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Pupforum presents your training questions answered by professional dog trainers.
Dawn has a background in competition in breed and the obedience ring, the whelping box, trained her own ‘registered therapy dog’, herding, tracking, lure coursing, water work training, field training, agility, and sailing with her boat trained dog. Dawn was one of the few trainers utilizing ‘positive reinforcement’ based methods before it’s popularity. Dawn has been interviewed by authors for a variety of articles such as Dog Fancy and The Washington Post. The Washingtonian Magazine chose Dawn as one of “Washington’s Best Dog Trainers”. As the owner, and founder of Merit Puppy Training, LLC, she continues to teach group classes and also works as a private consultant.
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7/27/2005
I adopted a puppy that and she is the most wonderful puppy! She is a mixed breed - English Fox Hound/Pointer mix-we adopted her at three months and she is now five months. The housebreaking was very easy and she responds very well to commands in the house and when on park and neighborhood walks. However, when she is out in front of the house she just won't listen.
She will turn my command to "come" into a play episode where she begins to bark and runs from me. I do turn and walk the other way and she will begin to follow, but then when I stop and ask her to come, she again begins to play and run. She acts this way with my children also and only in the front of the house. It seems that I must address this problem and solve it where it is happening (in front of my home) as this behavior doesn't occur any place else. What is even more puzzling is that when in a park I can take her off the lease and she will stay by my side and come when called. I am concerned that she will run into the street during one of these performances at home. (Nancyd21, New Jersey )
You are exactly right in that you now have a teen dog on your hands and starting to test the boundaries as we spread our wings. As a doggy 'parent' it is your job to keep your puppy safe, which means that the sweet young pup you first brought home and followed you everywhere is now more interested in the world and will need to stay on leash at all times, period. If you can find a fenced area where you work your puppy BEFORE feeding, use some good soft treats and practice calling your puppy and making it a wonderfully happy experience for the puppy that coming to you is the BEST thing to do....I call it the 'Lassie' recall. The
n after much praise walk away and see if your puppy follows you, if so then turn and give another treat and lots of praise because your puppy is seeking you out without your calling him....mix it up and have fun.
You need to use your commands around the house as well called "real life reward' system. That means nothing is for free. Every interaction with your puppy is a learning and teaching experience. Your puppy will have to earn all those things your would give him/her anyway. Sit for water, sit for food, sit for kisses, sit for treats, sitting is the canine equivalent to "please".....if you want a kiss or you want to hug your puppy he must sit first....so your puppy will still be getting all those things you have been giving him but he will now need to earn them, he will also learn the relevance of what SIT means, ie; sit means things happen for me when I do as my mom requests, this way you work your training into your real life everyday world.
As your puppy matures these behaviors will become automatic and that is great for any pet owner. It is a very trying time raising a puppy, but the teen years are the hardest, and once you get through that and have laid a strong foundation in manners training, and not allowing your puppy to run away off leash and play those frustrating games of 'keep away' you will find your self in a wonderful place with your dog and will be able to reap the benefits of all the work you put into your dog. So be patient, kind, train train train, prevent and/or manage behaviors, teach good manners and make sure the payoff for your dog comes from you in a positive way.....great treats and lots of hugs. Hope I helped. Feel free to email should you have more questions. Best, D
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