Ok Admit Defeat - HELP Lol

Vixxy

Vixxy

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We have a 6 months old Dalmatian called Lottie.

At home she is great, comes to call, sits and we are now working on lie down. Considering this breed is suppose to be quite clever in comparison to how my Border Collie was as a pup (now 6 yrs) she comes across a bit dense lol. It takes so much repatition and she just looks so confused, so obviously for her it takes a while longer to get what she is meant to do.

Outdoors this is causing hell, she just plain ignores when you say 'come' or Lottie come in a nice voice. Does not even give us a glance, we have tried treats to no avail. I think it is the most important thing a dog must learn, our border is great at it.

When we move down south we are going to attend training classes and agility but for now we are so remote must try to solve it at home.

Tips, ideas please, anyone solved this problem? How?

Any help at all appreciated...
 
Think about how you appear and sound to her - what voice you use, what word you use, your body language. Dogs are very nosy and if you are moving away from her, hiding, or look like you are doing something interesting, she will be more likely to come back to you. Don't come to her - endless chasey games will ensue and no matter how long she takes to come back to you, always praise, althought it is the last thing you feel like doing - she will not understand if you tick her off and she will be less likely to return next time.
Think like she would- why would she come back to you? You need to keep animated and interesting. Sound as silly as you possible can.
If you have been using the same word over and over again, and she is not responding, change it to something else. Don't use her name, you will deaden it for her. Her name is her name, it is not a command.
My 'come' is very short, sharp and high-pitched. I sound like a berk but it works. I also use 'pup-peeeeeee!' which is nice and fun and a lot of people I know use here - 'heeeee-YAR!' as it is hard to miss
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Try those and if it is still a mission, we can talk about long line work or hand-feeding.

For down, tempt her down with a treat from the sit, coax her out long and low, treat between her front paws.
 
Im quite surprised to read that you feel damnations are intelligent.

I may be doing the breed a great dis service but the three that I have known have always appeared rather....erm....dense!

However I agree with the above advice....even though it does make you look a bit mad!
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Agree with everything that CC has said, training wise I'm sure Cayla will offer some good tips as well.
In addition to that though....shes a dally and my first thought was, have you had her hearing tested?
Good luck with her, we had Dallys when I was growing up, they are far from stupid but can be stubborn as mules to train. Being used to collies intellect and willing you are bound to find it a bit of a challenge. Just be persistent, it will come good in the end.
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If one my dogs disagrees with me regarding the time to go home and legs it, I yell said dogs name and leg it in the opposite direction, jumping and waving arms about as I go! Now whilst I can get odd looks from other walkers and my daughter would walk off in the opposite direction, the dog, funnily enough, feels no embarrassment regarding my behaviour and as a rule comes racing over to me.
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Is her hearing ok? I know that Dalmations over here (U.S.) have issues quite often with their hearing which might be magnified when you are outside if it is not 100%. Just a thought, not sure if they have the same issues in other countries ...
 
I found the best thing to do when our vizsla was a pup was to resign ourselves to using yummier treats
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She was brilliant at home too, but as soon as she had crows to chase, horse poo to eat or other chaos to cause her little biscuit-type snacks were suddenly decidedly dull
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We upgraded to using little chunks of cheddar or chopped sausage (which we used exclusively as a "special treat" when she was outside) and suddenly her obedience improved massively
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As a long term solution the other suggestions are brilliant, but for a snap improvement in the interim I would give this a go
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[ QUOTE ]
Is her hearing ok? I know that Dalmations over here (U.S.) have issues quite often with their hearing which might be magnified when you are outside if it is not 100%. Just a thought, not sure if they have the same issues in other countries ...

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Galupy - yes they do! Animals which are born white (including Dalmations) are often predisposed to deafness.
 
Thanks for the help guys!

Maybe using her name is a bad idea hmm, she had her hearing tested in her puppy check before she came to us and all was fine.

I think maybe comparing her with our Border Collie is the worst mistake. I am going to take chunks of sausage with me out every time now and use the long line approach.

The chasing situation I found a nightmare and actually made it worse. I usually walk away and pretend to find something very interesting. Sometimes this works, I shall keep on trying first with a long line and lots of treats then later off the lead.

Have been doing the treats between her paws and swept it down and out but she just looks at me as if to say 'yea and' lol.

When I was in my early twenties I had a rescued Weimaraner and we attended a dog training and agility club in South Wales, I also had private lessons with a police dog handler. So I have an idea on training, my parents bred German Shepard's when I was growing up so was exposed there also. My sister breeds Terriers, Collies and German Gundogs and I have spent time with those but I still have not yet met a dog as daft or confused as my poor girl Lottie.

Love and affection in bucket loads, lots of fun but so very daft. Bless her, I am going to visit her breeder soon for tips regarding showing her in Dalmatian puppy classes in the spring, I am hoping she can point out where I might be going wrong.

I look forward to moving when this farm sells and going to training sessions where I can get help and support and find out what I could be changing or doing better.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Is her hearing ok? I know that Dalmatians over here (U.S.) have issues quite often with their hearing which might be magnified when you are outside if it is not 100%. Just a thought, not sure if they have the same issues in other countries ...

[/ QUOTE ]

I know that according to the Swedish Dalmatian society, breeders must BAER (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) test their puppies before selling them and I know the Norwegian ditto have a similar rule, so if bought from the right breeder, KM should know whether her puppy is hearing or not.


Personally, besides CaveCanem's advice, I recommend a harness and a really long line, wear gloves or only use your feet to stand on the line when you need to stop her. That way, if she doesn't listen, say No! and give the line a tug, then you call again. Use the line so that she can't continue wandering around in her own world, if nothing else works you can even haul her in.

If the long line is used right, she will learn that she has to listen because you have magic powers that can reach her and give her a reminding tug from a distance.


Good luck.
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Karen, did your parents have a kennel name/prefix when they were breeding GSDs? We're only a few years apart, they may have been going at the same time as my Mum.

Good luck, every dog is different
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CaveCanem - They bred a long time ago gosh I was very very young so cannot remember but I can ask my mum. I remember the police had a few of the pups to go into training as police dogs.

We had GSD's all my childhood as my dad at the time was in the police force we often had puppies and young dogs that did not make the grade or dogs that had retired.

In adult life I have owned Kaos the Weimaraner who I had to rehome due to his dislike of my baby, it was also unfair for him when I had a baby as I did not have enough time to give him the attention he needed as my baby at the time was so sick. He ended up going to a couple without kids who lived on a small holding so was perfect for him. Jake we still have and now Lottie.

I am looking forward to cracking this problem with Lottie, I am sure we will get there in the end. Also when we move the new farm will be completely fenced in with chicken fencing on the post and rail due to the fact the farm borders a forest and the forest has wolves in it. That will give me the chance to recall knowing she can run but she cannot escape. On our current farm we just have post and rail and she loves to run off up the farm driveway, hence a huge problem, I hate us having a big farm but still having to tie her up.
 
I thought dalmations were incredibly thick!

I would give really really really tasty treats. Read Han's posts on her troubles with henry and her cooked chicken tactics! xxxx
 
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