help with Dextor

trevoryuasa · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:13 am Post subject: help with Dextor

Hi all, dextor's doing great ( with me ) he listens to commands etc, mostly everything I'm doing with him is going great, the problem starts when/with my wife or other people, he just mouthes doesn't listen etc, whats the answer ? . also we have had an offer from a neighbor to walk dextor when we are in work, etc, would this b ok or just conflict with what i am doing, thanks for any advice, peter,deb & dextor.... Confused

youhavenoidea · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:55 am Post subject:

Slade was this way too in the beginning. Until he was about 3 months old, he only listened to me. But once other people started making a point of giving him commands and rewarding his compliance, he's come around. He still listens better to me than anyone else, but I want that.

You really just have to make sure that commands / enforcement / rewards are very consistent, when trying to get other people "in on" his training. Someone who for example is a lot more meek or softspoken than you may be, may have a harder time gaining Dextor's respect as an authority figure. For example, my sister is firm and concise in her demands with Slade, and he listens beautifully to her, whereas my Mom always talks to him / gives commands to him in a very insecure "singsong" voice. I have yet to see him obey even the simplest commands from my Mom without intervention.

As for the neighbor walking him - I say if this is someone you trust with your puppy, then go for it! The more people / environments / experiences you can expose him to, the better off he'll be for it! I wouldn't expect your neighbor to get too in-depth with the obedience stuff while he has him, but as long as pulling on the leash or outright rude behavior isn't tolerated, I don't think it'll harm your efforts at all.

versatilek9s · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 8:08 pm Post subject:

Bingo.

I was going to suggest that maybe other people in the house should work on obedience and stuff with him more. Make sure that they can make him stay, and make him wait for his food. Also get your wife to feed him. We have this issue where Sage (and now Macy) runs to me when she has something--a ball, a dummy, a bird, etc. b/c I do all the work with her. Not that she doesn't respect him, but I'm the one who provides all the structure.

Man, Slade's momma pretty much said everything else. Very Happy