cowanbree Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 I am looking for some ideas to increase the confidence of one of my dogs and make him more independent and less clingy. He is nearly 2 yrs old now and is extremely clingy to the point it is driving me mental. I don't mind that he wants to be with me but he is always wanting physical contact in some way. If we are sitting he has his head on my foot or is leaning against my legs. If we are out and about he is constantly touch my hand or leaning against my leg. He is honestly a lovely dog with a gorgeous temperament but if I try and make him sit on his mat he gets very anxious. I need him to be more independant. . Ideas anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAX Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Crate games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agility Dogs Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 My boy is very similar to this. We've done a lot of work with him to get him to the point where he is comfortable in his own company. As Pax said - crate games has been the foundation. Have a read of Susan Garrett's Ruff Love, that has also been part of it. So has shaping- works wonders for their confidence as they learn that it is OK to fail and they start to think independently. I've now got a dog who I can tie out and leave with HEAPS of people around and who will leave me when I ask him to. The down side - he is becoming pushy in 'asking' for what he wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Kenzie has also developed some clinginess - I think Emma dying has made this worse. And she's the same age as yours!! I have been told Crate Games will help. But I've also instigated my own mini-training plan where lots of really fun things happen with other people and the really good treats usually come from everyone else. So when she comes to work with me eveyone in the office knows what tricks she can do and they have yummy treats for her. if she voluntarily goes to visit them she gets yummy treats for doing this. I'm encouraging everyone else to take her out to the toilet, rather than just me. And we will work up to getting them to take her for a walk at lunchtime without me. We're also asking everyone who visits us in the office to give her treats. I still have fun with her, but if there are other people around I try to get them to do the fun things with her. At work I usually only give her dry food as a treat, while everyone else has liver, straps, bacon or chicken. I've already seen a bit of improvement with her and we've only done this for a day this week - it will be an ongoing process! When I had to leave her they were able to break her pacing behaviour and she didn't try to scratch at the door to go and find me. So it is a work in progress and there will be modifications to the plan along the way. But I think the good advice I got was - let her know that fun things happen with other people not just me. So maybe think about ways that you can help him have fun that aren't right beside you. Kenzie loves doing tricks, so for me it was easy - she does her tricks with other people! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Scent Training Agility training are two examples. Both of these can be done at home. Even getting your dog to feel clever by getting up on a (sturdy) box and then down again can be the catalyst to initiating confidence growth. Going through a tunnel (eg 44 gallon drum) and/or tyre (make sure it is big enough to go through comfortably). But if you're not sure how to begin, seek out a trainer or training group that can at least start you off in the right direction. These things may or may not be the answer to your problem. But they certainly won't do any harm . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casima Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 My Raffy was like that, agility really helped him get confidence and hes great now! not clingy at all anymore (but still very cuddly) they do like to feel clever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agility Dogs Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Just a thought - the one BIG thing that has helped CK has been to teach him to bark on command. Other friends with similar dogs have found it really helps with confidence - don't know why, just know it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowanbree Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 Thanks you have given me some great ideas. I am going to start him in Rally O after Christmas but this will give me something to work with in the meantime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I found sent work really helped my BC male become more confident. I just started my own way by breaking up a very small stick into tiny pieces & scattering them around our backyard while he was put in a sit/stay & then I told him to find them all. It takes him a while but he finds everyone of them,picks them up & puts them in a pile & when he is done he is very chuffed with himself. We play this often & he just thrives on it. Tail is in a happy swishing state the whole time, mind engaged. Pretty simple but it work's for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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