Positive obedience training?

[Melanie]

I recentely finished my first positive obedience class with my 7 month Max. He is quite the joy and like no other dog I have ever had. The instructor kept calling him the class social butterfly because he insisted on visiting everyone else but me!! I was devastated, he honestly didn't seem to care if I was there or not. All the other puppies obeyed and wanted to stay close to their owners, not Max, he wanted to mingle. The instructor said this is very common of the cairn and not to get frustrated. I have to admit, I often have to laugh at his little personality...but for his safety I need to get him to come on command. He also love everyone way to much. He will go up to complete strangers and not think twice if they pick him up. I am afraid for his safety since he has no sense of protectiveness in him. He barks when we play but will never ever bark to alarm me of someone at the door, instead he is welcoming them in the house by jumping all over the place. Any advice would be great, is obedience possible in the breed. Please help.

[Susan]

Sure, obedience is possible...not likely, but possible. lol! Just kidding!

My Nikki is 4 years old, and we still have a problem with coming on command. I've resorted to bribery, I'm afraid. Otherwise, she's pretty obedient and will sit and lay down and stay pretty well.

As far as being a social butterfly and so friendly, that's just the nature of the breed. Nikki has never met a stranger and thinks all people are there just to see her and pet her. She does warn me about people at the door, though. My doorbell doesn't work, but I don't miss it. I always know when someone is at the door. lol.

Susan

[Guest]

Rebel is 5 months old now and when we are in class he pays no attention to me. When the instructor uses him as a example he will come to her. At first it hurt my feelings but all the other pets and people like him so much that I don't worry about it any more. I want to get him trained enough to pass the good dog test so that I can take him to hospitals and nursing homes.

He is learning the sit, stand, flat, belly roll over really fast...but "come" not so fast. We made him a tunnel so that my husband and I can get on each end and call him and as soon as he comes out love on him and tell him how good. But Rebel has changed the rules of the game he comes to the end of the tunnel looks at you turns around to go the other way.

If you move on to a more advanced class let us know how it goes.

[Guest]

Ok, so to sum it up...I should count my blessings if he ever comes on command? lol He is sitting next to me as I type and you can just see the curiosity in his expression as to what he can drag around next. To funny! I start my next session of obedience on May 18th and we are going to try some outdoor training. It has been so cold here in North Dakota it is impossible to get outdoors. This weekend we went from

-30below just last week to +60, heat wave. Max saw grass for the first time and boy oh boy is he going to get into lots of trouble, I can just sense it. :angel:

Thanks for the comments, they made me laugh as well as feel better.

Melanie

[Bobbi]

Thank god. I was beginning to think Gus was just ideosyncratic (or maybe deranged ... in a nice kinda way He too will sit, occasionally stay, and drops whatever he's chewing the minute I say "no!" On the other hand, "come" has no impact whatsoever. None. Like yours, he's way too friendly with strangers, and I suppose I may have to keep him on a leash while in the yard. But the whole point was that we have a big yard which is completely fenced ... great for exercise and playing, I thought. But he thinks nothing of racing to the fence to make nice with strangers, while totally ignoring me. Sometimes, he'll even run from me when I'm trying to get him to come in (like the time I had to stalk him in a rain storm, soaking my shoes and getting drenched despite the umbrella :x ). It gets really exasperating sometimes. Will he EVER come to me when I want him to? As opposed to when he decides he wants to?

[Guest]

Bobbi, how old is Gus? We too have a large fenced yard and just about 15 minutes ago we walked it one more time to make sure it was Max proof. I had to buy certain fencing to make sure he could not get under the porch which leads to under the house or I might not see him for 2 weeks!!lol He is getting braver every time I let him run the yard. At first I thought it was so cute cause he had to always see me or he got nervous. Well today he has the "see ya later attitude" and all I have found myself doing is chasing his butt to come back to me. :x

This summer is going to be a struggle cause we have 2 young boys living next door that are already teasing him and trying to stick things through the fence. He has come quite a ways for listenting since we first got him and I suppose since he isn't even a year yet I still have a prayer? :angel: Keep in touch cause this site definately helps me laugh at certain situations.

Melanie

[bradl]

I've been reading two books that give a lot of insight into possible 'dog's ways of thinking' on things like this...

Bones Would Rain From the Sky and The Other End of the Leash

I won't attempt to rewrite the books here. The amazon pages have lots of reviews. Definitely giving me pause for thought about what we expect from dogs. Sometimes it seems a miracle they understand us as well as they do (even while 'misbehaving' from our perspective).

[Bobbi]

Let's see ... Gus is 10 months old. You know, one of the things that's puzzled me so far is his lack of interest in even trying to dig his way to freedom. (I suppose now that I've said that, I'll find a tunnel in progress somewhere I didn't notice :wink: ) I know what you mean about neighbors too. Gus loves the guy next door. Races to the fence the minute he hears his voice, stands up to be petted, tail wagging furiously. Do I get that kind of treatment? Nope. Apparently I'm old news. In fact, if I approach him in the yard, it's his cue to dart behind a tree or hide in the arbor. I know what you mean about giggling your way through the forum too. Every time I think I've a mentally defective doggie, I find someone else with the same problem. I was reading a message earlier from someone who said his/her dog will suddenly wake from a sound sleep and run behind a chair, apparently scared out of his fur by something only he recognized. Gus does the same thing, and it's kinda funny to watch him sit in the yard, head cocked, ears perked, clearly listening for or to something. Then, out of nowhere, he leaps to his feet and runs as if something goosed him. (Actually, we think it's the old cat who passed away last spring. Gus's favorite place to sit, inexplicably, is by the yucca plant where old Oliver used to hang out. We're sure he's talking to him ..."Psssst! Dog!" At any rate, something's scaring him out of his wits. I also smile when I read about people having to bribe their dogs to come in. (You may recall mine wouldn't even come in out of the rain :? ) We've done it all: bribed him with dog treats, squeaked his toys, even brought out the Doritos bag. All of it worked for a while, then he figured it out. He's just smarter than us