Quote:
Originally Posted by Rottlva  You mentioned this boy is being labled as "reactive". It is often the smartest, quickest dogs that are labled as "reactive". They lack impulse control, are super sensitve to stimuli, and in the right hands can become fantastic competitors, but they are alot of work! ! |
Yup,
very, very bright!! As I mentioned, what the trainer is accomplishing with clicker training is amazing....three sessions and my foster is targeting the trainer's hand, following him in a lovely loose leash heel, moving front, right, left....leash was so loose the foster was tripping over it...really didn't need it. The trainer has said REPEATEDLY that this dog is SMART and would make a phenomenal rally dog. But all that being said, I'm rather over my head with this boy.
For example, the trainer played with the tug...said it teaches the dog an "off" switch, and the foster loved it, started play growling and then quickly escalated to an excited growl/bark...clearly going over the top. Tug was removed and foster grabbed at trainer's hand in excitement...no biting, no pressure, but did grab.
I have a feeling it's REALLY important to do things right with this dog so am trying very hard to comply with the trainer's recommendations and many of them work well; he said to hold treat tightly in hand and not let dog have it until he made eye contact...did that a half dozen times and now the foster will touch my hand with his nose and then look right at me...such a smart boy that I can't figure out why he's not figuring out the jumping thing...after I yelled at the dog, he ran into the kitchen and peered around the corner at me. I then walked over to him, offered my hand which he touched, I treated, then did a couple sits which I rewarded for....wanted to end it on a positive note.
Trainer said to look at ceiling with arms folded and ignore dog when he jumped...but it's not working.....any other suggestions? And how do you teach "auto watch"?
I will also say this is the same dog who is NOT reading my dogs' signals and bulldozes right into hard play regardless of whether the other dogs want to play or not...I've watched my dogs gradually escalate the body language until now my alpha female mounts and pulls him over, growling the entire time, and then my alpha male sits on him!!! With that level of "communication" he does finally seem to be getting it....another reason I'm thinking that the more subtle "ignore bad behaviors" just isn't sinking in.