by airwalk » February 22nd, 2009, 3:03 pm
I'm going to jump in here, not because I'm a trainer (cause I'm not) but because I have a little experience with shelter dogs and I live with a bratty dog. Shelter dogs learn lots of things, very few of which are high quality stay at home behaviors. If she was in a shelter, even the very best of shelters (unless it's something like Animal Farm Foundation) she has learned some behaviors that worked in the shelter to get her attention. She barks, she jumps up, she acts in a manner that got her attention.
My Standard Poodle is a brat - he wasn't in the shelter long, but I can tell you several reason why I'm pretty sure he ended up in a shelter and bratty behaviors are the biggest ones. I am still every day looking for new training methods to get through to him.
If she doesn't listen well when over stimulated (which is when Magic either acts like a brat or completely shuts down) and she is food and toy motivated - here's some of the things that work with Magic.
1) Start by starting a bit from scratch to develop a quality relationship. If she's food motivated, find some small (really small) training treats that she absolutely adores - use these whenever she is being a good girl and doing what you want. I use them in the house when he stops barking when I've asked him to - when he sits politely when asked, when he comes when called. I mix it up using jackpot treats and lots of verbal praise.
2) Control the known stimuli. If she's not quite ready to walk around the block yet - don't. If she likes to play ball then when the weather is nice, go out in the back yard and play ball for 5-10 minutes to burn off some excess energy - then use her love of the ball and some jackpot treats for 5 minutes of obedience training. Start with very simple commands and then relax. Then start again. You can do this, depending on her attention span three or four times. When she shuts down and doesn't listen, stop - go in the house and don't worry about it.
I know sometimes it's really hard to find the time, which is why I break mine down to 5-10 minutes at a time. If the weather is crappy and you can't get outside, then in the house is fine (and sometimes is an even better starting spot because you can control stimuli).
If she's a pill with the leash, start in the house, walk her up and down the hall. When she's good, reward both food and praise and when she's not, drop the leash and walk away completely ignoring her.
lather, rinse & repeat.
As her self control improves add distractions - like maybe stand out front of the house on lead and reward when she's controlled and completely ignore her when she's not. If she becomes difficult to manage, go back in the house, take the lead off and ignore her.
After two years of work, Magic is now able to understand that I will not put the leash on him until he is sitting in a controlled manner. I don't give any commands any more (I did when we started and rewards prolifically when he sat and stayed sat). Now when he's bouncing around like a jackrabbit, I simply ignore him until he sits.
My biggest mistake with Magic - hopefully you won't have it happen to you - I get frustrated with him and it shows. He knows it and he shuts down and won't do anything, won't listen, won't come, nothing. I'm working very hard and trying to read him better. When he's done, I quit trying.
He is improving, not great and I won't lie and tell you that I don't get amazingly frustrated with him - because I do - but the improvements are noticeable and coming more every day.