She will take treats, she’s just wary of some people. So she’ll take it and run to one of her spots to eat it.
But she does her whole routine when anyone tries to give her anything. Our routine was just “sit” but she’s expanded it to doing every trick we’ve taught her… without anyone saying anything.
A word of caution about dog trainers.
Make sure the local vets know the person and that they have a good impression of them. Make sure they are well established in the community and that this can be confirmed OUTSIDE OF SOCIAL MEDIA…which can be fabricated.
Anyone can hang a shingle and call themselves a “dog trainer”. There is no regulation or education necessary to assume this title. “dog behaviorist” is another purely contrived title.
If a person has an established training facility and offers classes…or has an employment reference from a service dog organization, canine military or police corps…or has a reputation with several local vets for effectively helping to solve problems…that’s the person you want to use.
Do watch your butt. Ads for dog trainers have been used as a cover for people canvasing homes to rob. They come to do a consultation, get information about when you’re at home, see the inside of your home, and get to know the dog…it’s an easy way to gain access and burglarize.
Make sure they are bonded and insured so if your pet bites them during training…they can’t sue you. Yes, there have been cases of unscrupulous “dog trainers” who purposely antagonize a dog to bite…in hopes of getting an award from your home owners insurance.
Good luck.
I’ll just bump this up once. She had her first session today and did fantastic. The trainer said she caught on better than the vast majority of dogs.
We ended up going with a company called Sit Means Sit that has a bunch of small, local owners (there’s another word but it’s not coming to me). The man was absolutely wonderful with her and she loved on him right away. She didn’t bark when he left or anything like she normally does.
The training they do is positive only unless the dog is doing something very wrong (like she’s gotten out and is running to the street). She responded very well to this type of training.
Over memorial weekend, she’s going up north with my roommate to a lake. At the pace she’s already been going in the last few hours, we’re pretty confident that she’s going to behave well on walks and whatnot. We’re very excited!
Even I was able to do the commands and whatnot with her and she very rarely pulled on the leash- a major problem.
So we’ll see. Fingers crossed 
So happy to hear training is working for your pup. She’s lucky to have you in her corner.
Would love to hear more, as you learn what helps. Our last dog was absolutely nuts.
The current, a small rescue, is the lite version. She’s overprotective. Though I do what’s generally recommended to assert my packleader status, she apparently feels responsible for me (rather than to me?,) where strangers are concerned And the kids laugh at how she literally follows me around.
Oddly, we had her to the doggie daycare, to see if she could play with others. The trainer introduced her, etc, and no issue. But on the leash, walking in our neighborhood, forget it.
Rather than “no,” which can be confusing (because we use it in different situations,) I’m training her to “manners” as a unique word for her calm behavior. And trying to follow the idea that a tired (exercised) dog can be better behaved.
So… I made the mistake of just looking up reviews for what other people think of SMS’s training (before I had only looked on our local site which has fantastic reviews).
They use e-collars. They do NOT shock the dogs nor do they use the collars as punishment. It’s just a way to get the dog’s attention. We once were considering an electric fence (long time ago) and I felt that shock collar- that was a real shock collar- so I know the difference (we didn’t go with the e-fence since we didn’t want our baby to be shocked).
You guys know how neurotic I am about my dogs. I put the collar on me before I let it anywhere near my dog (this was during our consultation). I am EXTREMELY sensitive to pain (literally, my brain misinterprets pain and amplifies the pain- it’s called Central Pain Syndrome). This collar isn’t shocking or hurting her. It’s a small vibration that gets their attention. It felt like an extremely low level TENS device .
My dog is extremely emotional. If it was bothering her, she’d let us know. She’s a complete baby. I took the collar off and put it on about an hour later to see how she’d react. She sat nicely and let us put it on her. She wouldn’t let us do that if she didn’t like it.
She doesn’t respond to food or toys- she’s just not motivated by them. We had her trained when we first got her too and she never really responded to that. The first trainer used a training collar that you tug a little to get her attention. She was more distressed by that than by the e-collar that’s being used.
We also tried the straight praise and “firm no” type of training. She REALLY was distressed by the firm no. She would tuck her tail between her legs and cower. So that didn’t work either. (As a rescue, we don’t know her background but it wasn’t like we were screaming at her… but it still scared her.)
So that’s just my two cents if anyone decides to look up the company. I don’t want anyone to think I’m abusing my doggie. Everyone just has to trust me when I say she’d let us know if she didn’t like the collar. I am around her literally almost 24/7. I know my doggie. She’s my baby.
We bought a Widget thingy off of Amazon. It had three levels of shock for misbehavior for our D’s dog (who lived with us)
It had three levels of shock. We taped off the hardest so as not to accidentally hit it. I tested the other two.
After 2 soft and 2 second again shocks this dog was always fine as long as the collar was on her.
I would hold up the device and she would behave. This meant that she could go on long and wonderful
hies and walks with us.
@lookingforward wrote
This is our 14 yo mini poodle. It’s exhausting. I’ve tripped over her more than once because she will not stay in her bed-she’s always following me right under my feet, and I’ve put her in a stay in her bed over and over and over again (once I timed it-went for 45 minutes straight without her staying for more than 30 seconds). Now we have to keep her in the laundry room when people are home because she tripped one of my teenagers and her toe is all gouged up from it.
I have a vibration/beep collar for my chihuahua-no shocking, but it will buzz like a cellphone if I press a button. I put it on him when we go out in the backyard together because he likes to go ape and bark frienziedly at nothing for the entire time. So I stand out there with him with the little remote control, and if he barks I press the beep button, and that’s usually enough to remind him that it’s not ok. If he persists, I buzz him and he finds that deeply annoying.
I can hold the buzz collar in my hand and activate it-it tickles. It does a great job of getting him out of the “I must bark at every leaf” circle of crazy.
look up “vibration collar” on amazon. I like the ones that you have to control-I don’t like the idea of something randomly setting off the buzzing.
@MotherOfDragons . . . =))
I do have a “gentle leader” for walks, she’s adjusted to it- except when she sees a larger dog. (Wow, I know the hours when all the big dogs get their walks, lol.) She’s good at heeling, with it on and the vet endorsed it. I may need to try it in the house,when that older grey haired friend comes to do carpentry projects. He and his wife are such close friends, this doggie needs to get a grip (on herself, not lunging at him.)
At some point with the trainer, can you have the male dog come over who she has a problem with so you can work on the issue directly?
I don’t have a dog but have been watching the Dog Whisperer. I enjoy watching Cesare retrain the owners, and get the people to be pack leaders, and the dogs to be calm, submissive. My husband thinks I’m trying to train him and be the pack leader (yes, and it works). Also effective for dealing with people at the office.
The best trainer I know uses e-collars. A lot of people I know do. I have one, although I rarely put it on my dog. I have only used it to reinforce recall when she has decided to take off after deer. She was initially taught recall in a 90 minute session with me and the trainer, during which she was corrected only twice and at the lowest level. For months after that I didn’t have one, just reinforced the training with a whistle and treats. I only use it in situations where she might be in danger if she doesn’t obey. Her recall is excellent 99% of the time. I can call her away from playing with other dogs, for example. But game? Forget it!
It can also be used to correct behaviors like humping, leg lifting on people or furniture (note: leg lifting to mark, not because the dog actually has to pee). But only when the dog definitely understands the command and is choosing to ignore it. Most training is positive. Sometimes it helps to have something else in the toolkit.
The collar I have has something like 9 levels plus vibrate. The highest I’ve ever used is 5, and that only once. She was chasing a buck. She came back. B-)
@python20 was that to me? She doesn’t have issues with male dogs but rather with male humans. But yes the plan is to have a male she’s uncomfortable with come over during one of the training sessions.
Sample size of one but my neighbour (who smokes) came over this morning to walk her. He comes over to give her treats and walks all the time. When I’m home, she barks but when it’s just the guys or no one’s here, no barking.
This morning, no barks and she was visibly more comfortable and playful with him.
I believe our trainer when he says he can’t make a shy dog an extrovert and he can’t make an aggressive dog non-aggressive. What the trainer can do is train the handler to do just that - handle the dog in situations. In certain cases that means a muzzle at all times. One simply can not let every let ones’ guard down if the dog is aggressive.
Flooding - or heavy duty intentional over exposure - to those things that are know triggers can work. But dogs don’t generalize their learning as humans do. THAT man in a hat wearing black jeans is completely different from that OTHER man wearing a hat and dark jeans. The paper bag on the floor might me a non-issue, the same paper bag sitting on a table might be a ‘Cujo’ moment. The person petting me when I’m sitting in the back of the car is fine, that same person attempting to pet me while at ground level and on a walk might just cause scaring lunging. The dog may be fine with another dog - until the encounter is in a different environment.
If one chooses to have a doggie that has shown aggressive behavior one will forever need to be hyper alert.
The biggest change will of course be if kids are introduced to the mix. While you can condition a dog to be fine with the neighbors off spring, or even be calm enough to sleep at the playground, kids in the dogs home environment often cause very different behavior.
To the OP - I wish you the best of luck in working thru this. It’s clear your animals are family members. I don’t envy your situation.
Hopefully no one minds the bump.
We had our second training yesterday and she’s already walking on a loose leash and not going after distractions. She still whines but she’ll stop, look at us, and whine. She hasn’t tried running towards anyone like she usually does.
There is a couple that comes over once a week for games. She is still wary around the man (has been from the beginning) when he stands up. However, yesterday, we had her in a “place” (stay) and he walked up to her and she let him pet her and then walk away without any problems. She was still very hesitant but I can see the progress and I’m such a happy furmomma.
Also, my roommate took her up north for the long weekend. She swam every day and did great. She met a toddler for the 2nd time in her life (the first time was right after we got her) and she was an angel. She was extremely gentle and then they went and rolled around in the sand together.
She was great with all the people up there.
=D> =D> =D>
@romanigypsyeyes from what I have learned from our trainer/guide… these are very very very hopeful signs! Whomever you are using…I’d stay with them and follow their guidance. “Place” aka - “sit stay” or “down stay” is a way to make their ‘stupid brains’ settle down…long enough to behave in a different manner. I’ve been practicing 10 minute ‘stay’s’ with our scared and easily freaked little guy. It works!