Nash and I are Dunces in Intermediate Obedience!

[Nash's Mom]

Hi all. It's true. It's a very frustrating feeling and I know you can't show frustration in training so please consider this my vent to everyone here and a plea for tips and tricks. Oh and thanks for listening.

In some ways I can't believe this has happened because he was the star of SuperBasic (distraction training or proofing) obedience class. He would do recalls with other dogs distracting him, sits with a ball being thrown and could not care less. He was totally focused on me. The instructor would use him as a demo dog for all exercises, even new exercises.

Well fast forward two months and I have a dog who doesn't focus on me at all (although in the park with training he does, just not in this class). And, last night, after perfectly performing the non verbal down command with the new signal (hand in the air pointing up) at home, in the park and for eight times before we had to perform in fornt of everyone, I get Nash's attention. raise my hand and he looks at me as if to say "no thanks Mom..just did it 8 times before, don't want to do it now". So then I have to explain to the new teacher who says "did you not train this week" that yes, he knows the down he just needs a leash pop because he knows this command, she tells me this is a positive motivation class and no leash corrections are necessary. And that was the highpoint of class!

Next, Nash breaks his sit-stay position and runs around the room and jumps on a Bermese mountain dog (I am completely MORTIFIED) and I sprint to where he is, grab him off the dog as the owner screams "Oh my God he is going to kill my dog!"

Then, I put Nash on a long line to repeat the exercise and Nash decides its playtime and puts the leash in his mouth and jumps on me and I say "No. Drop it." (which he does) and that same woman screams "Oh my God now he is going to attack the owner!"

By this time, my nerves are frazzled and I turn around and say "Look, Nash is acting like a complete inappropriate Blockhead right now, but he is not aggressive with any human least of all me, who saved his a** last year and he was not going to attack me. I am sorry he jumped on your dog, he was wrong, I am not excusing his behavior, but he only wanted to play with your dog and not attack your dog. I am sorry it caused you any discomfort." BTW, her dog outweighs Nash by 20 pounds. The trainer doesn't say anything during this whole exchange.

So that was class. Now, clearly Nash needs more training. And in the light of day, after a hot bath, a glass of wine and some chocolate, I have these questions:

a. Are there cracks in Nash's foundation of basic obedience, i.e. should I go back to the beginning and repeat basic obedience with him?

b. Does Nash need a leash correction for his behavior? I think he does, but what do I do if the school doesn't believe in leash corrections?

c. I have previously owned dogs but never Rottweilers. Is Nash's behavior typical Rottie adolescence? Nash is seventeen months old. My other dogs never acted like this.

I really do train Nash every day. I have taken him to obedience school since I got him and he even has his CGC.

I am very discouraged, but will go back next week with a big smile on my face. Tips would be appreciated.

Oh, and if anyone has stories about how their dogs mortified them in class that would help soothe my wounded ego. :D :D

[rottie597]

Yep...been there:) Cally did the same to me..she did have to take subnovice twice but really shone when we got to Novice. She could do no wrong!!! However, she had a period of regression..went visiting during a sit stay and ( this is the worst) once while sitting opposite another dog as a post for a figure eight stepped forward as the other dog hacked up a piece of kibble caught in his throat and caught it in midair...gulp!! EW!!!
She also tried to play with other dogs some of whose owners exhibited high drama...BUT my trainer straightened them out immediately:) She got over the regression with more attention to preventitive measures and I got over my humiliation:)

[Jallarzie]

I am a new poster here but we went through the same thing with our rott. My thought is that if you do not like the methods that the classes you are in are using you should try to find a place that agrees with you in your training choices. We went through 3 diffrent facilities before we found the one that we loved. Also my Zeus would do the commands perfectly at home, at freinds and familys homes but as soon as we went to class he would look at me like "nope not going to preform". All I did on those nights was just keep on trying to make it fun for him, not worry about my embaressment, classes were always done within a hour anyway.

[Judi W]

I'd be inclined to ever so sweetly hand the leash to the instructor and ask her to demonstrate please how to manage this naughty boy under these circumstances using motivation only. :D

Now, down to truth. Yes we teach with motivation, however after we are quite comfortable that the dog understands what is requested, we enforce with whatever amount of compulsion is required. The name of the game is "obedience" not "if-you-want-to"........... By not correcting the very first time he blew you off, you sent him a message that all bets were off- enjoy yourself with impunity.

I'm sure the instructor would rather see you correct than to have this big jerk running around terrorizing the whole class. Give him some bootcamp heeling just before you enter class.. a reminder don't you know.

[cinde33]

]

"Look, Nash is acting like a complete inappropriate Blockhead right now, but he is not aggressive with any human least of all me, who saved his a** last year and he was not going to attack me. I am sorry he jumped on your dog, he was wrong, I am not excusing his behavior, but he only wanted to play with your dog and not attack your dog. I am sorry it caused you any discomfort."

That was sweet! :D Right on.

[Muckdogs]

Here's my .02 -> Nash is a dog.

No one, I mean no one knows what's going on in the mind of a dog all of the time. They are unpredictable and do the damndest things and the darndest times. You probably jsut fell victim, for the first but not last time, to the "holy crap" syndrome. For instance, Holy crap, my dog tracks like a bloodhound, why is he just standing there eating the grass during the tracking phase of a recent Schutzhund trial and now, Holy crap, is he puking? Or how about, Holy Crap, my dog never, ever, ever, flinches during the gunshot phase of a Schutzhund trial (we've trained for this moment a hundred times) so that can't possibly be him walking, no make that sauntering and darn proud of himself, across the field trying to mount the bitch doing her off-lead portion; Or how about, Holy Crap, MY dog ALWAYS runs ALL of the blinds 1-6 before doign a bark and hold, heck we've done it hundreds of times during practice ->why during the trial does he go around blind 1 and straight to blind 6?

My point is is that they sometimes march to the beat of their own drummer, often when we'd least like them to. Sometimes all you can do is laugh. One thing I have learned, from our own failures and watching those of others, is that you can only train so much, and the rest is just hope.

PS -> you can overtrain as well so maybe a little break can do some good.

[Judi W]

Yep, and that is why old trainers have bad knees. It's from falling to their knees and preying - whoops, I mean PRAYing at the beginning of some trials when we've gotten that "message" from the dog in a place where we are totally at their mercy.

[WorkinDogz]

Nash...... I could help but laugh :) Congratulations.....you have a dog that not only LIKES obedience; but looks for ways to LIKE IT MORE!!

Motivation-only will give you roughly 70% accuracy. That ain't good enough....and especailly when you have a dog that is "into" his obedience like Nash is!

I'm with Judi, yet again. Enter: The Proofing Phase :D

Dogs embarrass me??? Ha... never ;) OF COURSE they do!!! You want stories?? There are DOZENS with every dog I've ever worked! From being on the long down in a CDX and deciding he would rather be in the down next to the cute little Spaniel rather than the yucky Greyhound.......(it was interesting.....walked back into the ring and looked at the empty spot where I left my dog; only to glance down the line to see him on his side with his paw against the head of a VERY UNCOMFORTABLE looking Spaniel that didn't break HER down.... to being in the protection phase at the Nationals and my dog saying "He's over heeeeeeeere" and blowing the 5th blind completely in front of maybe 8,000 people....to Apollo feeling his oats in a trial and after the recall; when I gave him the Fuss command to finish; he grabbed my left shoe and played a little tug with the string....

Happens to EVERYONE....... so take off your dunce cap and appreciate that you have a dog that isn't a push-button wet noodle.....cause you will be a MUCH BETTER TRAINER because he keeps you on your toes :)

[Nash's Mom]

Thanks to everyone who replied.

I feel soo much better now. And I can laugh about what happened last night! This is why I love this forum.

I guess, all you really can do is train and hope for the best with the dog. :)

Thanks again! :D