Roxie's behavior.....

[roxanne]

I have discovered a direct correlation to Roxie's comfort riding in a car to her new disobedience in class. When we first got her she was terrified of cars, to the point where she'd stop dead from about 5 feet away. She would drool all over and sometimes get carsick. Over the past few weeks, she has decided that cars take her to fun things! She's looking out the windows instead of curling up in the smallest ball possible in the back seat. Biggest problem is that now she's "forgotten" how to down. We've been working with her every day on it.

It turns out that her instructor happens to live in the town where she was found. She said during the time period we got her there were strange things going on. Dogs kept turning up all over. She agrees with me that something bad probably happened to Roxie involving a car. Chances are she was thrown from a car window, been in a car accident, or was nearly hit by one. Now I feel bad for putting her through that and not starting with much shorter around the block type trips. I am really happy she's over it now though!

If anyone has any suggestions that may help now that she's decided she gets to stay, I'm all ears! Oh....she's almost 8 months old. (which could be part of the problem)

[Dutchringgirl]

Oh yes, 8 months is part of the problem At about that time Sadie went through a rebel stage, id tell her to down and she would look at me like ' yeah right'. I put the leash and collar back on for a bit and that set her straight......until her next rebel stage

[Raven]

A dog I adopted years ago, riddled with issues, also had a thing about cars. Clearly showing stress over getting in, I took it slow and she would get in--and that was the easiest part. Any number of things, combinations of, were sure to follow. Shaking, vomitting, defecating, trying to hide herself on the floors. The worst reactions were infrequent, but scary. She'd stiffen, all four legs straight out, trembling, and usually accompanied with vomitting. Seizure-like. You'd have to pull over. (Ended up, she did suffer from seizures.)

It took short visits around the car, door open. Then in the car, going nowhere. Then start the car, going nowhere. Then drive to end of the driveway. Stop. Then around the block. Over time. Adding in the trauma and pure hatred of trips to the vets, and me not wanting to deepen the association between car and vet...it took, no exaggeration, a few years to get this poor girl comfortable in the car. After several years...she was Evel Kneival, racing toward the car when you said what had become the magic words, once words she couldn't even tolerate hearing. She became the quintessential Ms. Confident Hot Shot. In everything.

Your baby isn't that extreme but take things in steps, keeping an eye toward their behaviors, triggers, etc. She's having trouble with "down" in the car NOW that she's seemed to conquer her fear--is that what you were saying? Work on the down when you're not en route. Fabricate situations outside the car as well with the down. Condition the response with a wide variety of contexts. Like a kid in the backseat, you can't do jack about anything if you're driving. They're not stupid. They know it. But also like the kid who's learned respect along with conditioning, Mama doesn't have to pull the car over to get results.

[roxanne]

She's an angel in the car. Sitting up is allowed. I meant everywhere else. I figure her new found confidence and her age are why she's doing it. She refuses to lay down unless the treat is in my hand and I actually touch the floor

[roxanne]

She's an angel in the car. Sitting up is allowed. I meant everywhere else. I figure her new found confidence and her age are why she's doing it. She refuses to lay down unless the treat is in my hand and I actually touch the floor

[Raven]

You can alter the treats always coming from your hand (spitting out a human-tolerable treat), switching hands, from your left/right side, etc. You can also delay treats by a few seconds after you mark the behavior, which I always do. (If she knows "down," I'd stop delivering the reward in the manner that she's come to expect you to deliver it, like placing the treat on the floor. If she offers other behaviors, she should also come to deliver the one you wanted. Mark. Reward.)

Older dogs, too, can display that "You want me to what?" at points during training with things they know. It can be part of the process with some dogs. Sometimes a test...sometimes a brain-fog...or a distraction in their pretty little heads (you've become boring or their focus isn't up to par....). That said, this is often a bridge in training. You think that you're taking a step back when really it's the chance to move on. A stepping stone. Just remain consistent in expecting her to do what you want, as long as you know she knows what it means.

And you have the extra glory of having a teenager. Oh, the fun!

[Christie M]

I think that dogs often train their owners by withholding behavior until the owner provides the bait. You can get around that by using a conditioned reinforcer and having the rewards always hidden. And honestly, in the teenager stage, I often just step on the leash (SHORT) preventing them from going anywhere or doing anything until they lay down. Its a waiting game, and sometimes it takes a few minutes for the dog to give up. But I want them to learn that not only do good things happen when you do what I say, but also NOTHING happens until you do what I say. Later I will pair it with a correction, but at this stage, I just make sure there is no ability for a dog to reward itself for non-compliance.

[roxanne]

I tried standing on her leash a few times this week and it was amazing how well she could do a down in class tonight! She actually showed them a trick even. I didn't think it would happen. Thank you everyone!

[felixone123]

what other tricks do you have up your sleeve Christie?! I love that leash down - been doing it with Kai.