# Stubborn



## sapedersen (Feb 11, 2009)

Every day when I come home from work I sit down and work on the most common tricks a dog could do, sit, stay, shake, lay down, etc. and they both look at me like im stupid. I have them both sitting, and Elvis will lay down, but thats it! I know they are smart dogs and they listen very well, but if it comes to a command they wont do it! I've tried every way of doing it, i try training with treats, without treats, put them together, separate them. I just feel like they dont want to do it. I've been working with them for over a month and its like it goes in one ear and out the other! I'm hoping someone has some advice i really hope that I can get them to do the fun stuff to impress people


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Your dogs are not stupid...they just don't speak human. 

Describe step by step how you are trying to teach one of those behaviors.


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## sapedersen (Feb 11, 2009)

QUOTE (JMM @ Mar 4 2009, 06:58 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=739121


> Your dogs are not stupid...they just don't speak human.
> 
> Describe step by step how you are trying to teach one of those behaviors.[/B]




Well No I didn't say they were stupid..I said they look at me like im stupid because they know I give up and give them the treat anyways..


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## Starsmom (Jan 31, 2009)

QUOTE (sapedersen @ Mar 4 2009, 09:36 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=739354


> QUOTE (JMM @ Mar 4 2009, 06:58 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=739121





> Your dogs are not stupid...they just don't speak human.
> 
> Describe step by step how you are trying to teach one of those behaviors.[/B]




Well No I didn't say they were stupid..I said they look at me like im stupid because they know I give up and give them the treat anyways..


[/B][/QUOTE]

Ahhh, there's the error of your ways! You reward them for doing nothing, so that's what they are going to do - nothing. Keep your stand. Start with something they know, and give rewards for that, then move on to the new things. No cooperation, no treat. They will get it, just hang in there.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

QUOTE (sapedersen @ Mar 4 2009, 11:36 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=739354


> QUOTE (JMM @ Mar 4 2009, 06:58 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=739121





> Your dogs are not stupid...they just don't speak human.
> 
> Describe step by step how you are trying to teach one of those behaviors.[/B]




Well No I didn't say they were stupid..I said they look at me like im stupid because they know I give up and give them the treat anyways..
[/B][/QUOTE]

Once again, to trouble shoot this you need to write out step by step how you are trying to teach a behavior.


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## madden (Jan 15, 2009)

I agree with the above posts. Why work for something if you get it free anyway. Stay strong and do not reward them if they don't follow your command. Show them what you mean by sit, lay, up. If you want him to lay, hold the treat low to the ground and coax them until they are flat on the floor. Reward them with the treat and say good boy/girl. You can't just say the command and expect them to understand you. I wish it was that easy


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## Shrimpi's Mommy (Feb 1, 2009)

I know this is like super late but I just wanted to say...

My little girl picked up things super fast but my little man is super slow cuz he's simply lazy. He'll wait til his siter gets treats for doing a trick, and he'll come steal it from her. I avoid this by kenneling one up while I do tricks with the other and it works better if they're kinda hungry (before lunch dinner) I hold the treat in front of them and treat when he does what i want. I do hand commands and say sit, lay paw, whatever at the same time. Shrimp knows how to sit, lay, stand, give paw all on command, and shes 14 weeks. Little man only knows sit and stand right now. We are working on it, but it seems like treating and correcting seems to work best with my little ones! 

I get a little frustrated, but them I just go away, and then come back and start over again. It's best to do one trick over n over n over then add another one once they get it down. Now I can do several tricks and just treat once lol. Maltese are pretty smart dogs, sometimes you just need time and be relaxed when you do it. The dogs feed off of yoiur energy!


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## tamizami (May 1, 2007)

I'm doing basic obedience training now with my Reina (she's a 3.5 year old retiree) and I'm using the techniques in Victoria Stillwell's book "Its Me or the Dog" and she is getting it fast! Her methods are to "capture" a behavior instead of luring or physically moving a dog into position (not recommended at all). I highly recommend this book for basic obedience. 

And if you ask for a command, just ask for it once (using the vocal and the hand signal). If the dog doesn't do it within a couple of seconds, you just move the treat up to your shoulder and say "uh oh!" and then wait a few seconds to try again. Also, you can train the dog to have a faster response time once they know a command. Stuart is lightening fast with his responses. 

Good luck and try not to get frustrated! It definitely takes patience but its kinda fun to watch their little brains trying to figure out "what do I need to do to get this treat?". It should be fun also, otherwise they won't like it. And you shouldn't do more than a few minutes each training session (like 10). I try to do little sessions 2 or 3 times a day. And once they have the command in a quiet room, then I start to generalize the response (I'm standing, I'm sitting, we're outdoors, we're on a walk, etc.).

btw, JMM is a certified trainer, so you can get some great free advice from her if you let her know what you are doing.


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