Leo is a GOOD boy (human training advice needed!)

[theresa]

For those just tuning in, Leo the Lurcher, my 'half a dale' is owned by me - until he turns 2, at which point my girlfriend Debbie gets him for keeps! She has always wanted a dog such as Leo, and I wanted to know more about the breed/s, so it was win/win ;D:).

After finding out about how stubborn only half a dale can be, I am pretty confident I won't be aquiring a full dale anytime soon! The staghound part of Leo is just as mellow and sweet as ever, however, and I am very confident the adult and settled down Leo will be perfect for Debbie.

So here is the deal. I have crate trained, potty trained, house manner trained Leo and he is doing very well sans the occaisional counter surfing which has gotten much better - any mistakes are my mistakes, that is for sure! Leo walks well on the leash, sits/downs (and we are working on longer stays), gets his nails dremeled with out a fuss and is overall a nice boy! So I was taken by surprise when Debbie came to visit- she will take Leo on walks several times a week and is our dog sitter -and Leo leapt up and bit at her wrist! Argh!

Upon closer inspection and further observation all was clear. Leo has a big, beefy nose and he will nose people in the hand for attention. I tell him verbally to buzz off, but Debbie will playfully grab his nose and push him away- she has created a 'nose-game' monster. The leaping up and biting at her wrist was not aggression, rather it was an excited Leo attempting to get a game of 'push my nose/pet me' going.

Leo knows better than to pull those stunts with me or hubby. Its not the dog - its the co-owner I need to train. Debbie is a mild mannered lady. I aim to give her an action plan, a list to follow. Things to do when I am not at home when she comes, things to ask of Leo and things to expect of Leo. It is make this list, or chew her out for training Leo to bite. Or rather, as I told her the other day "You know that Leo is just excited and trying to 'talk' to you via grabbing your wrist with his mouth, but when he tries that with anyone else it WILL be seen as trying to bite, and with a dog of his size we absolutely can NOT have that."

I thought she got it when I explained verbally what I saw had happened, but then just the other say as she was bringing Leo in from a walk, she let him jump up all over my husband - and more nose games with her hand - argh! If you have the leash, you control the dog -the dog doesn't get to decide if he gets to jump on a person or not - argh!!!

I am waiting to calm down else chew her head off!

So, any ideas on how to make a tactful list of suggestions on things to do/not do?

[jsf13]

Tactful? No. I do see a lot of trouble ahead if you (she) doesn't get this under control. JMO.

[theresa]

I do too.. sigh...

I plan on explaining that she is training him to bite. And that when you hold the end of the leash, you must not allow the dog to enter someone's personal space.

I think I will have to go over how to be an alpha byotch with her. Leo is smart enough to know that different rules apply to different people - ya know?

[jsf13]

T.,Has this girl owned dogs before? How many? What breeds?

[theresa]

She owned GSD, a keeshond and a few mutts, but its been years since she has owned a dog (10?) I think she is just rusty - and used to trained adults, rather than puppies. I also think she is just used to all my dogs being well trained, and so is not connecting that SHE needs to do training when she is around them -its not magic, its constant work!

I will be firm - Leo won't be changing owners in 2 years time if she isn't up to the job. He will stay right here! He is too nice a dog to get ruined by a stupid owner. My husband thinks a formal obedience class is what she needs, but from what I have seen, they don't tell you what you need to know. Formal obedience expects you to know how to train your dog. And the community ed classes (I use them for socialization purposes) don't tell you what you need to know either, ie if you are being stupid they just let you be stupid - and let you drop out.

I will have to train Leo to be well trained, so that obeying commands is second nature. But SHE needs to learn to USE the commands he already knows! (The bright side? At least I have two years to train HER!) :-)

[jsf13]

I'm sure you will do the right thing for the dog. That's more important in the end.

[markbaldassarre]

T

That "stubbornness" is more likely abstinence, which is more likely inherited from the sighthound than the dale. I'd argue that either trait, would be magnified by the sighthound influence.

As far as a tactful list...sure put 'em on the phone w/ me. I'll be tactful.

Forget tactful, just be "matteroffactful".