# Advanced Obedience Training?- Adolescent dog!



## JessBL11 (May 12, 2017)

Hi Guys, This is my first post so please bear with me 

My boy is 7 months old. He was brought from a good breeder of pet GSDs. I have always been interested in training etc but never knew about drives and willingness to work before purchasing my boy. I started his basic obedience as soon as he was home at 8 weeks and we got off to a flying start. I then looked in to starting IPO with him but he is quite a shy dog and I was unsure if his temperament was right, along side the fact he isn't a working Shepherd, so I decided not to. 

He loves playing with a ball and his flirt pole is his favourite thing although I wouldn't say his prey or ball drive is extremely high (Maybe average). He has always been more food motivated. 

However, he seems to have recently hit an adolescent phase which includes ignoring recall (he is now back on his long line) and seemingly forgetting extremely basic commands that have previously been proofed, even in the house and pulling frantically on his lead for every smell! I've read up on this and have just continued with his training schedule (3X per day in about 10 minute sessions) and also use "life" training... So i make him sit and wait before going outside, make his place for his dinner etc etc. On top of all of this he has suddenly become reactive to dogs, however we have been using counter conditioning and this is getting better. 

My main issue and question with alllllll of this is that he has seemingly lost his interest in training with me. He used to cry if we hadn't trained and now keeping his focus in our very quiet kitchen is a massive task. He knows all basic commands along with some random ones...(Down, sit, heel- (loose lead walk), paw, place, wait, leave, stay, drop it, hold, open, touch, middle). But I want to start teaching him advanced obedience... I would love to teach him a proper focused heel, for him to place anywhere and not just in the house, off lead heeling, down/sit in motion, a retrieve etc. Number one, although I have been trying I have no idea how to teach these because i cant keep his focus for more than a second at the moment. The first command he learnt was to focus/look and it was so important for us but at the moment he has no enthusiasm to train at all. He isn't even interested in really high value treats... 

Oh and also, he has recently had a vet check so no problems there. 

Does anyone have any experience with this and teaching higher level obedience commands please? 

Thanks in advance!


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

What would you think about trying another class?It might help both of you be more enthusiastic about training.Rally might be a good place to start, with lots of direction changes and moving sits and downs.


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## gsdluvr (Jun 26, 2012)

7 months??? Adolescence! He is growing up! Hormones, testosterone, dog reactivity! Keep up the training as best you can, just like dogma13 said maybe another class. I find many of the boys become distracted at this age. But with persistence, it WILL pass! 

Some people give up at this point because as a puppy, they were doing so well. It's just a very normal, "rough spot". Stay the course. Be patient while he grows into maturity.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

you need to start all over again.

not advanced -- basic - as if he never had a lesson - 

You said " I started his basic obedience as soon as he was home at 8 weeks "

too early --- does not even have his bearings, no bond , this was your period of attachment and
the best doggy education would have been PRACTICAL - how to "be" with me , how to "be" without me ,
house rules , CONSISTENT expectations - command and response -- training isn't scheduled - the rules and regs
permeate everything - the dog learns by trial and error - takes the easy path of least resistance and chooses the
right answer -- good choice ! 
chooses the wrong answer- well that didn't work - so learn from experience

best success is to capitalize on wshat is exciting - and that is the reward --- walking together in the same direction in very pack satisfying -- makes for team work. If the dog isn't with you - then the team does not move forward -- all the happy and excitement shuts down 

lessons are short . end on positive note. work first without distraction . one thing at a time

first lesson is move forward (with manners) together -- even if it is a big square . a big circle going both directions .
dog on outside of configuration (has to figure out how to take more steps to keep in pace with you) and on the inside (dog has to figure out he is walking a lessor distance and has to slow down to keep in pace with you).

End of lesson . Good boy . one tiny treat - back in car - and go home . No party at home - put in crate let him think it out.

So for a time period all your interactions will be on a positive result in getting the dog to team up . 

The play gets put on the back burner for a while. 

He'll be pretty excited to get the opportunity to be with you in the way you want him to be.

at this time the dog has had so much access to you (privilege) and has figured out how to control you (treat dispenser and play time amusement on demand) 

you be mature and the dog will be mature


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