# Teaching A Dog to Listen to Me



## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

It's possible to teach a dog to listen to only me, right? And my family, of course.
For example, when guests come over to the house, I don't want them to tell my dog to do things. I don't want a guest to tell my dog to "sit" but my dog "downs" and then the guest will say "good boy" and eventually my dog might think that sit means down... 
Also when we are outside, I don't allow strangers to pet my dog because they have no reason to... So I don't want them to say "come here" and my dog to listen.
How can I teach this?


----------



## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

mynameisblc said:


> It's possible to teach a dog to listen to only me, right? And my family, of course.
> 
> I would think it would be possible to teach this; however, Sasha just does it naturally. She's not real big on listening to other people, especially if I'm there.
> 
> ...


The best advice I can give for teaching this is work on a strong bond between you and your dog, and make sure they know when you give a command they are to obey it despite distractions. It takes time (we're still working on it every day) but it can happen.


----------



## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

He just turned 9 months. I would tell my dog to down and stay, then my sister's friend, or literally anyone, would tell him to do something and he will. He listens to everyone and I don't want him to. Should I say no when he listens to someone else?


----------



## San (Mar 22, 2012)

*Foreign language?*

Maybe teach your dog's commands in a foreign language? My GSD is aloof to strangers anyway, she also doesn't understand any English commands. We've been in situations before where strangers at a pet store or a park would try to tell her to do things, she either ignored them or looked at them blankly


----------



## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

I've thought about using a foreign language but what if someone hears me say it and they try to copy what I say haha. And I've already taught him English, won't it be confusing to change language?


----------



## spidermilk (Mar 18, 2010)

For stay I would focus on making sure that your dog knows that he can *only* get up if he hears his release word?

Also, sometimes we just have to ask other *people* to stop messing with our dogs. If someone in particular won't leave your dog alone, put your dog somewhere else (go in your room, on a walk, etc.) when they come over and maybe they'll get the picture that you don't want them messing with your dog.

Or (because some people just want to see your super-smart dog do a few tricks), I will hand a guest a couple of treats and ask them to ask him to do a simple trick (one that he knows well and that neither party can mess up). After they do that they seem to have their 'fix' of interacting with the dog and will leave him alone.


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

whatever command i taught i incorporated the help
of other people. i did a lot of training in front of stores,
the mall, busy street, etc. i use to approach someone and
say "i'm training my dog to stay. can you help me for a minute?
I'm going to place my dog in a stay. when i hide behind that car

(you can hide behind anything. when i was training stay and i was 
doing by myself i use have my dog stay at the corner of a buiding.
i would take his leash and stretch it out in front of the building. 
i would step beside the building. i could see his leash so i knew if he moved)

i want you to call him. his name is Loki". then i would hide behind a car
and they called him. when he moved i would say "no" and put him back into 
the stay. then i would hide again and the stranger call him again.
it took a lot of training but he learned not to move. if i tell him
"down, stay" you can walk over to him and pick up his leash
and tug on it and he stays. after he learned to stay when a stranger
called him i started telling people to pick up his leash and pull
him and call him. i used the public as a distraction and a training tool.

i'm out and about with my dog and lots of people want to pet him.
i always let people pet my dog. i like the fact that he's very sociable.



mynameisblc said:


> He just turned 9 months. I would tell my dog to down and stay, then my sister's friend, or literally anyone, would tell him to do something and he will. He listens to everyone and I don't want him to. Should I say no when he listens to someone else?


----------



## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

mynameisblc said:


> It's possible to teach a dog to listen to only me, right? And my family, of course.


Yes.



mynameisblc said:


> For example, when guests come over to the house, I don't want them to tell my dog to do things.


These people are guests in your house. Advise them your dog is in training and ask them not to tell your dog to do things. As guests in your home, they should respect your wishes and leave the dog alone. If not, show them the door. If this is not possible, remove the dog from their presence. Other people meddling with your dog training can create a lot of hard to deal with issues as you are finding out. 



mynameisblc said:


> I don't want a guest to tell my dog to "sit" but my dog "downs" and then the guest will say "good boy" and eventually my dog might think that sit means down...


Do teach your dog in another language. It will be a bit confusing at first, but he will catch on. My older dog is trained in English, but my pup is training in Czech. The older dog has learned Czech commands just by observation and now knows both languages.



mynameisblc said:


> Also when we are outside, I don't allow strangers to pet my dog because they have no reason to... So I don't want them to say "come here" and my dog to listen.
> How can I teach this?


Strangers petting your dog has to do with socialization, not your dog obeying their commands. Just where is it that you go that you and your dog are encountering people that are trying to call your dog away from you? Maybe you should stop taking him to those places until he is trained better. 

On the brighter side, if your dog is trained in the basics, you can always train him to not go to others simply by telling him to stay, or just say no. Work on this with family members or a couple of close friends. Teach your dog to stay until released. Proof him by having your family and friends call him and otherwise entice him to come to them. 



mynameisblc said:


> He just turned 9 months. I would tell my dog to down and stay, then my sister's friend, or literally anyone, would tell him to do something and he will. He listens to everyone and I don't want him to. Should I say no when he listens to someone else?


Foreign commands and the release command will stop much of this. Once he has been retaught in foreign commands, you can also start reteaching english ones. When my lifestyle involved more bothersome people than I cared for, I would teach my dogs that all those usual english commands (sit, down, paw) meant one thing and one thing only, stand stay. No matter what the other people would throw at the dog, if he did not know the command, he stood there looking at them, if he recognized the command, he understood it to mean stand stay, and he stood there looking at him. It might seem silly, but it achieved the desired results.



mynameisblc said:


> I've thought about using a foreign language but what if someone hears me say it and they try to copy what I say haha. And I've already taught him English, won't it be confusing to change language?


Teach him in a language that is a little more difficult.

All in all, I see your biggest problem is letting way too many people have access to this dog and you are unhappy with the results. It is easier to keep him away from strangers, but in your home when you have guests, you might want to confine him away from the wannabe trainers or if you must have him out and about, tie him to you where you can control and manage him better.

Good luck with your puppy!


----------



## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

doggiedad said:


> whatever command i taught i incorporated the help
> of other people. i did a lot of training in front of stores,
> the mall, busy street, etc. i use to approach someone and
> say "i'm training my dog to stay. can you help me for a minute?
> I'm going to place my dog in a stay. when i hide behind that car


I would never do this. The possibility of finding yourself playing hide n seek all by yourself is all too great.


----------



## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

mynameisblc said:


> It's possible to teach a dog to listen to only me, right? And my family, of course.
> For example, when guests come over to the house, I don't want them to tell my dog to do things. I don't want a guest to tell my dog to "sit" but my dog "downs" and then the guest will say "good boy" and eventually my dog might think that sit means down...
> Also when we are outside, I don't allow strangers to pet my dog because they have no reason to... So I don't want them to say "come here" and my dog to listen.
> How can I teach this?


I feel your pain. I actually do not mind others giving my dog a command, but 99% of people don't do it right.  

They say things like:

_Bailey! Sit, can you sit, Bailey, sit! sit! sit! Can you sit? Why don't you sit? Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit!!!!!!!!!!!!! _

He looks at them like they're insane.

_Can you lay down, Bailey? Down? Do you know down? Come lay down!_

Yes, he says, I know down, but what are these other stupid words?

_Bailey! Can you shake? Do you know shake? Shake Bailey, shake, shake!_

Again, he looks at them like they're fools.

So there I am, saying ok -- please only give the command one time. And then they say the command 22 more times. Aggravating to be sure.! 

This is an instance that hand signals are quite handy.  I don't have to say a word.


----------



## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

Many years ago, when I used to take my dogs to obedience classes, obeying the owner and ignoring other people's commands were routinely taught in beginner's obedience.


----------



## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

mynameisblc said:


> He just turned 9 months. I would tell my dog to down and stay, then my sister's friend, or literally anyone, would tell him to do something and he will. He listens to everyone and I don't want him to. Should I say no when he listens to someone else?


It is absolutely fine to correct him when he doesn't listen to you regardless of why he doesn't listen. Perhaps correct the friend as well. When I was reteaching Sasha not to beg at the table (left her alone with my family for a week when I hadn't had her long and they fed her from the table the whole week I was gone) I would squirt Sasha in the face with a squirt bottle when she would beg and tell her no (she didn't know "go lay down" yet). I caught my little brother (who was 18 btw) sneaking her food right behind my back at dinner one night so I squirted him in the face instead of her lol!



mynameisblc said:


> I've thought about using a foreign language but what if someone hears me say it and they try to copy what I say haha. And I've already taught him English, won't it be confusing to change language?


I would argue the problem is not something a language will solve. The problem is lack of focus. He's a baby and he's responding to something that is more exciting than staying (almost anything is when you're a baby right?). I would definitely up the ante for a job well done. I don't know what you're using for treats but at this point I would break out really high value treats whenever you have guests over (cheese, meat, etc. whatever is his favorite). 

As far as confusing to change language...eh...they're pretty smart. Sasha responds to English, hand signals and some Russian (I'm kind of lazy about that one). She had no trouble learning the commands in the different forms and will respond to any of the above with no problem. Like I said earlier though, I don't think this is something that will get fixed by changing languages.


I think if you keep working your dog, especially in different environments, you will see that, with age, his focus on you is a lot better.


----------



## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

As for a reward I pull out a jute from my pocket and play tug with him. Seems to work better than treats for him.
Recently I have been teaching the stay command more often. In a big field, I would make him down and stay then I would run to the end of the field(it's a closed field so he can't escape) and wait. Then use the release word and he would come running like a bullet for the jute that magically appeared from my pocket .
Also when I see a stranger coming towards us, I would tell him to down and stay until they pass. He's been doing this pretty well. I think it's right if I correct him if he move without my permission... Right?.. If he stays put, I'd pull the jute out and we play for a of couple seconds.


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i can see the person. depending how i position
myself i can see the person and my dog.



doggiedad said:


> whatever command i taught i incorporated the help of other people. i did a lot of training in front of stores,
> the mall, busy street, etc. i use to approach someone and
> say "i'm training my dog to stay. can you help me for a minute?
> I'm going to place my dog in a stay. when i hide behind that car
> ...





Falkosmom said:


> I would never do this. The possibility of finding yourself playing hide n seek all by yourself is all too great.


----------



## GSDkid (Apr 19, 2011)

I would think it'd be great if he listened to everyone. However, you have to build the stronger bond with your dog to establish that you're his companion or leader (I sounded like CM. lol) Your command is to be the main one that is over everyone's. 

My trainer wanted to evaluate how good I've proofed my stay. I had Abby on a down stay and she is not to move until I release her. My wife was calling out to her and you could tell Abby was just itching to get some lovin. However, she didn't move from her spot as she kept glancing back and forth between my wife and I.

I think it's a good idea to allow other people give commands to your dog. You never know, one day you get sick and someone has to take care of your dog. It would help if your dog allowed them to give him commands. Even pet sitters or Day cares would need it. I think your dog's fine.


----------



## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

Just my feelings on what you describe, but I think this is pup is not very well bonded to you.


----------



## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

I think it's because I train him and other people counter-train him. Hahaha...


----------



## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

I've been correcting him by saying "bad" whenever he obeys someone that's not me or my mom(who I want him to only obey). But I'd reward him when he looks at me when someone else tries to give him a command. It's been less than a week and it's working. When a guest came over yesterday and he told my dog to sit, my dog just looked at me then I told him to "down" and he did! I'm going to keep teaching him this way since it seemed to work...

I won't give a correction when my mom gives him a command, just a reward.


----------



## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

That's awesome! I'm so glad the training is working


----------



## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

mynameisblc said:


> It's possible to teach a dog to listen to only me, right? And my family, of course.
> For example, when guests come over to the house, I don't want them to tell my dog to do things. I don't want a guest to tell my dog to "sit" but my dog "downs" and then the guest will say "good boy" and eventually my dog might think that sit means down...
> Also when we are outside, I don't allow strangers to pet my dog because they have no reason to... So I don't want them to say "come here" and my dog to listen.
> How can I teach this?



All of our dogs (8 GSDs) are raised to be very social and outgoing. They also participate in Schutzhund and are our evaluation dogs when we have new clients bring dogs in to attend our daycare or looking into training. I have never had to "teach" them to only listen to us, I think that becomes the norm once they reach maturity. As pups they like to interact with as many people and dogs as they can which is fine with us. Once they get to about 18mos or so they just naturally start to ignore others. Although I will say I have no problem telling someone not to give my dogs commands or whatever if I think they are causing a problem. When clients come with little kids, I don't mind showing a child how to hold a treat and tell the dog to sit for it, I think it it good for the dog and the kid, but beyond that I don't let others really mess with my dogs. 
I have one guy in our Schutzhund club who is not the greatest handler (although he is really trying to learn) who just loves my female and is constantly trying to tell her to fuss or platz but he is so loud and inconsistent I have to tell him pretty forcefully to leave her alone. Other than him though, people have always respected when I asked them to cease and desist!


----------



## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

Falkosmom said:


> I would never do this. The possibility of finding yourself playing hide n seek all by yourself is all too great.


Lol...good luck taking my dog away from me. And I wouldn't have to do a thing, I'd just love to watch someone try to drag him in a different direction from me. Also, they'd be back the next day begging me to take him back and probably offering me money so that I would.

I never cared that he'd listen to my family members, I think he should listen to anyone that comes into my household. He will easily do any of his things for people in my household if they have a treat or he knows them, outside, he won't listen to anyone but me. This wasn't trained, he just picked up on it.

I don't know if I would suggest saying "bad" to him when other people are talking to him and being friendly, he could end up getting the wrong idea. At the moment, he's still young, but in a few months he might start to think that its bad if he interacts with people period, and I don't know if that's what you want.


----------



## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

mynameisblc said:


> I've been correcting him by saying "bad" whenever he obeys someone that's not me or my mom(who I want him to only obey). But I'd reward him when he looks at me when someone else tries to give him a command. It's been less than a week and it's working. When a guest came over yesterday and he told my dog to sit, my dog just looked at me then I told him to "down" and he did! I'm going to keep teaching him this way since it seemed to work...
> 
> I won't give a correction when my mom gives him a command, just a reward.


WAY too confusing and I think you are making a huge mistake! 

If you want to have him listen best to you, then you need to TRAIN and have him want to listen and learn. You don't want to say 'Bad' when he sits for someone else and then expect him to understand exactly the same command is 'good' for you. 

You are going to blow his mind and have him not listen you to anyone (you?).

Since I live in a world full of people and do not have any 'power' issues that would make it a bad thing if my dogs love and listen to other people, I could care less if my dog 'sit's when someone else asks. 

This way my dogs will 'sit' for the vet, for someone I ask to hold my dog for a sec when I'm out in the world, PLUS when I have friends/neighbors/relatives take care of my dogs they love having a well trained and well behaved dog.

*MY WORLD is full of people that I want to love my GSD's. I want to KNOW I never have to kennel my dog if I have to go on vacation or training for work. MY WORLD has a list of friends and family that love to take care of my dogs for FREE if needed. And it's because my dogs will listen to them.*

If I did have a specific TRAINING need that needs to be linked with me, then I would do what others recommended and use a different word. So my dogs can still be 'good dogs' when they 'down' for the world and 'platz' for me.

Hundekommandos - Dog Commands in German

As someone else mentioned, we want our pups to love the world and feel welcome with anyone. AS THEY AGE and mature, and as we continue to have CLEAR training (that's fun) then they will tend to listen much better/faster to us. But that should come out NATURALLY if we are training properly and as they grow. Not cause we isolate them or tell them they are 'bad'.


----------



## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

bocron said:


> All of our dogs (8 GSDs) are raised to be very social and outgoing. They also participate in Schutzhund and are our evaluation dogs when we have new clients bring dogs in to attend our daycare or looking into training. I have never had to "teach" them to only listen to us, I think that becomes the norm once they reach maturity. As pups they like to interact with as many people and dogs as they can which is fine with us. Once they get to about 18mos or so they just naturally start to ignore others. Although I will say I have no problem telling someone not to give my dogs commands or whatever if I think they are causing a problem. When clients come with little kids, I don't mind showing a child how to hold a treat and tell the dog to sit for it, I think it it good for the dog and the kid, but beyond that *I don't let others really mess with my dogs.*
> I have one guy in our Schutzhund club who is not the greatest handler (although he is really trying to learn) who just loves my female and is constantly trying to tell her to fuss or platz but he is so loud and inconsistent *I have to tell him pretty forcefully to leave her alone.* Other than him though, people have always respected when I asked them to cease and desist!


I had 2 GSDs I oversocialized and did not stay on top of. I know _now_ that their genetic temperament was substandard. Regardless, these two dogs never bonded with me nor did they ever develop any degree of aloofness at maturity and were always a problem with strangers. If I could go back and change things with those two dogs, I would have never let outsiders mess with them or interact freely with them. If I could go back, when others would not leave them alone when asked, I would have removed the dogs from their presence.


----------



## mynameisblc (May 8, 2012)

bocron said:


> All of our dogs (8 GSDs) are raised to be very social and outgoing. They also participate in Schutzhund and are our evaluation dogs when we have new clients bring dogs in to attend our daycare or looking into training. I have never had to "teach" them to only listen to us, I think that becomes the norm once they reach maturity. As pups they like to interact with as many people and dogs as they can which is fine with us. Once they get to about 18mos or so they just naturally start to ignore others. Although I will say I have no problem telling someone not to give my dogs commands or whatever if I think they are causing a problem. When clients come with little kids, I don't mind showing a child how to hold a treat and tell the dog to sit for it, I think it it good for the dog and the kid, but beyond that I don't let others really mess with my dogs.
> I have one guy in our Schutzhund club who is not the greatest handler (although he is really trying to learn) who just loves my female and is constantly trying to tell her to fuss or platz but he is so loud and inconsistent I have to tell him pretty forcefully to leave her alone. Other than him though, people have always respected when I asked them to cease and desist!



Okay. So this is kind of the answer I was looking for... Around 18 months when he is a lot more matured makes sense. I was treating my dog as if he were an adult :/. I will wait until he matures and see if he starts to truly understand that I am the pack leader.
When someone comes to the house my dog will get excited and try to get petted by them and play with them. Does that mean I am not the pack leader? Or is he just still a puppy and will start to calm down when he matures? What can I do? I thought about putting a prong collar on him before someone comes over and let him calm down, make him sit, down, stay, then release. Is that a good idea?


----------



## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

I don't really a problem with other people giving your dog commands if they are correct. I would rather them listen to everyone,instead of me having to be there all the time to micro manage


----------



## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

I don't care what language you try to teach your dog in, if someone has a treat and tells your dog to do something, over a period of time your dog will do it. My dogs would jump over backwards if asked by the people behind the counter at PetSmart. 

It's a huge mistake to try and force your dog to not listen to the random people in his life. Your dog is doing it purely because it's fun and he gets a treat for it; they can't force him and he will listen or not as he wants to. Let him. 

By you spending quality time with your dog and training him to a higher level, he will gradually listen to you over anyone else; partly because he wants to and partly because he has to.

I have done demos with my older dog at the state fair and in between demos, he gets to go out and play with the crowd and he does all kinds of things for them. He will do this forever, but the second I call him, he will leave them like a hot potato and come back to work exclusively for me. While he's working for me, he doesn't hear them at all and that's the way it should be.


----------

