IncrediJack Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 My 10-month old GR has been very passive dominant lately. If I give a command (and he KNOWS what I'm asking for), he looks at me like, "Make me." He thinks everything in the backyard is his to chew. The moment one of my kids leaves a ball or a toy unattended, he runs off with it and destroys it. If the same toy was inside, he wouldn't touch it. One day, I took his crate outside (which he uses sometimes in the house without any problems). He dragged it to the centre of the yard and started chewing it. His obedience is on-going. Sometimes he's very impressive obeying his commands. Lately, however . . . Power Struggle! Does anyone have any advice on how I should deal with this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 His obedience is on-going. It will be- for the rest of his life ] I see him living in a fairly high- energy household- two young children keeping the energy going! How often DOES he get a LONG calm on-lead walk ? Does he get a lot of bones to chew? At his age he is a teen- and really needs to use up his mental and physical energy! Chewing can also be a 'stress reliever for a dog'- it is rarely direct disobedience,IMO. Dogs just don't think like that. Can you get a private behaviourist/trainer in to assess the situation? It may be a big help to you in finding out where your boy is coming from, and what management plan would work. I feel he needs the long walks onlead - where he will be concentrating on walking well, NOT wee'ing on trees etc, avoiding distractions. This will make him think, and 'work'.. then when he gets home, he will ,hopefully be tired and more relaxed. Playing/training in a backyard is fine for short term, but it just doesn't give the dog enough input in the form of different smells/sounds/sights, or the mental exercise of adapting to them. Hope to hear better news soon ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IncrediJack Posted August 7, 2008 Author Share Posted August 7, 2008 Thanks, persephone. I walk him everyday with a bag of treats for training. He's great. Walks next to me, doesn't pull when he sees other dogs. He does have a lot of stimulation, bones to chew, toys . . . Not all of his destruction is intentionally disobedient, but a lot of it is. He runs off with our stuff, because he likes the chase. It's just a big game to him. Except we don't chase him, because we know we can't catch him. So he starts destroying whatever it is he has taken (shoes, books, toys . . .). I call him, tell him to drop it. He ignores me. I try to lure him back with treats or toys of his own. That doesn't work. If I advance towards him, he grabs whatever he stole and runs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kissindra Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 have you been teaching him the "leave it" (or drop it) command? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IncrediJack Posted August 7, 2008 Author Share Posted August 7, 2008 Yes! He absolutely knows "Drop it," has no problems with the command when we're playing a regular game of fetch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 (edited) You maybe need to make sure he cannot reach anything, then! ;) Regardless of what you are doing- to his mind- when he has something which isn't his toy- he DOES get attention! he gets your total attention while you try and retrieve your possession!! I call him, tell him to drop it. He ignores me. Ok- here, you have now taught him that what you are saying doesn't mean anything!! One thing that sticks in my mind from many years ago- 'is "IF YOU ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO MAKE SURE A COMMAND IS OBEYED_ DON"T GIVE IT!!" I try to lure him back with treats or toys of his own. That doesn't work. Of course it doesn't - when he goes back to you- the game will end! perfectly logical If I advance towards him, he grabs whatever he stole and runs. he wants you to play too This has obviously been something he has done from a baby puppy- so now it is fun! Yes! He absolutely knows "Drop it," has no problems with the command when we're playing a regular game of fetch. he knows "drop it" in the context of an organised Fetch game- NOT in the yard/house, off lead :D You walk him everday- how far/long? That's important ...20 minutes? an hour? once or twice a day? He sounds as if he enjoys these times, and is behaving ok so if it were me- I would be doing it for longer- and stopping along the way to practise with a toy- take/give, take/give.... Edited August 8, 2008 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IncrediJack Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 "IF YOU ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO MAKE SURE A COMMAND IS OBEYED_ DON"T GIVE IT!!" I have never heard that before, but I will try that this week. An average walk for him is about forty-five minutes and most days he gets a 20-minute swim added in there too, longer on the weekends. Plus training and weekend excursions (we take him everywhere with us). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 he's being a typical teenage dog. They have their naughty periods just like children do more then just 'passive dominance'. Also remember GRs are gundogs and as such need a lot of mental stimulation. Yes if you cannot make sure the dog obeys the command on the first go, dont bother. DO not teach the dog to ignore you. I think there has also been some inconsistancy on your part and the dog does not 100% understand that when you say X he HAS to do Y. Everything in the backyard IS his to chew! He's a dog, they have no concept of posessions or value - if its there chew it. Stop chew sprays are one way of preventing permanent backyard items of being molested. teach the kids not to leave toys lying around, and if he grabs it, oh well try again next time. Rotate toys as well and try getting more interactive dogs toys that make noise like giggle balls or products from Prestige Pet (they have recorded sounds in balls) or Aussie Dog toys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 He's a dog, they have no concept of posessions or value - if its there chew it. This is a very good point- one which is good to read again *after finding a couple of missing socks buried in the sand* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 My OH occasionally cracks it when the rotty chews something. Well I said to him dont leave it there "but why wont he learn" BECAUSE HE'S A DOG! and until the day we can tap into human like capabilities in the canine species they aint gonna know what is not to be chewed 110%. Its hard because dogs live in our human world we expect them to understand about things we see as every day. They are not human - to them it is an alien thing that YOU as the pack leader tell them what to do about it. Or if you're a poor leader they decide themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee lee Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 My OH occasionally cracks it when the rotty chews something. Well I said to him dont leave it there "but why wont he learn" My OH said that about thong pair number 3!! "Who needs to learn?" I said We leave NOTHING where it can be picked up chewed. Our yard is barren. We learnt the hard way. I agree with the adolescent challenge diagnosis, madam was at her worst at 10 months. I'm in no position to give advice, other than to not leave stuff lying around ;) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve K9Pro Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 K9: He is probably in the selective deafness period, have a look at this... http://www.k9force.net/index.html?row2col2=develop.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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