New puppy training

If Myley is treating your wife like that then, in my opinion, she sees your wife as a pack mate, not someone in charge.  

My suggestion would be, get your wife to help with training and put a drag line on the dog so she doesn't have the chance to run away when outside with your wife.  Discipline isn't always the answer. Get your wife to keep treats in her pocket, like you do, and like I said. Get her to help out with training.

Again I'm not a trainer and there will probably be other(better) suggestions but that is just my advice. 

i dont want to start bashing, but unless you live in the boonies and even if you do: be careful about your dog getting away. especially if there's a street close by! it only takes one time of the dog being distracted you know.. consider a fence or other method to ensure her safety. besides that, i agree, involve your wife more in training. keep a long leash on her (your dog, not your wife, lol-i just realized what that sounded like) and make your wife practice recall over and over with the dog. no need to be hard on the dog, but when she ignores your wife, dont step in. instead have your wife gently tug the long line to get the dogs attention. with time the dog will learn that come means to come to the person calling. not just to come to YOUR call. dogs dont really generalize these things very well, so she might just not know what come means when it comes from your wife.

raidencmc

In our house the dog sees me as the alpha my wife is second in charge.

What specific behavior traits brought you to that conclusion?

raidencmc

I would put treats in my pocket and do what ever I needed to do in the yard and if Myley is being good I would give her the treat. I think this has to do with why Myley listens to me very well.

Well yeah, you are training & conditioning the dog to act upon certain behaviors while you are around.

raidencmc

If my wife has her in the yard Myley will try to escape and I have to stick my head out and call for her and she will eventually come running.  I am looking for some way my wife can discipline Myley to help prevent these problems in the future.  I do get to spend a bit more time with Myley but my wife has bonded with her more emotionally than me.  What I mean is Myley will hang out with her like a mother and her baby.  I think she is a bit of a softey.  Any thoughts????????????

Well first off dogs from shelters don't come out trained and ready to go. They don't trust you yet because they don't even know you. Their whole environment is new and different and they will be eager to explore and test the limits. Without strong leadership the dog will take charge.

PUT THE DOG ON A LEASH. In a nut shell, you are letting Myley claim the yard. It is not her yard, it's your yard. SHOW her the yard by walking her firmly on a lead and allowing her to releave herself. You are giving way too much freedom too soon. She doesn't run away from your wife because she's "second in command" she runs away because Myley thinks it's HER yard HER territory and no one can boss her around. Correct that, and show her otherwise (BOTH of you!)

I work 65 hours a week and my BF works 40 hours a week. My dog is still extremely attached to me the most; but listens to us both equally. You have to put "mother & baby" after rules. No matter how cute & cuddly my Pomeranian is, if she tries to boss me around I am sure to correct it and channel her energy otherwise.

Myley might also have a lot of pent up energy and just wants to run away and let it out. Walk her for an hour each day and play a good game of fetch. Practice training & loose leash walking.

BE IN CHARGE! (not just your wife, YOU too) Right now Myley looks at you like "oh yes that's the man that lets me have everything and gives me treats sometimes too so I'll go see what he wants" No that's not what you want. You want your dog coming to you because you are the pack leader. If you don't take the leadership role, your dog soon will, and trust me you don't want that.

I suggest starting over. Be strict, then show affection & praise once Myley is following the rules correctly.

raidencmc

I am looking for some way my wife can discipline Myley to help prevent these problems in the future.  I do get to spend a bit more time with Myley but my wife has bonded with her more emotionally than me.  What I mean is Myley will hang out with her like a mother and her baby.  I think she is a bit of a softey.  Any thoughts????????????

Human can easily bond just by observation where dogs bonds to human because of the human's actions.  For starters, your wife needs to work on the relationship, building and strengthening the bond.  This will happen when the wife assumes the role of caretaker and provides for the dog's basic needs.  This would include  things like feeding, exercising/walking,  play,  etc.   I have also found  that  in addition  to providing the basic needs  that  being  a little aloof  attracts  the dog even more.  I would give the relationship time to build before I would introduce any basic obedience training.  Of course, you should always work on the obedience command COME from the get go and also potty training.  Both can be done using pure positive methods and there would be no negatives or disciplining involved.

both of you need to spend time training the puppy. It has nothing to do with discipline or who is "alpha" or who has "bonded" the most; people's voices sound different- a man saying COME may sound totally different than a woman saying COME, and dogs don't speak english. Also if you are the only one to reward the pup for obeying, why should the pup ever obey your wife? there's no motivation.

As to sticking around the yard, well, I don't think a young puppy should ever be left alone outside. It's dangerous, and you're not available to mold proper behavior- you may end up  with a dog who habitually digs giant craters and barks non-stop, for example, which you could easily have prevented by being there and gently re-directing to a more appropriate activity. Also be warned that young "velcro" puppies often suddenly transform into Ha ha you can't catch me when they grow up a bit.