15months to debt free - I hope

ladyholly

Thank you all

. Blackcats I think you are right about Mr LH. He also has very little patience for initial training. Our first Ccollie was almost wild when we got him and I had to do all the intial training with him and I think it will be the same whith C. Once they have the basics of walking on the lead and not trying to attack everything in site he is brilliant and better than me.

Flying-by Yes the rescue do have a couple of behaviourists by to be honest Idont trust them after adopting C with no warning of his behavioural  probelms and while I am well aware that dogs are different when in a home environment they didnt have some idea. I wonder if there ws any assessment at all. The only thing that was said to us was he reacts to birds but there was no indication of the scale of the problem.

SA Thank you. Yes it is very early days.

After Mr LHs tantrum (sorry I cant describe it as anything else) I took C out for a few minutes and really worked him with lots of treats to distract him. Just as well he is skinny. He barked a few times at a couple of dogs on the far side of our green and at some birds but I was able to break the collie concentration for a few seconds while the dogs went out of sight. My plan is to continue this two or three times a day just for a few minutes at a time. It seems to have tired him out as brain work does.  We are also looking a hiring a secure field sometimes so he can have a good run and decent recall training as we dont want him to forget that. He is too unpredictable at present to use a long line. I can see tiny seeds of progress but it wont be a quick fix even with his clever collie brain as I think he has been left to do what he wants for 6 years. I fed him tonight and he sat well and almost hesitated when he was told to wait. I am working on NILF with him - Nothing in life is free.

Please keep encouraging me as I am having to fight him and MR LH as well as having a lot of our neighbours judging us as they think we are amazing dog trainers. They might change their minds after this.

foxgloves

I honestly wouldn't give a tuppenny you know what about what your neighbours think. If they do make any comments, you could always say something like 'Yes, he's a challenge, but we felt he deserved a chance". 
Might he calm down a bit after neutering? I think little & often for practice walks with lots of treats & praise sounds like a good strategy.....although I must stress I know nothing about dogs & am a cat person. 
It's not C's fault. It sounds as though you might have 6 years of sloppy training to undo, but if his is a bright breed, hopefully he'll start to get the hang of things soon, even if it's a gradual process.
F x

enthusiasticsaver

If he has had no training for 6 years it will take a while.  I do hope that things improve soon but it will take a while when you are having to undo years of bad habits. Please do not worry what the neighbours think.  These things take time and there will be small improvements to start with.  

jwil

I agree, don't worry about what the neighbours think.  If they think a new (to you) dog is going to be fully trained within a few days of having it, then they are completely unrealistic.  With perseverance and time, you'll get there.  It sounds like you are making progress every time you take him out.

ladyholly

Its not that I particularly care what people think but we have in the past helped a fair number of people with their dog problems and dont want to disappoint them and thiink the advice we have given them is wrong or doesnt work when I know if thewy persist it will. I suppose the persistent bit applies to us as well. It is very early days and we are seeing some small improvements in C. It does vary day to to day as you would expect.

He did see 4 dogs in the distance yesterday and although he stared there was no barking or lunging at them. Flying birds are a different kettle of fish as there is no warning of them appearing so it is harder to react quickly. Mr LH seems a little more optimistic yesterday and says with my training he does seem a little better. We will see what happens in a few minutes when I take him out. More later.

Have a good day.

Flying_By

Great to hear the positives and I will look forward to your update later. 

I was thinking about Mr LH and his initial negativity about C - his festivals mean such a lot to him and I imagine it would be quite unsettling if C were to play up whilst they were away but hopefully by the time festival season arrives C will have been neutered, will have responded well to your wonderful training technique and become a much more manageable boy xx

ladyholly

Part 2 for today. . Not a good start as I woke late so it was getting liight and the birds were flying as well as a couple of dog walkers around but we got round the green without too much barking. I took him out again about 9am to find there was a lady who has a dog we thing has brain damage so acts very oddly so went a different way. He wasnt too bad but I was shattered when we got back from him pulling and constantly changing from side to side. (I have discovered the harness he came with is the Halti no pull harness ).

When we got to the end of our road through a little alley way to a footpath we came almost nose to nose with a couple with a

chihuahua. C was very good and just waited nicely until they had passed, there was a bit of collie staring but no lunging or barking. I suspect he is ok with dogs but will be pushy and bouncy with them so we will have to pick the dogs when it is time to try him out. Certainly not until he is neutrered. We are hoping that might quieten hime alittle but as it is late we dont know.

 

When we went out later there were a couple more dogs and all we got was a little barking when he was barked at.

Mr LH is being quite positive at the moment and has started eating a bit more which is always a good sign. I think he has largely given up the idea of C going to festival in 2023 as he has a long way to go but we will see what happens. I am not sure he will go without him but  the organiser has said we we can pop down to the one nearest us which is only about an hour away for a few hours during the week ( they have camping before the festival which is actually the Friday and Saturday) to see what he is like so we have that option if reasonable.

We have bought him a different harness but it doesnt fit  properly so will be returned tomorrow. The shop will fit him with one but Iwe are worried he will destroy the shop as it isnt very big so we are forced to get one try it on at home and return it when it isnt right.

Nothing else happening at the moment as I did the Christmas big shop which cost far too much but at the moment I am too tired to care. I will sort it all out after Christmas and because we are not paying the loan I will be able to budget preperly for next years bills.

ladyholly

Flying_By said:

Great to hear the positives and I will look forward to your update later. 

I was thinking about Mr LH and his initial negativity about C - his festivals mean such a lot to him and I imagine it would be quite unsettling if C were to play up whilst they were away but hopefully by the time festival season arrives C will have been neutered, will have responded well to your wonderful training technique and become a much more manageable boy xx

I dont know if I have a wonderful training technique I think I would call it suck it and see if it works but thank you and to everyone elses support. It meams a lot.

Flying_By

So glad to hear Mr LH is more chilled about C, that must come as a relief to you. Amazing that he is thinking of forgoing his beloved festivals next year, good on him.

You have obviously worked wonders with your previous dogs and with your neighbours' dogs too, so please don't worry and don't feel that your are being judged.  I find as I am getting older I care less and less what others think!

My approach to Christmas sounds similar to yours this year - I know I've probably overspent and will sort it out in the New Year - sorry Martin!  xx

ladyholly

Today has been quite a good day. I left the dog at home when I went to return the harness and tried to get a halti head collar but they didnt have the right size so will have to wait or go elsewhere. This was the first time he has been left (Mr LH was at home but in bed) and he seemed to be a good boy and went to bed.

He has been out several time with mixed results. It is too exhausting to take him out for too long and because we are constantly doing fairly intensive training it stops him getting fed up. He did bark at  dog this morning but we had to wait for it to walk up the path so we didnt pass it and that made it very hard to distract him. This afternoon he was doing really well walking at the opposite side of our green area from another dog then 3 others arrived and were playing which upset the appple cart. We had to almost drag him home fortunately not far. I think his walking is improving but he is such an idiot for going from side to side and then round in circles. That is in between pulling like a train. It is a bit like having an unruly puppy who has had no walking training but he has the size and worse, the strength of an adult dog. However there is some improvement in only a week so we are hopeful . He is now getting the down, leave and wait command although not yet reliably. It is a huge learning curve for him and there  has so much that should have been taught years ago. It is a shame and a good job that he has come to someone with some experience of behavioural problems. I am quite angry at the rescue for  not warning us and if they didnt know where are their behavior assessments.Despite all his problems he is very sweet in the house and really just wants to be loved.

Parcel posted first class for my BiL and Christmas cheque posted for the oldest dgd who said she wouldnt be down before Christmas. I then found out she will be down Boxing day so it could have waited. I dont normally use first class but BiLs present took so long to arrive I had no choice as we have passed the last posting date for second class post.

Anyway enough rabbiting for tonight. Stay wam.