Calling Bella39: Following on from another thread, PLEASE HELP

[bargainhuntingbetty]

Sorry I have just seen that you replied to me. Even on the lead she is trying to tear round the room. When I manage to actually get her to lie down as soon as you tell her 'good settle' etc she goes mental jumping all over you. She does also try and tear round the room even with the lead on. How do I make her do it??? PLEASE HELP she is driving us all mad, even dd who is her best friend and adores her cannot be doing with herr now, even she has lost patience with her. I am persevering, I went for a2 hour walk with the ddogs yesterday then came home and tried some mental trainning but she got too high and I got cross with her. Then she spent the rrest of the day teraing round the house like an idiot grin. We love her really and when she is good she is lovely but please help.

Can she do 'leave it'? Try teaching her to leave a tiny piece of cheese, gradually building up the time she is waiting. You can do the same thing with a down stay (i.e. into down position then stay, and gradually increasing the time).

I don't know how much obedience you do with her but that is the key to all this: once she respondes well to commands you can build up the length of a sit, stay, down etc., so that she becomes used to actually staying still for a while.

I would stop saying 'good settle' if that is setting her off. Maybe try quietly passing a small piece of cheese after a minute or so, then gradually build up the intervals.

Also, getting cross (not judging, easily done) may make her worse as she will respond to your excitement, even if it is negative, iyswim. Stay calm, quiet and collected - she has learned this behaviour and now needs to learn a new way of behaving. Whatever motivates her - food or toys - use that as a reward for calm behaviour, and ignore anything else.

Does that make sense?

It does make sense but unfortuntely her only incentive is and always has been attention. My other Collie give her a treat and she would tap dance but this one is totally different.

Once we have been out a walk I tend to get her ball and make her sit and wait for me to throw it to her. Leaving the room etc before I come back and throw it for her to catch. She is willing to sit until I break the command but she only does it in this situation and when she is crossing a road. She doesnt seem to associate it with any other situation. Slipping her a piece of cheese after a minute or so would also set her off as that is attention and she would jump all over the place like a loony.

I will persevere with it though. Thanks for the advice.

what's the actual problem? how old is the dog?

we get people to stand on the lead next to (and I mean right next to) the collar and place the dog in the down (well, place the dog, stand on lead, correct the dog)

Stand upright unless correcting the dog - you are not there to grovel on the floor after all

For sitting / waiting we get people to place the dog in the sit position (hands on dogs hips, press gently) and then wait for a few seconds before walking on - do it randomly on a walk or during the day and the dog will then have to concentrate on you / the commands rather than be in autopilot until it reaches a command - you can add in a few downs on walks too... it keeps them alert and focussed on you (in theory - it takes practice!)

Recall practice is another good one for waiting - place the dog in the sit, face it's nose (almost touching) say "Wait" and step back to the end of the lead (holding it). count to 7, call the dog, get them to sit at your feet looking at you, count to 7, give a treat. Do it 10-20 times a day, 5 times in a row... it'll soon get the message.

That's the general pup training we do at the school.... you could always commit to proper training (obedience, agility and socialisation in one is best) to keep on top of the dog and get her in the place you want her in the pack (at the bottom!).

autopilot until it reaches a KERB

Thanks for that Lewisfan. I will give it a go.

Thanks for that Lewisfan. I will give it a go.