advice for training

[Gina]

Hi all...I am looking for some advice on training my doodle. He is a year old, just turned this past November. We feel like he has been doing well....but still has issues in the house when we get home from work. He wants attention NON-STOP, and it makes it very hard for me an my husband, who have demanding careers, to spend the entire evening catering to him. We try to walk him a lot at night, so as to get the energy expended from the day. He still cannot be trusted, and is kept in his cage throughout the day. He sleeps, I am sure, most of that time. I feel so bad for him, and know that the energy issue is one of the major issues with his behavior at night....but he still needs a lot of work on learning to not jump when someone gets home, he barks WAY too much when he sees neighbors when we are out to do the "business", and really needs to learn to allow me to get within 3 feet of my hisband without breaking it up, and jumping on us to keep us apart...he gets JEALOUS!! :) We have tried the spray bottle, turning our backs to him when he jumps, and all of the methods you can do on your own...what kinds of training should I be looking to, a home trainer that can come a few times? The Petsmart obedience classes? Will he just get better with time? Any advice is SO welcomed! Thank you!

[Gina]

I know, I feel that even though the dog has to sit in his crate, #1 - he loves it...he feels so comfortable in there, and #2 - I take VERY good care of my dog. You are right, our jobs make him a good home....but I do want to say that I actually found a dog park yesterday evening...and BOY did he love it! HE ran and ran, and loves the other dogs. I thought he would be more pooped, because he ran for about an hour, and then I played fetch with him for a time too....I think he was maybe so worn out, that he was getting a litle loopy last night. Sometimes, when he is really tired, he gets hyper. So it is hard to tell if it did him good however, I do believe that it did! I am now going to look into the trainer, trying petsmart maybe first, just simply because the hours are a little better for us, and then, if that isn't real helpful, I will look into a home trainer. Thanks so much, you have all been so helpful.

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

I'm glad to hear you found a dog park. Trust me it will definitely help burn his energy. I bet he was just so excited and overstimulated from all the play that he seemed like he had more energy, but keep going and you'll find it really wears him out. I bet he'll seem more tired today - our doodles have a carry over effect (i.e. they are usually really tired on Monday from their extra activity over the weekend). :)

It sounds like you are totally on the right track...we saw a very real drop in energy level around 2-2.5 yrs. They are still very playful and active, but it's much much less then a year ago!

[Adina P]

Wonderful! Some PetSmart trainers are GREAT others are awful. Check it out first before spending the money.

[GBK]

I agree with you Adina on the PetSmart trainers. We luckily found a fantastic one, she was breeding and training for years before she joined the PetSmart staff. She has become a friend and has shared some stories, pretty scary. They do not need any experience to apply to be a trainer, they go to training with PetSmart for a short period before they are put to work. My advice is to ask around, try to find someone that has trained before they started with the company.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Sounds like you are on the right track. My dogs love the dog park and my older more high energy dog really does benefit from it. You reminded (how quickly I forgot) that he, too, had been what might be called "overstimulated" in children the first few times, but soon just zoomed around and played fetch until he voluntarily(OMG he never did this) layed down with his tongue hanging out. Good luck finding a good trainer. It is quite likely that your vet may know one or two really good trainers (not necessarily really expensive trainers).

[Cam & Oski]

I used to work really long hours (my husband still does) when we lived in Seattle so Oski would be crated while we were gone during the day. Luckily we had a "dog walking" service that would take him to doggy "daycare" at the dog park for 3-4 hours a day. We gave them a key, they came into the house & pick him up, took him to play with the other dogs at the park (there were usually no more than 5 other dogs in his group + whatever dogs were also at the park) & then hose him off before dropping him back home & putting him in his crate. It was a great way to give him exercise & socialize him. Now I stay at home so I have time to play with him & take him to his playdates. I'm glad to hear that the dog park & playing is helping him burn off energy--you'll be amazed at some of the tricks you'll learn from the other owners about how to deal with certain behaviors or things to watch out for too. One note of advice tho: at some point, the more you exercise them, the better their endurance is so it'll take more time/exercise to tire them out, LOL

[LeAnn, Lucy & Rusty!!]

You've gotten a lot of great advice... I am still working on the jumping part.. as a matter of fact it's the only thing Lucy lacks in getting her CGC. However, the one thing Lucy and I have down is her jumping on me when I get home... I tried the knee, the ignore, the leash, etc.. but here's what worked for Lucy... I immediately tell her to sit and then scratch her chest for about 3 minutes.. I mean a loooooooooong scratch... it was hard the first two days but after that I said sit and she thought loooooooooooooooon scratch and her butt hit the floor so fast it was FUNNY!! Now, everyday we do the same thing.. although the chest scratches are down to about 30 seconds. Still we've conquered the jumping on me when I get home... now if I can just get her to stop when guests come over.. or we meet people on our walks... I tried doing the same "sit" and scratch technique but her desire to get to the stranger is stronger.. now, if I could just teach the people to scratch!! LOL

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I just ordered the David Dikeman video used from Amazon. I worry about ordering used videos but it was so cheap that it is worth the chance. We took Ned to a PetSmart training class and it was useless - however lots of it is our fault - we know basically what to do but needed the socialization of a class and the weekly deadline of practicing for a "performance" - only one other dog in the class who made NO progress and wasn't worked with at all. Instead of getting more because there were only two of us, we got less and so..... I am really hoping the video gives us the incentive to do more with him. I will let you all know.

[Janie]

Please, do let us know.

[Adina P]

Let me know when you've watched it...I'd be happy to support you in the training...it's intensive and MUST be followed per the instructions to be effective.

[Nancy - Opal, Meadow & Tariki]

First of all, I raised a beautiful Border Collie, Shepherd, Chow cross... he was really verbally brilliant then turned dog agressive and I want to do things differently this time. I now have 2 Aussie Labradoodle sisters that are now 22mths. My dream of 2 dogs was realized quicker than probably should have been. I had a trainer (recommended by the breeder) come up and work with them and give me lots of help but I wasn't ready for some of it. There were two items he gave me that were invaluable and they were the body harness with a 10ft 2" leash (I had to home-make one out of a come along strap) and using that on a small box platform (2'X2'). So when we had company, I could ask the girls (at 6 months) to wait on their box and they could do it for how ever long I asked... and it was also a mental work out - which was much more tiring than a physical work out.

I am on the waiting list for agility training right now for one of my dogs - so am currently taking both to Cattle Dog training. Today they both got to actually run with the sheep and they were out of their minds with pleasure. Next week I will take pics and post them in the agility group. I am pumped... I have a Dog Whisperer like trainer (I say that loosely , she is just that way inclined not one of the actual DW crew) and they respond to her really well. My probem is now I have to stop being such a wuss and lead them... or they won't be safe. That is my main priority... if they won't listen to me they are not safe... so I have to do what I need to so they are safe.

I live on an acreage and my girls have a 25(meter/yard) X 65 (meter/yard) dog run - this is where they are when I am not able to have them in the house, yard or am out. They X country ski with me every day in our field and we constantly work on waits, stays and gate/door passes. This seems to tire them out...that and waiting until they are calm before doing anything with them - I really believe mental out weighs physical - not that they don't need physical but you can tire them out by sitting on your couch making them do tricks) . I do not work and to be honest... if I had a full time job I would be hard pressed to keep these girls exercised and think I would have to hire a dog walker, or turn to jogging.

I really thought with two doodles I would pull my hair out but I am finding as they get older they are mellowing... but I still need to work on being a stronger bond with them individually than they have together and also to stop being a mom/pal so that I can gain better control. Then I can harness the energy to their benefit I think.

[Gina]

Hi all! I just wanted to say, I am overwhelmed with all of you excellent suggestions...they have opened my mind up a bit about the things I can do with him that are affordable....and doable with my lifestyle...it is so appreciated. I just wanted to say that tonight, I saw something incredible in him. We were at the dog park, for only the second time....and he LOVES it! There were at least 25 others there, and he loves them all....he just enjoys it from start to stop. But I have really been working with him with all his tricks for the last couple months, he sits, catches the ball from the air, sits, lays, etc, does all the basics. But I wanted to see how much he could concentrate with me, and the other 25 dogs, and owners behind me....well...I asked him to sit, ONCE, threw him the ball, he concentrated, and caught it...and he waited until I said "good" and released him back to his playmates! I was so happy to see that he could concentrate on me, and listen to me for a change. I always feel like he ignores me, to spite me, cause he is so so smart...anyways, feel like we are turning corners for sure...I am very excited about this....I love him to death...so I am really wanting his behaviors to become a little more cooperative! And by the way, he is completely passed out right now on the floor, at 730!! :) Thanks again all~ :)