Doggy discipline

[nom de plume]

Our one year old Lhasa Apsa has a wonderful temperament but is a complete nightmare to take for a walk. He cannot walk in a straight line, winds me up with his lead and wants to chase any other 4 legged creature or bird. I take full responsibility for this, as he has not been trained. He is the first dog we have ever owned and have no real idea of how and where to start.

Another problem is toilet training, when the doors are shut we always leave a puppy training mat by the door which he will use. The problem is when he has free range of the house, nine times out of ten he will use the mat but sometimes prefers carpets, rugs etc. We never hit or hurt him but speak in a disapproving way and can sense that upsets him, but he will still go in the wrong place when he thinks he can get away with it. When he goes in the right place he is praised. Any suggestions?

For the walkies problem I would like to find some one to one training, possibly with the person visiting our house but I don’t know what it is called in French, does anyone know what i should look under in the phone book.

Thanks

Diana

[cooperlola]

Probably professional training will help you but try this in the meantime.

When he pulls on the lead, WALK BACKWARDS, do not be tempted to snatch the lead or he'll just think this is a wonderful game.  When he settles, walk forwards again, when he yanks, go into reverse.  Carry a water pistol, when he attempts to chase other dogs, give him a very brief squirt of water on the muzzle - humane but a great deterrent.  Don't miss an opportunity - do it every time he tries to give chase so he begins to associate chasing after other animals with something he doesn't like.

Take some treats on the walk with you, and when he obeys you and doesn't pull or chase another animal, tell him to sit, and reward him with one.

Do not scold him when he pees on the carpet unless you are there at the time.  You are wasting your breath if you tell him off after the fact - he will think he is being told off for something he is doing at that moment.  When does he pee?  Is it during the night, or when you are out?  Does he give you any sign as to when he's about to pee - if so, take him outside immediately he gives you a clue he is going to go.  Even better (though messy!) is to catch him mid pee - pick him up and put him firmly out in the garden. When he pees outside int eh right place, reward him with a treat.

Try leaving your door open and transferring your training mat outside the house.  At a year old he should not be peeing anywhere in the house now, not even on a mat!

[Beryl]

I wouldn't give him free run of the house until you have this sorted.

Does he have a confinement area or a crate? If so I would put him in it for an hour ( his bladder should be able to go that long) with a chew or toy and after whip him straight out for a wee and as Cooperlola says, give him a food treat. Also rush him outside as soon as he wakes up, keep him on a lead and walk him in a small circle until he does his business ( he must know it's not playtime). Then every hour, whether he wants to our not take him out to do his business on a lead, encourage him verbally to 'be clean ' or whatever and with rewards he should even at this late stage, soon understand what you want from him.

It is no good just putting him outside on his own because you need to train him.

[Chesnelay]

I would endorse everything that has been said in the above posts - urging caution on the use of indoor crates unless they have been created as a place of comfort and introduced gradually - but if the reward of praise for peeing/pooing outside is given completely OTT to the extent that your neighbours think you have lost the plot - then you should soon be able to get your dog to pee on command. Very useful at times!

[Beryl]

I agree, indoor crates do need to be a place of comfort  and putting a lasting food treat in, can encourage the dog to use it happily.

My dogs only have there  foody chews and pigs ears when they are in their only crates ( most dogs unless really distressed won't soil their beds)  . This is useful because it gives me an hour dog free, not every visitor likes dogs.[:(]

 Or in their confinement area when we go out ( the study with a baby gate so they can see but not get out, they know that they can soil in there if we are going out for a good while and  we have put paper down) .

Dogs only really want to please, but they need to be shown what to do.

[Christine Animal]

It's funny you should ask about that Nom de Plume, I just came across this the other day.   [:)]

http://www.expertvillage.com/videos/housebreaking-dog-video-when-to-poop.htm

 

 

[nom de plume]

Just to say thank you for your suggestions, so far so good. I am dealing with the walking issue first and then will deal with the toilet training.

The first day i took him for a walk with a water pistol and some rewards, he tried to chase the first 3 dogs he saw in the usual way. I immediately squirted him in the face a few times, he look outraged. Then the forth dog came into view and he looked up at me, I said NO and he thought about it and decided not to bark/chase. I rewarded him with a tit-bit.

This moring was market day with all the young cattle being hearded into crates. Last week I would not have gone anywhere near the place but this morning I walked him round the outside. He looked at them, then at me, I said NO and he walked on. I then said he was a good boy etc.

I will keep re-inforcing the training.

Diana

[cooperlola]

Wahay!  This little trick was taught to me by a lady who has qualified her obedience dogs at Crufts a few times so she knows which end is up!  Well done.[:D]