Suggestions for Coke ** NILIF people look at pg 5 **

you know, there are VERY FEW dogs in the universe that can just go and play peacefully with a bunch of STRANGE dogs. Perhaps your expectations are a bit too high? I'm not a propenent of the "mosh pit"type of dog park because 90% of dogs fail to enjoy such a thing. Even highly socialized non-aggressive dogs don't necessarily want to play with all other dogs. 

mudpuppy

you know, there are VERY FEW dogs in the universe that can just go and play peacefully with a bunch of STRANGE dogs. Perhaps your expectations are a bit too high? I'm not a propenent of the "mosh pit"type of dog park because 90% of dogs fail to enjoy such a thing. Even highly socialized non-aggressive dogs don't necessarily want to play with all other dogs. 

Totally agree.....again......(mosh pit......love it)

mudpuppy

you know, there are VERY FEW dogs in the universe that can just go and play peacefully with a bunch of STRANGE dogs. Perhaps your expectations are a bit too high? I'm not a propenent of the "mosh pit"type of dog park because 90% of dogs fail to enjoy such a thing. Even highly socialized non-aggressive dogs don't necessarily want to play with all other dogs. 

I don't like the dog parks either (the free one is literally a free for all and the other costs over $300/yr).  If it's just an incompatibility thing (can't play with Justin), that makes me feel a lot better about things!

ron2

My old friend Lee had a "delicate" way of saying it. "Anything worth doing is worth doing right. If you can't do it right, get the hell out of the way so that the person who can do it right can get in there and do it right."

Haha, that is SO me!  I guess DH would be the one that does things for the sake of doing them, whereas, I do it to get it done and get it done right.  He enjoys doing things even when he's doing it totally wrong!!  The nice thing about our trainer is that she is very honest.  When DH did the obedience class with Coke, they got a report card where Coke got all checks but DH got a minus, lol!  She marked him off for timing (he's too late with the reward often rewarding as the dog is starting to lose focus, or his rewards are too infrequent, considering what we are asking the dogs to do and the distraction level).  A few days ago we went on a walk and I said "I'm going to walk behind you and tell you every time I'd be giving Coke a reward".  I was saying "there....now there!....there...." and DH was getting even more confused than Coke.

Maybe he needs an iDog initiation... 

***Justin continued to approach him and engage him in play.***

Well, I tried to read thru all of this and there is so much info here.  But, the one thing that stuck out to me was the above line.  So, if Justin was fine with what Coke was doing then is there really a problem at all?  I can see why you'd want Coke to play nicer but if the dog you were worried for is fine???

Edited-I watched the video too.  I've told you this before but he's beautiful!  I just wanted to say that Willow does so many things perfect in the house and when she's alone.  But, get her out and if she's distracted by something or gets too excited it's like we've never taught her anything. 

Liesje

Maybe he needs an iDog initiation

That may or may not help. Or, you might need a separate thread in how to train husbands, which is not all that different than training dogs. Both are not born understanding the spoken word. So, you have to associate rewards with certain sounds, etc. OTOH, you DH may simply have physical problem with the timing involved. He may understand the concept but, for whatever reason, can't exhibit the precision timing. Or, as you say, he has to stumble on it himself after so many examples of not working.

You just need to show an enormous amount of appreciation to your DH when he takes your advice on board.... "capture it" if you like.  Or bribe him if you have to.  Wheedle him into it.  He'll get a "jackpot" - he'll feel good cos it'll WORK without screwing it up first, plus you stroke his ego (this is the BIGGEST reinforcer for the VAST majority of men) and he will be more likely to listen to you next time.  What you don't want to do as much is tell him when he is doing it WRONG with Coke.  That will only frustrate and dishearten him.  Find the teeniest tiniest things he does RIGHT and draw attention to them.  He'll be trained before you know it  

You could also put the dogs in their crates for a bit and play a clicker game between the two of you, each taking it in turns to be "the dog".  It will help him improve his timing and will also help him empathise with Coke.

Chuffy

You could also put the dogs in their crates for a bit and play a clicker game between the two of you, each taking it in turns to be "the dog".  It will help him improve his timing and will also help him empathise with Coke.

Haha!  I think he'd get a kick out of this, except the dog would be telling him when to click!

Last night he said to me "..Coke always does listen to you way better than me...".  See it's not that Coke listens to *me*, it's that *I* am more clearly communicating what I want (sans when he is totally enthralled with playing in a pack).  I guess he is looking to me as a leader and to DH as his playmate.  The problem is convincing DH that it's not the best way for him to live.  No, he doesn't have to be an obedience champion, but the few times where it's really important that he does pay attention and listen, he won't do it.  That's the problem.

Liesje

Chuffy

You could also put the dogs in their crates for a bit and play a clicker game between the two of you, each taking it in turns to be "the dog".  It will help him improve his timing and will also help him empathise with Coke.

 

Haha!  I think he'd get a kick out of this, except the dog would be telling him when to click!

No, because you wouldn't know what the end goal was.  Say, if he wanted to "make" you touch a place on the wall or go sit in a certain chair, he'd think that up in his head but not clue you in.  Then he starts freeshaping you.  It's actually kinda fun, like the Hot Or Cold game, but wow it's good for improving timing  

We did this in high school psychology, except I think it was classical conditioning?  The person got shocked instead of marked, lol. 

When we were kids Hot and Cold was our absolute most favorite thing, we would BEG my dad to play.  Maybe that's why I like clicker training so much... 

Liesje

Last night he said to me "..Coke always does listen to you way better than me...".  See it's not that Coke listens to *me*, it's that *I* am more clearly communicating what I want (sans when he is totally enthralled with playing in a pack).  I guess he is looking to me as a leader and to DH as his playmate.  The problem is convincing DH that it's not the best way for him to live.  No, he doesn't have to be an obedience champion, but the few times where it's really important that he does pay attention and listen, he won't do it.  That's the problem.

Liesje, for the longest time we had the same problem....DH was playmate to the dogs and found it terrible to discipline .....that part was always left up to me.....eventually, he got sick and tired of being igmored when it came to important stuff, and I explained to DH that dogs benefit from having boundaries set......DH is out of town quiet a bit, and during the week the dogs would behave, it was a breeze interacting with them....then DH came home and things went nuts.....I overlooked many things for a few hours and then got fed up, put my foot down.....and earned the name of "Fun Spoiler"....lol...ok....like I said, he eventually got tired of the fact that the dogs ignored him when it came to important stuff, do, he did change his interaction with the dogs......boy, am I glad, now I can enjoy a good pack seven days a week.......

Well crap it all.  I swear DH told me he wasn't working tonight, but he is, so I'll be going alone again.

We took the dogs somewhere for a walk last night and DH said to me "I learn by mistakes".  Eh...yeah. He forgot to bring rewards for Coke, so I'm not sure how much was accomplished.  Afterward he said "you know, Coke is really a pretty good dog..."....yeah but not good enough!!  When we got home, I reminded him that from now on Coke is not allowed to barge out of the car.  He's gotten away with this with DH.  We opened the door and asked him to "wait", then DH told him to down.  Me, DH, and Kenya all stood there in silence for about 45 seconds.  Finally Coke sighed and went into a down. 

Liesje

Afterward he said "you know, Coke is really a pretty good dog..."....yeah but not good enough!! 

I get that from my DH too and find it frustrating when I know that both of our dogs are capable of truly amazing things. I don't have half the skills that you do in terms of training, so hopefully your knowledge can bring both Coke and DH to new levels. Take deep breaths and remember to keep it fun 

It might be a learning experience for DH. To paraphrase that famous guy on t.v. with his own show, the biggest part of training or rehabbing a dog is changing the human, at times a herculean task.

Liesje

Afterward he said "you know, Coke is really a pretty good dog..."....yeah but not good enough!!

Do they really need to wait for your command to do almost everything? 

Liesje

Kenya appears to have a new "issue" that has me stumped - she will NOT poop!  In the evening she pees 2-3 times but doesn't poop.  Typically when I take her out I say "go potty" and she runs to her potty spot, pees, and then looks at me so I say "go poopy" and she turns back and poops.

Oh ok, yes they have to, sorry