One Person Dog

[leopuppy04]

Training advice please.

I have recently realised that I have a dog that is very much a 'one person' dog.

I got Kinta at 5mths old from the breeder. She was very confident at the breeders house and was pretty much *exactly* what I was looking for. The reason I got her at 5mths rather than 8 wks was that I was initially waiting on the later litter, but both breeder and I agreed that the older pup they were 'running' on was better suited to me. I have never once regretted my decision .

When I brought her home for a 2 wk 'trial' (lol - risky business that, I wonder how many actually don't pass ) she was *perfect* the first day - 'processing' everything and then deciding she could deal with it. I couldn't have been more impressed with her. However, for about a week after that she was a little skittish and 'scared' of other people - if they went to pat her she would shy away and seemed a bit unnerved in her environment. We worked through that and I mostly think it was a 'settling' in thing - there is only one person she really can't stand..... runs a mile when she sees him - maybe she knows something we don't . Most people who have met her recently don't believe me when I say she was skittish when we first got her as she is a really, really confident dog now - jumps on anybody and begs attention from anyone who will listen .

My parents did the typical thing you would expect a 6 or 7 yr old to do when a new dog comes into the house - interested in her for about the first week and then slowly lost interest.... so you can say that 99% of her attention came either through or from me. My dad spends a bit of time with her and they are great mates, but she is definately my dog. She seeks me out wherever and both dogs ALWAYS want to be with me, which is fine. Leo is more of a social butterfly and although still a 'mummy's boy' loves the attention of others (anyone who has met him can attest to that ). Kinta on the other hand really only wants me. If we go to a new place (went to Phillip Is one weekend) she was a little unnerved from about the 2nd day, but nothing to be concerned about although she really does look at me for direction.

This is where my concern comes in - Once or twice I have gotten my mum to feed Kinta coz I have been busy the past week or so. Both dogs must wait until they have recieved their commands to eat. Kinta will sit a mile away from her food bowl, and when commanded to eat by mum - she runs away..... or goes a very roundabout way to get to her bowl. She has NEVER once been punished for running to her food (except for the food bowl simply being lifted up again). When mum has told her again she will eat no problems. I saw this last night and was very confused by the response. Got mum to do it a few times and Kinta was fine. My mum has also said that if she asks Kinta to sit/drop/stand/ release she wont respond. Leo does respond to mum, but mum has spend more time with leo - even then he is a little disobedient with her. Kinta will do everything my dad asks. Whenever mum or dad throw a toy for Kinta she won't retrieve it. As soon as I do - she is off like a rocket.

My question is - should I be concerned - my mum is not a doggy person and I think Kinta picks up on this... it is hard for me to get the parents to participate in training.... if mum growls for whatever reason, Kinta's confidence is shattered for a few seconds until mum makes a point to 'make friends' with her again..... never had this problem with Kinta myself.

I want to know if there is anything I should do as there will come a time when I won't be there for one reason or another. Kinta DOES have a stable temperament and shows no signs of seperation anxiety.... but she is definately a one person dog and really only listens to me.... She is very reserved when I am not there...... So should I be concerned? What can I do if I need to try and alleviate this issue?

ETA - I just re-read my post and thought i'll give some breed background.... When you read up on the aussies what I describe is typical Aussie behaviour - very attached to one owner and taking commands from only one person... reserved when owner is not there - they tend to be accepting of strangers when the owner is present and cautious at other times - that is Kinta to a T. She has shown NO aggressive tendencies, just cautious. I know this about the breed, but I want to know if there is anything I can do to help 'manage' the problem so that if there does come a time when I am on holidays she won't be so unnerved....

Edited April 4, 2007 by leopuppy04

[Tonymc]

Leo,you beat me to it as I was going to say it sounds like typical Aussie behaviour.I do not have an Aussie but have gained some insight from Americans I know.

Leo, we have one Dog at home that will only work for the old Man.I know the way he is and just accept that.Most of my Dogs will not take notice of anybody else also.I guess there could be a downside,but I like my Dogs taking note of me and not everybody around. Tony

[leopuppy04]

LOL Tony - yes, that is one good thing about her - that she is very intuned to me and watches me constantly.

Don't get me wrong - I don't see it as a fault in her behaviour, I just want to know if there is anything I should do as I don't want her to be overly stressed should i go on a holiday or anything.... but then she'd likely go back to the breeders who she knows very well.... just wanting a bit of ideas

Leo shows these tendencies too, but to a lesser degree..... he usually wants to be with me but at training.... forget it - don't you know these people carry sausages in their bait bags He shows similar response to Mum though in regards to 'command refusal'

Edited April 5, 2007 by leopuppy04

[Tim Fairchild]

ETA - I just re-read my post and thought i'll give some breed background.... When you read up on the aussies what I describe is typical Aussie behaviour

Yep, sounds like a typical Aussie

[leopuppy04]

ETA - I just re-read my post and thought i'll give some breed background.... When you read up on the aussies what I describe is typical Aussie behaviour

Yep, sounds like a typical Aussie

Yep and I hate to admit it, but ya gotta love 'em for it

[JulesP]

My thoughts are that you either have to work with your Mum so that Kinta does obey her or your Mum needs to stop giving Kinta commands!

My girl border is totally mine, is happy to say hi to other people but not too happy to work for them. Brock is very much a mummy's boy. He will work with other people but I have no worries of him doing a runner when off lead as he sticks to me like glue.

[leopuppy04]

My thoughts are that you either have to work with your Mum so that Kinta does obey her or your Mum needs to stop giving Kinta commands!

My girl border is totally mine, is happy to say hi to other people but not too happy to work for them. Brock is very much a mummy's boy. He will work with other people but I have no worries of him doing a runner when off lead as he sticks to me like glue.

Yep - thats them - Leo will work with someone so long as they have food and he can see me 'watching' - then he works better for them as he does for me (that whole novelty thing!). As soon as i'm out of sight he frets a little and won't work anymore .... unless he *really* knows the person.

Kinta works best for me and no-one else. Like you say - totally happy to say hi to everyone but wants me essentially.

Problem is that every time I say that to Mum she really isn't interested - she is also very interested in growling at the dogs all the time (which I don't allow) so since she can't do that she doesn't want to. Frankly - her 'training' can be very up n down which the dogs struggle with. I can do work with the 'feeding' but that is about it! Luckily dad is my 'substitute' walker and they respond well to him.

Do you think she will offer this response if someone outside of the family were looking after her? What if I went away and she went to a friends house?

[ness]

Hey Leopuppy,

Can't avoid a response from me . Ness is completely the same and before Gina's demo at expo in 2005 (oh yep those darn WA people seem to be responsible for having changed everything) she would never work for anybody else. Now she will work for a select few other than me (Gina being one). She had one person who she has known from a puppy but not even her could get Ness to run an agility course without her coming back to me. I am the only one in my family who can get her to play frisbee or chase a ball and have her return it.

At expo stands she is "happy" to say hi but usually that entails her staring at me and the person being allowed to pat her but her eyes never really leave me.

Not sure I would be worried - as long as she isn't aggressive over it like you said and its also part of the Aussie personality so I would just accept it. I am sure if for whatever reason you couldn't be there over time she would adapt and warm to somebody else.

Edited April 5, 2007 by ness

[JulesP]

Possibley. I looked after a friend's dog who is very shy and it took a couple of days before I could pat her.

I would probably prefer that people that were looking after the dogs weren't trying to give them commands etc. It is too easy to stuff your training up.

[leopuppy04]

LOL ness - invading my threads again *sigh*

Yeah - I had a friends dog who's temperament is very similar to Kinta's and he fell to pieces around mum and dad but not in public or around me.

Luckily, should I ever go on a holiday without the dogs she will always be going either a) back to the breeders b) to a very well known friend (but her boyfriend is the person Kinta is Sh** scared of!) or c) staying home with parents. Everywhere she goes she'll have Leo obviously.

LOL - nope, nobody would be training them .

I guess I just don't want her to fret too much - I hate seeing dogs stressed out

[Sayreovi]

I have one of those as well.

At training there is only one person he likes patting him and this person has been buttering him up for about a year LOL

That is apparantly typical of my breed as well, but then i have Nova

[Tim Fairchild]

ETA - I just re-read my post and thought i'll give some breed background.... When you read up on the aussies what I describe is typical Aussie behaviour

Yep, sounds like a typical Aussie

Yep and I hate to admit it, but ya gotta love 'em for it

My little BC, Xev, is much the same even tho she's not Aussie. If I call her, she comes to me. If anyone else calls her, she comes to me. She frets when I'm away tho.

But she's a great little pal.

[wagalot]

ok .....my thoughts, ...kintas pack is made up of, you ( head of the pack), then your dad, then Leo, then Kinta and last your mum.

why is your mum at the bottom, well she lacks the knack of training and guidance, which of cause comes mostly from you.

by making your mum give kinta commands, this is causing friction and and frustration between them both.

Kinta has learned that when you train her, she gets pleasure form pleasing you and is happy to try her hardest to please you, but when your mum tells her to do something, she has not gained any thing from your mum in the passed, so why would she feel the need to do as she told. (and i am not talking about food rewards)

if your mum has asked kinta to sit for her dinner and she does not do it, your mums body language changes as well as the frustration vibes, which kinta would be picking up on, this is causing her to rethink and chose not to obey, as she does feel those happy vibes that you would normally have.

there is not much you can do, if your mum does not have the right knack nor interest in training dogs like your self, you can't go any further in that area.

As far as kinta in concerned, just tell your mum to give her a simple sit then eat, nothing else, if she takes off or refuses to eat on command, your mum needs to ignore this behavior a walk away, leaving kinta and her bowel of food.

If leo is present, and has already eaten, take him inside and leave her on her own, until she eats.....then tell your mum when realizes that kinta has eating, let leo out and praise her for eating.

don't expect your mum to stand there and keep trying to make her sit wait, drop realise etc etc

this in fine for you do it, you can maybe see how dad goes with the routine, but keep it simple and of cause keep it happy.

she is still a baby and theres lots to learn in life for a young girl give her time and lots of exposure, make her face her fears but in a suttle way, and don't sook her when she is sacred, she will grow out of it if you stay positive.

and give her a big cuddle from arnty sam

hope that some help

its not easy putting it to writing

but hopefully you understand what i am saying

sam

[leopuppy04]

Thanks wagalot.... most of it I am doing already though - just to be painful I agree with your sum up about Mum vs Kinta though

if your mum has asked kinta to sit for her dinner and she does not do it, your mums body language changes as well as the frustration vibes, which kinta would be picking up on, this is causing her to rethink and chose not to obey, as she does feel those happy vibes that you would normally have.

there is not much you can do, if your mum does not have the right knack nor interest in training dogs like your self, you can't go any further in that area.

This is the thing - Kinta automatically sits when you have the food bowls. As soon as you pick them up to fill them and then get ready to put them down, both dogs will sit and wait - she also WILL NOT touch food until asked, so mum must give a command (LOL - Leo can attest to this, he took ages to eat at Ana's one time coz I forgot to tell them the command - poor little tyke, he was sitting there while they were saying "dinner", "biccies" etc,etc.... drooling away but wouldn't move

As far as kinta in concerned, just tell your mum to give her a simple sit then eat, nothing else, if she takes off or refuses to eat on command, your mum needs to ignore this behavior a walk away, leaving kinta and her bowel of food.

If leo is present, and has already eaten, take him inside and leave her on her own, until she eats.....then tell your mum when realizes that kinta has eating, let leo out and praise her for eating.

Likewise, Leo is highly unlikely to touch her dinner..... usually.... I just told mum to encourage her forward and tell her 'munchies'.... when she does to praise her.... mum did exactly that but went a bit OTT with the praise, which confused the poor kid . When we tried again Kinta was a lot more confident....

this in fine for you do it, you can maybe see how dad goes with the routine, but keep it simple and of cause keep it happy.

No problems there

she is still a baby and theres lots to learn in life for a young girl give her time and lots of exposure, make her face her fears but in a suttle way, and don't sook her when she is sacred, she will grow out of it if you stay positive.

Thats a biggie with me - they are NEVER, EVER, EVER sooked when they are scared - I make them face their fears in a calm gentle way - lots of praise when they behave accordingly :D

[wheres my rock]

wouldnt worry gemmas a one prson dog i cant even get her to coe in some days i'll oent he back dor nd call her in and she just stares at me like but wheres my daddy when i feed her she just looks at the bow as if i gave her poison

connor was like that too with hubby hes a mummys boy but hes grown out of it hes still all mine but is happy to go for a walk with dad now soemthing he would not do before without encouragement and we're both dog people lol

[Kodiak]

My Aussie (fairly similar in age to yours) is like this too - she doesn't recall to my hb but is with me in a flash if I call her.

We went on holidays recently and she stayed with my parents... they are doggy people and were happy to listen to my advice about managing jumping, food, etc. She loves them now.

In your situation (parents who posibly aren't doggy people) I would go with Kinta's breeder (with Leo) if that is possible... simply because they are doggy people and will most likely to understand her and she sounds like she will be comfortable with them.

[JudyRae]

I'm so glad I read this forum. We have 3 dogs...a 7yr. old cock-a-poo and an Aussie by the name of Minnie Merle. She also is a one man dog. She does anything for my hubby but not as bad as the new Border Collie we just acquired. She is 2 years old, named already Lacie and lived on a farm which was sold and was given to us rather then move to the city. She's beautiful and smart as a whip...but has also chosen my hubby for her own...which is a little hard on the Aussie. Anyway Lacie wants to follow him around all day and sleep on the floor by our bed a night and thinks she needs to be with him every minute. She makes it very plain that she just tolerates me. I'd love to get closer to her, but from reading this column...I don't think it will happen. She does mind me and obey's commands as sit, lay down, roll over, but seems to catch on to anything my hubby shows her and ignores when I try to teach her something new. Our Aussie and her love to play and run together and don't seem to mind sharing my hubby....however my hubby has his hands full trying to give them both attention. Great forum...any advice you can give me will be well takes (such as how I can get her to bring a ball back.... Our other dogs all know how and its great exercise...she chases the ball and then immediately leaves it and chases leaves)...

[bloss344]

Bob is very, very much my dog and for a long time would totally disregard OH. As he has matured and settled down he's becoming much more responsive to OH, which is great cos OH is able to enjoy Bob a lot more now that he can interact with him a bit more.

[leopuppy04]

I'm fascinated to hear that so many people have 'one person dogs'.... but not so suprised that they are all herding dogs (pretty much) as I guess that is what they were bred for.

Don't worry Kodiak - I actually feel better sending the 2 off to the breeder if I am gone for an extended period of time, although since I still live with my parents, they may get hurt if it is just me going away and I send the dog back to the breeders

[Kodiak]

Leopuppy tell them it's for special training or grooming or you promised you would send them back because the breeder wanted some more time with them.... ;)