Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: training problem <sigh>
From: RGINZBERG@eagle.wesleyan.edu (Ruth Ginzberg)
Date: 1 Jan 93 09:48:01 EDT
Distribution: world
Organization: Philosophy Dept., Wesleyan University
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.20In-Reply-To: ce293@cleveland.Freenet.Edu's message of 1 Jan 1993 13:29:28 GMTLines: 74

In <1i1gvoINNnsa@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> ce293@cleveland.Freenet.Edu writes:
> 
> In a previous article, mlhb@mammoth.dr.att.com (Sky Warrior) says:
> 
> >In article <1992Dec31.135015.566@news.wesleyan.edu>, I (Ruth Ginzberg) wrote:
> >|> <woeful tale of Catch-Me-If-You-Can deleted>
> >What?  Santa didn't bring you "People, Pooches, and Problems" for Hannukhah?
> > [...]
> >First of all, you are going to have to put a moratorium on using the word
> >"come", except when you can reinforce it.  Sorry, but this does mean she's
> >got to be on a leash.  Don't despair, there are 30 ft tracking leads 

Fortunately, I think this is already separate from the formal recall problem (I
hope).  She is *not* reliable on recall yet, so I have been using her "puppy
recall" ("C'mere Buffy. <clap> <clap> <clap> C'mon. GOOOOOOood Dog. <clap>
<clap> <clap>  Al'RIIIGHT! <pet><pet><praise>") when she is off-leash so far. 
(This seems kind of natural, since I've been taking her off-leash to the woods
since her vaccinations were complete, & to the fields since even before that.) 
She responds to this generally quite well *except* when its time to go home.
For example, I've never had any problem getting her to come to me with the
"puppy recall" in the MIDDLE of the woods, even when we've encountered horses
or deer or other dogs;  its only as we get close to the trail head (where the
car is parked) that she rebels.  So (among other things) I've been clipping her
leash back on earlier & earlier in the walk, before she suspects that we're
close enough to the trail head that I'd do that.  <heh, heh>  The result is
that she is becoming more & more reluctant/evasive ANYWHERE along the trails,
because she has figured out that I intend to nab her when she least expects it. 
etc., etc., etc.  Thus, the escalation. <sigh>

<other good advice on reteaching the recall omitted>

> >Anyway, People Pooches and Problems is by Job Michael Evans.  
> >His Radical Regiment for Recalcitrant Rovers sounds pretty severe at first, 
> >but it really makes a lot of sense.  Another thing is, the above training is 
> >a lot of work.  Still, I don't think there is a quick-fix solution for your 
> >problem (not one that will last).
> 
> I think that Sky is right on the money with her advice to try the Job Evans
> book.  The Radical Regimen is NOT severe, it IS strict.  And strict has
> nothing to do with being harsh or cruel.  The RRRR is designed to put you
> back in charge and restore your position of authority over your dog. 
> Whenever people who I am counseling with problem dogs ask for a book, this
> is the one at the top of the list.  Right after it is DOG PROBLEMS by Carol
> Lea Benjamin.  For advanced reading and ideas, try DON'T SHOOT THE DOG by
> Karen Pryor.

I'm on my way to the bookstore.  Also we're signed up for another course of
obedience classes (with a very good trainer) starting in a couple of weeks.

:-)

Oh yes, another (slight) problem here -- actually I don't really know whether
this is s problem or not ---

I think I've mentioned Buffy's doggie play group here before...    Anyway,
Buffy often (but not always) goes for her off-leash exercise with one or more
older (& better-trained) dogs from her play-group.  Usually 1,2 or 3 dogs go
with 1,2 or 3 humans for the daily off-leash exercise, depending on who's
available & in-the-mood at the time.  All of us humans who accompany dogs to
the woods/fields have gotten in the sort of lax habit of letting the older dogs
take care of rounding up Buffy (the youngest) when she's acting reluctant. 
(For ex., Mena actually responds pretty reliably to the quasi-command "GO GET
BUFFY!"; so does Barkus, most of the time.)  Does anyone think that this is
encouraging Buffy to see the other DOGS (rather than the humans) as pack
leaders?  Advice?  I REALLY hope that the only solution isn't going to turn out
to be that I have to suspend these daily woods/field romps until Buffy is
more reliably trained.  On the other hand, I guess I'd rather put a moratorium
on the off-leash fun for a while now, than develop a permanant training problem
for the rest of her life.  :-(


------------------------
Ruth Ginzberg <rginzberg@eagle.wesleyan.edu>
Philosophy Department;Wesleyan University;USA