Pals "happy puppy" class story has me thinking about 4-H. It is another "hands off" correction type of thing. It's just like the pet store puppy class. Lots of praise and love, (which does have it's place, but with an 85 lb male...) but absolutely no physical correction. I sort of sat in on two other club sessions to find out that they're all pretty much the same way.
Every training situation Gunner has been in has been successful because I can physically correct him with a pop, the e-collar, or whatever else is needed to make him realize that I am the boss. Hence, in each of these situations my daughter can also handle him with minimal difficulty. A few weeks ago he snapped at another dog. (After talking to my trainer, it was determined that he was simply being a male and that he is no way aggressive, just a stubborn teenager.) My pop was mentioned last week as an inapporpriate correction because "even though I know what I'm doing, some of these families don't and may try to attempt this at home when it isn't needed...". I swear this dog knows he cannot be corrected at 4-H. I want to take him down one time and make him realize that he's being a jerk and it isn't acceptable, but that is not an acceptable correction. Last week when he was getting a little snotty, I took him from Harleigh and sort of pinned him against the wall in a way that wasn't obvious that I was correcting him, but he knew that I was telling him to knock it off. Any ideas?
Another problem we're having is that other kids don't give him (or any dogs) the right amount of space when they walk by. I'm finally getting comfortable enough to talk to the kids about giving dogs their own space. Even the parents think nothing of letting their dogs walk up and sniff some other dog in the rear and never watching. I'm slowly being able to address this with almost all of the new families.
Every training situation Gunner has been in has been successful because I can physically correct him with a pop, the e-collar, or whatever else is needed to make him realize that I am the boss. Hence, in each of these situations my daughter can also handle him with minimal difficulty. A few weeks ago he snapped at another dog. (After talking to my trainer, it was determined that he was simply being a male and that he is no way aggressive, just a stubborn teenager.) My pop was mentioned last week as an inapporpriate correction because "even though I know what I'm doing, some of these families don't and may try to attempt this at home when it isn't needed...". I swear this dog knows he cannot be corrected at 4-H. I want to take him down one time and make him realize that he's being a jerk and it isn't acceptable, but that is not an acceptable correction. Last week when he was getting a little snotty, I took him from Harleigh and sort of pinned him against the wall in a way that wasn't obvious that I was correcting him, but he knew that I was telling him to knock it off. Any ideas?
Another problem we're having is that other kids don't give him (or any dogs) the right amount of space when they walk by. I'm finally getting comfortable enough to talk to the kids about giving dogs their own space. Even the parents think nothing of letting their dogs walk up and sniff some other dog in the rear and never watching. I'm slowly being able to address this with almost all of the new families.
Then eventually he will realize when he acts like an idiot or whatever he is going to get punished. Then he won't do it at class. As for not giving him his space if it is during an exercise such as long sit have your daughter hang out and when everyone else has chosen there spot go to the end of the line. It amazes me that everyone has such a problem with not being able to correct their dogs! In our club if we don't correct we get "corrected" because you are letting the behavior continue! Sniffing butts is a big no no in our class with the instructor!!! We just don't tolerate $hit from the dogs at our class so come on down!!!
