Hi we have Hugo who is a 14 month old black lab from gun dog stock. We've had him since he was 4 months old, bought from a gun dog trainer who told us she didn't have the time to train him and the other female dog (we suspect his sister) so he had to go! I suspect given our experience of him is that he was probably too boisterous and domineering given the time the have to train them! We love him and he really is a lovely dog BUT sooooo challenging! I get really anxious and upset sometimes as his behavior can be so all over the place! I've done puppy training and even the trainers told me I had my hands full but we persevered and finished the course! I hated it as he's so big and strong and was in a tiny village hall he spent most of his time 'swimming' on the floor with me being pulled after him! We live fairly rural so don't have a lot of training options without travelling a fair distance and getting him in the car can be a massive challenge in itself. Anyhow I digress but its a bit of background! We have had a challenging few months but slowly things have improved. I think he is a nervous dog but also a very dominating dog I know it sounds weird but I cant work him out. He was neutered about 2 months ago and i thought that might help as he was a proper 'sex pest' and it got so bad we couldn't walk with others at all. The op has worked in that sense but now he is barking more (he rarely barked before) and when he's playing with others he's very vocal and rough, knocks them over, growls at them and is just generally become more aggressive YET we can walk off the lead past a dog I'll call him and he'll come no problems! It just seems to be any kind off lead play is too much yet he wants to play!!. This is also really inconsistent as sometimes when we walk elsewhere he is really good! I don't get it at all!! There is one particular female dog that we have been walking with for months who I think he views as 'his' who he is now so domineering towards that its bordering on aggression. The first thing he does when he sees her is nip her neck and bowl her over whilst growling!! I've started putting him on the lead when i spot them so I can rein in his behavior a bit. We used to enjoy great walks together and I cant work out whats changed?! It's making me sad. I suffer with depression and Hugo has been a great companion for me giving me a reason to go out each day (stay at home mum) but now i can't join others and its really hard. What is really weird is that we take him everywhere with us if we can, the pub, out with the kids and we go to lots of country shows and he's been a star. So well behaved, likes to have a sniff at every other dog but no barking, growling or any aggression at all. We've even noticed that if other dogs show him any aggression he just backs of and wanders on (hes always on a lead a these events and does pull a lot but nothing spectacular) I'm just so confused its like he's got a split personality disorder! One day he's a star dog and the next he's a devil? today he would'nt recall at all and I spent a miserable half hr in the rain playing cat and mouse with him this was after he'd bowled over another dog who was on a lead with a jogger!! arghhh. Thankfully I knew them so made my apologies then ran away! I was told during training about the domination thing and we were encouraged to make sure he knew who was boss so to speak. But he is a much loved family pet and does get away with a lot. The new theory however suggest that they don't have a pack leader mentality and wont dominate naturally but Hugo IS very dominating I'm not sure how to deal with this? He is a pest at home taking stuff he shouldn't constantly wont fess it up when asked so we end up playing chase A LOT! He gets 2 really good walks a day so I don't think he lacking physical stimulation he's just very demanding of our time! He doesn't get left alone a lot but when he does he's fine and doesn't seem to be bothered by it no reports of barking of whining) He's left outside with a nice cosy kennel for protection and lots of space to run in, he's always given a bone or some other distraction but never touches them until we get home! Sorry i know its long but I'm struggling today! Oh I also suspect he might have mange!!!!! He's really well groomed, had really good quality food and all his jabs etc. I'm going to get it confirmed later today at the vets but i thought it was something uncared for feral dogs had?! I've also just purchased a really long training lead on amazon I think we might revert back to basics Today is a boo hoo day!
Re: I dont understand! Sometimes its hard to know what's going on in their heads, isn't it Sorry that you've had a trying day. Mostly he sounds really well behaved. He really doesn't sound at all aggressive to me, but it does sound like he has a very rough and very vocal play style with other dogs. All the growling and pushing is probably his way of playing. It is not aggressive but it is rude and obviously a bit too much for most other dogs. When he plays rough like that, exactly what do you do? The behaviour he shows at home of stealing things - that sounds like a game that he initiates so you will chase him (which he probably really enjoys). If he steals things try not to chase. Just calmly offer to swap the thing he has for a treat. The fact that he doesn't eat his treats while you are out suggests that he may be a bit anxious when left alone. Does he destroy anything or dig?
Re: I dont understand! So sorry you are having struggles with Hugo. It can be all so overwhelming. I think he has some similar characteristics to Lilly - the growly, rough play and the bit about not eating the treat. I am not sure I can help you with the answers to all this, I don't have the expertise myself, but Rachael and the others are great at helping break these things down into manageable chunks. My theory is that dogs who are constantly getting attention from their stay at home "parent" tend to be more demanding of your time, and less likely to settle of their own accord - I'm not sure if there is any evidence to back that though. I really hope that you find some solutions
Re: I dont understand! My Lab who is now 8 years old, sounds very much like Hugo is at his age. The bullying and rough play does go Do not chase your dog when he has your things or even his things and won't give them up, swop for something of a higher value to him, never go after him!. Maybe on your walks, hide a tennis ball, or even some food and make him search for it, he will find this mentally tiring which will make him more settled.
Re: I dont understand! Hi I'm not sure how much this will help but you might get ideas from it. Do you clicker train ? I have two very nervous dogs and bought a copy of the book 'Click to Calm' by Emma parsons. There is a section about teaching your dog doggy manners. Perhaps Hugo just hasn't learnt doggy etiquette and so doesn't know when another dog doesn't want to play or how to not be rough. If you go on www.clikertraining.com and search dog manners the first link is an extract from the book. There are also some videos and other articles you might find helpful. If you don't use a clicker most of these things can still be trained using a verbal marker and treats. Good luck
Re: I dont understand! Jen, the link doesn't work. Can you check it please as I'm really interested in seeing if that might help Riley improve his doggy manners....he's a bit persistent in the sniffing department to say the least
Re: I dont understand! Sorry typing error :. www.clickertraining.com PS the extract from the book gives an exercise to teach your dog how to greet another politely. It does say aggressive dog but it's applicable to any dog so don't be put off by the word aggressive.
Re: I dont understand! Thank you for your replies ladies. Were steering clear of the dog park for a while whilst we try to re establish control! We had a lovely walk yesterday on and off leash and only met one other dog. Hugo was on the lead and said a rather boisterous hello but at least I was in control!. Unfortunately his behavior last night was less than tolerable but i do not why as he had to miss his second walk as I'm on my own at the mo with the kids and it was awful thunderstorms for ages! and my youngest is terrified and wouldn't set foot outside!. We did play ball in the garden and played a game of high seek which he loves but not actually going out created mayhem late last night! Not what i wanted after a tiring day I gave up at half ten and went to bed (Hugo sleeps down stairs and cant get up to us in the night) and then he got the message and settled for the night I think he knew i was pretty fed up with him as hes all puppy eyes this morning . We have him whistle trained and this worked well but all of a sudden its stopped working?! I read an article and i think he is self rewarding as we have a lovely field next to us which right now is full of rabbits and he is relatively successful at catching them!. We've always used the field for additional exercise so he's used to it and would always furrow nearby and move on when we do but recently he's been bolting as soon as he's inside the gate and is gone only coming home when he feels like it!. Unfortunately he has become brave enough to jump over our garden wall and taken himself off a few times too! I've gone looking for the dog in the garden had a panic and then caught glimpse of a black mass at he back of the field! He always comes home but on his terms. The wall is being sorted so he cant help himself and after a few ticking's off this week he hasn't attempted it once. We have decided to steer clear of the field for a while as it seems to be what may have changed his behavior?! I have looked a the clicker training website thank you this looks really interesting. The only issue you I have is I don't know anyone well enough to co train with But I'm definitely going the explore this option. Good new is that Hugo had his boosters on Monday and the vet looked at his eyes and it's not Mange yay! Boo as he does have conjunctivitis and is on anti histamines for what is an apparent allergy to grass pollen?! That has also put pay to the field for a while! Heres to a happy day today!
Re: I dont understand! I'm glad you've had some positives. Young dogs get up to all sorts. My two are good at self rewarding. They are obsessed with rabbit muck at the moment. The thunder won't have helped with his excitable mood either. Hopefully that's all gone now. Next time you take him on the field could you take him on a lead and get his attention on you with a ball or toy before you let him loose. Does he retrieve? The lure of rabbits will be hard to crack though especially if he's been successful in catching them. Do you have a training line? You could try that until his recall has improved again. I think I would go back to basic whistle training in the garden and reinforce with extra special treats. He won't have forgotten its just unfortunately at the moment rabbits are more fun than you. You need to be more fun than rabbits. Think yourself lucky I'm competing with rabbit poo not sure what that says about me. . Good luck and I hope his eyes are better soon.
Re: I dont understand! Sounds like Hugo is stretching you a bit! I know how you feel, we "inherited" a one year old lab last year and I really had a hard time trying to figure him out, my previous dogs were a different breed and it took awhile to learn what was normal for an untrained dog at his age. It took awhile for him to settle into our house, probably 6 months before he really started to see us as his family. Before that he was deaf to all commands and certainly boisterous, and doing all that snatching things and running around with them, especially in the evening. So I do know where you are coming from! The things that helped us were: - Reading and asking questions on this site - there is a real wealth of information here! - Clicker training gave me a way to show him what was expected of him, as I couldn't reach him through verbal commands - he had learned to tune all that out. - physical exercise in the form of walks - mental exercise from training, also helped with the bond between us - learning the joys of a Frozen Kong stuffed with treats to keep him busy when I had have had enough - never doing the chase game, always using the swap for a treat when he had something I didn't want him to have - patience, patience, and patience! We have overcome most of his difficult behaviour, but still he's a work in progress in some things. For example, he still does the snatch and grab thing on occasion, especially when we have guests over, and are still working on jumping up at visitors when they arrive Hang in there, keep at it, and you will see a change if you persevere!
