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The doghouse

What possessed me to put the (arsey teen) ewok in for her bronze!

6 replies

Notonaschoolnight · 24/09/2013 19:40

10 days time it's going to be an epic fail were gradually getting worse, shes 9m so 13 in our years and now when I give a command she turns her head away and ignores it, at the course I was such a sweaty stressed mess I tried to manhandle her into a sit, like that's going to work!

I'm not giving up without a fight though I'm hitting the morrisons cold meat counter tomorrow and keeping the clicker permanently attached so when we fail at least I know I've done my best.

I'm also at a dodgy point with longline training with her ignoring me I'm getting concerned that were an accident waiting to happen yesterday she ran away heading towards a dual carriage way. I had to shout "stop, this way" and run backwards luckily she followed me, if she didn't I dread to think, but she does understand what I'm asking her she just chooses to ignore too often

Question is do I keep her on trying or buy a retractable and give it a break for a while?

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Lilcamper · 24/09/2013 20:10

Keep on with it. You will come out the other side of the teenage phase and have a good dog. Retractables are awful!

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Notonaschoolnight · 24/09/2013 21:01

Thanks lilcamper god I hope so!

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TotallyBursar · 25/09/2013 05:54

Teens can be a pain in the hole.

Honestly though consistent enforcement of boundaries, rewards, patience and working them hard at home and they suddenly remember everything you thought had been erased as the hormones drain out of the brain sponge. Dogs don't really get having 'a break' of this type, they just feel like the goal posts have been moved.
Easier said than done but stopping stressing will be beneficial to you both, I most often got stressed because of my perceived reactions/judgement from other people but it was just a shortcut to getting really frustrated and angry with myself and the dog and going home to be a bit demoralised.
Don't set her, or you, up to fail - it's totally not worth it. If she isn't ready she isn't ready, piling on the pressure will lead to a strained relationship and actions (like manhandling a confused dog) that we later regret.

It doesn't matter that a baby is not perfect, and she is still a baby really, important things like safety (so knots in the long line for less slipping) need to be managed with vigilance but otherwise keep up the guidance, rules and trust in the face of the attitude and you will very shortly get a dog to be proud of. Then you'll be one of the owners that makes owners of norty pups flustered, they'll see you with your dog tripping along, paying attention and think you'll be judging their ball of hormones on a string. Circle of life innit Grin.

Anyone with snotty comments to make can just bugger right off tbh.

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LesserSpottedNeckSnake · 25/09/2013 07:40

YY to everything Totally says

My own pup is 6 months old and just starting to give me the James Dean sneer. Luckily, he's small and slow and no match for me since I survived the Bastard Spaniel's adolescence. Although I do wish he'd stop shitting on my bedroom carpet

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Notonaschoolnight · 25/09/2013 18:21

Thank you, when I read what a lot of people are contending with on here really she's such a bloody fab dog in lots of ways and I'm pretty sure she'll let the rest of the public see that eventually!

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Notonaschoolnight · 25/09/2013 18:24

And bless the lady on the meat counter gave me a ton of mixed cold meat for next to nothing this morning

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