Nervous

637 Views 24 Replies 10 Participants Last post by MidwestGirl, Mar 31, 2009

Retriever Mama

Discussion Starter · Mar 30, 2009 (Edited)

Nervous: Update at bottom

Hey all. Just got back from vacation.

Hubby apparently is swamped at the office and doesn't think he can make Remy's obedience class tonight. I'm not sure I can handle him. I don't know what to do. I really want to take him. Especially since they are working on Stay tonight...but I don't want to have rotator cuff surgery tomorrow.

Not sure what to do....

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Retriever Mama

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 30, 2009

I've got about an hour between when I get home from work and when we'll have to leave. Major fetch session coming up!

He is SO BAD at greetings. He gets soooo excited/jumpy/barky for people and other dogs. We're working on it...but the jumpy part? Too strong for me...

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Retriever Mama

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 30, 2009

jzgrlduff said:
You are describing Macy to a "t". What did they you in class about how to handle that?

In which kind of situation?

For someone coming to our house we give him a chance to sit nicely...when (not if) he starts jumping at the person we grab him by the leash (which we already have on him) and put him outside on the other side of the sliding glass door. Wait out the tantrum. Then let him back in again. Repeat as necessary until he finally calms down and greets the person in a nice sit. He's fine after that...totally will ignore the person after the initial sniff.

For walking and greeting we're going with focus. If we're walking past a yard with a dog in it we're luring and rewarding for focus. If he loses his focus we back up and start again. (We have one road nicknamed "barking dog alley" where it seems every house has a dog on the invisible fence - great for training)

If we're waling and someone is coming - either a jogger or someone out walking - we move Remy to the median strip and get him into a sit and make him stay in a sit until the person has passed.

He's getting better at both of the outdoor tasks, but is still not up to being pet by the neighborhood kids...unless one of them has a future as a tackle dummy.

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Retriever Mama

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 30, 2009

patm said:
Do you have a prong collar? If you do - use it for class if they allow it. I had a very good instructor who put almost all the dogs in prong collars at first for training - helps alot with a lab - but you have to know how to fit and use it correctly.

We do have a prong collar...but that is "frowned upon" (to put it mildly) at our training school. Haven't used it on him yet.

I'm psyching myself up for the class. He really needs this class and he does listen better to his mama. So maybe it won't be so bad....maybe...??

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Retriever Mama

Discussion Starter · #13 · Mar 30, 2009

justine said:
My trainer doesn't like prong collars either, but have you tried the gentle leader with him? I've been using it with Toby after he dragged me down the street w/ the prong collar and have had pretty good luck.

We have one but haven't tried the gentle leader yet. I'm not going to start tonight with him, but maybe we'll try getting him used to it over the course of the week. I do have a harness for him for the car....I may try using that just to get him in the building then switch over to his collar.

I just realized that he'll have to go in my car - which he's never been in. I don't know if I should put him in the back seat (I fear having to corral him from jumping into the front...while driving) or just start him out in the passenger seat?

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Retriever Mama

Discussion Starter · #16 · Mar 31, 2009

Good and bad.

Pete actually made it home in time to take him, but Pete was such a wreck from work...I almost wish he hadn't.

Remy was A NIGHTMARE as soon as we hit the parking lot. Crying and whining with excitement to get going. He pulled and tugged and jumped so hard all the way in to the building. Pete just looked at me and said "You CANNOT manage this dog".

in Class Remy did...ok...It was working on Stays which Remy has absolutely no use for. Why the heck would he want to just sit someplace and do nothing? We got a lot of great tips on working with him on that. He did great on the loose leash walking in class. And I'd say he was a bout 50/50 on the keeping his Sit-Stays when another dog or person came by.

We were recommended a harness that hooks in the front for him? Dunno know what that is...

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Retriever Mama

Discussion Starter · #21 · Mar 31, 2009

BucksMom said:
I would recommend the Easy Walk Harness. I have been using one for my boy for a few years. It is the only reason i still have my arm attached to my body. just kidding. Seriously, if he tuggs it spins him around and he cannot pull at all.

Oh, that's the one I see Bob recommended yesterday. I'll have to look into it.

We had several people work with Remy last night and the response we got from everyone is "he is a lotta dog". But everyone is convinced it is just immaturity. And he's so freakin' smart it is scary. We doing clicker training and last night while working on the Sit-stay everytime he made a move to get up...which you could tell he was starting to break because he dips his head...Pete or the trainer would tell him to Siiiiit...and he would sit back. Click. Treat. Well, wouldn't you know after 3 times of that he started dipping his head forward and then sat back looking for his treat? Little manipulator.....

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Retriever Mama

Discussion Starter · #22 · Mar 31, 2009

jzgrlduff said:
Ugh! I dreaded taking Frankie to class every week for that very same reason. They must know where they are, and get over excited to see the other dogs.

It sounds like he did pretty good though! So how many classes has he been to now?

This is his second round of obedience level 2. (which is really level 1 because level one at our school is puppy k) He did great the first time...even has his CGC...but then at 10 months the hormones kicked in and he became a completely different dog. So we are taking the class over. This is the second lesson for him for this round.

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