Dog Community

Really old people and dog training....argh!

Mic

Posted : 5/9/2006 1:53:43 PM

So I have these clients...they are in there late 70's. We'll call them the Smith's.

The Smith's have an awesome little dog who has a few mild behavior problems like chewing, jumping, coprophagia, and a little barking. They hired one of my trainers to help them with there problems and to teach the dog some basic obedience. The Smith's have been doing private sessions with this trainer for 6 weeks. They called me last week to complain the dog wasn't any better. I said that I would come out and see what was going on.

Well, here is the deal. The owners are basically to old to do any of the training. The dog gets zero exercise (is gated in a kitchen), doesn't respond to either owners commands, it is basically a catastrophe. My preference for puppy training is using the clicker, but they don't have the coordination or dexterity to handle a clicker.

The next step was just lure and reward the behavior. That didn't work...they can't get the reward there quickly enough to mark the behavior. Then I tried training the dog, and then having them come in and work with the dog after she new the commands. No good...she won't listen to either owner.

They can't even take this little dog for a walk....the owner walks so slow the dog just can't manage the pace. They won't consider a dog walker or daycare. Argh!!!

I am running out of options....any ideas would be appreciated. I am about to write them a check and wish them luck.

Our motto maybe that "We can train ANY dog", but any owner is a whole other story!

HELP!

marynh

Posted : 5/9/2006 2:17:26 PM

no ideas but I feel bad for the dog. Someone probably thought a younger dog would be good company for them when they should have gotten a senior citizen canine.

Mic

Posted : 5/9/2006 2:20:22 PM

Agreed...an older, already house broken, lazy senior dog might have worked.

sharismom

Posted : 5/9/2006 2:51:22 PM

Geez, sounds like my neighbor, except he lives alone. His old cockapoo died, he got talked into a beagle by his SIL. It was a pup, cast off by a byb who said it wasn't trainable for hunting. So, old guy gets the dog, it is totally unsocialized, barks at everyone and everything, never gets walked or a ball tossed for it. Now it's at least 15 lbs overweight. Old guy complains that it chewed up his hearing aids, cell phone, and anything she can get ahold of. He was gone for a weekend not too long ago and left the dog in the yard - no shelter. We had a torrential downpour that lasted about 25 minutes and all I could think about was that poor dog. There was a lot of lightning, so I couldn't go out. I finally went out later and gave her a marrow bone and kept an eye on her until she decided to bury it.

I talked to him about it last summer a couple of times, but didn't get very far. [

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marty_ga

Posted : 5/9/2006 3:01:21 PM

I would mostly be afraid of the jumping....they could fall and break something. Someone had a suggestion for that on the old board, and we tried it with my 84 yr MIL and it worked with Biscotti. They said to have the person fold their arms over their chest and look upwards away from the dog...that dogs don't like that. Bisc only does the jumping when someone first comes in the house. You might try that if you haven't already!

Mic

Posted : 5/9/2006 3:04:53 PM

The Smith's really love there dog. They just aren't capable of giving the dog what it needs. She is professionally groomed, loved to death, fed innova, she gets a bed time story, brushed daily (teeth included), crate trained, etc. She just doesn't get the exercise or training she needs, and that is the most important part of the dogs life.

Mic

Posted : 5/9/2006 3:06:21 PM

The dog only weighs 10 lbs. so jumping isn't to bed...that really hasn't been a problem. It is mainly the chewing, barking, and lack of obedience.

rwbeagles

Posted : 5/9/2006 3:14:13 PM

Jumping no...but I'd worry about them tripping over the dog if she gets underfoot. Maybe instead of paying you guys to train the dog you could simply come out and spend the training time walking it and exercising its body and mind for them? They need not know about...behaviours might improve simply if the exercise is there?

Hard situation indeed! I do hope they've made plans for the dog when they are gone as well...[

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schleide

Posted : 5/9/2006 3:27:22 PM

I would try to trick them (in a good way) into letting someone exercise the dog for them - like maybe having a teenager say that his/her parents won't let him/her get a dog until shown how responsible he/she is by walking another dog?? Or maybe saying you want to do once a week "training and socialization" work with this dog - at your new day care facility?? Maybe if you can just figure out a way to get it started, the positive effects of more exercise will help them see how much of the problem this really is??

Amelia

Posted : 5/9/2006 3:58:24 PM

What have you told them in explanation of why the training isn't working with their dog? Just curious.

marty_ga

Posted : 5/9/2006 4:05:31 PM

I would assume, too, that they want to walk the dog themselves, knowing that it would be good for them also, and it is. The elderly are often reluctant to admit they need help because it means giving up their independence. Maybe they could hire a dog walker (or a grandchild?) in the morning to tire her out, thus being better behaved, and then do another walk themselves in the afternoon or early evening.

Mic

Posted : 5/9/2006 5:03:37 PM

They are not interested in having anyone else walk there precious dog, and they certainly aren't going to pay myself or one of our trainers $50 an hour to come out everyday.

They walk, but unfortunately over half an hour the cover about 100 yards. It just isn't enough exercise for a 1 yr old pug-a-poo.

Sometimes I think they like having something to complain about.

What have you told them in explanation of why the training isn't working with their dog? Just curious.

I explain that until there dog starts getting more exercise they are going to continue to see the negative behaviors.

They aren't willing to admit that they can't get the job done, and I don't think there is anything I can do about that.

rredbird

Posted : 5/9/2006 8:34:47 PM

Do you have their vet's name in a file somewhere? Maybe you can enlist his/her help in convincing them to get more exercise for him. Sometimes no matter how knowledgeable you are it takes an "authority" figure to dispense the same advice for it to register. They seem to really care for the dog so if the vet tells them he needs an 1/2 hour or more a day of strenuous exercise (ie fetching, running, swimming, a treadmill) maybe they would be more willing to have help. At the very least teach the dog to fetch and get an automatic tennis ball thrower stocked with 50 balls!

I hope you find something that works for them and for the poor pup! Good luck.

sillysally

Posted : 5/10/2006 4:14:46 AM

What about smart toys, like that dog ball you've talked about? Do they have a yard? If so they could try giving the dog the smallest size of the Jolly Ball type toys and turn her loose in the yard. Sally will exaust herself with those.

How is the dog with other dogs? What about finding them a "small dgo" play group?

Susa

Posted : 5/10/2006 4:35:07 AM

What about beeing completely honest to them? I mean, if they won`t admit that there`s something definetly going wrong there anyway you can tell them that loving their dog isn`t only to give him food, grooming and that stuff but the daily excercise, just something to do and a good education or neither will be happy and when they get mad enough about their dog`s behaviour then what?

That`s so hard to find a diplomatic way to tell people they`re just not able to have a dog but it might be better for the poor pup.