Post by ajplmama on Nov 13, 2012 12:03:57 GMT -5
We have a 9-10 month old puppy that doesn't seem to be able to learn the desireable behaviour we are trying to teach it. We're not dog trainers by any definition but we've sucessfully trained a few dogs over the years to cohabitate in and around our home and farm. Some have been easier than others. In fact, the smartest seem the more difficult to raise.
One of our Chesapeakes was a year old before he could be trusted with another animal, in the house etc but we never thought he was lacking intelligence. It seemed the opposite! Eventually he became our most reliable dog ever. He died this spring and my husband rushed out and bought a backyard mutt puppy on impluse. That's the dog we are trying to train.
You can't use a harsh tone of voice with him or he pees. Same if you try to praise him. Any time you try to direct his behaviour he crumples on the ground or looks genuinely like he has no idea what you're asking. Methods we've used to show other dogs what we expect don't seem to work.
All summer and fall the only thing he has seemed to learn is that he goes in to his kennel at night and out in the morning. He has not shown any ability to be house trained or bran trained. I haven't even convinced him to move off the lawn or walkway to toilet even when the other dog goes. He just drops wherever he is. He hasn't learned to not eat the livestock feed so we're feeding all animals inside electric fences. He still gets shocked regularily going for the feed inside the fence. He jumps up on the moving vehicles every single day despite being hurt by a visitor that didn't know he wouldn't get out of the way.
Luckily he's good natured and has never been one to jump up on us. He doesn't hurt the kids or animals and generally submits to everything including chickens he gets too close to.
He doesn't have to leave the property and know how to act and he doesn't need to protect the house or farm animals if he doesn't want to. He's welcome to live out his life here doing nothing to earn his keep if that's what he's capable of. Having said that, I can't imagine spending the next 15 years cleaning up after a dog that can't crap away from the porch
We're feeling like those people that get a puppy and don't know what to expect and then realize dogs are work/annoying/demanding or whatever and want to get rid of them. We've given a great home to 5 other dogs from puppyhood to old age and have never felt this way before even with some challenging situations.
I just don't know what to do.
Is there some training methods that work better for very submissive dogs? Less intelligent dogs?
Is it possible he's really not smart enough to learn?
One of our Chesapeakes was a year old before he could be trusted with another animal, in the house etc but we never thought he was lacking intelligence. It seemed the opposite! Eventually he became our most reliable dog ever. He died this spring and my husband rushed out and bought a backyard mutt puppy on impluse. That's the dog we are trying to train.
You can't use a harsh tone of voice with him or he pees. Same if you try to praise him. Any time you try to direct his behaviour he crumples on the ground or looks genuinely like he has no idea what you're asking. Methods we've used to show other dogs what we expect don't seem to work.
All summer and fall the only thing he has seemed to learn is that he goes in to his kennel at night and out in the morning. He has not shown any ability to be house trained or bran trained. I haven't even convinced him to move off the lawn or walkway to toilet even when the other dog goes. He just drops wherever he is. He hasn't learned to not eat the livestock feed so we're feeding all animals inside electric fences. He still gets shocked regularily going for the feed inside the fence. He jumps up on the moving vehicles every single day despite being hurt by a visitor that didn't know he wouldn't get out of the way.
Luckily he's good natured and has never been one to jump up on us. He doesn't hurt the kids or animals and generally submits to everything including chickens he gets too close to.
He doesn't have to leave the property and know how to act and he doesn't need to protect the house or farm animals if he doesn't want to. He's welcome to live out his life here doing nothing to earn his keep if that's what he's capable of. Having said that, I can't imagine spending the next 15 years cleaning up after a dog that can't crap away from the porch
We're feeling like those people that get a puppy and don't know what to expect and then realize dogs are work/annoying/demanding or whatever and want to get rid of them. We've given a great home to 5 other dogs from puppyhood to old age and have never felt this way before even with some challenging situations.
I just don't know what to do.
Is there some training methods that work better for very submissive dogs? Less intelligent dogs?
Is it possible he's really not smart enough to learn?