We adopted Larry (1o month old pointer mix) from a shelter where he had been rescued from a puppy mill. he was terrified in the shelter and so afraid when he came hme. Well, he is coing out of his shell BIG TIME in just 4 days and he is acting just like what you would expect from a large (55 pound) puppy who has had no training whatsoever. He likes his crate and is not housetrained yet. He knows his name but doesn't even know sit yet. He is not up to date on shots yet so we can't start a class and I think he would be too scared anyway. So, advice on how to start with training?
Advice on how to train out of control 10 month old rescue
- Thread starter lippylulu
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I would start with basic training commands. If he sits, say "good sit" and give a treat. He will start to associate the word with what he is doing. Congrats on adopting Larry. To start housetraining, do it like you would with a young puppy taking him out after eating, drinking, napping, sleeping, etc. Do this often so he associates going outside to potty.
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I know you've said you're not big on obedience training and just want the dog to behave, but training him tricks and obedience will tire him out mentally so he's less bored and likely to go looking for trouble.
Plus, I'm not exactly sure what a well behaved dog that doesn't get into trouble does, besides obey taught commands. For example, if you want him not to jump on guests, you'll need to teach him to sit to greet them...if you don't want him begging you'll need to teach him to lie down somewhere and stay while you're eating.
10 months is the toughest age usually, just be patient, and reinforce everything, try not to change rules or confuse them. There are a lot of good training threads and recommendations for books and things on here.
Plus, I'm not exactly sure what a well behaved dog that doesn't get into trouble does, besides obey taught commands. For example, if you want him not to jump on guests, you'll need to teach him to sit to greet them...if you don't want him begging you'll need to teach him to lie down somewhere and stay while you're eating.
10 months is the toughest age usually, just be patient, and reinforce everything, try not to change rules or confuse them. There are a lot of good training threads and recommendations for books and things on here.
Check out some of kikopup's videos, she does some awesome stuff with her dogs and shows you how she taught them, it's really nice to see how she trains and how happy her dogs are listening. Some of the stuff is manners and handling, some is tricks, some is basic obedience. Clicker training is fun, for you and your dog so even shy dogs do well.
You will need to find treats he likes though. Will he eat them if you rop them on the floor for him? Have you tried real meat? Natural Blance makes rolls that is the consistency of sausage sort of, you can cut those into treats and they make really yummy training treats.
Kikopup--> YouTube - kikopup's Channel
You will need to find treats he likes though. Will he eat them if you rop them on the floor for him? Have you tried real meat? Natural Blance makes rolls that is the consistency of sausage sort of, you can cut those into treats and they make really yummy training treats.
Kikopup--> YouTube - kikopup's Channel
So you've had him for four days? Right now he is trying to figure out where he fits in the family. First, imagine how you see him as an adult. You probably don't want him jumping on you or counter surfing. The first thing you can teach him is a proper sit near the door he will be going out of for potty. The spot should be out of the way of the swing of the door, but so he can look outside when the door is open. If there are more people in the house besides you, mark the spot with masking tape so everyone will be on board. Bring him to the spot and lure him into a sit using treats. Praise and treat and pet for each sit, no matter how long it takes him to sit his butt down. Once you have him plopping into a sit when you move your finger or hand over his head, repeat twenty times. You can lure him into the sit, then pat your leg and say, "let's go" to get him up again, walk in a circle and have him sit in the proper spot again. And again. And again. Have him sit in the spot every time you will take him outside, praising and treating him.
Outside and on a leash, bring him to the place you want him to poop in. Walk him back and forth until he does his business. Have a treat ready. The instant he is done, give him a treat. Give him a treat for peeing, but only the big pee, not every little marking. Once you've completed the treat ritual, pat your leg and tell him, "let's go", walking away. He should follow you. If he doesn't, don't drag him, cajole him until he follows you. You want him to learn that "let's go", or the leg pat means, "I'm going this way and so are you."
Once he's learned sit, have him sit and wait for his meals, sit by the door, sit for any and all treats or toys. If he is a jumper. have him sit when he comes up to you instead of jumping. It will become a default behavior which will park him with all four feet on the floor. When you give him an extra snack or a toy, say, "Rover, take", so that he'll associate the word, take, with taking. This behavior can work itself into the retrieve when you want to teach fetch. It will also get him to discipline himself and wait to take something rather than grabbing.
I would also get some raw bones for him to chew on. The chewing will give him something to do with his anxiety at being in a new environment. Make sure the bones are sized to the dog so he can't swallow them, but are small enough he can pick up and carry. Throw out after three days as they become brittle. Bones can be kept in the freezer until you need them. My dogs enjoy theirs outside.
In another post you asked about clicker training. Once you charge up the clicker, you can use it for the sit. Just pay attention so you get the click right, click, treat and praise. When you do advanced work with him you will love the clicker.
Outside and on a leash, bring him to the place you want him to poop in. Walk him back and forth until he does his business. Have a treat ready. The instant he is done, give him a treat. Give him a treat for peeing, but only the big pee, not every little marking. Once you've completed the treat ritual, pat your leg and tell him, "let's go", walking away. He should follow you. If he doesn't, don't drag him, cajole him until he follows you. You want him to learn that "let's go", or the leg pat means, "I'm going this way and so are you."
Once he's learned sit, have him sit and wait for his meals, sit by the door, sit for any and all treats or toys. If he is a jumper. have him sit when he comes up to you instead of jumping. It will become a default behavior which will park him with all four feet on the floor. When you give him an extra snack or a toy, say, "Rover, take", so that he'll associate the word, take, with taking. This behavior can work itself into the retrieve when you want to teach fetch. It will also get him to discipline himself and wait to take something rather than grabbing.
I would also get some raw bones for him to chew on. The chewing will give him something to do with his anxiety at being in a new environment. Make sure the bones are sized to the dog so he can't swallow them, but are small enough he can pick up and carry. Throw out after three days as they become brittle. Bones can be kept in the freezer until you need them. My dogs enjoy theirs outside.
In another post you asked about clicker training. Once you charge up the clicker, you can use it for the sit. Just pay attention so you get the click right, click, treat and praise. When you do advanced work with him you will love the clicker.
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Sue Ailsby's level's program is a great place to start for basic training ideas:
Levels.html
As Maxy24 suggested, Kikopup's videos are great as well.
Do you have a vet appointment scheduled to get him a basic check up and shots? If not, I'd do that ASAP.
Also, I'd start looking into training classes and programs in the area. Training classes ares a great way for a dog to get exposure to new situations and learn how to behave properly around other dogs.
Levels.html
As Maxy24 suggested, Kikopup's videos are great as well.
Do you have a vet appointment scheduled to get him a basic check up and shots? If not, I'd do that ASAP.
Also, I'd start looking into training classes and programs in the area. Training classes ares a great way for a dog to get exposure to new situations and learn how to behave properly around other dogs.
10 month old Pointer Mix Rescue Larry is home almost 2 weeks now. He still knows little other than his name. He plays well with my other 2 dogs (gets pretty crazy here at times) and loves affection from us. However, as soon as we try to get him to do anything, he gets frightened and runs away or piddles. He is very good about going in his crate or hanging out in the yard for long periods where he feels safe.
Next week he gets his last set of puppy shots so he can go out for training. I am debating whether he could cope with a group class and am considering a private trainer who will come to the house to get started. I always got my dogs young enough for puppy kindergarten and they became happy, relatively well behaved pets (never obedience school champs but good pets). None were as traumatized as this guy.
I should mention I am not totally ignorant about behavior training, reinforcement, conditioning, etc. In fact, i'd get an A+ on this stuff because I am a psychologist. However, applying these principles along with understanding how a terrified dog feels along with the interference of the two other dogs in the house is a bit much. If the poor fella would just lay on that couch and talk to me I might be more useful, but at this point I think he needs professional help and of coruse I can't treat my own family members anyway.
Next week he gets his last set of puppy shots so he can go out for training. I am debating whether he could cope with a group class and am considering a private trainer who will come to the house to get started. I always got my dogs young enough for puppy kindergarten and they became happy, relatively well behaved pets (never obedience school champs but good pets). None were as traumatized as this guy.
I should mention I am not totally ignorant about behavior training, reinforcement, conditioning, etc. In fact, i'd get an A+ on this stuff because I am a psychologist. However, applying these principles along with understanding how a terrified dog feels along with the interference of the two other dogs in the house is a bit much. If the poor fella would just lay on that couch and talk to me I might be more useful, but at this point I think he needs professional help and of coruse I can't treat my own family members anyway.
Sounds like he has some confidence issues. Clicker training is a great way to build up his confidence. If you do clicker training right, then instead of thinking about "trying to get him to do" stuff, you'll be rewarding good behaviors when you see him offer them on his own. Once he figures that out, he'll be extremely willing to train and excited to try new things for you.
You can check out Karen Pryor Clickertraining, and specifically "101 Things to Do with a Box" to get some ideas of confidence-building games.
You can check out Karen Pryor Clickertraining, and specifically "101 Things to Do with a Box" to get some ideas of confidence-building games.
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If he's excited about going places and meeting new dogs, a class might be a good idea. But if he's nervous about new situations, it probably won't help right now.
It does a take a while for a dog with low self-esteem, especially a rescue, to come around. Just take it slow, do as many confidence building activities as you can, and don't correct or reprimand him, just let him try something new or gently redirect him.
It does a take a while for a dog with low self-esteem, especially a rescue, to come around. Just take it slow, do as many confidence building activities as you can, and don't correct or reprimand him, just let him try something new or gently redirect him.
The link to clicker training was really helpful. We have lots of work to do. Larry sits when he is scared so if cliick when he sits I don't know if I am teaching sit or reinforcing his fear behavior. I think he would be terrified in a class now---more from the peole than the dogs. He plays with my other 2 just fine but is afraid of men and any group of more than 2 people at this point. I may hire a privte behaviorist to come to the house a few times while he adjusts more, and then look into a class. In other ways he is doing just great (loves his crate, playing with my 1 1/2 year old lab mix, not having as many accidents in the house, and bonding more with us).
Sometimes the steps are small. You seem to be aware of the little successes. Right now, go back and read what you wrote about Larry. Write it all down on a notecard and put it on the refrigerator. Beside it, put up another notecard of what you want (not afraid of men, etc). Every once in a while compare the two cards. You are a psychologist, so you get the picture.
Since you aren't comfortable with reinforcing sit, pick another behavior to work on. Sit is just so easy and used so often as a default behavior, that most people train the sit right away. Train "take". Put a little treat in your hand, show him the treat and when he goes for it, say, "Larry, take." He takes it, you click. Next step would be to offer the treat with the hand closed. "Larry take." His nose reaches for the hand, open the hand and give the treat. Click. When you say take, he should be looking at your hand (switch hands so he'll take right or left as you offer). Move on to taking a toy from your hand. See, another easy lesson that you can work on with clicker.
Since you aren't comfortable with reinforcing sit, pick another behavior to work on. Sit is just so easy and used so often as a default behavior, that most people train the sit right away. Train "take". Put a little treat in your hand, show him the treat and when he goes for it, say, "Larry, take." He takes it, you click. Next step would be to offer the treat with the hand closed. "Larry take." His nose reaches for the hand, open the hand and give the treat. Click. When you say take, he should be looking at your hand (switch hands so he'll take right or left as you offer). Move on to taking a toy from your hand. See, another easy lesson that you can work on with clicker.
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Clicker train your dog ... start at home and with basic commands.
Here is a free video:
Free Video
opcorn:
Here is a free video:
Free Video
opcorn: