Hi everyone I need a pep talk ... I've started to feel really nervous about walking Tess. She's coming up to a year old next week and is generally pretty good. Her recall is good, she walks on a loose lead most of the time - really, for her age, things could be a lot, lot worse. First of all I'm a perfectionist and I find it hard that my dog isn't perfect and that I can't make her so, if that makes sense. I'm constantly on the look out for other people so I can get Tess on her lead to go past them. If she sees them first and I can co-ordinate getting the whistle to my mouth quicker than it takes for her to think 'ooh, people!' then I'm 90% sure she'll come back to me. But I can't relax for the fear that she won't and that she'll bound over to them and frighten the life out of them or worse still throw her 27kgs at them. When I let her off to play with another dog I worry about her jumping all over the dogs owners, which she often does when full of adrenaline. I suppose the thing that bothers me most is her love of anybody and everybody - I know that sounds awful and it's so much better than having a nervous dog - but after a year of doing what I hope are all the right things she's still so incredibly excited about everybody! If we go somewhere busy she'll get in to the swing of it and start ignoring people but if we're walking and somebody else comes towards us she takes so much management to get past them without her lunging. If somebody actually says hello to her (and I often take a wide birth to try and keep her under threshold and more often than not she doesn't get to say hello) then she opens her mouth while they stroke her. I know she's not trying to bite them but they always stroke her head and their hands usually go inside her mouth! Then I get the other owners who criticise me for using so many treats for training, why can't people just pass the time of day without passing judgement?! I'm doing the best that I can with the training and we're starting a new class in February which I hope will be better than the one I've used locally where she just bungs a halti type lead on all the dogs and I'm constantly advised to use one too (I do actually have one which I occasionally use in very busy places if I'm on my own with the children but she can slip it off!). I haven't been able to set up lots of scenarios with other people/dogs but I do 'use' other people as training opportunities as much as possible. I'm so sick of hearing about how she's crazy because she's chocolate, how big and strong she is, how excited she is. She's wonderful and I love her but I just want to be able to relax and enjoy being out with her a little more - and I'm aware that if I don't force myself I'll find myself only walking her when/where nobody else is about, in the dark, on a long line etc etc. and that's not the life she deserves.
Here comes the pep talk!! Sounds to me like you are and are doing a great job with Tess who is still only a year old. I and my OH are perfectionists so I know how tough that can be but if you are worried whilst walking Tess she will be picking up on your anxiety. It's hard but do try and relax. Do you take lots of high value treats with you when you do see training opportunities like seeing other people/dogs? Do you have a cue to get Tess's attention on you in these situations again with great treats, I find this helps a lot? I hope the new training classes help as the local one doesn't sound that great if the solution is to put a halit on. People mean well when they say things to dog owners and probably think they are helping. What ever you do do not start walking Tess where this is nobody or dogs around in the dark as her training and socialisation will degenerate. Keep going and use every opportunity as a training opportunity and I can see you are doing the best you can and I would be proud of that. xx
Thank you Charlie, yes I always have high value treats and Tess values all treats very highly ;-) I can imagine she'd be totally off the rails if I/we didn't do all the things we do do, I just hope that it won't always be such hard work and I promise I'll try to relax ...
No problem. Absolutely she would be off the rails without all your hard work as would all dogs and one day you will look back at this and it will all just be a memory because dogs do improve with constant training and maturity Does Tess like to retrieve or does she have a favourite toy/ball? If so maybe using the toy/ball sometimes in tricky situations to get her attention on you instead of another dog, person etc. would help, just mixing it up a little sometimes treats, sometimes retrieving etc. so that she doesn't know what's coming. I'm no expert but just thinking of different ways to handle things. Helen x
Many sympathies from a fellow mad choccie owner (only people who own them are allowed to call them mad ). Yup, got one of those love everyone/everything to death dogs. The thing is, trying to get over stuff like this out on normal walks is really tough. You will get there, for sure, but it'll take quite a long time. People with more 'normal' dogs can just encourage their dogs to stay away from people and their dogs seem to get it ok. But if it's really a serous thing with your dog and you want to get over it in a reasonable time, there is no subdtitute for finding training opportinities. With people I found a longish path that leads from a car park to a busy beach - so loads of foot traffic, kids waving fishing nets and stuff. I stood at the end of the path in the car park with my dog on lead and fed him sardines anytime he wasn't going completely nuts. Then the next day, a bit closer etc. he was clearly beyond himself with excitement (not so that he couldn't eat) but I carried on so long as I was making things better, not worse. And that's the thing - is what you are doing is making things better? So you need to write down where you are now, and review what progress you made in the session. Anyway, then I walked up and down that path, parking my dog when people passed us at first, to physically stop him from lunging. Then I walked as people passed us. Then I let him off lead for very boring people (with sardines held under his nose at first), and so on and on. Took about a month, all in, working on it twice a day. I still had to continue working on it while out and about but I'd got him to a more 'normal' place where it was practical to do so when out and about. He's pretty good these days, I still get him back close to me if someone is carrying a stick, or a crying child, or swinging something, but mostly he is fine these days (he is nearly three!).
From my limited experience I don't know where people get this mad choccie thing, they are no madder than your average Labrador . Juno has always been very good about walking past people, joggers, children, cyclists, wheelchairs etc. but currently she can not ignore another dog regardless of the treat on offer . It's a problem we didn't have in France so one I need to work on. I've been researching Trainers within a reasonable distance to sign up for a course as life in the UK with a dog is a bit different from what we're used to so some of our training needs a helping hand. Main thing is to try and relax on your walks with Tess. If you're stressed she will be picking up on it which will make her react, which then makes you more worried and stressed so life becomes a vicious circle. Personally I don't think the perfect dog exists, they are all a work in progress so ignore comments from people who don't know you and Tess. Thy have no idea what you are trying to achieve or problems you are working through with Tess. Hope the new training course helps, the previous one doesn't sound as it would help many owners
Great advice above , you stress, they stress My Sam still likes to meet and greet, thankfully not quite as enthusiastically as he did when he was a youngster
Thank you all so much We are not a quiet, boring house, we have 4 children aged between 3 and 10, and Tess is calm as anything around all of us - but new people are potential new best friends - all of them! I definitely need to add sardines as a training treat, I know Tess will love them. How do you carry them? Walking past people using 'look at that' and high value treats isn't too bad, I can walk her through town etc. but if I let her say hello to somebody it goes to pieces. I can't imagine doing it off lead either, so that's something to aim for! I'll definitely think of somewhere like your path. Perhaps it doesn't help that we only see occasional people where we walk her near our house and we should go to busier dog walking areas where there are more chances to learn. Tess isn't very interested in a ball. She might fetch it and bring it back once but quickly loses interest and prefers sniffing. I am teaching a clicker retrieve at home and the classes we are going to will hopefully lead to gundog classes and/or scurries. I've tried playing a bit of tug with her while out but, to be honest, it just hypes her up too much I think.
We met a couple with a 19 month old yellow Lab this week who I was sure would understand but they were shocked by her exuberance! Their dog had a ball in its mouth and wasn't interested in Tess and, looking back, Tess was quite good at not pushing it with trying to get the dog to play - but she transferred her attentions to the owners who were terrified at the prospect of her jumping up! Her feet may have come off the floor a little but she didn't jump all over them, there was mouthing though ... and she did jump on me in her excitement!
This "it's a choc. what do you expect?" baffles me. I have a dog who is just the same. He will run like an arrow to a person/dog. I have to go and get him. He is a mongrel (German Shepherd/Labrador). No one would say "he's a mongrel what do you expect?" It's just the dog's personality. Well that's my view. I have to train hard to get over this. I have bought some food pouches to introduce sardines into our training. I am going to try walking him through a busy shopping street with sardines next week. I think.
You are doing much better with Tess than I am with Jubilee (13 month old, black female). She has 0% recall if she sees another dog or a new person. I empathize with your stress when you walk her in public places. We live in a very rural area in Maine and rarely see other people or dogs. We train every day and have been to two classes. This afternoon, she was on a long line in the woods and was an angel. I thought about how far she has come from the wild, boisterous crocopup and I am not feeling so frustrated about the things she is not doing yet. I am not familiar with using sardines as treats. What kind do you get? Do you cut them up? How do you carry them? I've tried lots of things, but nothing seems to work as that special high value treat.
Yeah....it bugs me. Thing is, my choccie is bonkers. Really, really bonkers. Not just your everyday young Lab bonkers, proper bonkers.
You're right and I thought the same when driving earlier - when she was about 4 months old we could barely bring her in to the living room with us and every morning when I went down to see her she ripped my clothes, my kids couldn't stroke her ... we have come far and that is now a distant memory! Most dogs we meet aren't as sociable as Tess, in fact almost every dog I let Tess say hello to takes a disliking to her and snaps at her. Tess was spayed just before Christmas and was still so excited to see the vet when she went back for her post op check up that she peed all over his floor! He said 'she has complete confidence and trust in us doesn't she?'. Lovely man
Everything you've posted tells me that you have a great, well adjusted, normal, 1 year old Labrador. I think you're doing a great job. Mouthing and jumping are fairly common at that age - all our labs have done it - and can be trained out. As for the choccie thing: I've had black, yellow and choccie Labs and they've all been characters. The choccie grew into the most laid-back dog I've ever known.
Ah, that can be a Labrador breed thing. Some young Labs are so 'in your face' other breeds regard them with some horror. Particularly border collies, I find (although Charlie has several BC mates now that have got used to him - including one young girl that hates all other dogs).
Tinned sardines, either in oil, or I get the ones in a light tomato sauce for added yumminess. Then, I blitz them up with a bit of water, using a hand blender, and put them in these baby food pouches. http://www.amazon.co.uk/KOKO-Baby-Po...aby+food+pouch They can be frozen and brought out when you need them. You just remove the cap and squeeze a small bit into the dog's mouth. This reminds me, I've not used mine in a while. Time to dig them out again! Alternatively, if using as a jackpot treat, you could just dispense them into a small pot and let the dog eat them all from there. Mine also love raw frozen sardines. They have them for lunch sometimes and are besides themselves with excitement when they hear the bag open! I buy ready-frozen ones. You could easily cut these into pieces and put them in a pot for special treats.
I bought a Squeezy Tube from Amazon to put my blended Sardines in so no mess and a handy size to put in my pocket, Hattie & Charlie love them I have also done as Fiona and put some in a small pot - yum!!!
I wondered that Julie - even when on lead and (for her) calm she doesn't do much of the sniffing and sussing out that other dogs seem to do before making their minds up, she just loves everybody without thinking!
I'm glad I posted now, I've been feeling bad and keeping it to myself, but I feel much better and more confident now. Thank you all
She doesn't need to say hello to people by the sounds of it - she sounds like a perfectly well socialised dog that gets plenty of interaction with people alongside family life. So when you are out and about, you could have a rule that she doesn't get to say hello to people. You have to rehearse what you'll say. I hold my hand out when people start to approach him and say "no, please ignore my dog, he is learning to be calm". I try to say it in a friendly but firm voice. Sometimes people say things like "really?" and look doubtful, like it's madness that I'm in charge of who gets to say hello to my dog. I just say "yes". And stop. I don't say anything else, add an explanation, or debate it. It normally works. This doesn't have to be forever, just until she stops expecting to say hello. The expectation of getting to say hello to people is an enemy here, the dog builds up anticipation and excitement and then..."bang!" it all bursts out in much nuttiness. Much better for them to not expect to say hello, and for it to be a special treat when it happens (later....). I also used to avoid things with Charlie (to be fair, he was injured and on rest for a while, so I couldn't have him going nuts, but it became a habit). These days, I face them. Slowly, at a distance, with yummy treats, and I inch my way forwards....it does work.
