The puppy who forgets his training
If it has been a while since you last spent time actually training, it is possible that your disobedient puppy has forgotten what he was taught.
This doesn’t mean he is stupid.
All it means is that the training was not practiced often enough or for long enough, for it to become an ‘automatic’ response.
If you don’t have much time for training, especially if you tend to cram all your attention on your dog into weekends and don’t do much during the week, this is a distinct possibility.
It’s easily done. We all lead busy lives.
Helping your puppy learn to obey
The best way to remedy this is to fit short little training sessions to something else that you do as a habit each day.
You could do a short training session while you wait for the kettle to boil for your morning coffee for example. Or plan to spend five minutes training your puppy immediately after cleaning your teeth.
One thing is certain, if you want your puppy to respond to your commands, you need to practice regularly.
For most of us though, it isn’t a case of the puppy forgetting his training, so let’s look at the other options
Another possibility is that you are trying to train your puppy when he is so over excited that he cannot respond to anything around him.
This is called being over the threshold. And it is one of the most common problems for people trying to train dogs of between six and twelve months old.
You need to tackle this issue if it is affecting you, because no matter how much time and energy you put into your dog, you cannot train your puppy effectively until he is under threshold. The link at the beginning of this section will help you with this.
Infrequent training, and trying to train a puppy that is over-excited are often both just a small part of a bigger problem. We’ll look at that next.
But my dog doesn’t like me!
Most dog owners are suprised to learn that they need to actively ensure their puppy is motivated to interact and play with them.
They think this happens automatically when a dog and owner bond together.
Indeed, many dog owners assume that their puppy is now ignoring them, and doesn’t want to play with them, because he doesn’t like them very much.
This is not true at all. Though it can certainly seem that way
It’s just that he is finding you a bit boring. Again, if this is happening to you, don’t panic. We can fix this, but right now there are a few more issues to consider
As a dog passes from the cute puppy phase into gawky adolescence our attitudes towards him begin to change. His antics are no longer as appealing as they once were.
Jumping up is not longer sweet, its embarrassing. And with larger dogs may be positively dangerous. All of a sudden, manners start to matter.
Why don’t you grow up and behave!
The truth is, we expect a great deal more from a nine month old puppy than we did five months ago.
He looks like an adult, he weighs as much as an adult, and we want him to behave like an adult.
This change in attitude towards the puppy only serves to confirm his belief that you are becoming increasingly grumpy, and that he can have a lot more fun by himself, than he can if he hangs out with you.
Dogs who don’t deserve a reward
To add insult to injury, the naughty puppy may now find he is getting fewer rewards for good behavior than he did before!
After all, he doesn’t really deserve a reward does he?
You can see the beginnings of a downward spiral setting in here, with the naughty puppy becoming ever more naughty as we become less appealing to him. And as we make ourselves less and less appealing by withdrawing affection and rewards.
We tend to reward small puppies a lot. We also tend to use valuable (to the dog) rewards such as food. Displays of affection tend to be enthusiastic and physical.
We cuddle, and pet puppies profusely.
As dogs grow up, we put aside these displays of affection, and leave the treats behind.
He’s a grown up dog now, and should behave himself for the joy of pleasing us.
Many people genuinely believe that adult dogs don’t need rewards, or at that they should be satisfied with a pat and a kind word.
But that is not how the world works.
The truth is we need to reward older puppies and adult dogs too!
Dogs just like us, need motivation. That motivation comes in the form of rewards.
Your dog is not going to keep doing something that is not rewarding, any more than you are going to bang your head on a brick wall for ten minutes each morning.
But rewards can come from two very different sources
At the same time as our dog’s need for security and reassurance is rapidly subsiding, and as we rapidly reduce the rewards we used to provide for being good, the dog is in a position to find his own rewards.
He is now happy to roam further afield, and when he does so he inevitably comes into contact with all kinds of rewards that we did not supply.
This is the worst thing that can happen to any animal / trainer relationship. Maintaining control of rewards is crucial to your success. All the rewards your dogs gets access to, should come from you or be under your control.
The puppy whose training is incomplete
By far and away the most likely explanation for a puppy or dog that is becoming disobedient, is that the dog is actually not as well trained as his owner thinks he is.
In other words, the training process has stalled, or broken down completely.
It can be hard to hear, but the truth is, many people think that they have trained their dog, when they have barely started the process.
If that includes you, don’t panic. As for all other training issues, the answer is to go read up on the principles of successful training, then go back to a point where everything was working, then move forwards armed with the knowledge that will enable you to succeed.
STOP DISOBEYING! PRACTICAL Dog Training in Public That WILL Work!
If you’re gone 12 hours a day, and your dog’s walk consists of a quick dash into the backyard, you’re not providing your pet with adequate opportunities to use up all his energy. Instead, the excess will go into chewing your shoes, stealing your food, or scratching your walls. As the old saying goes, “A tired dog is a good dog.”
It sounds like a no-brainer, but if your dog’s training stopped after he learned to sit, lie down, and go to the bathroom outside, you need to up your game. And don’t believe what they say: You can teach an old dog new tricks. Try to introduce a new command a week, and practice old ones with him. Besides being able to understand what you want him to do, the mental work involved in him learning commands will tire him out as well.
If your dog is barking for attention, how do you respond? Do you yell at him to stop? Guess what? You just gave him what he wanted. Or if he steals a hot dog roll off the counter, do you yell at him then watch, defeated, as he eats it? Again, you’re letting him know his bad behavior paid off. Think about what your dog is trying to accomplish when he’s misbehaving and don’t allow him to be rewarded for it. Instead, give him an opportunity to succeed (for example, tell the begging dog to go to his place and lie down, and give him a treat when he does).
This goes hand-in-hand with #1. If you have a Border Collie who is terrorizing your home, but you give him a walk each morning and night, you might think you’ve fulfilled the exercise requirement, right? Wrong. While a twice-daily walk might suffice for a breed like a Greyhound or a Labrador Retriever, Border Collies were bred to work and need opportunities to run and “do a job.” A fast-paced game of fetch should do the trick, but sports like agility offer the kind of structure and exercise this breed needs (and you can earn titles and ribbons in the process!).
OK—this one isn’t necessarily your fault, but the way you respond to it can make a difference in your dog’s behavior. Like humans, dogs go through a rebellious “teenager” phase (around 5 months to 18 months). During this time, they’ll often test their owners, seeing what they can get away with. Being firm and consistent with your training will help establish boundaries. And be patient! They’ll grow out of it.
One great way to introduce your dog to better behavior is getting him involved in Canine Good Citizen, which will make him a more well-mannered dog and you a more responsible dog owner! https://www.akc.org/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php Get Your Free AKC eBook