callee

I do not think you can teach a dog to not come into a room when you feel like it. If you never let the dog in there then I think it can be done. I would just leave the baby gate up. I did! Initially my dog was taught never to enter the bedroom. Only took a few times of saying "stay out" with a stop signall by my hand at the door, then eventually only needed the stop signal. He would only come in when we told him so. The only time he has really broken that is when I triped and landed face first on the carpet. He jumped, ran to lick my face and kept whimpering loud enough for my husband to come and see what was going on. Personally I think Demon did the right thing. Damn I have a good dog when I think about it! Basic obedience = working on it. 'Life' sense = plenty!! Edited to add - I should mention, I have white tiled hallways and dark beigey coloured carpeted bedrooms, I think my dog understands the different flooring, maybe not the 'doorway' as such. There is a thread floating around about keeping dogs out of the kitchen (can't remember if I started it or somebody else did and I posted on it cause I needed the same advice). There was some great information given in that!

WOW :D - I could only hope my boy will get to the stage that he could have a puppy or kitten hanging off of him, and he will still obey. Lesson 3 on Sunday - I'd be stoked if my boy could pull it off like a pro, but will be happy if they're is not another challenge between the Patronising Poodle and my Darling Demon (no biasness there at all ;) )!

Simply because after all the time I spent on the net with search engines looking for one - Oxley was the only club that came up that seemed local. I only found out Southside existed about a week ago - after I had already paid for our membership at Oxley! They may need to work on their internet advertising.

I'm curious to know why you are of this opinion. They seemed alright to me. But I didn't go to them in the end. Pm me if you like. I recently joined an Obedience Club at Oxley, which while it isn't next door to Camp Hill, it's closer than me (I think). I travel from below Browns Plains to Oxley (approx 30kms one way). They are lovely. www.obediencedogclubbrisbane.org.au

Thanks Dog Dude! I think I was just more upset that I have worked so hard to get Demon to trust and respect us over the past year, trying to show him that we aren't going to give up on him, and that was the first time I really didn't feel I had the control. It tooks me ages just to be able to get him near an area with lots of dogs without him panicking (I think he use to believe we were going to throw in him a shelter again whenever he saw more than a couple of dogs in an area). And I also think I was incredibly frustrated that I was doing everything possible to try and get Demon to follow the exercises, to sit in the correct spot, to heel without nose in the ground. And I'm very conscious that one of the lab pups is male, and the uncertaintity of how Demon may react when the pup is close, or any dog for that matter. But the poodle and owner just seemed to come across ... I don't, I guess carefree and selfish in the same instance??? I do my home training for about 15mins. We start with heel, then sit, then drop, then sit stay and walk around him, then drop stay and walk around him, recall on short lead (of course using heel in amongst it all). Then I change to the lungeline and do sit stay and recall, and last night I added heeling. Always finish on a good note and a quick game. Use treats randomly amongst it (I don't want him being treat dependent).

I haven't had to yet, but I'm sure the day will come! I think I might have to go and purchased water proof clothing to be prepared. Maybe even a raincoat for my boy! I'm determine not to miss a lesson for as long as possible.

I completely agree! The reason I chose group sessions was to put him around other dogs (Demon is a rescue too). Specially since loosing our girl. If I was just after training, I would have employed a trainer's services to do private lessons around home. He was fine around the lab pups on the first lesson. Was quite happy to work along side them and the new cav pup classmate, looping around them at close range. Even standing around to pick up our name tag and drop it off, he was fine with the other dogs around (a little excited when we first get there but controlable). It literally just seemed to be the poodle that was Demon's "problem", and it was only when the poodle started leaping and bounding around that it caught Demon's attention. He was originaly more interested in saying hi to the trainer!

Thats the tug game we play with catalogues - tug to rip! Demon loves it!

Well, I have just prooved to myself, my hubby, and Demon - it is not that Demon does not respect my authority, he is not undertrained for a 3yo, and that I must be doing something right. I didn't do any follow up training on Sunday, just threw the ball around in the backyard to show him I am a fun person too. Tonight I took him somewhere completely new, a new housing estate. The blocks have been leveled, cleared of rubbish, well lit. No dogs were around. Using a 4ft lead (same as I do in obedience), I was: loose lead heeling (he normally walks with a slight pull to the lead, this was our first loose lead walk), immediate sit on command when halting (and a number of times at a halt without command), drop, sit stay and do a lap of him, drop stay and do a lap of him, sit stay to the front facing him then recall then 'finish' running back recall - actually I didn't even needs to call, the second he noticed I had stepped back he spun around to run in front of me, turn about heel (I only do it with him looping behind me) on loose lead Then I pulled out the 6metre lunge-line. My plan was to simply work on sit stay and recall into sit, followed by finish. Absolute success first time everytime!!! To the point where I was able to walk at full length of 6m (plus outstretched arm) from infront of him, and walk 90 degrees either side! Then recall into sit in front of me followed by finish into sit at heel!!! I was so happy! I honestly thought he would want to get up and smell things. I did try to get him to drop from sit while we were apart. He knows the command, but each time I tried he would get up and slowly walk back to me like he was in trouble. The minute I said "AH", he would cower like he was in trouble. Should he be able to do this? Or are dogs not expected to drop at a distance? We stopped doing this and just went back to sit stay and recall. After a few attempts and him getting it perfectly, I decided to push it one step further - working on the training done with the 4ft lead, just let the length of lead drag while I hold the handle. Now I wasn't expecting this 2 work as normally, if the 6m lead is on, he is down the beach and allowed the length of it. IT WORKED!!!!!! EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT!!!!! Even where he was positioned was fantastic! Turnabout was amazing!! I was expecting him to notice the length was no longer dragging as we were walking back over - nope, he was right there beside me!! The highlight - regardless of what lead, and what length, he was constantly looking me in the eye for instruction. I was so pround of both of us! And feeling more confident about going on Sunday. We must be doing something right! Everyone keeps saying keep your distance from the class - I have tried that, but the trainer keeps calling me in closer. I think if the issue is still there next Sunday, I will have to politely request I work at distance within ear shot for a while.

We have taught Demon 'tag' (the school yard game, where someone is 'it', and that person chases the others to transfer the 'it' status). For our game though, its usually once you have caught up to the person/dog the the 'it' changes ( somehow I spend a lot of time being it). I also found it very hard to get demon to tug, until we discovered junk mail! My boy loves the sound and feel catalogues makes when playing tug, so junk mail welcome at our house! We do have a form of wrestle/herding. We play it on a certain rug, that we have to move a coffee table off of, Demon knows unless the vaccuum cleaner is out, the game is on when we move the table. So that gives us the control over when it is played. The object is for either him to keep me on the mat by herding around me, or for me to wrestle him down (his 25kgs against my ??kgs I have nothing to worry about). He will open his mouth, no teeth, and wave his head side to side, tail wagging, play bow, make funny happy groanning type noises that sort of imitate the noise I make at him. I stoop/hunch in a playful way as if I was stalking him. Once or twice teeth have gone around an arm or hand, but everytime he backs away quickly and watches me carefully afterwards. I have to instigate the game again after that happens. I truly believe he knows thats wrong, just poor timing on both our parts in the heat of the game. I'm always the one to call it quits, and only after I have wrestled him to the ground on his back and given him a tummy rub. Intentionally putting him into submission so he knows I have won everytime. If he ever bit me, or intentionally went to fake a bite, the game would never be played again.

Thanks Erny. I will follow what you advised - Train to teach Demon through the week, and used Sunday's obedience class to train myself how to teach Demon and for him to practice being in these circumstances. I really appreciate the advice you have supplied, thank you for taking the time. I will post an update next week.

Thanks Erny. Very insightful. What kind of tricks do you use to gain a dogs attention? The trainer advised the "watch" tactic - hold food in fingers, make sure dog knows you have it, hold up in front of your face, saying watch, and reward when completed. But this definitely did not work at all yesterday. Any other ways? Also, I carry my treat pouch on my right (dog on the left of course). I have done this so that he does not expect there to always be food involved. Should maybe I transfer the pouch to the left so he can smell it better?

Okay, yesterday was the 2nd obedience class Demon and I attended. More dogs had signed up over the week, so there was myself, 2 labrador pups, a cavalier pup, and a really tall dancing poodle. There is a handler for each, the trainer, and 2 or 3 "in-training trainers". Last week when it was just the 3 of us, me and the 2 labrador pups. Demon was great. Very responsive, obedient, like all well trained dogs should be. Yesterday, we went backwards. I don't know anything about poodles, but this thing was not listening to a word the handler was saying, jumping up and down like a deer on a trampoline, and my boy just wanted to stand there and stare at it. At one stage the handler even hit her dog with the handle of her lead (and was told off by the trainer. Knowing the poodle was hyper, male and taller than my boy, I stayed down the other end of the line from the woman and her ballerina. I still could not maintain my boys focus on me when standing/sitting/dropping in a line, even food was not enough. He kept looking around me, or getting up and walking to a better spot to see the poodle. He was okay to begin with when doing heel practice. But when came time to walking your dog around the line of others, the poodle danced in front of my boy snapped at him, and of course Demon tried to take on the challenge. I immediately growled, checked, and heeled and walked away to try and distract him, and to give the opportunity for the poodle lady to gain control again. This seem to work fine. Then we started tracking over ground where the poodle had been walking and I could not keep my boys nose of the grass. No discipline from me was working nor reward for when he did seem to be focused on me. About 15mins before we finished up, my boy was getting to the point when we would pull up to a halt, he would just flop on his side and give me the look of "I've had even of that dog, you telling me no, this check chain, and I don't want anymore treats" (not that he gets alot during class). The minute class was over and he got away from the poodle, and anywhere the poodle had been he was fine (or just so over the whole idea he didn't want to fight me anymore) but definitely more responsive to me. I know I am responsible for my dog and my dogs actions in all situations, so his inability to focus is my lack of control. I can walk Demon anywhere else, and if another dog is around I can generally maintain his focus. For some reason he just really doesn't like this poodle (he has never seen one since living with us). What do you do or can you do, when someone else's dog is playing up so badly, it is effecting others? How have other people who have been through this before fixed the situation?

Hi, I have just joined: The Obedience Dog Club of Brisbane http://www.obediencedogclubbrisbane.org.au/ They are (what I consider) very inexpensive, and have variety. Nice trainers.

I don't know if it'll work on all dogs, but we had an issue where a neighbours dog wanted into our property, which would stir up my boy, and we'd end up with a fence fight. I tried water, but it was only a temporary fix. In the end, I lined the fenceline with my dogs poop for I think almost 2 weeks. I hated it, but honestly neither dog would go near his side of the fence even after I raked up the mess permanently.

My dog does this trick only she balances the treat no her nose and then flicks it up and catches it when it has been paid for ....... even though she does try and shoplift occasionally. I have heard stories of dogs that have been taught to eat only what is placed in thier bowl and one dog in particular who's owner ran a "test" - left a big juicy bone near the back door and hid. Dog went outside and found the bone walked back and forth for a while before carrying the bone to its bowl and waiting for the owner to come home and then munching it down I have met dogs that have been bait/food refusal trained. You can throw the nicest bit of meet at their feet, unless you give the special word and its in their bowl, these dogs won't touch it. While I had 2 dogs, I had 2 different bowls, each dog knew which was theirs and wouldn't touch food out of the other, we made sure they knew that to stop any fighting over dinner. My boy won't touch any food in his bowl until commanded, and most of the time he wont touch treats from others (except for the vet, I can't seem to stop that! but I think Demon insists he gets it after where the thermometer went! ) Also to add - there are books out there on Bait training, but they can get pretty exxy.

hahaha - roll over, play dead, beg, hi five, shake, My dog is a classic for the sit for treats without command. He knows they are stored in the laundry, anyone opens that cupboard his bum speedily finds its way planted to the ground at your feet. I move which cupboard each week to keep him guessing for a day or two.

We picked up Missi at 10wks, and we didn't her peep out of her till she was 14 weeks. Where she kept barking once she found her voice. It stopped a couple of weeks later, and then she would only bark when someone came near the house. Maybe it's just a stage? Maybe he is testing out what barking will get him?

Without breaking a sweat. Hope all goes well for you.

My Staffy x Ridge X Bull Mastiff use to pull something chronic. We employed a professional trainer and at their suggestion they organised a "Pinch Collar" for her, as neither check chains nor halters nor harnesses nor leather/nylon collars wouldn't work. Looks nasty, but honest to god, the pulling stopped and caused her less discomfort then a check chain. Perfect heel position which she would not break with that collar. Any other collar, it was a dis-located sholder by the end of the walk. I'm not sure if they are designed for pure staffies, the trainers used them mostly for their mastiffs/rotties etc, so definitely talk to a professional first, you may be able to sort out the heel position without one, but keep it in mind.

PS - Thanks for the help everyone!

My neighbours already get that out of us - 9.30pm I'm in the backyard with him for his last visit to the trees to make sure he goes before we shut up for the night "Demon, Toilet ...... Toilet ...... Toilet good boy!" Then 5.30 in the morning. I'm sure the other night I heard the neighbour say "Weirdo." I figure if parents with human babies are allowed to praise their children for using a potty, I can praise mine for using a tree.

Is he leaving a puddle of urine or something less that that? Unless you're seeing puddles, I'd say he's marking. A belly band and closer supervision would be the go if that's the case.. you need to correct the behaviour when you see it. Not a real puddle, no. So looks like I have a marking issue. Will look into a belly band - recommendations as to where to get one from in the Brisbane area, or via on-line ordering? Has anyone found this helps the situation, or is just a bandaid/training aid? And obviously revoke his freedom for a while.

That does sound quite plausible. So, am I safe assuming that he will stop "marking" (if thats what this is about) evetually? Is there a spray that will deter him (and not stain the white painted walls - I hate renting)?

Okay, this is going to make me sound silly, but please bare in mind this is also my first male dog - how do tell the difference when you don't see them do it? I haven't been able to catch him in the act inside to see the behaviour leading up to the event. But when I let him off at a off leash park, there's of course the extensive sniffing of trees, branches etc then the pee then the occassional scratch at the ground - I know most of them are marking. I know when he first gets let out in the morning, he is emptying - but that's obvious because he hasn't been outside for 8 hrs, and to date I have never seen any pee in the area he sleeps in (which is a section of hallway blocked with a baby gate at one end, and our room with an open door at the other end of the hallway). He gets let in to hang out with us when we get home from work. I'd like to get him to a point where we don't have to supervise him inside at all, which about a week ago we started to give him a little more freedom, and he seems to have worked it out also cause thats about when we started to notice urine on the tiles/walls/furniture. I like to give him some independence so he his allowed to wonder the house, but certain rooms are out of bounds so those doors stay closed. He always comes when I call him to where ever I am in the house at the time.