GT training advice

Shedeivl

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#1
ok due to this busy season I've not had anytime to train GT and she's a teen now I wont have time again till the start of next year but due to the halt in her training she's starting to have un wanted behaviors like digging chewing ect so my question is when i'm able to train her again do i just go back to basics or do i focus on train alternatives for the un wanted behaviors ?
 

milos_mommy

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#2
It's common, even for a well-trained puppy, to develop behaviors like digging or go through a wild or disobedient period in their teenage stage.

It depends on what kind of training you're talking about. If you're talking about training her not to dig or chew, and she's digging and chewing, yes you need to go back to the basics and STOP her from doing these behaviors immediately, because they're self rewarding, and the longer she does them, the harder they will be to break out of her.

If you're talking about basic commands or foundations for work or sport....you'll only need to go back to the basics if she hasn't been using these or has forgotten them or gotten unreliable in listening to commands. If you ask her to lie down and she does every time, that's an entirely different issues than digging/chewing.

You say you don't have time to train her, but is she getting enough exercise/stimulation or as much as she used to? If not, that's probably why she's digging and chewing, and you need to figure out how to make time to keep her occupied, or you're going to have a very big problem on your hands.
 

adojrts

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#3
Training is something that takes place all the time, it is unrealistic to set aside 20-30 minutes each day to train for most people. What you need to do is look for opportunities to train, 10 seconds here, 30 seconds there, 2 mins when a commerical comes when watching your fav t.v program. Multiple mirco sessions during the day/evening will get you further than blocks of training. Bottomline is your either reinforcing behaviours that you want or reinforcing behaviours you don't want, it is still training and learning.
 

Shedeivl

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#4
I got her a sand pit so ever-time I see her dig i pick her up and move her to the sand pit so she can dig but just in the right spot .... but I'm not home all the time at the moment

I've been giving her fresh bones everyday to help with her not chewing the wrong thing also these seemed to help

I know she's not getting as much stimulation as I would like...

I've been getting up earlier b4 work to walk her and when I'm not to tired after work i walk her as well though out the year she get short training sections like were suggested it's just that with Christmas coming up I've been working more then I would normally and my spare time is used to sit for and study for my collage exams unfortunately this means I dont really have the time to spend with her at the moment like I would normally have which I will have in a few weeks when things calm down but in the mean time she has picked up bad behaviors that I simply can't stop at the moment as I'm not here

she's was doing well with her training every-time I would say sit she sat every time I would say tummy(aka down) she would but now it's only ever second time so what I'm asking is when things go back to normal and I have the time should I re-work on the basic commends again they way I did when I first tough her and keep giving her the bones and showing her to the sand pit or should or I should do is fix the problems first then work on her basics commands ?
 

Shedeivl

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#5
I got her a sand pit so ever-time I see her dig i pick her up and move her to the sand pit so she can dig but just in the right spot .... but I'm not home all the time at the moment

I've been giving her fresh bones everyday to help with her not chewing the wrong thing also these seemed to help

I know she's not getting as much stimulation as I would like...

I've been getting up earlier b4 work to walk her and when I'm not to tired after work i walk her as well though out the year she get short training sections like were suggested it's just that with Christmas coming up I've been working more then I would normally and my spare time is used to sit for and study for my collage exams unfortunately this means I dont really have the time to spend with her at the moment like I would normally have which I will have in a few weeks when things calm down but in the mean time she has picked up bad behaviors that I simply can't stop at the moment as I'm not here

she's was doing well with her training every-time I would say sit she sat every time I would say tummy(aka down) she would but now it's only ever second time so what I'm asking is when things go back to normal and I have the time should I re-work on the basic commends again they way I did when I first tough her and keep giving her the bones and showing her to the sand pit or should or I should do is fix the problems first then work on her basics commands ?
 

milos_mommy

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#6
Teaching her basic commands is not going to stop her from digging and chewing. It might help tire her out so she's less bored and likely to misbehave, but if you give her any opportunity to dig or chew, it's going to be very, very difficult to stop. She needs to not be left unsupervised at all where she is likely to dig or chew. If you can't crate her, she needs to be confined to an area without much for her to get into. She also shouldn't be outside without supervision because you need to disrupt digging immediately.

The sandbox will help, but instead of picking her up I would call her over to it so shed going on her own, and reward her when she gets there. Praise her for digging there and bury toys or treats so she has something fun to dig for. Most importantly though will be disrupting and redirecting her whenever she digs someplace inappropriate.
 

Doberluv

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#7
Training is something that takes place all the time, it is unrealistic to set aside 20-30 minutes each day to train for most people. What you need to do is look for opportunities to train, 10 seconds here, 30 seconds there, 2 mins when a commerical comes when watching your fav t.v program. Multiple mirco sessions during the day/evening will get you further than blocks of training. Bottomline is your either reinforcing behaviours that you want or reinforcing behaviours you don't want, it is still training and learning.
This many times over! ^^^^

I also must say that teaching basic obedience, practicing those fun little tricks...anything DOES help with general behavior. It fills their minds with something constructive...gives them idea that there are other things to do which are stimulating and interesting and they have less interest and time for grabbing your decorative pillow off the couch or digging up the garden. But you still need to prevent the reinforcement for behaviors you don't want and reinforce those you do want. Keeping busy with more structure does help with general, puppy, annoying behaviors. Raising puppies does take time and lots of supervision. ;)
 

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