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[Tracey29]

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Hi all

This is my first post on here and I'm looking through the resources at the top of the page and will look for individual posts / chats later on.

I've got a very excitable 16 month old black cockapoo called Bella who's not as well trained as I'd like. I'm hoping it's not too late to undo the bad behaviours she's picked up and get some new ones bedded in.

 

[merlina]

Hiya! Bella sounds just like my 2yo cocker. And no it's never too late - I can promise that from improvements in my 10yo rescue boy- still getting better! I think with a young high-spirited breed you have to be realistic and let them have their zoomies, their mad-moments (and more). Kindness and patience and positive reinforcement pay off in the end. Though I have to say I've often done the What-a-good-boy through gritted teeth when he's finally done as asked...missing for 8 minutes in the wood yesterday, returns looking like a compost heap: "What a good boy!"

 

[Tracey29]

Hi Merlina

Thank you for your reply. I do let her have her mad times - on the basis that she's a dog not a robot

She's really intelligent and picks things up quickly, she's also very strong willed too.

If we saw another dog in a field she'd run from me straight over to them and forget all about me because she was playing - that's fine until she finds a dog that's sensitive or unfriendly in which case I'll have an injured dog (her) and / or a very upset owner. I thought I'd stopped it and we were doing really well, until we were on a walk and came across some owners moving their 40 year old horse. Bella's favourite game is chase and she was trying to play it with the horse, luckily the owners were fine and the horse wasn't bothered - it ended up with me trying to get her to come to me (which she would have done) and the horse's owners and my partner all calling her and her thinking we were all chasing her so she had us playing her game too. I kept telling them to stop and let me get her my way but they didn't. Then she went into the next field (we'd never done this walk before, we were following it from an app), in that field were about 10 black sheep and Bella, in her excitable state, was even more in her element with these extra friends to play chase with. Absolute chaos for about 15 minutes, but we somehow managed to get her back. Unfortunately I now have problems getting her to come on a normal walk and she's started running to other dogs again - not great. That's something I could do with some advice on - can you please tell me where I post that? Thank you

 

[JudyN]

Welcome! She sounds wonderful... apart from when she's doing things she really shouldn't be doing of course! It won't help that she's a teenager, so she will get better.

If you click on 'Forums' right at the top of the page and scroll down, you'll see a section called 'Dog Behaviour and Training' within 'Help and Discussion'. Post in there and I'm sure lots of members will be along with advice.

 

[JoanneF]

Maybe in the meantime, use a long line so she doesn't get into serious trouble. I don't want to worry you but the farmer with the sheep could legally have shot her.

There is a very good book called Total Recall by Pippa Mattinson. Also, Kikopup on YouTube has some excellent videos

 

[Tracey29]

I’ve tried a long line but, if I use it dropped, the little monkey picks it up halfway along and runs away with it, if I hold the end she plays tug of war with me.
Thank you for the advice with the farmer, I didn’t know that.

I’ll try the videos

 

[JudyN]

In addition to JoanneF's suggestions, can I recommend the It's Yer Choice video on YouTube for teaching impulse control?

I found it really helpful in getting my dog to listen to me and not just to do the first thing that came into his head.

If she wants to play tug with the long line, you coud just turn your back, stand (or sit) still, and completely ignore her. Eventually she'll get bored and come to you, then you can praise and reward her for paying attention to you and being close to you.

There's a website that helps you find enclosed dog walking fields in your area, which might help: The Only Listings Site for Enclosed Dog Walking Fields in the UK

@Josie, should the training discussions in this thread be moved to the other so we don't end up with responses being split over two threads?

 

[Violet Turner]

Welcome, I can only echo the above information.

 

[arealhuman]

Welcome Those videos are really good!