Dutch Shepherd Forum

Ok so Dutch is almost 1 year and he's coming along nicely. It's just me it’s been a while since I've had a puppy.

He's a bundle of energy. There are 2 things I need to teach him (and train my husband). He's good with me he listens not so much with my husband. We took him in a conservation area on the weekend he took off on my husband but only walked beside me. I still don't know why when the three of us walk together he jumps at me only and not hubby in the valley (only in this valley), but never when it's just me and him. I know it sound stupid.

1 - Sitting in the vehicle. He paces I've been thinking about a barrier he will drive me crazy if I put him in a carrier and it's in the back of the van. I've always travelled with my dogs. They usually love the parks. It's getting him use to more city traffic. So I'm taking him to Port Dover with on Saturday. It's an hour drive.

2 - Stay. He's getting better but in a more hectic situation he needs to listen better.

Any ideas about better training?

Heather
I also need to update a picture of him.

patience, practice and keep at it. If you hit a wall maybe step back from it and work slowly up to it again.

Are you seeing any professional trainers to help? Even just a group class is often times enough to help with focus and handler communication. Even though I'm a trainer and do the majority of Odin's training myself, we still take private lessons and do drop in group classes from time to time and other facilities. Sometimes, you just might need an outside perspective to look at everyone.

I would get a barrier and work on a place command for the car. They have hammock style ones that keep the dog in one row of seats. Have him load up and do down stays in the back seat when the car is parked and then work on you slowly getting in and him staying in the back. Remember to keep it running if it's hot out. I have a carrier for the car too, but it gets too hot in the back of my SUV, so I fold down the back seats and have it face forward so his head is literally a foot away from the driver's seat. Now, I leave the crate door open and he just chills.

I would absolutely work on that stay, recall, and even a drop command before letting the dog off leash in a public place again. Get a long line, 20-30 feet and when he's solid on it, drop the line from time to time and let him drag it in an open space before letting him entirely off lead. A 30 foot leash means a 60' radius of running and that's plenty of freedom for a dog that hasn't earned it with solid obedience.

Ok thanks I've been thinking of some training with a trainer. I've actually had bad experiences with trainers so I have never went back, but if I can do spot training and not sign up for blood I'd be good.
Yes always patience, I've always said this was a life endeavour I'm not in a rush and Rome wasn't built in a day.

Heather

Heather,
If you need a little help with a trainer referral, we have a puppy owner in Cambridge (she did a nice job putting a three on one our Giants) and she could probably recommend a good trainer fairly close. Tracy has been to several good ones over the years, has been working rescue for years and works with the seeing eye and hearing ear programs up there as well. Let me know if you would like her contact info. You can reach me at gsbarrow@gmail.com

I do miss Hamilton, we use to have (Huddle...then Skeeters) restaurant there years ago. My sister is still in Stoney Creek.

Gregg