Re: [PyrNet-L] One of those day?

["Tracy Bassett" <espinay@dynamite.com.au>]

<<I guess everyone, including dogs, has one of those days..... .......He is
not about to cooperate, learn or whatever no matter what!  Is this common?
That they want to do things when THEY want? not you????  gheesh...  I hate
to let him get away with that behavior now- I don't want him having the
upper hand!  Any suggestions? Or are these just *off* days?>> Merrilie

Merrilie, yes some days can be worse than others. :-)  On those days just do
one or two 'sits' etc, finish on your terms, and leave it for an hour or so.
Perhaps just have a game and incorporate a few fun 'sit' or 'come' for the
toy type exercises etc. Remember that pups have a very short attention span
and that five minutes of 'training' is often more than enough at this age.
Just do lots of little sessions.  Better still, just incorporate it into
everyday activities.  eg sit for the dinner bowl, come when called for a
treat (or dinner bowl :-D), sit for the door to open, heel beside me down
the hall for a treat or toy, lie down on your mat for a toy or chew bone etc
etc.

Rather than starting with too many things, perhaps just concentrate on the
sit and come when called.  Sit can help with a lot of things - he can't sit
properly and bite your leg at the same time :-D  Make 'sit' a game he has to
figure out for himself (you need to get him 'thinking' about his actions and
their consequences! :-D).  Here is one you can play:

Put his lead on and tie him to a post/clothes line etc - not too tight - tie
him so he can move around quite a bit (sit/stand/jump/lie down etc).  Now
walk away - turn around and quickly walk back towards him greeting him in a
happy voice.  As he jumps at you, quickly pivot around (keeping hands up and
out of the way) and walk away, not looking at him or speaking to him.  Walk
a few steps, turn around, and repeat the process.  Every time he jumps up at
you, turn quickly away.  Keep at it.  If, the next time you walk up to him
he doesn't jump up (most will sit) praise him, give him a treat (make sure
you have a heap in your pocket before you start), and a quiet pat (don't
make him jump up by being too exuberant - if he does, turn away again).
Then walk away and do it again. If he sits/doesn't jump, praise and give a
treat again.  Do it a few more times.  Do the exercise a couple of times a
week until he will sit reliably as soon as you approach him.  Get someone
else to do it with you too if you can so that he understands that the rule
applies to other people too (try it in different places too - enlist a
friend to walk through the front door while you be the 'post' in the
entryway).  Some puppies will only take one or two times of you turning away
to get the idea.  Others may take 10 or even more times.  Just be consistent
in your response.  What you are teaching the pup is 'if I sit, I get
attention and good things happen, if I don't, I don't get any attention and
it's no fun'.

Have you thought about clicker training?  He sounds like he may respond well
to this type of training.  This page gives a few good links
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/8636/Links2.html

Tracy Bassett
Canberra, Australia
espinay@dynamite.com.au
http://members.dynamite.com.au/espinay/index.htm