Question:I tried to tech her shake but now when you tell her to sit, she buts her paw up even if you dont say shake. I don't know what to do. Now my dad wants to get rid of her because she is haveing trouble learning. But I cant get rid of her. I'd miss her too much. I need a way to show my dad that she can learn not to dig and she can be a good dog. So what can I do?? Should I try tekeing care of her myself? My dad is also tired of cleaning up after her, he says she is just another chore. Morgan needs to learn!!
Answers:
You need to be consistent with the dog do not reward the dog until she does the command properly (but do not punish her if she doesn't she is still learning) You should try changing the command words you use. Sit, Stay, Down, and instead of shake try Paw she maybe getting the commands confused to many s commands. The only way to train a dog properly is to be consistent make sure everyone in the house is using the same command word for the same desire reaction. For example if you want down to mean lay down make sure some one else is not using down to mean off the sofa or not to jump that should be OFF not down. Training a dog properly not ensures a well behaved dog but it builds the bond between owner and pet . IN their mind you are now the leader of the pack you have become their mentor. Just have patience
Every time she shakes when you tell her sit say no in a firm voice and dont give her the treat. Also try teaching her sit again.
you are the boss, dogs are pack animals, it isnt a human it is a dog,, you do not reward her for screwing up a trick, you need to use one word commands,, same ones over and over,, when she puts her paw up, say NO, then SIT< then push her butt down and keep her head up,
as for digging, take her to the spot say NO, and point your finger,,, over and over,
I'm having similar problems with my Lab/Spaniel mix, though she's way more Labrador. She's potty trained, but still marks her territory, chews up our stuff, digs, and play bites. Take her to obedience school at your local humane society. Just because she has trouble learning doesn't mean she's not worth keeping. People are similar in that everyone learns at their own pace and just 'cause someone isn't as bright as Albert Einstein is worth any less. Okay, sorry about my ranting. Yes, try to take care of her yourself if your dad is tired of cleaning up after her. As for the digging, my book says that if you see her digging, tell her "No!" and then give her a toy to distract her. You'll probably need to do this a few times. Also, a busy dog is less likely to dig, so take her running with you. My best advice is to take her to obedience class. Hopefully everything works out for you.
Labs are hard to train sometimes. They are very scatter brained for the first two years. You have to keep up with the dog and give her something to keep her occupied. Labs get very bored very quickly. Repetition is the key. You cant allow them to take an inch. You must be stern with the dog. Once they do get it they are wonderful animals.
1st of all your dad should've thought about the cons of owning a dog!!
2nd of all it's a sorry excuse to give a dog up just because of cleaning up. These things should of been thought of before bringing a dog into your home!
have you tried to get in contact with a professional trainer?
A book I am reading called "Marley & Me" is about a labrador that had trouble learning, figures he had a disorder. Perhaps take the dog to the vet and they can do some testing.
It's sad to see and know that this dog is about to be given up for something that it cannot help. Dogs are like children, would your dad just give up on a child? (responsibility) he should've considered all the possiblities beforehand-this makes me upset to know dogs are given up for SILLY REASONS!
I doubt your dog is hard to train, in fact, she is probably quite intelligent and a fast learner, you're just not using the right technique. I think this because she has learned to chain behaviors together, because of the way you taught "shake." While you were teaching her shake, you probably always had her sit first, and then always followed a "sit" with a "shake", so she not only learned how to shake, but also that every time you say sit you want her to follow it up with a shake, so she offers the shake without being told!
To reteach her that sit doesn't always need to be followed by shake, keep a treat very close to her nose when you say sit, just like when you first taught it, and then give it to her the instant her butt hits the ground, but BEFORE she gets her paw up. A clicker might help if you're familiar with using it. The timing is really important. If she's too fast with the paw, just gently put it back on the ground and then treat her. After she's relearned sitting without shaking, mix up both behaviors so she never knows when she'll be asked to just sit, and when she'll be asked to sit and shake.
Digging in non-terriers is usually a sign of boredom and frustration. Make sure she is getting enough exercise, both mentally and physically. If she's worn out, she won't have the energy to dig. It's also possible that she could be a little neurotic and obsessed with digging. If that's the case, you might do better to give her an area where it is okay to dig, like a sandbox, and hide toys or hard treats in there to encourage digging in that area, and then punish her only for digging outside the designated area. Try making her do a down-stay for a minute or two, and then release her and lead her to the digging area.
If your dad doesn't like cleaning up after her, you do it. You need to show your dad that you are willing to take on some of the responsibilities of dog ownership, especially if she was supposed to be "your" dog but she's more work for your parents than for you. Ask your dad what else you can do to help. You're probably old enough to take her for walks on your own, you can pick up after her, bathe her, brush her, feed her, etc. The more you take the chores off your parents' hands reliably, the more likely they will be to let her stay.
I think both you and Morgan would benefit from going to an obedience class. It would help you learn how to properly train her, and it would give her some much needed stimulation. Good luck!
Labs are difficult to train. I suggest taking her to puppy/doggie school depending on her age. It helped my lab a TON. It's about $100 for 8 weeks of training, and your dog will learn sit, down, stay, come, etc. The basics. After the basics they have more advanced classes too. The classes are so great because they also teach YOU how to train your dog. They're totally worth the money, especially if you have a hard to train dog, such as the lab. It's important to follow through on any training you do, you must practice every day, for short periods of time(don't do it too long cuz you're dog will get bored and frustrated and then she won't want to train). Even while you are teaching her new tricks, always go back to the old ones or she could forget. Goodluck and definately look into the classes!
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