Magnum- the unfolding/unravelling story of our LGD

[ChickenMomma]

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[Beekissed]

I'm having a hard time discerning when I need to be stern and what is puppy behavior that he will outgrow. He is so full of energy and obnoxious right now, I feel like the whole training session I am correcting his behavior so much that we get nothing accomplished. I guess repetition and consistency is the key. Our weekend was quite hectic and I'm very tired and that's distorting my common sense right now, I love that dog to pieces but I also cant stand him, lol.

Daily controlled walks on a slip leash will help get that energy out. If you can, make him wear a pack and load it with water bottles to give it wt. Getting him focused on a task~walking calmly on a loose leash~just may drain some of that energy so that he can listen to you better.

Take treats in your pocket and don't feed him prior to a training session. I've noticed my dogs pay much more attention to me if they are hungry and they know I carry food. Don't let him sniff, linger or otherwise have his own agenda on the walk. Just walk briskly, pause when you want, go when you want but don't give him any cues....this will get him watching you for when you will go or stop instead of doing his own thing. When you stop, make him sit down beside you each time, then give praise and a treat for that.

The slip leash is sort of self correcting...when he pulls, it tightens on him and when he stops pulling, it loosens. If you need to give a correction, a quick tug and release along with the correction word will give him the idea of what you are wanting. Never use a harness...that gives them more pulling power and you can't correct them when they pull.

Never allow the jumping...calmly step on his back feet each time he jumps up. If you shove him or jerk him when he does that, often these dogs will think you are trying to play. Stepping on his feet leaves no doubt that pain follows jumping on a human.

Don't dwell on puppy behavior vs bad behavior....any behavior that is undesirable needs to be taken out of his wheelhouse, no matter the age.

If you feel yourself getting angry or frustrated, he can feel it too and it will escalate his behaviors....stand up straight, take a deep breath, restore yourself to calm and go forward. End each session on a positive note...for me this is the feeding ritual.

I dish out the food and instruct the dog to lie down...if he starts to get up when I place the dish on the ground, I take it up again and make him lie down again. Pretty soon a smart dog will get the message....no food unless I'm lying down. Then keep him lying down a distance from the bowl until he is calm and his eyes are on you, instead of on the food. Then let him go to the food and give him much praise. I also take this time to "claim" his food by putting my hands in the bowl, while he's eating, and messing with the food...if he tries to block me or acts anxious, he gets a correction and has to step back from the food. I repeat this until the dog automatically backs away from the food when my hand goes in the feed or near the bowl/bone/treat, etc.

This way he learns I'm not actually taking his food from him and he gets it back, but I'm allowed to touch it, move it, remove it, etc. without him growing anxious or aggressive. I also repeat this with my young grandchildren until the dogs know that they too can touch the food and claim it and the dog has to remain calm and polite throughout.

Two young Anatolians in the down and wait prior to feeding.

All of this training has a point....it puts you in the leadership position and the dog in the follower. This really needs to happen if you are going to have any measure of success on bad behaviors. Some dogs require more of this training than others....if they require too many refreshers, that dog doesn't stay here for long. I don't tolerate a stupid or stubborn animal on the place.

 

[ChickenMomma]

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[Deaconblues911]

Our Great Pyranees pup had to have a small log attached to his collar to teach him to slow down around the goats. We did that for four days...problem solved. Our Anatolian had to be short tied around the goats for one day. Problem solved. These are old, Turkish herdsman tricks used to settle their guardians. It also helps to have the pups introduced with full grown, working LGDs. They will put the pup in its place and teach it to do the job.

You can see the "log" on the collar in the pic. It's not harmful, but its clunky and heavy which slows them considerably.

 

[farmer mike]

This may come across as negative. If so apologies up front. It doesn't sound like your dog has the correct temperament to be a LGD, I would cut your losses and rehome it rather than battle with it for years and years. We sadly went through a similar experience with a service dog for my paralyzed son. 2 years of training, thousands of dollars, my son was bonded to it, >1000 hrs of professional trainer time. The dog was spastic, wanted to play, was not calm, was excitable, would ignore commands and run off, dragged over my son's wheelchair, etc. We cut our losses. Several trainers engaged and determined that no amount of training would fix the dog's unsuited temperament, it should have been screened out as a puppy to be someone's pet.

 

[Oakknollfarms]

My best advice for you would be to start basic obedience training with a dog trainer. Once you have that down, you will have gained the training tools that you need in order to complete his training for the tasks that you need from him.

 

[ChickenMomma]

Thank you all, I'll stop asking for advice.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

@ChickenMomma - please don't feel you need to stop asking for advice! There are many of us here who have worked with dogs that simply needed a bit more structure. I have never given up on an LGD and I've never been disappointed in the end.

LGD's are, and have been, bred for their jobs for generation upon generation. I think your puppy is bored and has a lot of energy and is definitely worth working with. Please don't be dissuaded. You got excellent, detailed advice from @Beekissed. Those are tried and true methods that will help you and Magnum.

Service dogs are different. They are not necessarily bred to do their work. Basic obedience may help but not all LGD's think they should sit just because you ask them to, lol. They are bred to think independently and that's what they do. There may come a point where you decide he's not for you - but I think he will be worth putting in the effort.

 

[Beekissed]

@Beekissed thank you for so much good information.

Would a shock collar be useful in training? We had an underground fence for an hard headed irish setter we had years ago, and that was the only way we could keep him in our perimeter. (he was caught by animal control 4 miles away from our home, dragging a leash). The underground wiring has since been damaged so it is no longer in use, but Magnum reminds me of this dog. We paid a pretty penny for Magnum so getting rid of him is not an option. He is getting to a size where he is almost pulling me on the leash instead of me directing him and I am having a very hard time controlling him. I just dont want to do anything with a shock collar if it would be detrimental to his nature or instincts that we want to keep.

I wouldn't use a shock collar as a go to first. I'd advise that slip leash...I just pass the leash through the handle and slip it over the dog's head, keeping the whole thing high up behind his ears. A quick jerk on that will stop that pulling of you...use your whole body, if you have to. Every single time he barely even pulls on that, give the jerk and release. Sounds like it will be a battle of strength and wills at first, but he should get the message.

Not sure how long you've had him, but if you just got him, whoever sold him ought to be ashamed of themselves. If you've had him for some time and are just now getting to training him on the leash, I'd not make that mistake with the next dog you get. The very first time their feet hit the ground at your place is the time to start leash training....and I do mean as soon as they jump down out of the car.

I never use a prong, choke chain or any other painful training implement with leash training....you want the walk to be as enjoyable as possible and you want him to like the leash, the walk, the experience. So, positive reinforcement along with that quick tug and release with command sound will get you further. Shock collars are more for stopping unwanted behaviors like chasing....the shock will stop them and move them elsewhere and you won't want them moving away from the shock while you have a leash on him. Defeats the purpose. You want him walking with you, moving forward, watching you for cues on where to go next.

My then 2 yr old granddaughter, walking Ben at 6 mo. of age....

And my then 81 yr old mother.....

A good place to go for learning how to walk a stubborn or wild dog on a leash is Cesar Milan vids on YT...he has some great success with such things and his methods really do work.

 

[Beekissed]

Thank you all, I'll stop asking for advice.

Don't stop asking! That's how you learn.....you are going to get a lot of different advice from a lot of different people. Take what you can use, see if it works, then leave the rest. Advice is always on a take it or leave it basis.