Ok, so I haven't posted in a while because nothing new was happening. Last week we went back to obedience training and T-Bone decided he wanted to participate - he was really good. Did all the commands perfectly, and not just once (which has been the case previous weeks where he would do it once then lie down and just look at me) with regularity. The trainers thought perhaps a gentle leader would be a good idea given his size. (Currently 50lbs) Well, we did not have success the last time we used one, in fact he had found a way to get it off and chew it to pieces. People would tell me we didn't put it on correctly etc. Well, he was fitted for one last night at the beginning of class. BIG MISTAKE. Class was a write off. While the other dogs were walking and heeling in the circle T-Bone and I were asked to stand in the middle out of the other dogs way. Why you ask??? Well, seems Mr. T wouldn't participate whilst wearing the Gentle Leader, instead he was writhing around trying to get it off. I am not talking about just 5-10 minutes, no the ENTIRE hour was spent figuring out. Well 45 minutes after putting it on properly, he had found a way to get it off. He used his nail to unclip the strap underneath that tightens it and slip it off his face. He did this 2 times. The trainers were amazed, they have never seen a dog do that before. They suggested that if he knows how to do it, not once - but 2 times, he will likely just remove each time he puts it on. Kuvaszok are a smart dog. He knows how to undo the clip!!! WOW. Anyway, once he got it off he was not happy with me, he just sat and stared at me, with the expression of "how could you do that to me?" "That was not cool."
On a different note, we (I) have been having some problems with Mr.T's dominance with me. He really is showing no signs of it with Mike, but when I am sitting on the couch in the basement especially, he will bark at me, nip me etc. I was at a loss of what to do. Our trainer gave us a list of things to do for behaviour modification. They were all things we were already doing, fortunately the hubby has a PhD in Animal Learning. So I told our breeder - she suggested I pin him down and sit on him until he stops resisting, showing him I am boss. Well I told the trainers this and they said NEVER do that. It will make him more aggressive. So I mentioned it at the vet today, and they said the same things. Now I am at a loss!!!! Thoughts anyone???? Ok, he is being neutered today, hopefully that will help his behaviour at some point. Lately, he has been much better. He is slowly understanding I control the food, I control his access to outside, I control the crate etc. Perhaps we are at a turing point!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
My only suggestion to you would be to join a big dog specific forum and read through some of the posts that other people have made with the same issues. I suggest www.bigdogsporch.com and institute NILF immediately and completely. Kuvaz are quite strong willed as you are well aware and the sooner you can nip this in the bud the better. Best of luck to you!
-Is your breeder of any help?
Oh no! Biggie knows how to unclip his seat belt, but luckily he doesn't do it unless it's an "emergency."
If T-Bone is on kibble, I agree with Saint Lover, you may want to try NILF (nothing in life is free) for a week where he has to work for every morsel of kibble by obeying you.
You may want to try the GL again with the clicker, but take it REALLY slow:
1. hold GL near T-bone - if he looks at it, click and treat until he does this like a trick or a command.
2. if he touches it with his nose, click and treat until he targets to it.
3. slip the nose loop on his nose and take it off IMMEDIATELY, click and treat,
4. slip on and clip, release immediately, click and treat...
don't move on to the next step until he is absolutely comfortable and shows no anxiety/dislike doing the previous step. It may take a few days, it may take a few weeks.
The other thing is, once we got Biggie to the point where he accepted the GL, we only used it to talk him to something really GREAT, like the dog run. Then he would associate wearing it with terrific rewards. He still doesn't like it, even after almost a year, but he tolerates it and he doesn't struggle in it.
By the way, kuvasz ARE different from a lot of dogs, even big dogs and "tough" or "aggressive" dogs. Sitting on him, or doing other dominance exercises until he accepts you, may be the only way to get him to respect you. We had a German Shepherd before, and she was nothing like Biggie.
Another thing you may want to try is when he starts getting aggressive/pushy with you is to calmly get up and walk away, and go into another room and shut the door. No emotion, but your attention just gets subtracted if he does anything you don't want to encourage.
Good luck, and don't give up. The kuvaszok are harder to teach, but they are so rewarding.
When I said NILF and he has to work for every piece of kibble, I mean: NO MEALS. Set aside the amount of kibble he would get in a day, and use that kibble as training treats. Reward even "little" things like sitting calmly and not being a pest.
I'm interested in your resolution -- we have a 4 month old who goes through two wilding periods each day, one morning, one night. When he's in these moods, he can be quite difficult to direct, and he can also try to assert dominance over our 5 year old. Otherwise, he's quite calm, great with people and kids, could really care less about other dogs.
Hi BDad,
T-Bone has 2 crazy periods a day, and whenever he wants our attention. Thus far he hasn't shown an ounce of aggression towards our 4 year old, he loves her to pieces. It seems to be me that he likes to test. I will definitely keep you posted. What breed do you have?
Leslie
A Kuvasz, from Ontario. . .. :)
He's a great dog -- a keeper, very gentle, and the trainer is shocked that he's the only dog able to be handed around the adults in puppy class without issue -- he's completely relaxed. The two periods of being headstrong are fairly predictable -- we just need to learn how to deal with them the right way.
Isnt T a bit too young to get fixed???
H-D's vet advised us to put it off as long as possible since Kuvasz grow for such a long time
Hi H-D,
T-Bone was mounting everything, the vet said we should neuter him between 5-6 months, as that would be the ideal time. He is 55lbs and not slowing down!!! How are you doing these days?
Hi back at ya T
Doing ok H-D just turned 5 months on the 13th weighed him this morning he's at 56.6 lbs
Hi T-Bone, hope you are being a better boy. I gave you an award and my Momma's gonna send you a pee-mail sneak preview because she says I am a classic kuv.
Love, Biggie
Hi B's Dad! Hope you are doing ok...
As the oldest kuv owner here (ha!) out 16-month old is much calmer. He never got wild, but even so - and even as we were told by our vet and breeder to "wait as long as possible but at least a year" before neutering - we had to give in at 9 months. He fired our dog walker (started dominating him, snapping, growling, refusing to go on walks), and was pretty unmanageable. And at 9 months - he was 86 lbs, and I'd just had shoulder surgery the month before.
And this was a pup who never mounted anything living - the most he'd ever do was his giant stuffed chicken.
Post a Comment