Beagle Training Problems!

[Arnah]

Hello!

Ive loved reading about everyones dogs in the short time Ive been here, and have been having some problems with charlie.

I'm doing my best to resolve them, but my husband is getting realy aggitated by a few things hes doing, and so far obedience training isn't working as quickly as we'd like. (I know it takes time, and im taking him to training once a week, and practicing for 20 minutes a day - a little longer if he remains focused)

1)

My husband and I both work full time, (Im off sick with Bronchitis this week) but my husbands friend (who lives with us) and my sister (theyre dating - she practically lives here!) are part time workers/students, and they keep him occupied during most of the day.... However, he is destroying our yard and is barking constantly when we get home.

2)

When I come home, (about 5pm) I take him for a walk and to the dog park for an hour and a bit, and then leave him outside while I cook. After we've eaten, we feed him, and then bring him in about 7.30pm. He has soooooo many toys outisde and inside (interactive ones like Kongs that we stuff with vegies and dog bikkies) but he seems to be having separation anxiety issues. I spoke to the trainer we have at our obedience class, and she suggested crate training through the day.

Im wondering, whether its far too late to crate train him now that hes 9 months old? Does it work? Would anyone here reccomend it? Im worried that crating him for 8 hours would have him crazy bored when we get home?

My husband has suggested getting another dog to keep him company, but to me thats the wrong reason to get another, and i'm concerned it would be double the trouble!

3)

We're slowly working on his lead issues (Whenever I try to clip it to his collar, he grabs it and walks away tugging it - like hes taking himself for a walk) and when i hold it he races off. We have a choker lead for obedience training, and ive been told to sort of tug him back towards me (holding the leash through my right hand, and using my left hand to pull him towards me) but when I go for a long walk, he kind of chokes himself straining to get away and im not comfortable using it for an hour when it clearly hurts him so much.... We have a halter, but he races off and theres no way to make him heel beside me....

Have any of you had any success training your dogs to heel when they refuse to?

4)

And finally, when he does interct with other dogs, he sniffs their uh, regions constantly. It's a bit beyond 'Oh, youre a boy too thats nice!'. He sniffed a rotty for 15 minutes last week before the rotty growled at him! Does anyone else have this problem?

Thanks for your help!

Edited July 25, 2008 by Arnah

[Paganman]

Crate training is good but you carnt leave a dog in a crate for 8 hours a day a dog run would be better.Is the dog a working breed coz theyre usually reallly active and need lots of exercise and things to do, if you take the dog for a run before work it might tire him out a bit. Toys are good but if you leave lots of toys around the dogs get bored with them so maybe just give him a couple a day, but toys dont take the place of human attention. Is the dog desexed if he isnt maybe have him done.I wouldnt get another dog when your having problems with the one youve already got chances are youll have two dogs with problems. Id get in a qualified dog trainer and behavioralist wholl be able to help with most of the problems and teach your dog to walk on a loose lead. If you say where you live someone will be able to recomend a trainer.

Sorry Im no expert I only replied coz no one else has LOL, one of the dogz training experts will probably be on later

[Arnah]

Charlie is a Beagle, so a bundle of energy. And yeah, I thought crating him for 8 hours would be cruel. She told me thats what she does with her dog and I thought 'maybe thats the way to do things....' Thought here was the place to check!

Ive taken him for an early morning walk, and he seems to enjoy it, I should try and do that every morning I guess, would be good for both of us.

He seems to have buried most of his toys.... So i'll take your advice there...

Ive thought about having a professional in, purely to correct any behaviour we're contributing to his, but I was wondering if anyone here would reccomend any company in particular?

Thanks for your advice Paganman!

[WalandLibby]

I agree with the previous post that a whole working day is too long for a dog to crated. A pup would need to go to the toilet during that time, but even if a dog could hold on for that long, it would be unfair to crate them for so long. And yes, as you say your pup would probably have even more difficulty controlling his behaviour in the evenings after a whole day crated. A 'long term confinement area' (ala Ian Dunbar) would probably suit your pup better.

Can I ask what you mean by 'the obedience training isn't working'? You seem to be being taught methods that use a lot punishment. I think if you were to start to learn about reward-training methods like clicker training I think you may be surprised at how much easier it is to use. You should be realistic about what obedience training can accomplish though. Depending on what is taught in your class and how it is taught, it may not have any impact on your dog's general behaviour.

About the lead-walking - if you wanted to try a different method of teaching it, this is a good general description... http://www.clickertraining.com/node/541

Another Karen Pryor idea that I use alot is to set up some markers (5-6) on the ground with about 2m between each and the dog (who is already familiar with the sound and meaning of a bridge/clicker - KP also have info on her site about how to teach that) on lead. You just start walking and as you step level with the marker (before you stop walking) give the bridge sound. This will cause the dog to orient to you - they then get a treat. Usually even before you get to the last marker the dog is totally attentive and engaged with you because they are waiting for the next click. As soon as that happens, you can start to bridge for that attentiveness. Then you move the markers gradually further apart (I usually just take one out each time).

It's important to teach your dog the skills of nice lead-walking when you aren't actually walking (for eg, around your house and yard). When you are out with your dog, the rewards in the environment (which he is trying to access by pulling towards them) are likely to be stronger than those that you can offer, at least early in your walk.

Can your pup be in the house with you while you cook? Teaching him to settle on a mat would mean that he was calm and quiet and not too in the way - and while you prepare food is the perfect time to teach him that the settled behaviour you want results in good rewards. When my dog sees me put the mat on the ground he gets so excited and can't get there quick enough.

And finally, about the sniffing, what you've written about that doesn't worry me particularly. If the other dog tolerated it for so long, and then your guy backed off when it asked him to, then it suggests to me that his manners are pretty good. Young male dogs go through stages when they're a bit too interested in some things - mostly they grow out of it and develop into nice polite dogs if you don't make too much of an issue of it (it definitely shouldn't be something over which there is conflict between you and your dog). Teaching a positive interrupt will help you deal with this situation in future - I like this description of how to do it - from the bottom of the 1st page onwards http://www.berkeleyhumane.org/PDFs/Resourc...sh_Reactive.pdf

Hope this is some help - good luck.

[Paganman]

Hey Arnah theres some good trainers on here and you can get in touch using the PM system. I dont know where you are but in Sydney K9 Force is about the best around then in Melbourne theres Erny and Cosmolo. Sorry I dont know any in the other states. I wouldnt go to any of the franchisers like BB

[Arnah]

Paganman - I live in South Brisbane Ive been warned aboutsome companies, so thats for that! Are there any training members from Brissy here?

Thanks MalandLibby - When I say its not working, its more that Im entirely uncomfortable with the methods. When Charlie doesnt walk beside me, their suggestion is to pull him harder and more frequently. This doesnt make much sense to me, because most of the time he rebels against being forced into doing something he doesnt want to. And taking him walkies where im tugging at his neck constantly doesn't make it fun or safe for either of us.... Im more concerned that im hurting him rather than teaching him good behaviour. That and im concerned hell associate walking beside me with being pulled painfully to me....

Clicker training sounds brilliant! And the positive interupt would work in a few situations. (Like where he tries to raid the bin... heh) He knows 'bed now' and loves going into his bed, so maybe if I can find a similar mat for the loungeroom that would really work. Thanks again!

[Clyde]

I don't understand why the trainer would suggest crating your dog during the day to stem the barking at you in the evening

It's never too late to crate train but agree with the others, it's too long.

If you edit your first post and scream out in the title heading that you want advice for a Beagle I am sure the friendly Beagle people (breeders/owners) will come along with some fab advice :D

[Arnah]

Thanks for the advice Clyde.

Yeah, it didn't make much sense to me either - I thought the point of crates was to give your dog a safe place to retreat to, like bedrooms for children basically - not lock them up. I didn't want to post too much about it, just in case it was what was done and my reservations were stupid, but im glad to see that it IS in act a bad idea.

Ive looked at a few dog runs available, and they dont look too limiting. Im going to start the morning and evening walks with charlie and see how that goes for a week or two.

Ive also called someone a member reccomended, so hopefully she'll get back to me and i'll see what I can do there.

Suffice to say, I dont think ill be back! (To the obedience training that is!)

Edited July 25, 2008 by Arnah

[Asalei]

Beagles are pack dogs, they need to feel like they are part of the pack or have another dog for company.

To me he sounds bored. How old is he? Sometimes a new dog can help the situation, sometimes it doesn't. I've got two beagles and have never had this issue with barking and destructive behaviour.

For interests sakes, where abouts on the soutside are you?

[Arnah]

Hi Erin.

We're in Logan. (I always feel like I have to put my hands up and say 'dont judge us!' when I tell people that! haha)

I honestly think he is bored. We go to the dog park most days when I get home, he has a few friends that he loves to see (namely Chad, our neighbours 7 year old lab) and we spend a lot of time there on weekend afternoons... We take him out with us for outings on weekends, (for short drives, we try to include him in most things we do....) I think its more through the day. My sister and our housemate play with him and bring him in through the day, but I think his barking is his way of getting our attention. I just spoke with the housemate (who just got back from work - he works night shift) and he said Charlie rarely barks through the day, so I think its more when we put him outside for that hourish (or when we let him out to go potty) he wants to be with us.

I would get another Beagle in a heartbeat, the way your two interact looks so adorable. I just worry that any issues he has will be amplified with another dog, and getting another dog to solve Charlies problems doesnt seem like the right reason.

He can be so naughty and evil, and then so sweet and loving - hes been asleep for the past two hours with his head resting on my leg. I really need to go to the bathroom, but I dont want to move him

I just read about a trainer putting dog food in an empty and washed millk container - I might try that tomorrow after 10am Try to find some things to keep him more active / entertained through the day and see what works.

[Arnah]

Oh - tried to find his Kong earlier tonight, cant find it anywhere. Hes buried it! Argh! (Atleast hes filling in a hole hes dug right? grrrr!)

[Arnah]

Just thought Id post an update. Tried a completely different tact today based on everyones info.

Yesterday I spent some time teaching him to respond to 'here' as WalandLibbys suggestion. He picked it up slowly, but surely.

This morning we went for a half an hour walk, and then for a half an hour play in the dog park. I tested him with 'here' (ready with some rewards for responding) and he actually left a patch he was sniffing, to come back and sit in front of me.

We came home, and Charlie hung out with my husband / played outside with some toys we'd selected while I went to the hairdressers.

When I got back, (I was gone for a while!) I took Charlie for a walk and another play at the park with the Staurday afternoon group (He particularly loves being around Chad, our neighbours Lab - he is SUCH a gentleman doggie!). Practised 'here' a few more times, and he came back almost every time. A setback was he tried humping another dog. Assertively told him no and removed him, but he was pretty excited and so I decided it was time to leave. We were out for about an hour and a half.

We came home, and I let him outside to go to the toilet - absolutely NO barking. People walked past, nothing. Perked his head up and watched. No barking.

Brought him inside while my sister cookeed dinner, he sat on the floor and went to sleep. Moved him to the mat, fell asleep again. Our kitchen is open plan right next to our living room - the fact he wasn't under her feet trying to get some food was amazing.

We brought our food out and ate, and he sat up on the mat a little interested. We had saved some chicken peices to reward him for sitting and not moving off the mat. He moved off the mat a few times, but was told to 'sit' and directed to the mat. After a while (and a few rewards) he stayed and sat while we finished out meals. It was, amazing. After we finished our meals, we praised him and brought out a toy to play with him. He played with it for a few moments, and then went back to the mat to sleep.

It was only afterwards we realised our shoes and slippers were on the mat - he didnt even notice! They are intact, and he is peacefully resting.

Weve also called a trainer that Libby suggested - and shes agreed to come out and work with him next weekend. We've agreed that my primary concern is his lead walking, as if I can get him walking without pulling, it will make walking with him a fun activity for us both, and will be an easier activity to incorporate to our mornings and afternoons each day, which will correct a lot of his behaviour which is stemming from boredom. We're having him desexed on Wednesday, (We had him booked in for it this week) and hopefully he should be ok for training on Sunday, if not, we can reschedule.

Id like to thank everyone for their suggestions. I realise now alot of his behaviour was directly related to my failure to meet his needs. This would have been painfully obvious for all of you, and youve all been really supportive. I know Im going to learn a lot from each of you, and I'm so happy I joined up here. Thanks again!

Edited July 26, 2008 by Arnah

[Diva]

Well done Arnah, sounds like you're making real progress. There will probably be some more 'difficult' days with him to come, but if you're as committed as you sound you are going to end up with a lovely companion dog.

Edited July 26, 2008 by Diva

[persephone]

WoW!!

Well done

Looking forward to more very cute pics of a satisfied puppy!

[WalandLibby]

Sounds like you've made great progress - well done!

[huski]

Well done on making some progress!!

Daisy my beagle was a total evil nutter at that age. She barked heaps, got bored very easily (despite having other dogs here although I do think having my Sibe around for her to play with helped A LOT) and needed a lot of mental and physical stimulation daily. Now she is nearing two years of age, she has come along in leaps and bounds. My other two dogs were no where near as challenging as Daisy, so it was hard for me initially to wrap my head around training her differently (as a different breed to my others, having different needs and different drive etc).

I think beagles go through their most evil period in the 6-12 month age gap :D