My Pup Wont Listen.

[ritchie]

hey there. i'm new to this site and i find all the things on here very helpful. but i'm still having trouble with my pup, he doesn't listen to me. he sits when i tell him to but, only does so for a few seconds and then starts jumping around again. my main problem is how do i get him to stay seated? also, when i'm sitting out in the back yard, he constantly tries to jump onto my lap. i tell him to sit but, he doesn't listen to me. so my main question is, how do i teach him to sit and stay? thanks guys. ritchie.

[Poodle wrangler]

Pups have the attention span of a gnat, so keep any training short and fun with great treats to reward with (e.g little pieces of chicken).

Train just before a meal is due so pup is hungry.

Pup just needs to be taught to listen to you. As you establish yourself as leader, he will start to listen.

Don't expect too much of a young pup.

You can teach "watch" by holding the tasty chicken piece near your eyes, say "yes" when pup looks into your eyes and give treat.

Keep the look short as some dog won't like looking at you too long (it's a dominance thing).

Also have a look at Triangle of Temptation- excellent for leadership and teaching sit and stay!

http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=64101

Do it exactly per program.

General principle is ignore what you don't like, reward good behaviour.

e.g. when pup jumps on your lap, get up, turn your back on him, ignore for several seconds. Then ask for a "sit" and praise + pat.

[cavNrott]

Welcome aboard Ritchie. How old is your puppy? It would be a good idea if he is still very young to take him to puppy pre school and then follow up with an obedience trainer or an obedience club if that is more suitable to you.

The reason your puppy isn't doing what you tell him is that he doesn't understand what you want him to do. Obedience training will teach you how to teach the puppy.

[sas]

I know it's hard but try not to get frustrated. What you are experiencing is perfectly normal. Puppies attention spans are extremely limited. Lower your expectations ;)

If you enrol ina puppy pre-school or puppy obedience class they will be able to show you how to train your puppy, you'll also be able to see other puppies in class having the same challenges as you're having

How old is your puppy?

There is a program called NILIF this is something that you will probably ind quite beneficial: http://www.k9force.net/index.html?row2col2=nilif.html

Sitting and Staying can be helped along with the TOT program: http://www.k9force.net/index.html?row2col2=tot.html

And it's important to understand your puppies mental growth: http://www.k9force.net/index.html?row2col2=develop.html

Good Luck, don't fret, you're puppy will learn. In most cases it's us who has to learn how to teach the puppy, they're not all the same so one training method that you have used on previous dogs isn't neccessarily going to work ;)

[Nicole...]

This sounds gross, but when we are trying to really get a new command down pat, we keep chicken liver treats in our pockets at all times. That way as soon as you get what you want you can treat it, and the pup knows that they are there and will get a great treat if they do the right thing.

Like the others have said - go along to puppy preschool and obedience classes - it is amazing what they teach you!!! ;) (And great fun!)

[Poodle wrangler]

This sounds gross, but when we are trying to really get a new command down pat, we keep chicken liver treats in our pockets at all times. That way as soon as you get what you want you can treat it, and the pup knows that they are there and will get a great treat if they do the right thing....................

Doesn't sound gross, sounds like a good, efficient way to train your dog .

Lots of people get hung up on "I don't want to give food all the time".

It's not all the time, it's until your dog does what you're asking reliably.

Then you reward only sometimes, then only very occasionally (like a little refresher course ).

Once your dog gets the hang of training, it makes them so much better and fun to live with.

It's a positive cycle- the better behaved they are, the more you want/ can do with your dogs...

[Budyjelle]

Should training start the minute you meet your puppy? ....or should you pat and pet and sniff and say hello first?

[special_kali]

pretty much straight away, i've found! it's a good way to bond with ur puppy, esp when ur giving food as a reward (i.e. livertreats) bc0oz ur starting off being the dominant one, whereas some ppl give about a week or so b4 they train and by then the puppy has already tried to establish it's order in the pack.

[sas]

Being dominant is an attitude....a way of being....you can be a pack Leader in a day.

A highly obedience trained dog can still be dominant.