Training a Rottie - tips needed

[Mandz]

Ok - quick background.

I took a rottie from my local pound just before she was euthanised. She was in a terrible state - really really thin, had obviously just had puppies but she was very sweet but subdued. Brought her home to get some weight on her before we de-sexed her. When she went for de-sexing it was apparent she was pregnant - we had only had her for 3 weeks and she was 7 weeks pregnant!!! All this and the fact that it was also evident that she had been mis-treated and she was approximately 11 months old.

It just seems that to really get her atttention when training - even with food treats to hand - you have to really yell at her. I assume that this is just because that is how she has been treated in the past.

My question is - do I continue with the soft approach or will she always expect to be yelled at?

I just hate having to get to that level before she will respond - my other two dogs are nearly perfect with their training as it stands at the moment.

If you have got this far well done ! - She has settled in to our home very well - she is a little pushy when it comes to me showing affection to my other two hounds andwill push her way to the front - however my take on that is that the affection is on my terms not hers and she gets ignored when she does that and then when I am ready she get affection.

Will she ever get over what has happened in the past and move on?

Thanks for reading this epic

Mandz
xx

 

[foxviewstud]

poor girl thats horrible to go through that so young. i also have a rescue rottie who was mistreated and is a bit deaf when he wants, but i did find he had very dirty ears since sorting that he is a bit better so i would get her checked out, rotties are very stubborn and need a firm hand otherwise they think they are boss. so if it turns out her hearing is fine then you will have to be harder on her but also very generious with the rewards.

 

[GinaB]

Oh that poor thing

At least she has a good home with you

Have you had her hearing checked? As she maybe has problems as opposed to either selective hearing or being stubborn!

 

[CAYLA]

I would also get her hearing checked, rotties are pretty easy to train, and respond very well to food

in general as they are greedy as hell

, re the pushing for attention...this is a rotti trait, they are very affectionate and crave attention, u are doing right by ignoring her advances when she is pushing through the other dogs, they do indeed need a fim hand but in general they make fab pets and are very protective and bond excessively.
Although she has had a bad past you need to stay firm in regards to her training, try toys as a training aid if she is more toy than food orientated, if it's just normal dog treats she is non repondent to, try something more tasty like cooked chicken or cheese(very small amounts) and cut down on her normal feeds if possible, but get her hearing checked first, this could be an underlying reason whilst they got shot of her, either that or the pregnancy

Set some time aside to Work with her one on one and maybe try to get her to training classes to pick up few tips.

 

[Mandz]

Thanks for the replies guys.

She really is very affectionate and a lovely dog.

Cala, you are spot on about her being very greedy - food rewards have the biggest hold on her and I will make more of an effort to have a pocketful whenever we are out and about. When I get round to it I will post some piccies - she looks wonderful now compared to what she did look like.

She is the smallest of my dogs at the moment but I imagine that given how she was she may not grow much more due to her bad start in life !!!

Thanks again

Mandz
xx

 

[Cahill]

glad you have given your rottie a home.she is still quite young by the sound of it.

i love my girlie to bits.

 

[rcm_73]

I have 2 Rotties and was brought up with 5!!

The affection thing is definately a Rotti trait, they are dominant dogs so will try to push their way through the rest of the pack, bitches crave attention more so than the dogs and you do have to be firm. The food thing is also definately true..ham is a good one, we show our dogs and most people use titbits such as tinned ham chopped up to get their dogs' attention in the ring. Ham is a bit messy to carry about I know (you should see the inside of my bum bag lol) but you could use it at home to help reinforce good behaviour. Good luck to you, I'm glad you have given a rescue Rottie a home they are great loving and loyal dogs in the right hands

 

[Mandz]

[ QUOTE ]
glad you have given your rottie a home.she is still quite young by the sound of it.

i love my girlie to bits.

[/ QUOTE ]

She is young - best estimate is she is a year old now - given her start in life I am surprised how well she is doing. I think she has been beaten as well as starved and my thoughts were that she has been kept by a backyard breeder type and she managed to escape - good on her I say.

I have always wanted a rottie but could never afford to pay the prices asked for puppies so she is a bonus. We have only had her 8 weeks but in that time she has gone from a dog with her tail always tucked to being happy - wagging the tail etc. She is also smart as she has learnt to sit, give her paw, down and also wait to be told she can have her dinner so I know there is a smart dog in there somewhere

Mandz
xx