baseless negative assumptions or assertions on here,sorry. Now, those of you who DID offer helpful suggestions and info (and there was that, so thank you), you have already been of great help to me. It is reassuring to hear that this behavior is common to frustrated herding breeds. I have an appointment next week with an accredited animal behaviorist, but thought I might check in here in the meantime. Thanks to those of you who made it worthwhile. |
| SweetClover, welcome to the board. I'm just sorry it is under such trying conditions.
Having been a lurker and then a poster over a couple of years, I've learned that that we really need a tone of voice to accompany these posts. Having read posts from the above people for quite some time, I know that they weren't intending to offend, we just need the tone of voice to help convey that. There's a lot of brainstorming on here so we can get the best ideas, but we know that not all ideas are acceptable to everyone. Thank you for rescuing both dogs. It sounds like L needs a different type of activity, a job of sorts. She sounds bored. Have you thought about a doggie daycare a couple of times a week? Having some dogs her size to play-play-play with might help. Has she done obedience classes? Honestly, she sounds like a candidate for agility. She might like the mental stimulation of learning new "tricks" and the physical challenge of the different stations. We have an agility club down the street and I am so ready to get involved. Herding would also be something to look at - she seems to be an alert dog and this could be the sport for her. I wish we had it available around here. I hope this helps. |
| Where are you located?
There may be breed specific activities in your area>.. It is alot of fun and you meet alot of cool dogs and people. I have a nut girl that is 7y/o and she has to stay active... BTW...welcome to the forum! I have two pups that are deaf and we just spend alot of time working them. If we didn't they would be batty, not that they aren't 
Please don't feel as if you are under attack....everybody wants to help! This is the best group of people you could ever meet! 
Good Luck and please feel free to ask anything! |
Opps 
I saw Upstate NY after I posted that... Maybe Kerry could help you out????? Good Luck...feel free to contact me if needed! |
Quote: I am unmovable on the fact that I will NOT surrender my dog. Good for you  Now you need to find some positive ways to make this work.Have you and L completed any obedience classes together? Wondering if you might be able to channel her energy into something more productive. I am not a trainer but I do spend 22-24 hours with my pack every day... just some things we've tried... I've tethered dogs to me with a short leash so I can correct or redirect inappropriate behavior quickly. If she's right next to you, she also might not be able to gather the speed/momentum she might otherwise get. Clip a bait bag on your hip so you can do some sits/downs/stands/around-places once in a while too. When she starts to focus too intently on a shadow or a dog on TV, you'll be right there to tell her to "leave-it". Does she know the leave-it command? It's another really extremely useful command. Tip: I couldn't figure out why my husband had been pulled flat on his face a couple of times when handling our 65 pound OES girls. I observed him one day and finally picked up on the problem. He had the leash looped over one wrist and was holding the leash at the end. When the dog pulled, he had no chance to adjust his balance. If you loop the leash on your wrist this way, it's best to take the other hand and hold the leash in about the middle. This will give you a very brief advanced warning that the dog is pulling sharply so you can adjust your weight to accept the force of the pull. Goodness... it's late, if this doesn't make sense, let me know and I'll try again. If you have her tethered to you, you should probably have a couple of toys with you that she can either chew on or entertain herself with. Rotate them so she doesn't get bored. Quote: She likes to go for a lonnnng walk outsde, then come in and immediately run into the foyer and pee all over the carpet. Try to teach her to potty on command. This is a very useful command. It again involves a leash. You take her outside on a leash each time she has to potty. You quietly tell her to do her business... you don't walk all over the yard either. You go to a designated area and allow her to sniff around in the area you're standing. If she goes, quietly tell her once that she's a good girl. You can then let her off leash to play if you have a secure yard or go back in the house for a small treat. If she doesn't do her business, it's back in the house under constant supervision... back outside in 15-20 minutes to try again. Potty before play. If you've just completed a long walk and she hasn't pottied in a while, finish the walk with a visit to the designated potty area and allow her to do her business. Quote: Our 100 year old wood floors are destroyed from this. Rather than giving her full run of the house, make her earn the privilege. Allow her in one room only... preferably tiled for easier cleanup... the kitchen is a favorite here. If she's peeing in the house frequently, you should also rule out a urinary tract infection or struvite crystals which can make it near impossible for the dog to control. Take some time to sit back and observe L. See if you can spot exactly when the behavior starts. If you can step in BEFORE it's allowed to escalate, you might be able to short circuit the drama that follows (I'm familiar with doggy drama too... and damaged wood floors due to dog pee from a medical condition... and separation anxiety  ) One the the trainers we had in taught us to be more observant so we could prevent any aggression rather than trying to separate crazy fighting dogs. We now have a pack that co-exists well.Quote: Mouthing at me, but worse, scratching at me. One of mine was horrible about mouthing hands and clothes. I carried a toy in my back pocket and when it started, the toy was stuffed in her mouth and I'd walked away. None of my dogs particularly likes it when I fold my arms in a huff, turn my back on them and say "uh-uh". Some dogs it doesn't really phase. Quote: Her favorite thing to do is scratch at both of us, HARD Aaaah... yes, we have a pawer here too. We're still working on curbing this behavior. We've been using the leave-it command but I can tell it's going to take us being more persistent than the beast. It an be especially painful after clipping a dog's nails. Use a card board nail file to smooth and round up the nails unless you grind them. Quote: running,on purpose, headlong into me whilst in the midst of the zooms
Yeah... Panda did this for months. Picture a puppy with hip dysplasia that was over crated so she hadn't had enough opportunity to adjust to her oafish, growing body. She came close to running into me at times too while zooming the yard.  I was usually able to get out of her way. She was in less pain so she was more mobile but she had to learn how to maneuver.
Hang in there. You will have a wonderful companion once you can work through these quirks. |
| Mmmm.
I didn't say you should surrender your dog. I warned you, from experience, that you'll be digging very deep into your devotion to her to get you through this. And, like I said, I hope you're able to do so. My current foster could be her older sister. Last night, despite the progress we've made over the past year, she regressed and went into overdrive and broke a window. She's fine. I'll get the window fixed. Life goes on. And I'll keep working with her. Living with these kinds of dogs is not easy as you obviously know first hand. The best way I know how, like I told you very sincerely, is to give them a job, a purpose, something to focus their energies on, something to challenge them and make them feel successful in some way. These are dogs fighting to make some sense of their environment, desperately trying to control what they fundamentally fear, and, yes, I believe it's very painful to them. That doesn't make either of us bad people. It just is what it is - they're the product of their unfortunate breeding, and all you can do is make the best of it and try to make their lives better, more bearable. And yours too. One step at a time. Kristine |
| Wow -- lots of great advice here, and things to consider/look for/try. I am not a complete novice, but it certainly helps sometimes to take another look at the basics.
I am in between meetings at the moment (and OMG, L is laying quietly! Um, after a sustained 20 minute frenzy when Fed-Ex came to the door, but hey, I'll take it!), so cannot answer all the questions, etc. but will be back after work to do so. To those who sent me PMs, thanks for the support and the context. |
| Definitely not an overall solution, but maybe just an idea: how about adding some mental stimulation type toys so she can get some prolonged entertainment and engage her mind (for times when you can't give her your attention)? I was thinking things like puzzle toys, or even like that Tug a Jug where it takes them a lot of time and thinking to figure out how to get the food out. Maybe something like that would help to get her out of your face and stop some of the scratching.
As far as the peeing in the house, the first question that came to mind was: is she actually going pee when she goes outside or is she just playing? Is she peeing a lot when she comes in? My youngest boy is about the same age as your girl and, if it helps at all, it can be just an annoying age even in a pretty well trained dog. I still get those very "pay-attention-to-me-now!" moments from him sometimes but they're getting fewer and more far between. I'll be quietly playing on my laptop on the couch and next thing you know, a giant paw slams on the keyboard. Push it away, there it is again. Push it away, get two feet on the keyboard. "Owen, go lie down." Bark in my face. Sigh. It's a process. |
ButtersStotch wrote: My youngest boy is about the same age as your girl and, if it helps at all, it can be just an annoying age even in a pretty well trained dog. I still get those very "pay-attention-to-me-now!" moments from him sometimes but they're getting fewer and more far between. I'll be quietly playing on my laptop on the couch and next thing you know, a giant paw slams on the keyboard. Push it away, there it is again. Push it away, get two feet on the keyboard. "Owen, go lie down." Bark in my face. Sigh. It's a process.
That sounds familar.
Kerry sent Sybil one of those puzzle toys (thank you, Kerry!) and it actually kept her occupied for a full 20 minutes before she ate it. Well, maybe a little longer. Longest survival time of any toy she'd ever had at any rate.
People underestimate how darn smart this breed is, and how much attention and stimulation they need, and how lucky most of them are to see their 3rd birthday 
Kristine |
| Have you had her examined at Cornell's School of Veterinary Medicine?
I live in Ohio and I've had a few complicated cases with my OES over the years. I've had great success working with Ohio State's Veterinary School. It usually takes at least a full day, but I always feel I get a comprehensive and very constructive evaluation of the situation. The vet school students take the case history but the veterinary residents, board candidates and instructors tend to the animal and oversee each case beautifully. They have leading edge technology, thorough knowledge of the most current studies and medicines and a refreshingly optimistic attitude. As much as I love OSU, I wish I lived near Cornell! It's got an awesome reputation for veterinary medicine.... Good luck to you and yours...your OES is so lucky to have become a part of your family. |
ButtersStotch wrote: My youngest boy is about the same age as your girl and, if it helps at all, it can be just an annoying age even in a pretty well trained dog.
I definitely agree with this. I think it will be a very long time before I own a dog that age again, all thanks to my little monster dog who totally terrorized me from 6months-2 years. I guess my advice would be that 1.) it gets better, I promise. and 2.) you WILL find something that works for you! Try everything you can and see what L responds to best. Some of the things I would second: -structured group training classes -dog daycare (although make sure to let the daycare know what L is and is not allowed to do throughout the day so that it does not negate training) -mentally stimulating toys/activities. good luck and please keep us up to date with the progress! |
ButtersStotch wrote: "Owen, go lie down." Bark in my face. Sigh. It's a process.
Ahh Jill - that part doesn't seem to stop - at least not with Morgan. It may be his one bad habit. And the bark can rattle your brains  |
kerry wrote: ButtersStotch wrote: "Owen, go lie down." Bark in my face. Sigh. It's a process. Ahh Jill - that part doesn't seem to stop - at least not with Morgan. It may be his one bad habit. And the bark can rattle your brains He's normally pretty quiet, too, so it scares the crap out of me every time! |
ButtersStotch wrote: kerry wrote: ButtersStotch wrote: "Owen, go lie down." Bark in my face. Sigh. It's a process. Ahh Jill - that part doesn't seem to stop - at least not with Morgan. It may be his one bad habit. And the bark can rattle your brains He's normally pretty quiet, too, so it scares the crap out of me every time! Oh yeah, can't tell you how many times I have been reading and shot up out oif my chair with a big old bark in my face. Morg normally sits back and lets Marley and Beowulf bark at everything - but frustrate him and in your face time!!! I have noticed as he has gotten older (he'll be four in October) that he is getting a little more vocal. Of course Marley seems to be getting less so it all evens out a bit. |
| At a year old I would be concerned about the toilet behaviour, obviously something that was not handled in the first 16 weeks of her life and either can't make the connection in her head as to what is required, or can only pee indoors, because that is the only place she pee'd before she was rescued.
As it is something you want from her to go to the toilet outside, then this side of things should be natural for both you and your husband to work on. When out walking does she take any interest in where other dogs pee? Have you tried a pee post? it may help her nose make the connection? re-enforced with rewards, food or play depending on her motivation, first move of the day take to the post, rain or shine! obviously at first she'll not have a clue, after walks especially if she hasn't been to the toilet, take her to the post and wait and wait and wait ...... and throughout the day periodically taking here there, eventually something may gel in her mind. This is probably old news, but it's worth persisting with if you end up with a pee free home! What are you using to clean up the pee, there maybe something in the cleaning agent that is triggering her peeing as if she thinks it is the right place to pee. The physical side does seem to be a very Sheepie trait, I lost half my cartilage in my left knee due to the head on crashes with my boy. Have you tried getting down to her level and talking to and playing with her, does she invite you to play, bum in the air, front down paws out stretched (in my case quite often accompanied by some very enthusiastic and LOUD barking)? if so definately the time to engage in play. Does she at all act submissive? if you put her down on the ground by her neck does she roll onto her side or her back? Does she regularly have any other contact with other family members or friends - does she act differently with them? How often do you groom her? does she enjoy it or does she see it as some punishment, grooming is an excellent tool with this breed - one on one attention, maybe giving them greater contact with their owner than maybe a lower maintenance breed. |
Archies Slave wrote: How often do you groom her? does she enjoy it or does she see it as some punishment, grooming is an excellent tool with this breed - one on one attention, maybe giving them greater contact with their owner than maybe a lower maintenance breed.
How very astute! And so very true. It's probably not so much more contact, period, compared to other dogs, as much as contact in a calm and soothing way. Well, for dogs who learn to love grooming. And most will if you approach it right. Sybil chilling out: 
Kristine |
kerry wrote: ButtersStotch wrote: "Owen, go lie down." Bark in my face. Sigh. It's a process. Ahh Jill - that part doesn't seem to stop - at least not with Morgan. It may be his one bad habit. And the bark can rattle your brains See, I learn so much here! I had NO IDEA it was a Sheepie trait. Lola does this. She is getting better because each time she does it, we give her a time out. She startles the heck out of me. |
ButtersStotch wrote: My youngest boy is about the same age as your girl and, if it helps at all, it can be just an annoying age even in a pretty well trained dog. I still get those very "pay-attention-to-me-now!" moments from him sometimes but they're getting fewer and more far between. I'll be quietly playing on my laptop on the couch and next thing you know, a giant paw slams on the keyboard. Push it away, there it is again. Push it away, get two feet on the keyboard. "Owen, go lie down." Bark in my face. Sigh. It's a process.
This is HYSTERICAL! Where you in my family room last night? Lola does it to me all of the time and last night was my husbands turn. I have found that if I put aside the laptop and give her a couple of minutes of UNDIVIDED attention, she moves on and leaves me in peace. I tried to explain this to my husband, who thought he could get away with petting her while messing with his laptop. Nope. I don't know who is more stubborn, my husband or Lola. It took him 4 times as long to end it as my method. |
| Owen always pulls the B key off, too. If you guys tell me that your dogs also pull the same key off the keyboards, then I'll know we're in trouble... |
| I've given up any hope of being able to read a book anymore. I now just get audio books and listen to them on our walks or grooming sessions. Asterisk refuses to let me read a book anymore. She'll nose it shut and then finally slam her foot on it. |
* Capt. Obvious Danger wrote: I've given up any hope of being able to read a book anymore. I now just get audio books and listen to them on our walks or grooming sessions. Asterisk refuses to let me read a book anymore. She'll nose it shut and then finally slam her foot on it.
What a great time to practice the long down. |
kerry wrote: * Capt. Obvious Danger wrote: I've given up any hope of being able to read a book anymore. I now just get audio books and listen to them on our walks or grooming sessions. Asterisk refuses to let me read a book anymore. She'll nose it shut and then finally slam her foot on it. What a great time to practice the long down. What's the long down? |
| Sorry - I ssume that everyone with sheepdogs does obedience as a way to maintain sanity in the household.
On the long down (or long sit) the dog is trained incrementally to sit or down for an extended period of time - to proof it you add distractions like moving away from them, jumping around, leaving the room, ignoring them - we proofed food driven Morgan's long down by eating dinner with him in a down in the room. My husband was astonished when he managed to maintain the down the entire meal - all for a little treat and some praise when he was released. Everyone has their own method for correcting the broken sit or down - I use both a "uhoh" or a collar correction depending on how far away I am, what they got up for etc. I down them in the kitchen when I am making meals, or if I want to do something and they want to "help", like reading etc. Another good one for me is to use it in the front yard when I weed - or if I want to work with one of them in the driveway on something for obedience, rally or therapy. I can trust Morgan to stay (the long down is his favorite exercise after all ) with Marley I put a long line on her so I can grab it (sometimes I attach it to my belt loops) if she gets up.
And since they are "working" during the down it also helps to serve as busy time and occupies some of that energy they are famous for. |
And I thought I was the only one with a "devil puppy"! 
Here's what has worked for us (cause now Winnie is 13 months old and becoming a good, sweet dog): 1. Peeing inside: Good advice is to take the pup out, say Go Potty, and stand in one spot until you get a result. Then, praise, praise, praise, pet, and treat. 2. Body slamming: Oh yeh, Winnie still catches me now and then, but have learned to anticipate it and move to the side. Now her head hurts more from slamming the wall than my backside does from her launch. 3. The "red zone" is when the pup goes nuts for no apparent reason and gives you any manner of rude behaviors. We finally learned to anticipate when she would do this and so before it comes on, we re-direct her into training or into play. If we are too late and she goes fully "red" we calmly (and calmly is the key) wait until she's done then make her sit, and then use the "look at me" command, which gets her to look in our eyes. Then, a treat. (Always have treats in your pocket.) (And, making them look at you reinforces that you are dominant and she is not.) 4. Training sessions every day - often 3 or 4 times a day for short sessions. OES need mental stimulation as much, if not more, than physical. We focus her on training, which includes sit, stay, down, give me paw, and also can include play such as chasing a ball, bringing and dropping at feet, sitting, staying, getting a treat, then off to chase the ball again. 5. Enforced naps. I mostly work from home, so enforced naps - two hours in morning and two in the afternoon - gave me time to work and her time to rest. When we first got her, we underestimated how much sleep a young pup/dog would need and we found her behavior most agregious when she was too tired, or as we put it - "punchy". Time for a nap so off to the crate for some "quiet time."
6. Part-time doggy day care. When needed, this option really wears Winnie out, socializes her with other dogs and she comes home tired (and somewhat compliant). 7. We're still dealing with the "can't stop barking" thing so we're not best authorities in this area. 8. Daily grooming. Winnie, at first, hated this. HATED IT. Wouldn't let us use a brush or anything. But we persisted. Now she likes it and when I ask her if it is time to be brushed, she will go to her bed and lie down, waiting for me to get the brush. She still sometimes thinks it is play and tries to bite the brush or get up and walk away, but being persistent has paid off. 9. Being in command. Whew. It took Winnie FOREVER to accept us as the "pack leaders" but making her EARN every privilege (to include food and water - must sit first) has paid off, too. 10. Time out. We put a leash on the bottom spindle of our staircase, or over a door knob, where Winnie goes for a "time out" if none of the above work. Amazingly, she responds by becoming completely quiet and in control of herself. Once she has regained control of herself, time for a treat! This is similar to ignoring her until she is good. Good on you for calling a behaviorist and for dedicating yourselves to making this work. Each dog is different, so what I listed above are just a few that have worked for us. We still have "quirky" issues, but it has gotten SO MUCH BETTER. For the first few months we were really concerned that we might not be able to handle her, but time, patience, training and mental stimulation have really, really made a HUGE difference. Good luck and keep us posted! |
| I think it's time that I bring Asterisk back to training classes. She will go into a sit stay for a very long time, but she's easily distracted when her brother is around.
Thank you for the advise, I'll have to look into some classes around here. |
| ^^^
It's always harder with two (or more). Yesterday I had Morgan ina long down onthe driveway while i worked through some heeling patterns with Marley. Of course my ADD girl needs some verbal commands while heeling - Like the idiot I can be I said "here". Morgan looked at me like - OOh Ok and started to spring up - oops (Marley kept watching the butterflies) |
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