# Okay, mom, I'll listen when *I* want to.



## Mssjnnfer (Aug 9, 2009)

Argghhh. It's been driving me nuts. Mojo's almost 7 months old... we're in an obedience class... he's known these commands since he was 7 WEEKS old... what is wrong!?

A video showing him not listen (and me kinda get a little frustrated...)






He's known "take a nap" since he was SUPER young. And sit. And down. But now it's like HE chooses when to do them.

At Tuesday night's class I had a horrible time (which ended in tears) with him not lying down. He would either look around or just blink at me. I was so frustrated. I've tried to beef his training up, but when he just won't do anything for me... what's the point?

Is this a stage? A nasty teenager stage? Please help. :bawling:


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

Welcome to the terrible teens. : Just buckle down and you will work through it. It may cause some embarrassing moments at class but stick with it and talk to your instructor about it. It does get better.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

May I suggest the book "surviving your dog's adolescence" ? It's pretty good!
And yes, welcome to the teens!


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## Mssjnnfer (Aug 9, 2009)

Oaklys Dad said:


> Welcome to the terrible teens. : Just buckle down and you will work through it. It may cause some embarrassing moments at class but stick with it and talk to your instructor about it. It does get better.


The only real embarrassment at class so far was when we were trying to heel. He wouldn't MOVE. At all. Everyone else had to walk their dogs around us in the circle... he was planted firmly. 

I can't wait until he's through. Such a PITA.


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## Mssjnnfer (Aug 9, 2009)

hotel4dogs said:


> May I suggest the book "surviving your dog's adolescence" ? It's pretty good!
> And yes, welcome to the teens!


Ooooohh... I will definitely look into it!


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

You'll definitely hit phases where they try to test you a bit. Just step up the training and be consistent. He'll come around. Two small notes... 

- Don't repeat the command. Remember, the command is "take a nap," not "take a nap, take a nap, take a nap."

- Try using jackpots when training. When Rookie hit a plateau, I was amazed at how much of a difference this made in his responsiveness. Basically, instead of giving one treat, he gets several tiny little treats all in a row. So if we're working on off-leash recall, when he comes he gets tons of praise and petting and several little treats one after another, all while being told what a superstar he is. It really helped get us through a training plateau.


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

LOL terrible teens!!! He'll grow out of it... eventually...


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## Mssjnnfer (Aug 9, 2009)

I just bought the book for 8 cents on Amazon.


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## Mssjnnfer (Aug 9, 2009)

mdoats said:


> You'll definitely hit phases where they try to test you a bit. Just step up the training and be consistent. He'll come around. Two small notes...
> 
> - Don't repeat the command. Remember, the command is "take a nap," not "take a nap, take a nap, take a nap."
> 
> - Try using jackpots when training. When Rookie hit a plateau, I was amazed at how much of a difference this made in his responsiveness. Basically, instead of giving one treat, he gets several tiny little treats all in a row. So if we're working on off-leash recall, when he comes he gets tons of praise and petting and several little treats one after another, all while being told what a superstar he is. It really helped get us through a training plateau.


 our trainer said not to repeat it like that too... Bad habit I NEED to break.

What should I do when he doesn't do it after the first time? 

And that's an awesome idea about the jackpot!! If I have something freaking amazing in my hand (like chicken or cheese LOL as you saw from a previous video) he'll go nuts and pretty much do what I want. But when I don't have a treat or just a plain ol' training treat it's hit and miss.

I'm gonna have to beef it up more with him. 

I can't wait until he outgrows it. :doh:


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## Nicole74 (May 30, 2009)

I hate to break it to you..... But, I think your house is HAUNTED!!! I saw two ghosts appear in your window....


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## Mssjnnfer (Aug 9, 2009)

Nicole74 said:


> I hate to break it to you..... But, I think your house is HAUNTED!!! I saw two ghosts appear in your window....


LOL, when I started reading your post I was thinking "oh no... bad news..." LOL... but yes.

I LOVE my ghosties!! It was pretty creepy how they appeared like that... O_O


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I was always told that you never give a command you can't enforce. You give the command once, if he doesn't do it (a command you know he's reasonably familiar with), you simply help him to do it. If you say sit and he doesn't, you don't repeat it. You just gently place him in the sit position. Gently is a matter of opinion, of course :.
No treat for being assisted in doing it, but calm verbal praise. Yes, good boy. Then do it again. If he does it, THEN it's time for the jackpot! If he doesn't, well, he's gonna need a little help again.




Mssjnnfer said:


> our trainer said not to repeat it like that too... Bad habit I NEED to break.
> 
> What should I do when he doesn't do it after the first time?
> 
> ...


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## Mssjnnfer (Aug 9, 2009)

For a while he wasn't sitting, so we had to pretty much help him sit every time. Now he sits (98% of the time) but... yeah. Everything else... no so much.

Thank you for the advice though!!


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I'll agree with enforcing your first command. If he knows it and chooses not to do it because the treat isn't good enough for him, step in and physically help him follow through. I will also add, however, that it sounds like your dog is only working for the food. Try increasing your praise sometimes. Not just a simple "good dog," but a roll on the floor, hands all over, "you are such a smart doggy," type praise that has him going wild.


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## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Mssjnnfer said:


> What should I do when he doesn't do it after the first time?


I agree with hotel4dogs--if he doesn't do something like a sit or down you gently make em (pull up on the leash, etc). If it is something cute like a trick--well there you have to be careful and those aren't have-to-do like basic obedience it.

Try a few things. Take a piece of cheese (or whatever he goes crazy for) make him really excited and have him do multiple things for the one treat. Make sure he sees the treat, but hide it in your pocket in such a way that he knows it is there but can't see it.

If he will still do them with a treat you have to learn to phase them out. Learn to trick him by making him think you have a treat in your hand (which you won't) and get the desired behavior. When he finishes the behavior you will show him you don't have a treat in that hand but you will promptly pull one out (and you want him know that the treat is coming from somewhere unknown to him). 

Hope this helps.


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## Noey (Feb 26, 2009)

I love the look liek "you take a nap, why are you always telling me to nap, maybe I don't want a nap"
Very cute...I have one that just hit this stage as well.


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