Hi,

We have just given a home to a lovely CKCS, she is 1 year old and generally on the whole is doing well.
However, she is very stubborn with certain things, and I was wondering can I go back to some kind of basic training with her. Take her to a class maybe ?
She refuses to look at you when you ask her to do things, I don't want her up on the sofas but she jumps up and refuses to get down. When I have to lift her off she runs over to the other one !!!! The children find it hilariously funny and I do as well but that is beside the point!!!
People say that dogs need to know that YOU are the boss. How can I make a start.
Also walking is a new experience. I dare not let her off a lead as she would be gone and probably would not come back when we call!! Also she pulls so much that if I don't keep up with her it sounds like she is choking. She has a choker collar (one of the chain ones)?
And on top of this we are changing her name................No wonder I'm exhausted
Any advice on the abover GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks  x

"No wonder I'm exhausted..."  :P

OK first of all, don't worry as you have only just got her. Improving things will take time esp. as much of her behaviour will be ingrained by now.
My best advice would be to seek out a good trainer near you, either for one to one's or for classes; try www.apdt.co.uk

Clicker training is an excellent way of training a dog, you may want to look into that :)

I'd invest in a stop pull harness for the moment, I used  a Kumfi harness as it is one of the most comfortable - see www.kumfi.com

Hth a bit
Lindsay
x

What is clicker training ????

Sorry if I sound like a dumbo.

Thanks for the advice on classes, i will check the website.

x

Give her time to settle, but don't give up on her. You have taken on one of the most stubborn breeds I have ever owned ;) They are royalty, or at least they think they are :) As for the sofa problem It's highly likely that her previous owner allowed her up, so she won't know it's wrong. What kind of bed have you given her? If you can give her one off the ground she might take to it better. It will take time, but she'll get the message that she has new owners, and a new home. Good luck.

Hi - in order of your problems....

1.  About the sofa issue, I just wrote a big reply to someone else on this board about it - see the thread called 13 wk old Golden Retriever - I've suggested some things there.

2.  Recall - you need to call her from room to room around the house, and give her very tasty food treats when she comes to you.  Give everyone in the family a treat and send them to different rooms.  Call the dog ONE AT A TIME and let her come to you and eat a treat, then someone else call her.  Do this every day for a week before you try letting her off lead outside somewhere.  The first time you let her off outside, you might find it reassuring to buy a very long lead (a long line) and attach this to her collar.  That way if she doesn't come when you call her, you can gently reel her in to you and then praise.  (Save the treats for when she comes by herself.)

3.  Get rid of the choker collar.  As you've identified 1. it is not going to stop the dog pulling and 2. she is choking herself and doing long term, permanent damage to her throat, as has been demonstrated by post-mortems on dogs.  Please get a 'normal' buckle collar and clip lead.  From what you say, you are continuing to walk forwards while she is pulling.  This is just training her to pull!!!!  Your poor dog believes that the way to progress forwards is to choke herself half to death!!  Please STOP WALKING when she pulls!!!!!  Just stand still.  As soon as the lead slackens, walk forwards again.  If it gets tight, stop again.  And so on.  At first this will be a huge pain in the bum, but your dog will pick it up and it will lead to a life-time of easy walking.  Your dog needs to learn that the only way to move forwards is to keep the lead loose.   Good luck!

I'm no expert, but remember that at 1 year old she is still only a baby. Your rules are probably different from her last home, and it will take her time to understand what you want - and then time to persuade her that doing what you want is worth it, Cavs are pretty stubborn!! My boy didn't have a reliable recall in the park until he was nearly 2 or 2 1/2 years old. Even now at nearly 3 1/2 he can sometimes go 'deaf'! I agree with the recall round the house exercises suggested, that's a good way to start. And yes, get her to training clases asap, at only a year old she is young enough to learn quickly. Good luck and hope she improves gradually. What colour is she? :-)

"The children find it hilariously funny and I do as well"

Me too!!

She is a blenheim, and i think she is gorgeous (like we all think of our own).
I will look into classes definitely and will persevere with everything else.

Because she jumps up my 7 year old does'nt like it and gets nervous with her, i have told him to tell her 'down' and then just walk away and ignore. But he got upset tonight when she did it to him. I explained she is a baby and gets excited to see him cause she loves being close and is a way of saying thanks for the playtime today etc etc. Am i doing ok ?

Do you think it would be ok to take my son with us to classes ?

Thanks to everyone for their support.

Just a hint - don't tell her 'down' if that's the word you use for her to 'lie down'. Usually people are advised to use the word 'off' when they want the dog's feet off something, whether it's a person, the sofa, the worktop (obviously not the worktop with a Cav!).

Certainly take your son to training classes - they're mainly for teaching the owners what to do, after all! The more involved he becomes, the happier he'll be. Good luck!
:)