How many of you have more than one handler for your dogs? It's me that spends most time with Sparky, as I am at home most of the time, and I tend to do most of his training at the moment - he is a bit stubborn and getting heavy, so the girls are struggling with enforcing his lead training, and I usually intervene if he is being naughty. However my eldest daughter (12) is desperate to do obedience and agility training with him as he gets older. I try to get her to do as much as possible with him, but he still sees me as "Mum", and often whines when I leave the room even if he still has company. Any ideas on making him see my daughter as more of a pack leader? She already feeds him. Do I have to resort to spending less time with him?

Tracy this is horribly familiar! :) We had the same issue because I took Morse to training classes, SB and I both exercise him and we found we did things slightly differently. We had a family council and I showed them all the signals/commands. After that its a case of not interfering when Morse is playing up so he realises resistance is futile whoever is on the lead end.

Hello
Before I got my BC, I was desperate to do some training with the family spaniel, who only saw my dad as the master.
At obedience training, we were told that I had to feed him, dad wasn't to give him any treats and I had to give him high value ones such as sausages, when we took him for walks, I had to hold the lead, I had to groom him, and train him every day for short periods. Gradually it paid off, he still looks to my dad as the leader but when I train him he doesn't give my dad a second glance because he knows its more fun to be with me because I have sausages, and dad will get cross if he runs off.
Is your daughter taking Sparky to obedience lessons? If she is, it may be an idea for you not to be present, maybe sit in the car for a few lessons until Sparky realises that he's with your daughter and not with you. If you just sit at the edge of the training ground you may find that Sparky is constantly looking for you and trying to get with you which is not very reassuring for a 12 year old!
Char123

Thanks, both of you. I think it's me who needs training rather than Sparky! It's so hard not to intervene, isn't it Lorelei? Char123 - I have been attending training with daughter 1, (at her request as she is a bit shy, but I admit I did want to be there - we Mums like to feel wanted!). Am going to leave her to it next week and just drop her off.
Tracy

Oh yes it is hard not to jump in and so easy to see where others are going wrong! :D Funnily enough Morse does not pull the children on lead, although he does anxiously turn round to check where I am when they take charge. Just now hes decided to be an angel for SB and try it on with me. How long does dog adolesence last again?

My collie works for my friend in agility and they have had a 2nd and a 3rd in juniors this year. She also worked my x-breed in handling and she was a gem. My x-breed will work for anyone and at camp was lent out to a few of the youngsters for agility :-) She was going to do a lot of work with confidence issues some kids have I know in agility, shame it was not to be. But yes it can be done. I also work my friends 2 collies in agility and we haven't had any problems.
Gina

I tend to do the basic training on my own and then Rob comes in for the more advanced work. They all seem to work well for each of us, even though we do things slightly differently sometimes.

Helen

Thanks for the tips. Char123, your advice was really useful - we have been doing all the things you suggested this week, (although it was horrible not being able to give him little treats) and Sparky worked a treat for Sian at training class this week, so she is feeling more confident with him, and hopefully is now on an upward spiral! What's more, he has also behaved better for me - I even let him off his lunge line this week, Lorelei, and he came back each time, although my heart was in my mouth when a jogger proved just a little bit too tempting, so perhaps back on it again for a few days ;)
Tracy

Hehe thanks Tracy! :) Keep practising and I'm sure you will soon have an excellent off lead recall! And I think Sian will feel a lot happier now that Sparky is listening to her and will want to do more with him because she knows that he respects her.
Char123

Hi Tracy its good to hear Sparky is being a good lad. I find the lunge so useful for all sorts of things, like keeping control of fetch games and practising distant control stuff as well as keeping Morse out of trouble, that I dont think of it as demotion anymore, just another training aid. Dont worry if things go pear shaped again for a while just when you thought you were winning, it comes back quicker if youre firm each time. :)