From Good Dog to Naughty Dog

[Sofie, Maggie, and Luna]

We have a 1.5 year old doodle, Maggie, who has been the most perfect dog we could have asked for.  Never chewed aything up, always comes when called, never got in the garbage, never chased things, behaved 100% perfectly off-leash, all that stuff.  And then we got a new puppy.  Now our new puppy, Luna, is 4 months old.  She has picked up on stuff and learned really quickly.  She knows come, sit, down, stay and release, heel.  When we're outside in a huge fenced in field though, Luna doesn't always come when called, I have tried getting really excited to get her attention, but it doesn't work.  I have to get almost mean sounding to get Luna to come when called.  But then she will come and she gets treated and then allowed to play again.  We've had Luna for 2 months.  About 1 month ago, Maggie started having behavioral problems that we have NEVER had with her.  She has gotten in the garbage 3 times, she ignores me when I tell her to Come, and I have to literally scream, Maggie Come NOW! to get her to come to me...when she's chasing geese, or squirrles, which she never used to do either.  Why is she suddenly doing this?  Is it because of having Luna around that she doesn't think she has to listen anymore?  She's not getting neglected, still getting tons of attention. 

What can I do to get Maggie back to her prior perfectly behaved and obedient self???

And what can I do to get Luna to listen to the Come command better.  That's the only command she has problems with.  She will even drop a mouthful of horse poo if I say Leave it, but she won't come when called unless I get mean?   

[Natasha]

Well... We just started having irritating behavior issues with Rouser too (started around 18 months).

Rouser was just like Maggie. Then, he started to think. "Hmmm, do I want to come when called or chase that rabbit?" "Hmmm, if I pick up this other dog's ball, will the humans chase me?" "OK, I COULD lay here and stay while we're at training just like all the other good dogs, or I could get up and run around all the other dogs and puppy bow and try to get them to play with me." Basically, the reward or punishment isn't more important than the bunny or the playtime. If we have chicken, he'll behave like an angel.

I was shocked this weekend when he not only got up from his down stay at training, but he ran across two baseball fields all the way to someone else's bag and snatched a squeeky toy from it and then proceeded to run around the enitre field with it!

So, I suspect that this is an age thing. Maggie is probably challenging your pack leader status as she is starting to think more for herself and seeing what she can get away with. I suspect that this would have happened regardless of Luna, but because you have Luna, maybe Maggie is finding some areas where you are not being as consistent in your training or awareness?

Regarding Luna and coming when called. Practice short distance training with treats several times a day. This is good for both stays and recall. Start with 5 feet in the house then go to five feet in the backyard and then five feet in a public place (but not the dog park). Then do 10 feet in the same pattern. Then 20 and lengthen the time that Luna is staying to 1 minute. OH - and don't always have her come to you. Sometimes, you should walk back to her and treat her so she doesn't anticipate that a "stay" means eventually coming to you. It will make training more difficult later (it did for us at least).

The problem that you have with Luna is that you don't yet have a good foundation so when you are in a high distraction environment, you're just not going to get her attention.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I can tell you from experience that if she will drove horse poo then you have a great "leave it". Horse poo is a delicacy in my girls mind.

[Eva (Lilo and Rocky)]

Maggie: don't expect perfection, or you will live a disappointed life. Praise when she behaves well, keep your sense of humor, realize that living with dogs is an adventure. Maggie does not sound like she has behavioral problems. She sounds like a normal 1.5 year old dog. Hunting instincts are very strong in dogs. My 5 year old doodle has a UDX title and still ignores me sometimes when she chases prey. I've concluded that instrinct wins over training. .

Luna: reward the come command until she's got it down instead of screaming at her. She's very young and you cannot compare her to Maggie. She will learn in time if you are consistently positive, and avoid letting your frustrations take over. Screaming does no one any good, and being mean will only discourage her further from coming.

Both dogs: take them to obedience training sessions separately. Work with the together as well. The dynamic totally changes when you have more than one dog. And fresh horse poo is a delicacy for many dogs, but at least it's just organic matter, so I wouldn't worry too much about them eating it unless, of course, they get sick.

So: lower your expectations a bit, keep training both dogs in a positive and friendly manner, and most importantly: be happy you have two lively, healthy, and fun-loving dogs!

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Welcome to the "Real World' with the rest of us! Maggie has become a teen-ager ( yes dogs go throught this too) and she got a sister. Sounds like you have two really well behaved dogs. Ever go to a dog show? Almost no dogs show in the over 12 month - under 18 month category mostly because they are teenagers and completely goofy a lot of the time. Just laugh and enjoy it. You have lots of years to have two grown up dogs, but only a short time to have two "kids".

[Sofie, Maggie, and Luna]

Thank you. I guess somewhere along the line I always thought that the teenage stage happened more around 8 months, not 18 months. I'll keep being patient with her and rewarding the good. She really is a great dog, I was just concerned about her not coming when called as well as she used to. I was thinking maybe she was mad at us for getting the puppy and was rebelling. It's nice to hear that it is normal behavior and that it will improve again with the right instruction.

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

Hi Sofie,
When Honey came into the picture Hannah was already 17 months old and had 3 classes of obedience training already and started agility. Honey could be distructive and Hannah never changed, so I was lucky that way.
All dogs go through a stupid age where they act like they know nothig at all (Luna is probably getting ready to enter that stage usually around 7 to 8 months they start and only last a short time). Than comes the teen years and all the training and fun begins all over just at a more advanced stage. I don't know if you have done any kind of training classes or agility, but Agility sounds like it would be fun for both you and your doodles, also a great way for you to reinforce their obedience skills as you work with them on and off leash. Sounds like you just need to go back and reinforce the "Come" with using leashes. This is what has worked for us with the come command and hope it can help you... I would try using a long leash line, (buy 20 or 30ft. at Walmart for less than $10.00), and work with one dog at a time.

With your regular leash you can practice in your home, small yard...etc...

Put your dog on a Sit – Stay, Proceed to the end of the leash. Hesitate a few seconds (count to five), Call Maggie or Luna and command “COME”. On the “COME” command, pop towards you at the dog’s level and immediately run backwards away from the dog until he catches you. Lots of praise.

With the long lead: Ball park feild, areas that are large and some distractions....
Let them get to the end of the 20 to 30 feet and be distracted, Once you no longer are their attention, give the "COME" command and if no response immediately back up and make a goofy sound, I use "UP UP UP UP UP" really fast and loud so it grabs their attention and they want to run towards me and follow me, stop and let them come into you with lots of praise. Once you have reinforced the "Come" with Maggie you can go back to working with her off line in a fenced area.
Always end any kind of training on a postitive note, even if they don't come at first, when you do get control have them do a simple sit and praise them for the sit. Hope these tips help you some.