Odie bit me for 1st time/new behaviour problems - please help....

[Geordietyke]

Thanks for that Penny.  I restarted clicker training about 2 months ago (we both didn't take to it when he was a pup ) and he's come on in leaps and bounds (I used a website called Canis).  I just need to click once and he'll run and sit in front of me.  Maybe I can use this to remove him from undesirable situations?

I have constantly tried the 'leave' and 'stay' commands without success   He just won't sit still (I again use the clicker) so atm can't use these commands. 

He 'search and finds' things in the garden and house but isn't interested in doing anything but mooch around when out on a walk - too many interesting smells!  His recall isn't 100% still either when another dog appears (he always has to say hello).  Any other ideas to jazz up walks gratefully received

I have a trick book which I'm (very slowly) working through with him also but it's hard work

I've started carrying my clicker round my neck and have treats with me at all times so I can divert his attention hopefully. 

Thanks Supergirl   Bluebell - I have to say even though he's not in any pain that I can tell (I've checked him over), he is really giving me cocker eyes a lot today and not his usual self.  I'm awaiting his next poo to see if he has recovered!

[supergirl]

Just a thought - when Roly has something he shouldn't (usually something I've dropped on the floor), I ask him to "fetch" it for me - he tends to parade about with his prize at first but then he will bring it to me and I give him a treat.  It all started when I dropped the TV remote on the floor one evening, now he brings it back to me automatically (just for a cuddle and a good boy).  Now if I drop a pen or my glasses etc he automatically leaps on it so that he can bring it to me.   Its something that will work quite well with a clicker.

[Geordietyke]

I've started this with the post, he runs for it and takes it away to chew but I'm now saying 'swap Odie' and he'll drop it for a treat, so this probably seems the most likely method to deal with it

[montydavies]

Isn't it great that you now have some really good ideas to try with Odie? I <3 COL!!  Sounds like you are already doing good stuff with him Lesley, I am sure that as you are so on top of everything with him this won't be a problem for long.

[Geordietyke]

Isn't it great that you now have some really good ideas to try with Odie? I <3 COL!!  Sounds like you are already doing good stuff with him Lesley, I am sure that as you are so on top of everything with him this won't be a problem for long.

I hope so Trine!  I'll keep you posted

[Mel]

You've had some great advice here.

Tali did this a few weeks ago before the upset tum. His anal glands needed expressing and as I told you at the time, the behaviour stopped immediately afterwards.

I use 3 things when trying to removing things from him. The first is 'Ahh no safe' which he allows me to go in and extract whatever is in his jaws. I use it very sparingly and only in emergencies.

The second is 'show Melli', which is usually post or a letter he's swiped from somewhere and he will slowly give it up.

Occasionally, although he is not a resource guarder, he will have a 'special' something he doesn't want to give up and runs away with it. Under this situation I gently apptoach and praise him and say 'ooh wot you got', ask if I can have it and when he tugs at it I say 'do you want a treat?'. The jaws let go immediately.

Obviously, you need to teach 'treat' and treat him too.

If he had an upset tum, I would be very inclined to have a quick trip to the vets to check he's ok aparts from that. Tali is pushing boundaries at the moment. We had a bad moment yesterday when he stole his 'free cake', but although I freaked he allowed me in to removed the cake without any issues. Jam and cream sponge and icing would not have done him any good at all.

[PennyB]

Thanks for that Penny.  I restarted clicker training about 2 months ago (we both didn't take to it when he was a pup ) and he's come on in leaps and bounds (I used a website called Canis).  I just need to click once and he'll run and sit in front of me.  Maybe I can use this to remove him from undesirable situations?

I have constantly tried the 'leave' and 'stay' commands without success   He just won't sit still (I again use the clicker) so atm can't use these commands. 

He 'search and finds' things in the garden and house but isn't interested in doing anything but mooch around when out on a walk - too many interesting smells!  His recall isn't 100% still either when another dog appears (he always has to say hello).  Any other ideas to jazz up walks gratefully received

I have a trick book which I'm (very slowly) working through with him also but it's hard work

I've started carrying my clicker round my neck and have treats with me at all times so I can divert his attention hopefully. 

That can be an age thing plus the more you do the more he will be focused on you. Cockers can also be quite stubborn so will often make things harder.

Mine love the find-it game but you also have to be very enthusiastic about it as well in encouraging him to play

[Sara750S]

We went to a talk at vets a few weeks ago from a local behaviourist (loved her common sense approach) and she said her view is "is it dangerous" "is it precious" - if answer is no to these, then ignore behaviour.

We have been doing this with toby on our walks (he picks up every bit of litter he sees. Previously been saying "leave it" or "drop" but became abit of a game/issue). Now we just ignore it and he loses interest very quickly and drops!

[Jeanette]

He'll also go crazy the second anyone raises their voices (ie. my daughters are arguing).  There is no calming him down so I have to remove him to another room.

Hysterical is the word I use for one of mine when there is raised voices in our house.    You have to hear it to believe it.    It certainly stops arguments dead as thats the only way to stop the noise.   

Like everyone has said, I think you need a behaviourist as he shouldn't be lashing out and injuring you.     I'm not one to give advice on these issues anyway as everyone manages things differently and what works for one dog doesn't always work for another.   

Hope you manage to get it sorted.    Hugs to you 

[Geordietyke]

Thanks to everyone who has replied   He has been fine today, I starved him until teatime, then gave him some fish which he devoured I've been clicking undesirable behaviour and he's stopped at once so clicker will become my constant companion from now on!  I've stayed calm and just called him out of places I don't want him (ie. the girls bedroom) and he's followed so hopefully with consistency, calmness and patience, I can tackle this.

[Jeanette]

Thanks to everyone who has replied   He has been fine today, I starved him until teatime, then gave him some fish which he devoured I've been clicking undesirable behaviour and he's stopped at once so clicker will become my constant companion from now on!  I've stayed calm and just called him out of places I don't want him (ie. the girls bedroom) and he's followed so hopefully with consistency, calmness and patience, I can tackle this.

I was taught to click for desirable behaviour, I didn't realise you could do it that way.   

Glad you seem more positive now.   

[Geordietyke]

What I mean is Jeanette, I click to get him out of a situation - ie. when he won't come out of a room he isn't supposed to be in or he has something he shouldn't, I click to divert his attention.  When he comes and sits, I click and treat.  I suppose I could use my whistle in the same way to call him back, think I'll try that too

[Jeanette]

What I mean is Jeanette, I click to get him out of a situation - ie. when he won't come out of a room he isn't supposed to be in or he has something he shouldn't, I click to divert his attention.  When he comes and sits, I click and treat.  I suppose I could use my whistle in the same way to call him back, think I'll try that too

Oh I see, I thought you meant when he was being really naughty you clicked     

I have my deep voice when mine is being naughty 

[Karma]

I'm glad it's working for you, but that isn't actually how a clicker is designed to work... a clicker marks the desirable behaviour, nothing more and nothing less.  The idea is that the click = treat and so the click is used to mark a behaviour which we want the dog to repeat.
If you can click even miliseconds before the behaviour, you can use it to change behaviour in that way, as you are clicking looking at an object without picking it up, so you would be reinforcing a "leave" - but that should result in a treat in and of itself rather than requiring a sit in front for another click and then the treat.  This technique can also be used to change a dog's response to stressful situations, but again it is more effective if you click before any undesirable behaviour.... 

It would be much more effective to use the whistle (or ideally a different sound or verbal command, as you would only want to use the whistle if you were certain he would obey it) to divert and then click and treat when he is doing what he should be...    But the difficulty with using any sound as an interrupt is that the dog can eventually start tuning it out... and if that happens with the clicker (or whistle) you have lost a valuable training tool in the process.

[Geordietyke]

Well Karma, I'm unsure how else to manage the situation .  If I need him to leave something or stop undesirable behaviour, surely I need to redirect him. If I'm not supposed to approach him or wave him away from it, then the only way I can remove him is get him away by clicking (or whistling - but that isn't 100% tbh ). 

How would you deal with a scenario where you need to stop him doing something Karma? (ie. he's got something he shouldn't have).  I need to be getting the method right!!